Our final project aims to capture the feeling of watching waves move across water. We used various fabrics and captured an interesting ripple motion from each. We then edited the videos to remove the backgrounds as well as animated the motion and used color automation to better match the fabrics between clips (and to make everything prettier). We used two different types of shots: bounded shots where the fabric breaks the frame boundaries and free shots where the fabrics edges are visible in the frame. If the bounded shots can be thought of as the surface of the water, the free shots of the fabric can be thought of as the plumes of water ejected after a stone breaks the surface. This is reflected in the sound design where splashing noises introduce fabric emerging from the center, and calmer wavy sounds lie in the background. We also modulated the volume of the wind when then video is more energetic.

We had both wanted to make a mechanized system for our final project, buuuut we all know what happened. One of the main draws of a mechanical system is that it facilitates multiples. When many of the same object are doing the same thing, it looks good and is satisfying almost without failure. This was especially true of fabrics because of their natural motions. We replicated our desire for this digitally, which was a quite fun learning experience. In theory, a video of this style could be generated from input clips to make an infinite viewing experience much like a music visualizer or a screensaver, which would be an interesting project.

We were really pleased with the patterns that arose from quite simple fabric movements. We had to do some experimenting to get the shots. We tried using fans and string to get satisfying ripples, but moving the fabric by hand was most effective.

Furthermore, based on our comments from class, we were really happy that the fabric seemed to take on a life of its own as many of our classmates referred to it as a “creature.” We also were really happy that it made them think of nature and found it “mesmerizing,” as that was our goal. We wanted to make something beautiful to look at that reminds people of nature and waves. Overall, this project took many turns from one fabric rippling to what you see now. However, despite the twists and turns, we our satisfied with our final video as we like the way it looks and it accomplished our goals.

We went into this project knowing that it was going to be more difficult because of the relative lack of materials we had, as well as our inability to work together on a larger-scale piece in person. Thus, we decided to make our project’s focus to be more on selling a storyline and explore how we could use video camera angles and clips edited together to make a simple piece of cloth look like it was alive. While putting together the project, we explored two mediums: live puppetry and stop-motion animation. For the live puppetry, Sunjana’s portion, we spent a lot of time exploring how we could use string to manipulate the cloth into a snake-like shape. After realizing that the string guiding the puppet wasn’t visible on camera, Sunjana ended up using one hand to control the “snake” and then having that hand be cut out of the video, so it would look like the “snake” was moving on its own. For Danova’s part of the project, we used stop motion to convey movement so that the creature appeared to be moving  on its own. Starting on the ground, sequences of images where the creature was slowly moved in each frame made the creature appear to move and wind its way around the body. 

There were several changes made to the project throughout the weeks that we spent thinking about the storyline and putting together the final product. It took several in-class brainstorming sessions to come up with the story for our video, and even after we created the storyboard, we ended up making several changes to the actual cloth’s motion. For example, Sunjana wanted to implement an inchworm-like motion for her cloth puppet. However, she found it was extremely difficult to do so while having the movement look fluid and her hands not shown manipulating it, since in order to get the motion she would have to have one hand under the puppet and another hand pulling a string to contract/expand it. Thus, she decided to try experimenting with manipulating the puppet like a snake and keeping her manipulating hand out of the frame. For Danova’s portion, stop motion  and having the puppet stay in place and move properly was a challenge, and it was definitely much more time consuming than expected to shoot and edit so much footage that would end up being condensed into only a few seconds of video.

Finally, when we were deciding on a mark to put on the cloth that would be visible in both “universes”, we experimented with throwing tea on the cloth before realizing the stain wouldn’t show on camera, and finally arrived at using a black tape handprint with the tape we’d both gotten from the Ideate package. All in all, despite the difficulties we faced with our living situations, lack of resources, and lack of face-to-face interaction, we are pleased with how we were able to work together and put together this final product.

Our final project is inspired by how we have adapted to a new shapeless and mundane daily routine of isolation and repetitive tasks since Covid-19 has taken over. This video represents the drastic changes we have all been going through and forced to accept over the past few weeks. The creepy undertones relate to the unprecedented confusion and fear that comes with the current state of the world. We had fun exploring different levels of absurdity with the creation of our different mechanisms.

We had a lot of fun making this video! The premise was to create a fluid battle story line virtually and play with contraptions engaging over a screen. For neither of us being very skilled with video editing software, we are really satisfied with what we figured out. From student support, we decided to maintain the sound effects in the raw videos and emphasize them more to help develop our story. A big take away from this project is that sometimes you have to just create the illusion of something happening when there is no alternative. It makes you think more creatively and we have had to seek solutions that filled these problems to continue with the project. The distance certainly made this a challenging project but taught us how even a global pandemic can’t prevent people from exploring art forms.

Between last week and this week, we spent time putting together a storyboard  similar to how we storyboarded for the exquisite corpse project. We planned out what we wanted to do for our video by drawing out scenes/actions performed by us. We decided that we were going to have the video centered around two characters interacting with the same piece of fabric in a cyclical manner, where one person would pick up the fabric, interact with it, drop it, and then the other person would have a similar or parallel interaction with that fabric. For the majority of the video, neither person would be aware of the other’s existence. However, at the end, the fabric would strangle one of us, while it would appear on the other person’s side of the screen, and transform into a skirt for them. The person being strangled would throw water on the cloth, or write “Help” or something to indicate that they had interacted with the cloth, and the other person would see this “sign” and then ignore it, but it would be apparent for the audience. We don’t have every single detail mapped out, because we decided that while we were building the mechanisms, we would have a better idea of what movement of the cloth could be accomplished in our video. Since movements are so dynamic once we use the storyboard to get each other’s movements aligned we start matching up our scenes and get the cohesive narrative.

Brief Overview

Zen Ken is a creature that suddenly found herself in the world of humans. As much as she tried to belong, things were not just working for her. She traveled to different places through space but realized that everywhere she went, she was more of a parasite then a companion. Sit and enjoy the adventure of Zen Ken.

First scene: Zen Ken traveling through a sound tunnel. She found an entrance to the human world through a tunnel by following a sound.

Second scene: Afterwards, she found herself coming out of a person’s ear, then she started to observe the surrounding, a peaceful garden. Suddenly, as she heard the sound of an ambulance from a distance, and gradually increased, to a point so loud, Zen Ken was sucked back to the sound traveling tunnel.

Third scene:  Zen Ken exited the sound tunnel and found herself in the body of a sick creature. She forced her way through a cut on the patient’s body that was full with sores. Zen Ken tried to take over the patient’s body but was unsuccessful as she was sucked back into the sound travel tunnel. 

Final scene: Zen Ken realized how much she did not belong to the world of humans and decided to disappear for good, never to come back to the planet earth again!

Process videos and photos

Reflection

Over the previous experiments and projects in the semester, we have come to understand fabrics better and how dimensional it can be. One of the assignments or experiments that we found valuable to this project is that of the parasites. We were able to build on that technique and discovery into this final project. Also, we have come to understand that fabrics, with other materials have a unique way of just revealing itself as we iterate through it. Going forward, we are curious to see how card boards and fabrics can produce the same result we got with fabrics.

The iterative design process this semester also presented us with opportunities to explore various ways of image and information layering and presentation methods. Use of image and video editing software all present our projects with new dimensions and depth. Lighting and sound design also contributes to the richness of the context. Creating effects that bring illusions to the common objects.