Video Project 6: Final Project

Due: Monday, May 5, 2008

This project is open except for the following stipulations:

• You must storyboard the final project and hand this in -- 20% of your grade for this project depends on this storyboard.
• All the footage in the project should be original (shot by you).
• No "appropriated" footage, found footage or "stolen" footage from any other source should be used in this project (unless you are the original source or you have the source’s permission; clear with me prior)
• No pre-recorded music (unless you are the original author or you have the author’s permission; clear with me prior)

You can work with writers, actors and artists who are not in the class. You should always use people from the class on your crew. Note: I encourage you always to schedule one-to-one appointments with me if you would like to discuss your work. It can be especially useful to talk prior to embarking on the final project.

Video Project 4: Portrayal (Narrative and Intention)

Due: Monday, March 31, 2008

Assignment: Present a 1 minute to 3 minute piece regarding some aspect of your artmaking process. In this assignment you demonstrate your ability to plan a video project and execute it by planning the piece, shooting the footage, and then editing the piece using techniques that are appropriate to the type of narrative you are building. You are not required to produce a storyboard but it is recommended. You are required to produce a shot list but obviously it may differ from the final piece. Titles and end credits are not required but you must evaluate whether it is appropriate for the piece, and if it is, include them.

There are a number of approaches you may choose in this assignment and the choice is yours. In general you are recommended to tap your own art practice and interests in picking a subject matter or theme.

Examples:

• Installation: Produce a video that is intended to be used as a component in an installation work. It is not required to produce the entire installation work, although in so doing would be looked on extremely favorably as far as your grade is concerned. Be prepared to discuss the larger context and intention in which the video is meant to exist.
• Documentary: Produce a video that utilizes a narrative strategy to tell some kind of story regarding your subject. For example, the video may document an artmaking process, an art presentation/performance, or present a response/critique to a work of art.
• Experimental: Be prepared to discuss intentions.
• Performance: Produce a video to be used in conjunction with a performance piece or a video that itself is a performance piece.

Video Project 5: Anti-Portrayal (Appropriation/Critique)

Due: Monday, April 7, 2008

Assignment: Accumulate from 1 to 5 minutes of video footage. No more. From that footage you will re-edit sound and picture into a tape of no longer than 1 minute.

Re-record an existing program from broadcast TV. You may use a home VCR for this, just make sure you record in the standard SP mode. Some of the cameras available you can input directly into and record that way. Finally, you may also record by video taping directly off of a television monitor. (note: this last option alters the “look” of your footage.

You may specifically desire this look for all or part of your finished tape). You may record any footage/program from broadcast television other than MTV. This is cheating. MTV is already carrying out the assignment. Before you pick apart these programs watch them all the way through with the sound turned off, make notes as to their interesting edits, interesting visuals and then
and only then, proceed with your “arrangement."

There is no need to keep the "narrative" (story continuity) intact BUT you should be aware of content either in terms of the new meaning that you are creating through editing, or meaning that existed in the program before you arranged it. By "appropriating" this footage and breaking down a pre-existent and rigid structure (i.e. traditional TV) carefully look at the way the program is constructed and then reconstruct it through inventive and experimental editing. You may in the process of this project find that you are "critiquing" existing content or creating new content altogether. You may add sound from another
source or chose to re-arrange the pre-existent sound. You may rely solely on formal interaction for your editing strategy but, in addition, try to construct a secondary meaning through the choice of edits as well.