Video Works and Collaborative Environments

I really enjoyed the VDMX session with David Fodel. I have spent hours since last Thursday playing with it and tweaking settings, editing video and then taking it to VDMX and even tried rotoscope animation, then mixing it. At this point, there are so many options it seems overwhelming. Similar to my new love of experimental sound, I think I would like to further experiment with AV mixing.

In particular, I was drawn to the Light Surgeon's 'True Fiction' trailer. In True Fiction, there seemed to be a nice balance of space between audio, visual and language. I found myself loving the spaces between words and how the tones and rhythm fit into the overall work. Video work leaves a vast space for collaborative opportunities as well. It always seemed awkward for me to collaborate with others in painting, but video work allows for others to have major parts of contribution. Fore example, I could see how writers, visual artists and musicians could really push boundaries of conventional collaboration. Even in the group for the final project in Remix, it is interesting to identify and profess potential strengths of each individual and how those strengths could contribute to the final piece.

Another video I found and thought was interesting is a video work titled, 'Terrestre: Movement in Still Life" by Maria Celeste Taliani. It's far from the VJ performances that we have viewed recently, but I am fascinated nonetheless. The near silence and awkward movements and camera views make me a bit uncomfortable, which is equally enjoyable.

Terrestre: Movement in Still Life by Maria Celeste Taliani

Videoart.net has some interesting videos to explore. I also found a video artist/writer named Sylvia Toy who mentions plagiarism in her artist statement on videoart.net. She writes;

"like all devoutly active artists, i am a scavenger. in the case of artists, scavengery is a matter of plagiarizing whatever reality or truth or beauty to which you subscribe. i scavenge archetypal imagery. as a filmmaker, i steal everytime i use my cameras in a public place. as a writer, i am my favorite junkyard. that is chilling, horrible and depressing, and it has opened me up to a whole new way of looking at the world."

Here is her video on videoart.net: The Story of the Book: Part Two

I see my own work heading in new directions as I expand the technical means of delivery. Below is one of my first experimentations with rotoscope animation and found image. It's really short, but definitely sparked interest in animation and expands on my fascination of combining technology with traditional techniques of drawing and painting.