Future Works: FOCAL 06/2014
 LakeI experimented with different materials before coming up with he final design for the box. It uses a biconvex 30mm 135mm focal distance lens to increase brightness and sharpness of the image. The origami box has one smaller side with one larger allowing them to slide, so as to adjust the focusing. I used black card to block out any light, and tracing paper for the film. |  |  Reflective TreeTo produce strong enough images is going to be a challenge as certain conditions have to be met. For example the box itself has to be in a dark area so the light doesn't bleach out the screen image, however, you have to view a strong bright image to be most effective. |
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 UrbanIt was interesting exploring urban areas, it kind of created juxtapositions to the very natural form of camera obscura. In addition I was surprised how effective it was at night on city lights, using the focus shift you could also create real time bokeh images. Bright lit shop fronts also looked particularly strong. The darkness of night creates the maximum contrast on screen. |  CanopyHowever, this interactive element is part of the magic of its form, you have to go explore and interact with the environment to find the best locations for the strongest image. |  |
Tag Line.
Inclusive Isolation.
Project Synopsis.
Taking on a very contemporary subject matter, Focal explores how modern technology and smartphones obstruct the experiences we have, loosening the connection to both our surrounding environment and to each other. Following a loosely linear narrative, these obstructions are gradually deconstructed, as the protagonist begins to interact and reconnect with their surrounding environment. Leading into an instillation piece where similar obstructions will be presented, prompting the viewer to interact and navigate round the space. This is a project with a difference.
Entering into the gallery space, you are presented with a dimly lit room, a large paper cube resembling a large camera obscura box, sits floating on a bed of light in the centre of the room, twisted willow branches spread upwards from it’s top face, obstructing a large projected image. Projections dance light through the inside walls of the cube. A smaller cube sculpture sits diagonally forward, made from concrete rods suspending a ball of tangled coloured electrical wire. The two cubes are connected with hundreds of black string spreading outwards, tied to the branches of the first cube. A large triangle of potting compost spreads diagonally forward from the opposite corner of the central cube, littered with footprints and objects.
Outline of Visual Style.
The film itself will have a strong visual style, utilising multiple potentially new experimental techniques including; focus masks surrounding a clear cut out rectangle where we would normally focus on our phones, direct filming of a camera obscura box image including urban night time bokeh and countryside imagery, colour correction cubes within the shape of the obscura box, leaving the outer edge washed out and grey. The installation will be dimly lit, with led pelmet under lighting of the cubes, which will change in colour alongside the feeling and mood of the installation.
Outline of Audio Style.
The film and installation will offer a rich dynamic range in the sound environment, with both urban and rural soundscapes, dipping into more musical elements, creating exploratory interactions with the character’s surrounding environment moreover enhancing the obstructions presented within the film, distracting from the natural sound environment. Changing the feel and experience of both film and installation.
Outline of Key Themes.
How experiences have become obstructed by technology. How the way we interact has dramatically changed through this. How despite being connected to everyone through technology, we are now presented with a new form of seclusion.
The pitching of ideas process felt fairly professional, initially staring with a casual networking event where the Directors had tables where they pitched their Ideas to fellow skills based peers, trying to spark interest in the project and gain group members. Prior to this session I was quite content with just having the sound designer and myself working together on the project. However, a lot of people showed a lot of interest in the project, including about 6 sound students wanting to sign up. From the event we gained a cinematographer and editor. I pitched the project to a lot of people that night, which was really useful as I could hone down my pitch each time thinking how I could improve in different ways for the next. This also prepared me for the two rounds of pitches as I new that I was confident enough to present the project without any script or notes. One of the tutours had seen my pitch this evening and gave me some interesting references to look into, as well as hinting that I would have to do an installation by christmas and needed to find a space asap. I put in the pitch I had considered running the installation outside in a woodland setting and the tutor suggested contacting the J G Graves woodland centre as a good power sourced location. I contacted them and found it to be quite expensive roughly around £70 for half a day, they also said they didnt have any outdoor power supplies, nevertheless, it was a potential space that could have been a fallback option.
Round 1
The First pitch went fairly smoothly, having practiced pitching to many peers I felt fairly confident, the crew also did well showing why they were interested in this slightly unusual, different kind of project. We got some useful comments, questions and suggested areas of interest for the project itself, as well as ways that we could improve our pitch for round 2, including creating a quick sound piece so that we could get across the feel of the piece, in addition creating some more developed concept art.
Pitching Process
Round 2
The second pitch also felt fairly good, we had prepared extra materials such as the short snippet of sound as suggested by the tutors in the first round. The comments felt a lot more focused in the second round, pushing at the project to see if it could stand it’s own. Some very useful comments were raised, for example thinking about the audience for the piece, being gallery based, maybe making the film a lot less literal and perhaps losing the narrative elements, however, I do want to create a level of accessibility to the piece, it certainly an area that needs developing and considering.