Media 160 Final Project: What's Wrong?

Here it is everyone, my final media 160 project. A big thank you to Maureen Murray, Misha Kuznetsov, Conrado Falco, and Angela Mourtazalieva!  
What's Wrong? from Sajda Waite on Vimeo.

MOMI Reflections

What I found really intriguing was actually one of the first exhibits that we stopped at through our tour, and the was the movie costumes displays. Our guide actually did this exercise with us where he asked us to think about the costume and envision a  character and scenario that would fit into that costume. This really got me thinking about how important making clear and thought out decisions about the visuals within a moving image can be.  As media makers this semester we've had to concentrate on the look of our shots, the meaning and connotations of what we include in frame what we don't, and costumes are actually a great tool in expressing visual detail in frame. Of course once you add sound over a shot or dialogue it becomes even more clear to an audience what you might be trying to portray, comment on, or the mood of your image, but at the center what you have is the image. We didn't always have movies with sound, or even with photography, what you have is the image in front of you. What the audience is seeing is the actor or subject and it's surrounding and by just simply making choices as to what they are wearing can inform someone instantaneously about who that character is and it's a strong way to set up the story. The wrong costume can give a disjointed image about a character and it's important that what you show visually in your media reflects what you're trying to say.  So even with all the wonderful new techniques in editing and laying over sound, syncing dialogue, when it comes to movies or video, at it's core is the image, and it was nice to be reminded of that.  

Blog post #3: Media Cuts

The media I chose was the last sequence in the movie HappyThankYouMorePlease. What I really found intriguing about this last piece  the film was the blend of "live" performance intertwined with other shots of the main characters in the film. The sound and images meld well together. It's edited with the rhythm of the song along with the mood and lyrics that that character is singing. Starting with her speech about the happiness of the song and that it's just the kind of song she needs, juxtaposed with happy moments of the other characters really creates the mood of the sequence. You can see that every time she sings the word "sing" that camera cuts back to the shot of her lips against the microphone. A majority of the cuts are taken off of the rhythm of the song. As the the sequence jumps between the happy moments of the other characters outside of the time line of the performance all of the cuts within that sequence are to the rhythm of the song. When the song picks up in temp the cuts happen quicker and sharper, but as the tempo slows we go back to the live performance and linger in the shots of the singer as the camera pans and cuts to different angles of her, the stage, and lastly cuts between her and another character that has come to watch her perform.  When it comes to when not to cut, the beginning of this sequence is definitely a place to stay with a still shot. As the character explains the importance of the song and, pretty much, in dialogue sets up the ending of the movie it's good that we have time to just be with the character and listen to her. Especially because the cuts are mostly timed to the music and lyrics of the song it would take away from that technique if they began to cut before the music began. The one moment I think the cuts weren't smooth or to time is in the beginning as the music starts we get a long shot of her sining and then it cuts to a medium shot with the same angle and that cut just seems superfluous. However, I think this is a really subtle sequence to point out how interesting editing to music can be. 

Project #2 Soundscape: Finding Home

Artist Statement:It's What I Do

I think one critical step in becoming an artist is being able to say that's who you are. Going out into the world and confidently answering that question of "What do you do?" with "I am an artist" 

To some saying that might seem pretentious and very "of this generation", but for me it's taken a fair amount of time and battles with others and myself to be content with that answer. Although I find myself drawn to a wide variety of different art forms the one that I have always come back to is acting. There is something about discovering parts of yourself through the life of others that I have a deep connection to. Human interaction is one of the most fascinating aspects of life and working in the world of theatre and acting allows me to explore these interactions over and over 

again. 

It just so happens that some of the most exciting moments in my life have been living out the pivotal moments of someone else's

My hope is that the art that I create opens up the opportunity for people to see and hear the stories of lives they themselves can't experience. To find what makes being human unique. And if the life I get to let live on stage resonates with just one person in the audience, if it allows them to reflect on their own experience, then I believe I've done it well. 

Blog #2-Soundwalk: Along Columbus

For my “soundwalk" I decided to make may way to one of the coziest parts of Manhattan, the upper westside. I’ve been enamored with the area for a few years now. There’s just something so inviting, something like home, that fills the air in the neighborhood. It’s a very orchestral sounding area. Every sound fits in with the ones around it, even some of the sharper sounds of nearby construction, it all seems to be essential to the soundscape.

I think deconstructing what makes a musical piece is a great way to explain the separate sound players in my walk. Normally we might think of the human voices and the intertwining of voices on the street as sort of keynote or background sounds, and while to some extent it’s true I think a better way to describe it, in this case,  is the foundation or the melody of the neighborhood. One very specific line in the melody is the sound of children. The neighborhood is littered with families, old and new, but without a doubt, and somewhat in time with the rest of the sounds, you will hear children laughing, crying,  or the curious “But why?” question.  This is our melody, and everyone knows it, but you also find your ears moving on from it to the harmonies. I unfortunately found myself a disruptor of my soundwalk. The shoes I wore were a little heavy and my footsteps became the bass line to my walk. However, other harmony that came into play was the traffic, A mix of tenors and sopranos. A well timed bus honk, the churning of bicycle wheels as the passed by, and my favorite, the crisp autumn leaves.  The wind rustled them so perfectly together. It’s like listening to a beautiful alto harmony, sometimes with the chorus or orchestra that middle line gets hard to follow, but once your ears catch it, you can’t help but sigh at the beauty of it.  

Project 1-Define a Space: Where Is My Mind

Define A Space_ Sajda Waite from Sajda Waite on Vimeo.