FOR THE DURATION: Projector ratios

As research into the capabilities of my digital projector (Hitachi ED X3400) for the purposes of my thesis film, I discovered an interesting website - 'Projectorcentral.com' which gives exact details of any projectors capabilities, and optimum audience seating arrangements.  So here are mine:

This confirms that my projector will be powerful enough for the shoot outside that I have planned.  116 inches is just under 3 meters, and I reckon can probably go 25% bigger in total darkness.

FOR THE DURATION: Sound recording tests, and a link to my latest short film - a prequel to the thesis film.

A link to a new film - the prequel to my thesis film - can be seen here - The case.

I felt I needed to get outside and make something, after laboring for so long at my computer producing 4 re-edits of my documentary.  So, with case in hand, I went and got some footage, to test out the look of a location, and the sound set-up I may use - not the tascam dr60d but a camera mounted mic recording sound directly to the camera via my movo VXR 300. microphone.




Here is the result.

I need to do more testing, as there is an overall hiss throughout*.  I think the dB setting on the mic would have been better set at -10dB.  I set the level on the camera at 12 (on a scale of 1 - 20).  Maybe it would have been better set at a higher level.  The mic also has a high pass filter, which I set to on (filtering sounds below 80Hz).

I'm not sure whether my thesis film will have the same look as it's rather weather dependent, and the middle scene will be in the dark anyway...I found the initial viewing of the footage disappointing as it looked muddy and out of focus, but I sharpened each clip (by 9) and tweaked the contrast and brightness.  Would be worth going back and outputting another slightly brighter version. 

*actually, on second review (back on my laptop) it's not to bad.  I watched it with my mentor away from home on my tablet.  She said the sound was very good, but I just heard hiss.  Now to listen to it on my tv...

FOR THE DURATION: The Briwet Bridge

Near Penrhyndeaudryth.  The opening shot of the film?.

Sound information

Read this again;

http://blog.storyandheart.com/blog/4-simple-steps-to-make-your-dialogue-sound-like-it-was-mixed-by-a-pro

1. Noise Reduction: pulling out unwanted background noise, such as electrical hum
    
2. EQ: boosting and cutting certain frequencies to make the voice sound its very best
    
3. De-Essing: getting rid of harsh sibilant sounds
    
4. Compression: balancing out the mix so that levels remain consistent

And refer to the Tascam DR60d manual too.

FOR THE DURATION: Heterotopia

In my thesis film, the quarry that characters descend into will be a kind of heterotopia - neither utopia or distopia, but a place that is somehow 'in-between', that engenders feelings of discomfort and uncannyness.

The concept of heterotopia was first coined by the French philosopher Foucault.

Heterotopia is a part of the brain.

FOR THE DURATION: Bakhtin - Menippean satire - the way to go...

Having found 'Subversive Pleasures' in the library, I've been reading about the early 20th century Russian philosopher Bakhtin.  This has led me to a genre that I think will serve me well in my thesis film, as it satisfies a number of criteria eg. its aim is to undermine authority, and furthermore, it features narrative that is fragmented.

So MENIPPEAN SATIRE:

AND,

According to P. Adams Sitney in "Visionary Film,*" Mennipea became the dominant new genre in avant-garde cinema at the turn of the century. Filmmakers he cited include Yvonne Rainer, Sidney Peterson, Michael Snow, and Hollis Frampton.^{[18]  (Wikipedia)}

So it fits right in with where I'm planning to travel.

Rabelais's Gargantua and Pantagrule is also Menippean satire.

Here's a nice pic of the cover of a book I'm going to look for.

Bloody hell - the beat goes on:

Enthymeme

http://art3idea.psu.edu/boundaries/bolagrams/enthymeme.html

Used by Becket in his Trilogies, according to David Musgrave.

*the book is waiting for me at the library desk :)