Behind the Video Art Project

Inspiration

I've always been fascinated by the countless amount of videos I've viewed over the years on YouTube of people creating entirely new songs out of nothing, or the more common use of older songs and midis in association with different available source material to mix and match. Below are some of the videos in particular that I have always found great and helped me to figure out the direction that I wanted to take my video art project.

The Video Art Itself

One of the main things that seems to be in every one of the videos that I had seen above seemed to have its own beat in the background at one point or another that was not from the original source (however, I may be wrong with Big Beat Mario). Based on this, I decided to go my own route, using only clips from the original source and songs that were actually part of the show's soundtrack. I also chose to use these simply as jumping-off points for what I could do myself rather than having to focus my work around already established songs. The source that I decided to use was the original Japanese version of the series Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, which I happened to have the most access to. Having watched the series a couple of times and owning it on DVD, I felt that it would allow me to leave my comfort zone of creating this piece while still allowing me to be familiar enough with the source material to find good parts that I could splice together.

To begin, I decided to use this song for the credits, as it happens to be the song that plays during the credits of every episode. I have a soft spot for playing songs backwards. It's a weird fascination I've had for a while where I used to run songs through Audacity and reverse them just to see how they sounded. This was one of those songs that just seemed so much better that way, so I decided to add the "end" of the song (the beginning in reverse) because I really enjoyed the way it sounded.

A main staple song of the series, I decided to use a portion of this in reverse as the base of much of the second half of the song in order to have something in the background of the clips I was putting together. Without a steady beat, the clips by themselves just occasionally felt off-putting and did not seem to stand up as strong by themselves. Parts of this song were also evident in the clip near the beginning I had, however the audio in question at that point was actually part of the clip.

Final Project: Video Art

Well, 150+ layers in After Effects and a month of off-and-on work later, I've finished up my video art project for the class. It started out pretty fun, but then I got to the point where I would just get so frustrated with getting it just right that I kept debating trashing the entire work. I'm glad the nitpicking didn't get the best of me, since I think it came out okay. I'll provide a bit more information on the background of this video in my next post to give a good idea of what went into this and the inspiration behind it.

The Future Is Now

Josh Walton

Walton and his lab are coming together to combine the power of our current digital technology and combine it with our physical reality. In this way, we can take what we already have or could create in the physical environment and tell a story digitally. His examples included attaching sensors to physical items and having the digital medium react based on the interactions people gave as they passed. In this way, Walton is bringing virtual reality into physical reality, and I cannot wait to see what else he may have in store.

Golan Levin

Levin is taking "cybernetic systems" to a new level. Experimenting with computing and creating works with the help of technology, Levin is slowly becoming a pioneer in his own way, finding new ways to combine our digital systems to create performances and virtual environments. I suspect that we will see more pieces such as his as the norm in our art museums and events as the digital age progresses.

Klaus Obermeier & Gideon Obarzaneks

While they may not be working together, Obermeier and Obarzaneks are both experimenting in the use of digital systems and technologies in order to create and enhance performance pieces. The pieces themselves are visually stunning and seem to be one-of-a-kind, really combining the power of art and our current technology. Perhaps this may begin a trend towards extending our performances into the digital era. However, I feel that even without the use of technology, performance pieces can stand on their own and still create a sense of meaning and wonder.

Kevin Warwick

An expert in cybernetics, Warwick is paving the way of the future and the experimentation with cyborgs not only through his research, but through his own experiments on himself. Why just study the technology when you could see the effects of our growing technology on yourself? Warwick believes that in the future we will develop machine intelligence that will surpass our own. Honestly, if they seem to end up working out the kinks, I wouldn't mind being one of the first in line to try out some cybernetics. It may be a pipe dream, but at the rate that our technology seems to be evolving, we're either going to hit a wall or smash straight through it. I truly am excited to see what the future holds for our technology and how society is shaped around it. We're already seeing the changes in our art and personal lives, and soon we will see how our technology will begin to shape the world.

Latin Music and More

While it may be great to look back on the songs of the past for the United States, I've always found it more interesting to see the evolution of music in other parts of the world. Looking through the videos provided on the evolution of Latin music, I must say that I really am a fan. It seems to keep its own style that reflects the more classical music of the countries while still matching that of the evolution of music seen in the United States and Europe. The above video was one of my favorites, and I liked the message that it was getting across. It reminded me of another band that I was introduced to by my Uncle a couple of years ago. A lesser known folk band from Canada called Moxy Fruvous has been a group that I have held dear since I first heard one of their albums. Many of their songs poke fun at political turmoil in Canada and America, including songs such as The Gulf War Song and The Greatest Man in America, which was a jab at Rush Limbaugh. Simple and elegant, Moxy Fruvous can range from catchy little songs that can provide a laugh or two with its satire, to the more serious songs, such as The Drinking Song, shown below.

As for dubstep, I have never been a big fan. Sure, this may just be because I haven't heard very good dubstep, but I wouldn't say that I hate it. However, I have mostly disliked the songs that I have heard so far. I'm definitely open to hearing more if I ever get the chance, and this class has really opened up my taste for music as a whole. Who knows, I may eventually fall in love with it. I will admit, when I was younger I went through a bit of a "happy hardcore" rave song phase, but even that seemed to eventually get on my nerves. I am still very much a fan of electronic music though, and there's even a chance some of the songs I enjoy are actually considered dubstep (that is, because much of what I have considered to be dubstep involves a bass drop followed by sounds that just seem grating to me).

Ghost Town by TeddyLoid

VideoArtes

The video depicts an animation of the inside of a woman's restroom. Close-ups are used to show different things that are happening during the course of the animation. A turtle can be found in one of the toilets during a portion of the video, and a woman lets a moth free from her hands. I feel what makes this art is the fact that it is experimental animation. The way the projector is set up to portray the scene makes it seem as if the room may actually exist. When not being used as a room, the walls act as different cameras for the animation.

In this video, old photos of the city are taken and transformed into the similar areas that can now be found in that part of the city. This is paired with the sounds of the city and music to accompany it. The transition effects give the pictures a morph-like quality, as if it is truly transforming into its new state. This is art because it takes the use of photographs and gives them a larger meaning, bringing a story to the two pictures of before and after. The change between the past and present can clearly be seen, and begs the question to the viewer of just how much time has passed and what has changed to get to this point.

This was one of my favorite videos. The artist takes pre-recorded footage of a parking lot and positions his hands in such a way that it seems as if he is the one moving everything around, from pushing people aside to parking the cars himself. It is truly a work of art, as it challenges the view of the original video, making  the scene seem as if it is just some sandbox for this mighty being to toy with. In reality, this is real footage of a parking lot, but when deontextualized it looks as if it is the artist's own little play-set.

History of Magnetic Tape

Magnetic tape has had an interesting run throughout the history of recording, starting with experimentation in the late 1800s. While it may not have been as powerful or cost effective as the recording processes at the time, it would eventually become one of our most used technologies for recording. After World War II, the magnetic tape began to be used more commercially and produced more efficiently. It was used to record and master audio better than phonographs at the time, and was found to be able to create stereo recordings through multiple channel recording. This eventually led to the development of 8-tracks and cassettes. However, magnetic tape was not limited to sound. The development of VHS tapes and early computer systems used the power that magnetic recording had in store. While it seems that as we progress into the digital era and develop more efficient ways of storing more and more data that the use of magnetic recording is phasing out, it is important to look back at what helped us get to the point we are now. Even in this digital age, I know people who still hold their VHS collections dear, and for good reason: preserving the history of our technological evolution.

Flipbook Project

In case the video above has issues, I've uploaded the project to YouTube here.

Anyway, here's the project I did for class for the flip book animation. At the time we were assigned the project, I honestly did not know what I wanted to do. However, it seems that inspiration works in mysterious ways, and after about a week of being pretty depressed over some personal things, I created this animation. I really like the way it turned out.

Experiments with Kinect

The Kinect may not be doing all that well for the home console market, but the amount of other uses people have found for it on the PC are amazing. Below, I've provided two examples that I came across that were relevant to some of the things I enjoyed doing.

As someone who has played around with Source Filmmaker, seeing just how easy it is for the Kinect to provide motion capture that can be ported to Maya for use on 3D models, then SFM for filming is quite amazing. The video available through this link gives a better look at the process of actually getting the motion into SFM.

Garry's Mod is a game that allows the player to create their own world in a sense, using props and tools provided by content creators, and already established items provided by compatible games on Steam. Here, the creator of the game is testing live capture from the Kinect into the game world through the use of ragdolls.

Guerrilla Girls

The Guerrilla Girl Movement started after an outcry caused by an exhibition in 1985, in which only 13 female artists were considered the most important contemporary artists of the time out of 165, and the curator mentioned that "anyone who wasn't in the show should rethink his career." Through artwork, posters, and protests, the Guerrilla Girls have anonymously taken up the cause to fight sexism and racism in the art world. Personally, I find the way that they are protesting very unique. They create their own art to combat the discrimination that is found in art. Using the medium to combat the issues of the medium seems like one of the best ways to get the point across, at least personally. While some of their actions may be unusual in an attempt to protest, it still helps to get their point across and known. Inequality can be found in many different parts of our society through racism and sexism, and it's great to see that the art world is no stranger to activists trying to fight for the equality that all people deserve.

Performance Piece

Here is my performance piece for the class, entitled All Work and No Play; Business is a Well Oiled Machine. The performance was done in downtown Tampa in which I put on a disheveled business suit and one shoe, a mask of Ronald Reagan, and played a soundclip that I had created for the piece itself. As I marched down the streets, focusing only on my watch with my phone to my ear, people were able to hear the speech that I had created, which was just a cacophony of business words and stress, being thrown from the subconscious mind of the character into the real world. The point was to show the stress induced from the everyday work environment that honestly could be said is slowly killing some of us. It's the story of a man so overworked that he has forgotten conventional ways, brought down by the work he does, day in and day out. The soundclip that I was using has been provided below. One thing that came very clear after doing this piece was that the timing in which I had done it could have probably been better. I had performed this piece on April 21st, 2013, in the wake of the bombing and other issues in Boston. It seems that this may have caused a large amount of paranoia in other cities, as moments after I finished my piece I was stopped by a police car. Then, two more squad cars parked behind me to also question what I had just been doing. According to one of the officers, they had actually planned on even getting two more cars on the scene because of the calls they had been getting. I was completely honest with them, showed them everything I had used and told them that it was a school project, and they were very polite and let me on my way. This was definitely an experience that I will not soon forget.

The Postmodern Crisis of Bioshock Infinite

I recently played through Bioshock Infinite, a game that came out about a month ago to great reviews and was an overall great experience. The story takes place in a fantastical world in which the year about 1912 and tears in the fabric of space-time has allowed the creation of a puritan colony in the skies. The most interesting part of these tears in time is that it seemed that according to the game's lore, one of the minor characters profited off of them by taking songs that he heard through the tears and writing them for the time. This is a wink at the audience playing the game, as the characters mention that they have never heard the songs, but the player may know them from their own past. I've provided a couple of the songs below, and they honestly give me goosebumps when I listen to them again. It's interesting to see a game take an old song for a new era, and make it sound even older!

The Surrealist Movement

Growing out of Dada, the surrealist movement gave rise to some of my favorite kinds of art. Surreal seemed to focus on the twists and turns of the mind, using more of the imagination or subconscious to create art rather than focusing on copying things out of nature and attempting to refine them. Surrealism allowed artists to focus on some of the most basic carnal instincts of man, while also allowing them to freely explore their own mind, whether this leads to dark, uncovered areas, or large, bright flights of fancy. Dali had the biggest personal effect on me when I was first getting into art. I was never big into the arts, but his work just seemed to speak to me. His work allowed me to explore my own imagination and possibilities. Though I may not plan on going into any artistic field of work, I've always taken inspiration in the surreal and absurd.

Speaking of surreal and absurd, the music videos that we have been watching in class reminded me of a video that was recently directed by Eric Warheim, of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! fame. The video seems as though it cannot be embedded, so check it out here.

Alan Turing

Alan Turing, through his work during World War II, ultimately led to the creation of the first computers. In Bletchley Park, Turing helped develop the "Bombe" to decipher messages sent during the war. Thanks to his ingenious work, the German Enigma codes were able to be deciphered, greatly aiding the Allies in their advances in the war. Basically, his work not only helped turn the tide of war, but also lead to the computer revolution. In his personal life, it was reported that he was homosexual, and persecuted greatly for it, to the point of actually being given a chemical castration. It is said that this persecution and operation may have been the reason that he took his life at 41, but a petition was signed around the entire United Kingdom that actually led to an official government apology after his death for the inhumane treatment Turing was put through. Though he may have not been as celebrated for his accomplishments after the war at the time, his memory and achievements still live on today.

Final Project, First Draft

I was definitely excited when I heard that "piratage" would be an acceptable form of video art for our final ART211 project. Though I still need to record my performance piece, I used much of the free time I had this weekend to start on the final project, just because of how exciting I find the medium to be. The task ended up being a bit more daunting than I expected. I've yet to go through all 7 hours of content that I plan to scan for usable clips, but I'm pretty happy with what I've extracted and created so far. This isn't some project I'm doing just for class, but rather this is something I'm also doing for myself. I've always been fascinated with videos like these but I've just been too lazy to try it myself, but now I have the push I needed to finally try it out.

Anything I've finished so far is subject to change, especially the visuals. I'll probably try to make it more lively later, but for now I'm focusing on getting the audio itself down, then worry about the visual aspect. Even so, the audio I've created so far may also change along the course of working on it more. As for the source, it's an anime series I've really enjoyed that I happened to own on DVD.

Sheryl Oring and Tom Geoghegan

It's amazing what a single person can do with a typewriter. Sheryl Oring has many performance pieces in which she dresses the part and dictates letters of those who stop by. This included creating a birthday party feel and typing up letters to the President for his 60th birthday, going to German cities and asking people what they would do if "they were chancellor" while dressed in a formal secretary outfit, and the infamous "I Wish To Say" performance that led to over 2,000 postcards being sent to the White House from concerned citizens who approached her and her interesting piece. "Writer's Block" is one of Oring's artpieces that really took my breath away. Collecting donated vintage typewriters, Oring caged them as a symbol of the caging of free expression. Originally shown off on the anniversary and same place as the "Nazi book-burning" in Berlin, the piece really spoke of censorship, especially during that era in Germany. I would love to be able to experience this piece myself, as while it may seem simple, the point that it expresses really amplifies the piece. Through Oring, the typewriter lives on, even in our growing digital world that we sometimes take for granted.

Now, Tom Geoghegan on the other hand, was a bit more difficult to find than a simple Google search. This is a classic example of just how new and unique performance art can be. Other than the documentary that we saw in class, Geoghegan's work seems to be limited to those who are able to actually experience it themselves. His pieces are very interesting, especially "Hanging Fruit", and it really is a shame that unless a conscious effort is made to seek out his work, many may never get to view Geoghegan's pieces. It really takes commitment to the craft and a peaceful mind to do what he does, staying still for hours on end for the sake of art. Here's hoping that he never stops what he is doing and continues to share his performances that perhaps eventually we will all be able to view and appreciate.

Old Computers Die Hard

There's something awe-inspiring about old computers. Whether it's simply their interesting builds and mechanisms or the realization that times truly have changed, old computers are in their own rights pieces of art. The Computer History Museum in California has a "1401" room, housing old IBM computers and other vintage beauties. Honestly, I feel that the pictures probably do not do the display justice. There's just something about being able to intently study old technologies. You're able to see what people of the time had to work with, and how much it has changed since then in design and function. From supercomputers and punchcards to CPUs that can fit in the palm of your hand available at any store selling computer parts, computers have evolved so much in such a small amount of time. Sometimes, you just have to step back and appreciate what was created in the past that led to our current advances in technology.

Code.Org

With the technological world growing as fast as it is, code is quickly becoming the official language of the world. With the amount of technology we use on a daily basis, haven't a majority of us once thought about the time and effort that goes into creating the software and applications that we hold so dear? Code.Org is a movement to teach kids programming. I for one fully support this movement. As I mentioned before, we have such a firm grasp on technology these days that it can do nothing but benefit a person to learn to code. As a friend once said to me while talking about college majors and jobs in the future, "If you know how to program, you pretty much have a job by the time you get out of college." Of course this is a bit of an exaggeration, but as mentioned in the movement, tech companies are a huge necessity in our growing world and can be pretty lofty careers. I also was pleasantly surprised to see that Gabe Newell was one of the many people supporting this movement, as I have used his social gaming program, Steam, for the last couple of years now. While we may not need a whole generation of code monkeys, programming is definitely something that everyone should at least understand in our expanding business world revolving around the latest tech fascinations and gadgets.

Mega64

Though much of their stuff is made for the sake of entertainment for the audience rather than simply putting on a meaningful performance, the skits of Mega64 have always been some of my favorite videos for the past couple of years. This group has been recreating scenes from video games in public as well as making their own bits on the side. While it may not be performance art, their ability to put themselves out there for the sake of a laugh is something that keeps me coming back.

Mega64: Uncharted 3

Mega64: Hotline Miami

Mega64: Oregon Trail

Back in a Flash

The idea of flashmobs is an interesting phenomenon that I feel we have been seeing more and more of lately. The idea is simple: coerograph with a bunch of other people, then release your performance on the unsuspecting masses. Sometimes these can end up being amazingly complex, adding to the awe it creates for a normal everyday stroll through the city becoming a once-in-a-lifetime viewing of a seemingly spontaneous dance number. Below are a couple of videos of flashmobs that I have found and enjoyed in the past:

By "Improv Everywhere", Mute Button takes a normal day in a park in Brooklyn and turns it on its head. People got together and completely stopped making any noise the moment the host gave his signal.

Mall Santa Musical is another video by "Improv Everywhere", creating a musical scene in the middle of a mall that even a special someone ends up being in on, delighting adults and children alike.

From one lone player to many, a girl's single donation to a musician turns into a full-on orchestral score, complete with an astounded audience.

Xerox Art Project

The Xerox Art Project was a very peculiar one. I had an idea in my head for it, but when I finally began to put it in action, I found that it would have been much more complex than I had expected. To avoid any issues or possibly being stopped and questioned, I stuck to using my roommate's scanner in our room. After that, I headed over to the library in order to print. While it was a bit odd to print out pictures of my body parts in the library, I felt that the end result was definitely worth the work, and ultimately the project was pretty enjoyable.

 Here's the tree with just the branches. Personally, this was my favorite part of my project. I love the way it turned out, even without adding the leaves yet.

 Just putting on the finishing touches. Originally, I had planned to have the tree full of leaves with "fruits" hanging from it (pictures of my eyes hanging from stems made out of my eyebrows). I did not have enough time or scans to finish this idea, and I felt as if it would have also taken away from the detail I had put in the branches.

The final product, presented to the class.

Her Morning Elegance

Honestly, I was not expecting to be so impressed by this video. I saw the amount of views and just assumed it was another one of those music videos for a song that everyone had been clamoring for. Instead, I was treated to an amazing display of stop-motion animation. It definitely complimented song, and really drew me in. One of the most interesting parts of it were the fact that they even incorporated the movement of her hair, and this was all done on the same mattress. It really was stunning and I'm glad I did not pass it up.

August Sings Carmen

I am in love with this video. It starts with a classic opera song and takes a turn to the surreal. It's just so unique in its presentation and seems to start off so innocent. The use of CG for the robot in the video was astounding for what seems like a simple YouTube video. My love for the absurd is really what helped me enjoy this video as much as I did. It gave me the same vibe as something out from Tim & Eric, but it took itself more seriously and presented itself in a much more refined manner. I feel that the fact that it seems to take itself so seriously without taking away from the original song is what really lends to the awe and power of this video.

Raymond Kurzweil and the Futurists

The term "futurist" seemed like such an interesting thing to be called. What's so special about it? Well, it seems that futurists are actually people who, through keen observation of our current society and technological capabilities, attempt to predict future trends and possible global changes. They are walking think-tanks, constantly taking in their surroundings and making rational advising decisions to help those in the public and private sector prepare for possible scenarios and changes in the future. This just seems so fascinating to me to actually pay someone to help imagine our coming future. At the very least, it is safe to assume that the predictions that futurists are making are not simply pipe dreams. These are not people being paid to tell tales of their wildest dreams of flying cars and machines doing all of our work, but rather basing their assumptions on scientific fact and trends in our society that can actually be seen and studied. Raymond Kurzweil is one of these futurists. Apparently he is actually touted as a true genius in the innovations that he has made and explained, being called "the next Thomas Edison". In fact, he's received honors from three different U.S. Presidents and nineteen honorary Doctorates according to his biography on KurzweilTech. It seems as if futurists serve as more than just fortune tellers, but rather they are the innovators of our generation, using technology to further benefit our society.

Violence In Video Games

Violence in video games has recently resurfaced as a possible cause to atrocities that have been occurring recently in the United States. Though I do understand the seriousness of gun control and researching the effects of violent media on the public, I have always felt uneasy that it requires us to go through a terrible tragedy and the inevitable news media "blame game" comes into play. So, does violence in video games turn children into heartless killers? I'm going to have to strongly disagree with this sentiment. However, it is still very possible that our current media is desensitizing us to violence. Personally, gaming has played a very large part in my life, probably since I was able to pick up a controller. At a young age, games of choice included some classics such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Crash Bandicoot, but other games such as Twisted Metal and Grand Theft Auto 2 were also part of my library. Throughout my life I have experienced violence in popular media, not only in video games, but I learned at a young age to distinguish fact from fiction thanks to my parents and relatives. Not only this, but I actually experienced the power that comes with a firearm in my early teens. My uncles were shooting targets and allowed me to try. Needless to say, the recoil and loudness of the gun shocked me to the point of breaking down. While it may not have been a revelation, it was a solid reminder of just how powerful guns truly were. Perhaps it was also the family that I was raised that allowed me to never see a point in violence. I may have been bullied a bit in school, but it was never anything that stuck with me and I learned that I did not have to take it, but also did not require to take dangerous matters into my own hands. Maybe I'm just an outlier in this situation with the ability to separate coping with issues in reality and being particularly violent in video games. I wouldn't even consider video games as a way to "vent" either, as a majority of the time I use them to have fun rather than release anger. However, I feel that we need to take a bigger look at the atrocities that these horrible people cause before attempting to blame it on a singular piece of media and call it a day. Most of these people are disturbed in one way or another in the first place. It was not simply many nights of playing "DOOM" that caused the tragedy of Columbine, but the sick minds that did not find ways of coping in healthy ways. I will not say that violence in video games is not an issue, but it is certainly not the majority of the reason people turn to needless violence to seemingly solve their problems.

Grid Art Project

Here's some pictures of the progress of my grid art project for class. I chose a black and white picture of Andy Kaufman to create out of M&M's. The black and white picture allowed me to work better with the colors available in a standard bag of M&M's. As for the decision to use Andy Kaufman, I wanted to create something that had meaning to me. I've always tried to do my best to make myself laugh and hope others laugh with me, and Andy Kaufman is a bit of an inspiration. He did what he wanted, whether or not that made others laugh, and wasn't truly appreciated until after his death. He has just always seemed so unique and interesting to me, and I hope that others may let curiosity get the better of them and learn more about him after my presentation in class.

[Picture of the grid in progress]

[Rough draft of the grid, before gluing everything down]

[Final Product]

"There's no way to describe what I do. It's just me."

-Andy Kaufman

MUTO by BLU

MUTO by BLU is a very unique and spectacular animation. I cannot imagine just how much time and effort was put into making this piece, but it was definitely worth it. With 10 million views, it really shines in its use of the world around the moving animation itself, knocking over items and interacting with what was at the artist's  disposal. The stop motion was very well done and I can really see the effort and beauty the creator put into this amazing piece.

...And I'm Ready for Love

A Clockwork Orange is a masterfully crafted movie directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the book of the same name by Anthony Burgess. One scene in particular is known for its power and ability to make viewers quite uncomfortable is the infamous rape scene in which Alex sings "Singin' In The Rain". Though one of the reasons for this song is because it was one of the only songs Malcolm McDowell had memorized, it seems to have a significant meaning behind it. It is as if, through this scene, the song and the viewer have lost their sense of innocence. Being forced to watch as an innocent woman is raped and her husband can do nothing about it is emotional, but the glee heard in Alex's voice as he sings such a song just adds another level of creepiness. Just like having this song ruined for the audience and the poor old man that Alex and his droogs terrorize, Beethoven is besmirched for Alex during the social experiment he is put through. In a way, Alex gets the taste of his own medicine, but "Singin' In The Rain" may never be the same for the audience.

The Dead 80's

While watching some of the amazing stylized music videos provided by the Art & Technology webpage, I was reminded of  this unique music video, created by Dustyn Logan Peterman and Derrick Acosta.

A Trip to the Moon

A Trip to the Moon is really an amazing piece for its time. The sets reflect those of the over-exaggerated and heavily descriptive stages of classic opera. The effects that are used may not seem like much, but for a film from 1902, it really leaves one to wonder just how they pulled off such fantastic visuals. Georges Méliès was truly an innovator of his time, bringing about special effects and magnificent settings that can still be appreciated even now, more than one hundred years later.

Creative Technology on Broadway

Broadway plays can be amazing in their own right, but sometimes the magic behind them can be even more magnificent.

As the curtain rises in this musical number, lights flash, and the painting in the back seems to catch the eye and make the audience believe that there are more people on stage. Then a set-piece begins to appear on-stage, and out comes the main performer as shown by the spotlight directed onto him. This technology may seem basic, but it really livens up the scene.

Another seemingly basic technology, the use of set-pieces that can easily be moved and set up quickly while a music number is still going actually makes for a very interesting performance, allowing scenes to pop-up or change in a matter of seconds.

In this montage of a performance of Sweeney Todd, one can see the use of harsh lighting in order to convey tension and horror. Lighting may be simple, but sometimes it can have create very emotional scenes when used correctly.

Speaking of lighting, the way that this stage was built makes for some amazing use of lights. The setup just seems so surreal, but it really adds to the emotion of the musical number. As the band swells and the performers dance happily, the stage lights begin also dance in their own way, changing colors and flashing with the music.

Using colorful lighting and smoke machines to create ominous scenes is not the only creative thing that can be seen in this montage. The scene in which a cross made of lights descends and shows Jesus hanging from it is just spectacular. This also incorporates the growing trend of rock, rather than relying the old method of catchy show tunes. Even the way we make our music is a technological advancement when you think about it.

Old Broadway musicals and even operas relied on fancy costumes to catch the eyes of the audience, but these ended up being quite expensive. With new technology comes more effective and efficient ways of creating clothes and costumes, allowing plays such as these to have a wide array of colorful, awe-inspiring clothing without the hefty cost. Even stark contrasts can be seen between characters simply based on the clothes that they are wearing.

As our technology advances, so does our uses of it in the entertainment industry. Even simple technologies can be used to create spectacles when placed in the right creative hands. A simple music number can become a fantastic period piece with enough time and commitment towards really using all the resources at one's disposal.

Joséphine Baker and the Minstrel Shows

Racism was rampant in the early 20th century, and the theaters were no exception. I had heard of "black-face" and minstrel shows before, but I never realized just how horrible they really were. The fact that minstrel shows went on for so long as a form of entertainment is just stunning, and according to the documentary Blacks and Vaudeville, even when African Americans were finally accepted in the theater, they were still portrayed as stereotypes and could really do nothing about it. Not only did they appear discriminated in the shows themselves, but the posters portrayed them in the worst stereotypical ways known for the time, and some of the names of the songs and shows were just awful. I cannot wrap my head around the fact they even managed to make the stage seem racist at one point in time, just because an African American band happened to be performing. While racism may still exist today, at least it does not seem as socially acceptable as it did in the past.

As for the story of Josephine Baker, it really is a pity to know just how discriminatory America can be. It's shameful to know that such a beautiful performer could be shunned simply because of the color of her skin. I'm glad to know that while it may have been full of hardship to have to actually leave the home you hold dear just to live out your dream, there were people who really did appreciate her for what she did when she went to Europe. With so much potential and talent, she really was a superstar, and deserved so much more.

Breaking Out

It seems that one of the assignments for class is to write a paper in which we turn an opera into a video game. This got me thinking about one of my favorite bands, The Protomen, who happen to have done the exact opposite. The interesting thing about The Protomen is that two of their albums, Act I: The Protomen and Act II: The Father of Death are actually a rock opera with an original story based on the video game series Mega Man. They even go so far as to add portions in the lyrics that are not sung, but rather describe the scene and the characters in them.

"The Will of One" Lyrics

Even out of context, the power of the songs can still be felt and enjoyed, but the true experience comes from listening to the albums in order to listen and imagine how the story progresses. I would definitely recommend checking them out, as I feel that even without any knowledge of the Mega Man games, the story itself can still be just as emotional.

Opinions on Opera

Madama Butterfly

I've always loved different kinds of animation. Stop-motion animation is no exception, especially since works such as "Wallace and Gromit" have always held a special place in my heart. Madama Butterfly is an emotional work, but the ending was probably the part that amazes me the most. The creator of this piece actually took the suicide of a character in its most true form: the actual deconstruction of the doll used in the piece itself. It was so unexpected and clever, really bringing the whole piece together to me.

The Ring Cycle

The set design for this opera is astounding, and I have to agree with the director that technology such as that used in The Ring Cycle could very well bring more interest in pieces such as this one. Personally, I don't mind opera, but I've never actually went out of my way to attend one. What they have done at The Met for The Ring Cycle is just so unique that I may have actually attended a show if I had the ability to. Even if I may not fully appreciate the opera itself, I really could appreciate the intricacies and work that goes into making a stage "come to life". In a generation where entertainment reigns over the classic arts, it may not be a bad idea to inject some of the elements that we hold dear, such as our advancing technology, into the seemingly ageless world of art in an attempt to gain more admiration for classic theater.

Going for Baroque

Is it true that we may very well be in what could be described as a Neo-Baroque era? A quick look at the definition of baroque stresses the importance of things such as extravagance, complexity, and bold ornamentation. In an era where more and more people were able to live comfortably, their money began to go towards a push for more art and technology. As mentioned in class, it seemed that it was a time of "embellishing nature, and attempting to make it even better." While we may believe the economy to be quite unstable currently, our technology and quality of life has improved over the years, and we can definitely see a revival of exaggeration and complexity in our modern culture.

Repo! The Genetic Opera is a twisted modern take on opera, released in 2008. Set in a dreary, horrific future, the movie sets out to be grim, yet oddly enjoyable, with its share of catchy songs and amazing set pieces. The opera finale within the movie itself (which makes an appearance in the trailer above) sets out to be as exaggerated and flashy as possible, in order to entertain not only the characters of the movie, but also the actual audience through its pure absurdity. As for movies themselves, films such as Avatar set out to dazzle moviegoers with their amazing use of computer-generated graphics that simply could not be experienced years ago. They set out to tell a story, but also show off our advanced and expensive technology we have developed just for our entertainment. 

However, media is not the only thing that keeps the Baroque era alive today. As mentioned in class and by fellow students in their own discussions of the Neo-Baroque era, some of our architecture today stands as a testament to times of intricacy and extravagance. With buildings reaching new highs in both height and cost, and places such as Las Vegas lighting up the night with enough flashing neon signs and lights to put Thomas Edison to shame, we seem to be doing our best to show off how far we've gotten as we welcome a new Baroque age.

A Little Introduction...

Whether you've just stumbled across this blog or we both share a common interest, welcome! My name is Sean Hamill. I'm currently a sophomore at the University of Tampa with a major in Criminology and plans to minor in Mathematical Programming and Management Information Systems. I'm hoping to pursue a career in the field of digital forensics, possibly for the government or in the private sector. As for hobbies, I tend to enjoy dabbling in different creative mediums. Recently I've been trying to animate, which has been quite an interesting challenge.

I still have a lot to improve on, but Source Filmmaker has been pretty fun to tinker with.

As for the reason I have taken the Art and Technology course, it really came down to the need for an art credit. However, I decided to go with a class that I thought I found appealing, and could really take an interest in. After looking over the syllabus, I cannot wait to see what this class has in store. It seems like it is going to be a unique experience, and could be one of my favorite classes this semester. I guess I'll figure it out more as the semester progresses, but I definitely have high hopes for Art and Technology.