FIELD RECORDING

This weekend I went back to the location to record ambient sound. Even though it was only one week after the shooting, the atmosphere was incredibly different. I had forgotten how sound could capture the essence of the environment just as well as video, if not better. There are as many audio microcosms as there are people and things to point a microphone at.

The main idea was to construct without scripting. Just like for the video, creating a setting and letting the content emerge from the environment.

I recorded from the actual shooting location, along the canal and by the lock. Sometimes it sounds like it could be anywhere, even in the jungle at some points because of all the birds. But if you listen carefully, it is the sound of home. Wild and tame.

I also recorded some tracks inside. Sounds of intimacy and non-linguistic verbal exchanges (which have become a focal point of my piece). The sound is the inside looking out, as opposed to outside looking in, in the video. Hopefully, the superposition of both will provide an interesting contrast.

For the presentation, I am thinking of having the sound separated in 8 channels (4 stereo channels split between opposing monitors). Most likely half will be of the actual location and half of the more personal recordings.

Uhhh. Yeah. This is getting techno heavy. Shite.

I am trusting my instinct on this one.

SHOOTING, TAKE 2

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, I went back to the shooting location and shot what I believe will be the definitive footage for this (still untitled) project. The snow had mostly melted, which is unfortunate because the image of living bodies in a sea of white, cold, purity would have been powerful, but the warmer temperature was easier on the gear and allowed me to shoot for a couple of hours without running into any obstacles.  The sun was shinning, the birds were signing, people were walking their dogs and love was in the air.

The cardboard and duct tape rotating contraption I had crafted proved to be very efficient and precise, although difficult to level with the tripod. Hopefully the angles in all 8 sequences will be consistent. The colors were nice, even when "à contre-jour", but I might rework them a little in postproduction, to even out the luminosity and maybe give it more depth.

With all 8 points of view, I think I have succeeded in depicting Montreal as both specific and generic, breathing and inert, cruel and forgiving... There is the canal, of course, the high rise buildings of downtown, the abandoned Post Canada "centre de tri", the carriages headquarters and the sometimes fascinating, sometimes distressing emptiness of a gigantic parking lot with no entrance, no exit.

Photos by E. Tremblay.

LOCATION IS EVERYTHING

FIRST DAY OF SHOOTING

Last week I took a long walk around my neighborhood in search of interesting shooting locations and found tons of potential spots. There are plenty of empty parking lots, vast public green space (note to self: watch out for dog poop, spring is near), creepy alleys, etc. What I enjoy most about this area is that it is anonymous, there are no billboards, no advertisements, very little traffic, not too many passersby at this time of year and the buildings are nameless... It could be anywhere, it could have a different meaning for different individuals. And it is meaningful to me. I decided on a very large 'terrain vague' by the Canal, close to Guy St.

Today I went for a first try at shooting with a wireless camera and reciever, a miniDV deck and a tripod. 

Soon enough, I realized that winter and electronics don't mix. After only a few minutes, the camera's battery cable broke. I switched to the other camera (the infra red one, I believe), but after another few minutes, the batteries died one after the other.

I still managed to capture precious images and, more importantly, to try my ingenious 'cardboard and duct tape' rotating mechanism. And it works just fine. I have decided not to go with the constant rotation but with 8x45˚ separate shots. After speaking with a techie friend, I came to the conclusion that synchronizing 8 channels would be pretty much impossible. And I do want 8 channels so it's a decent compromise. 

I am also very satisfied with the look of the footage that I shot. I posted some snapshots I took from my TV on my other blog. I will post some clips soon. Over the next few weeks (probably during the spring break) I will go for more tests and hopefully it will be a little warmer outside. And sunny, because I like the blue sky contrasting with the white snow. For some reason I had always envisioned it in black and white, but I'm loving the wireless camera's warm/cold color contrast.

To be continued.

TO ROTATE OR NOT TO ROTATE

I'm having trouble with the rotating platform. I guess I overestimated my skills in electronics. Plus I'm not very satisfied with the tests I did in the editing room. A classmate I was telling my project about suggested that I shoot each channel separately. I could just place the camera in the center of the space and rotate it by hand, 45° (for 8 channels, 90° for 4, etc.) at a time. I would loose some fluidity and simultaneity, but it would make it a lot easier to assemble afterwards. And since there won't be a lot of movement in the environment and in the subjects, the differences in time should not be too noticeable. Another advantage is that I would not have to synchronize all the channels by the frame since they would all function independently. I could use 8 DVD players and start them approximately at the same time and have the same effect. That would sort another major problem and make presentation easier (and more site-specific friendly).

I will continue to work on the rotating platform for a little while, but if by next week I haven't figured it out, I will use this other technique instead.

FIRST CAMERA TESTS

Crappy camera test. Works well.

Infrared camera test. Works fine, but the camera angle should be parallel with the ground to insure continuity.

SHOOTING LOCATIONS

Original ideas:

> On top of the mountain at my parents'

> A dirty back alley, maybe in Chinatown

> The vast terrain vague by the canal near Des Seigneurs

More possible locations I visited or thought of during the holidays:

> A large field in Ile des Soeurs after an ice storm

> The rooftop of the Friendship Cove, a loft/live venue in Griffintown with a fantastic view of the city

> The Pound, an industrial loft/live venue in Little Burgundy

> At school, during peak hours, maybe in the Hall Building

Related thoughts:

> I'm glad it's winter, the white snow will act as a wide canvas and emphasize the subjects

> If I'm going to shoot outside, I need to keep in mind that all the equipment has to be self-powered

CAMERA TESTS

I tried the wireless security camera kit I borrowed from the video depot.

Camera > (wireless) > Reciever > (RCA cable) > VCR > (RCA cable) > Monitor

Both cameras worked fine, one gave a clearer image than the other, but I will have to try with different lighting. I will also need to try it outdoors, with either a portable mini DV deck or mini DV camera. But I did like the texture and 'life' VHS brought to the party.

I will upload short video excerpts soon and play around with them.