"Don't You Little Bird, Don't Cry"

Well....this just might be the final edit. I didn't like the blue color in the middle of the piece, so I took some stills from the video and manipulated them using Microsoft Picture Editor and Paint. I also simplified the man's voice a bit more, but added more room noise to give it an almost mechanical feel.

P.S. - Special thanks to my neighbor Tom for letting me borrow his acrylics to create the paintings in this piece.

P.S.S. - I still haven't figured out why the audio must be manually adjusted. If it doesn't work on your computer just click the microphone in the lower left corner. Thanks!

Final Cut Sound Video

Click on the picture to the left to see the QuickTime movie. If you aren't hearing any audio you can adjust it manually by clicking the microphone in the bottom left of the player.

Rough Cut Sketch #3

Click on Image to play video

Rough Cut Sketch #2

Click on Image to play video!

Rough Cut Sketch #1

Click on Image to play Video

Production Strategy

For this trek my production strategies for collecting images will be:
#1. The difference between night and day.
#2. Imitating the movement of people/objects through space

and I will collect sound recordings by finding things that are either in direct correlation with or in irionic opposition to the images.

I will limit myself to Bradford Beach and the outer lying areas.

Ten Questions

1. Where does that path in Lake Park go?

2. What differences are there on Lake Michigan between day and night?

3. What’s the deal with that old mansion? Is a museum? Is it open to the public?

4. Is there any place where sound takes on a strange quality?

5. Where can I find the best urban soundscape? What would it sound like?

6. I really want to spy on people’s conversations, where’s the best place to do that?

7. Where can I find the strangest sight within my trek area?

8. Are there any historical markers in my trek area that I haven’t explored?

9. What’s further down the path between the lake park bistro?

10. What’s the best way to record sound if the subject is at a less than ideal range?

Trek Assessment #4 "favorite moment"

My very favorite experience didn’t even make it into any of the footage for either of the treks. I was walking down by Veteran’s Park just after sunset and there were probably about five groups of guys ranging in age from ten to seventy all fishing from over a wall. The fish were jumping right out of the water and the men were either reeling them in or “letting” them get away. It was fun to ease-drop on their conversations and make assumptions about their lives and relationships. I was collecting images for trek two at the time and though I have a few pictures, most are too dark/blurry to be or any real use. The reason I was so affected by the experience was the definite sense of community I could feel just by being there. Even thought the men came from different backgrounds, races, and classes, in that moment everyone wanted the same thing.

Trek Assessment #3 "SUPRISE!"

3 Shockers -

1. It felt unnatural to record nature. Though I’ve taken plenty of photos outdoors before, I’ve never gotten as in depth or tinkered with the idea of really re-creating nature in another form. I was shocked at how voyeuristic it felt, like I was somehow trying to trick these beautiful stimuli into certain capture. It felt creepy good.

2. Nothing turned out the way it was suppose to, and that was okay. Some of the images/sounds I had though would be the most interesting were very bland, and some which I was initially unenthused about became the most powerful. For example I had managed to capture a few images of a squirrel running around in a tree, and the on the spot the color was great the light was terrific and I was really excited about the pictures, but when I saw them on my computer I was really disappointed. The photos were blurry and you could hardly tell there was even a squirrel in there at all.

3. Heightened sense of alertness and childlike curiosity prevail. While I was on these treks I was really interested in all the details. By nature I’m a really curious person and I can’t look at anything for a long time without feeling the need to touch it or somehow explore or experience it in a new way. By taking the time to become familiar with the area I got to explore some nooks and crannies that I otherwise wouldn’t have made time for.

Trek Assessment #2 "Bliss"

With one microphone through a sewer grate and one on the edge of the pavement I felt eerily at ease. I was blown away at the world of sounds literally racing beneath my feet. A sewer is something that is common and mostly dull, but it was the experience of hearing something that most people wouldn’t stop to think twice about that was most engaging for me. Play the sound here.
Another time I felt totally at ease was at Bradford beach. It was one of the earliest sounds I recorded and I could hear every wave so fully and beautifully that I found it hard to leave the beach. I have always loved the beach. Hearing the sound of the rushing waves brought back many positive memories. The air was warm and the water was cool and it was a very peaceful experience. Play the sound here.

Trek Assessment #1 "Issues"

I must say that I was surprised at how relaxing and engaging I found trek one to be; capturing and listening intently to the everyday sounds one has a tendency to neglect in day to day life was absolutely enriching. I was slightly annoyed when trying to record a bird that seemed to sing beautifully…until I tried to record his song. Though all it all it was quite pleasurable.
Collecting images, however, seemed to be a bit more taxing. With winter fast approaching light is a commodity, and it seemed that each time I planned to go trekking the day was somehow overcast or I was unable to begin until after four in the afternoon rendering it too dark to complete my project (or at least complete it the way I thought it aught to be completed.) Eventually, however, I simply began about three in the afternoon and just stayed with it until it was good and dark and used the absence of light to say something else. The project turned out nothing the way I had imagined, though I was satisfied with the result.