It has been a while since I’m posted and there has been much progress made with the film. Kate and I had to push back filming at the overpass but we were eventually able to get there. We took turns filming and we got probably some of the better footage. Unfortunately, the camera wasn’t recording when I thought I was getting a lot of her close ups; I had to really search the footage to get some close ups of Kate’s face that were facing the camera.
Since then, the “final” version has undergone quite a few revisions. Kenneth was able to first get me about a minute of sound which I played with the video for our Dance Making III course. From the feedback I received, I asked Kenneth to take out the breathing and creaking sounds at our next meeting. He replaced the breathing with something else that had a breathing feel but was less recognizable and he replaced the creaking with paper ripping.
I also had a few edits to make. Some of my long shots and shots of the space didn’t work as well as I thought and I sat down with my instructor and we went through the film. She had many good suggestions, most of which I incorporated and ended up keeping. I had to refill a close up of me looking at the camera. The outdoor locations were now less of an option so I opted for my creepy basement. I’m hoping it doesn’t look out of place.
After the Fall break, Kenneth gave me an almost complete version, although he said that he still had a few adjustments to make in the first section and the end. It was great to hear the soundscape composition with the film, and I think it works with the eerie mood. It was also a relief that my voiceover speaking and whispering the poem sounded pretty good. Not being trained in voice, I had been worried, but Kenneth altered it enough where I don’t think it is noticeably an untrained voice. The class had some great feedback about the inclusion of the spoken word part (the poem). I had thought that it might be necessary to incorporate it somehow but didn’t like the idea of using the visual text. It was suggested that I could put the first stanza in the program notes; that way, if people are interested, they can read it and, if not, at least they did not have to sit through a long shot of a poem on the screen. We also discussed toning down the beginning a little bit.
I met with Kenneth again today and we listening to another updated version. It is almost there; there is still a little that will be toned down sound-wise in the first section so that there is a quieter and slower build to the rush of voices.
Kenneth had a few suggestions regarding the credits which I just made this evening. He also asked for one more scene with fast cuts and we agreed on the long shot in the 3rd section where Kate is walking far in the background. I made that edit, too, and am encoding the change now to send to him.
We show in a week, so it looks like we will have everything wrapped up in 2 to 3 more days.
Mary C. Schnepf 