Compositional editing

I was shown the following video by the illustrious Steven Kidd.



I was struck by the editing of the piece, and not surprised to see that the editor and director were one and the same (William Hoffman). I mentioned after that picking apart all the edits would be like a master class in compositional editing. Steve asked what I meant by that, and I realized I hadn't heard the term before.

What I am talking about may (probably) already have a name, but I have not been able to find it using the google.

When I use the term "compositional editing," it is in contrast to "narrative editing" and implies a focus on the part of the editor. Any time 2 or more pieces are placed in proximity, you have composition. Any time 2 or more pieces are placed in a sequence, you have narrative. So any edited footage must contain both compositional and narrative elements.

Compositional editing focuses on the content of the two pieces on either side of the cut in a more abstract way. This is often done visually, where the two clips "rhyme" in motion. For example, the line being drawn on the test paper cutting to the surgeon slicing flesh with a scalpel. Same movement, same direction. However, clips may also rhyme in theme, color, overall visual composition (within the framing of the shot), etc. One of the more interesting (and successful) cuts in the piece above moves from a close-up of a person stepping in (presumably dog) crap to a close-up of a tongue licking ice cream. Both motions are close and towards the camera, although the placement of the actor is in opposition. The tongue appears in the exact same place as the crap, causing a disconcerting moment for the viewer. While the two elements being acted upon are in juxtaposition thematically (crap and food), and in color (dark brown and white), their texture is similar, furthering the rhyme between the two.

As I mentioned previously, all editing has components of composition and narrative. The best techniques use both to tell a story, and there is certainly a story (or, more accurately, a number of tiny stories) being told above. But the narrative arises out of the composition, and not the other way around. In narrative editing, composition is second fiddle to driving the story forward. Although it must not be ignored, even in a simple conversation between two actors.

--Brent

Hula Girl - Rough Draft

I have been playing with hula hoops. You may have witnessed if you have been following the blog. This video is a rough draft of Hula Girl (truly just a working title). This past month, Brent and I have been collaborating on a storyboard. We were playing with split screen ideas and such. At this point, I won't bombard you with a play by play of the story. I leave to enjoy, for now. Please post comments if you are inspired.

Salvage.Recycle.Repeat

A snippet of movement material from rehearsal #3 of “the mega piece”. And, no that is not gratuitous, sexy-dance, self-touching you’re seeing. Shame on you. It makes sense in the larger context of the piece. I do plan to shoot it from this angle and from much higher, and, at the moment anyway, it will be paired with a corresponding live performance.

If some of this choreography looks familiar, it’s because I stole some of it from myself. A few years back, I started work on a piece that never quite came together as far as movement and concept are concerned. Actually, at times the choreography and concept felt like two magnets I was trying to push together. I didn’t show it very much. I was really frustrated with it (despite a lovely performance from Kristen and amazing video from Brent). I feel like I finally found a “home” for this movement. Lots more to come.

PS and, am I crazy? Do you feel you’ve seen 20 dance pieces the past several years that have used this “In the Mood for Love" music? It’s lovely, but getting music composed.

Reimagining

As some of you may have heard, we have a show coming up at Monkey Town on Dec 6th. This has involved a lot of work.

From our end (the other end being the band Oliphant) we are presenting 4 videos. 3 have been shown before and 1 premiere. The work comes from the location. Monkey Town is an impressive space. 4 giant screens (one for each wall) in a room where the audience sits around the walls, with a performance space in the middle. I have seen a few shows there, and the usual M.O. is to have all 4 screens playing the same thing. There is a logic to this since each audience member will have one screen behind them, and therefore cannot see it. However, I think this approach does not properly utilize the space. I mean, you've got these 4 GIANT SCREENS.

So, we are repurposing the videos. And by we, I mean me. That's OK I enjoy it. Luckily I had lots of help in the generating ideas phase. We aren't adding to the footage we already shot, so we need to find ways to take advantage of the 4 screens with videos that were meant to be shown on one screen while keeping in mind that each of the 4 screens will not be seen by 25% of the audience.

It has been fun, and I am aided by the pieces that I directed making liberal use of split screen. I guess I am the DePalma of SPINE. Which makes Cory=Scorsese, Kristen=Coppola and Allen=Landis.

I am finishing up the DVD burning tonight, and we should find out on Sunday if it all works as planned. Because, where the hell are you going to test this out?

Better Than Dreaming of Hula Hoops

After we gobbled up our Thanksgiving grub, we at the SPINE House decided to experiment with the wonders of hula hooping and drinking. Not as easy as it sounds. Brent was on camera testing out some possibilities for our shoot next month. Enjoy the music attached to the clip, but imagine the laughter. My cheeks are still hurting.

Patterns II

As I mentioned in my last post I am working on a new video piece for our show at Monkey Town with Oliphant on Dec 6th (fetch the cleaver!). The last post dealt with my attempts to create patterns that I could then subvert.

The piece has a title now: Tidal. Which is problematic only in that whenever I say it, it sounds like I am saying Title. I am sure this will lead to some hilarious Who's On First routine in the near future. The patterns are coming into focus. A little too much, actually. One of the nice things about the previous iteration (in that last post I think I mentioned) is its organic feel.



Something has definitely been lost. I shot new footage and I became enamored in my head with creating a binary system. Most likely because it was easier to wrap my head around, I filmed the new bits so they would move from white to black and back. While this did make it easier to structure the sections, it made it a little too easy. By setting up a strictly binary system, the box aspect of the overall structure was highlighted. With only 144 pixels (16x9) it is difficult to create organic patterns. Easy to make big boxes, though!



So the next step is to pull back from this. While the first version was too muddy and indistinct, I need to recapture the organic nature of it, but try and maintain the clarity of the newer version. Honing in on it. 2.5 weeks to go!

inspiration/procrastination II

I laughed out loud alone in my room at 3am after watching this:

I feel in love with these boys. Obsessed again. Why can't all performances capture such unbridled passion and conviction. These boys are partnered so strongly in their silliness. Oh, their channeling of the Backstreet boys is fascinating with the detail and articulation of their lip syncing and the brilliantly simple choices of their choreography to this absolutely cheesy song (ah, guilty pleasures). But what makes it all the more perfect is a uninterested boy in the background on his computer, and it totally heightens the whole performance.

In my travels through the archives of You Tube I found several recordings of them. Many others just as good at the Backstreet Boys song, always a cheesy song, always with the boy in the background. Sadly, the one live performance I found was no match for boxed videos that I love so much.

And again, SHOULDN'T I BE WORKING ON MY OWN STUFF. STOP WATCHING YOU TUBE (though, I know I won't, but I will work, tomorrow, really).

Patterns

I am working on a new video piece for our Monkey Town date (December 6th, catch the fever!). Here is a very early rough draft:

The idea (from a formal perspective) is to set up these repeating patterns, so the video can loop indefinitely. I have seen many time-based visual art pieces with this conceit, but they tend to stop there. Once the pattern is identified, we watch until its logical conclusion, then it starts again. This approach has always left me cold and feeling that the work is a bit unfinished. When a pattern becomes apparent, I don't get a lot out of just observing its completion. Perhaps I am just a plot whore, but I like my art to fall into the category of "Surprising but inevitable" The instant a pattern is recognizable is the place to begin its subversion, don't necessarily break the established rules, but turn them around, throw them up in the air and see how they rearrange themselves.

The clip above is the 1st attempt at establishing the beginning pattern. Once I am happy with that, the subversion comes in. In addition to the individual patterns of the looping images, an overall pattern should also emerge, taking the viewer on a emotional journey. Otherwise it's just wallpaper.