Final Project

Alexandra and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Late Day from Veronica Matveev on Vimeo.

Museum Of Moving Images

Before going to the museum of moving images I didn’t think I would enjoy it, but I was wrong. While the museum was perfect for cinema lovers, tv addicts, animation lovers, etc., it was 100% enjoyable to the general audience. I got to relive the golden age of Hollywood, look at some of the most recognizable pieces created by makeup artists, and step back in time and experience costume design through the ages. I also enjoyed playing some of my favorite old retro arcade and video games that brought the nostalgia crushing. The museum truly has something for everyone.

            The specific part that struck out to me was the sound editing demonstration. We first saw one of the very dramatic scenes. Then the guide broke it down for us sound by sound, to demonstrate exactly what amount of work goes into creating movie sounds. Small things like removing the foley helped me realized that it’s far from simple. Without certain dialogue or music the movie would not have the same effect. When I watched the scene in broken layers, I did not feel nearly as emotional as the final scene in the movie. I was honestly stunned at how detailed this job was for a sound creator. The museum gave me a newfound appreciation for the behind the camera work that many don’t realize make a film as great as it is.

Relationships Between Shots

R                    This sequence from The Godfather of a series of murders side by side with a baptism provides an example of parallel editing. One event--the christening--is intercut with other events--a series of murders. The allusion is that these events are occurring simultaneously or at roughly the same time. The narrative effect of the parallel editing is to juxtapose these two lines of action. The editing has many abrupt cuts making the scene appear more dramatic then it actually is. Abruptly going from scene to scene, keeps the audience captivated. Close ups of the actors speaking and of the murders add to that same feeling. A very notable point is the sound effects. Not only are the shots from scene to scene abrupt, but so is the music. During the murder shots the music is loud and scary,  but as the scene switches the music softens and then abruptly comes back for the next murder shot. That is a very significant effect on the overall mood. A very interesting part of the clip is when the priest is announcing the prayer on the baptized baby, right after shots are fired. The director then had the sound of the priest reciting the prayer carried into the murder scene as the shots switch. This effect combined both scenarios making it very clear that the scenes were happening at the same time.

Project 2

An Unexpected SoundWalk

     As I walked down the long streets in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York I heard a variety of noises. At first it’s quiet, but if you pay even little attention it is easy to take notice to many different sounds. The increasing sound of a car engine as it gets closer until it flashes by. Then the rustling leaves on the street from the cars speed. As I walk closer to the intersection faint car honks become louder. It’s fairly warm out so I hear a mixture of radio music and people talking on the phone with open car windows. Car doors opening and getting slammed shut. Sounds of cars getting locked and unlocked. Big trees cover the streets making the gusts of wind louder then one would imagine. Occasionally a loud motorcycle will go by. A fire engine, ambulance, or police car. You can never be sure which one is causing the wailing sirens. I hear low sounds of grocery bags from people bringing home groceries. I didn’t realize, until time into my walk, how loud my own footsteps hitting the solid concrete were. Fall means a lot of trees and grass. The sound of gardeners and leaf blowers make it impossible to hear anything else. Some times the sounds will die out, and then you might even get some real quiet. But never for to long because whether it’s a siren, a car engine, or a person something will always break the silence. 

Define a Space Final

I am a relatively young person living in a media orientated part of the world.  As a result, film and television have been & continue to be hugely influential in many areas of my life. For example growing up, my sense of humor was shaped by Jim Carey movies & Joey from 'friends.' I unknowingly began acting out a lot of my life instead of being present and actually living in the moment. I began to realize that it must be the way most teenagers are living and interacting nowadays. For film and television to have such a powerful effect on people amazes me and leads me to think a lot about what is portrayed versus what is reality.

I got to love to observe the world around me. I took notice to practical people who had a good idea of what their present or reality was. I always took notice people who seemed to live in a fantasy world of their own. I loved hearing people’s real life stories, so it was an easy realization that documentaries were for me.

I am interested in breaking with conventional storytelling devices, in telling stories in non-traditional ways. Specifically, I am interested in juxtaposing the natural with digitally enhanced images to create a sense of the surreal in the real. That plays on the fantasy versus reality issue that first sparked my interest in documentaries. This also emphasizes the uniqueness of the individual's story and draws the viewer into their world.