Journal # 4

Steven Severino

Journal Entry 4

Topic for Discussion 4: Using Digital Technologies as a Medium: Film, Video, and Animation and Themes in Digital Art: Gaming

Digital technologies are being used more than ever in todays film, video, and animation industry. The software artists are using to produce their work include, 3D modeling, rendering, and compositing in both the audio and visual elements that make up a successful composition. I recently discovered an artist, named Alex Roman, who produced a short film that he named, The Third & The Seventh. The video can be found here: (http://vimeo.com/7809605).

Roman describes his work as, “a FULL-CG animated piece that tries to illustrate architecture art across a photographic point of view where main subjects
are already-built spaces, sometimes in an abstract way and sometimes surreal” (Roman). Roman seamlessly combines his film composition with his own 3D modeled, rendered, and composited elements. Most of the film was recorded by Roman showing real architecture somewhere in the world however he also modeled, rendered, and composited scenes, that are not reality, and added them to the film in way that is virtually undetectable to the viewer’s eye. I chose Roman’s work because he provides the viewer with a, “Compositing Break Down” video that shows what is not real in his film and just how he incorporated the digital technology to make his masterpiece. The link to the “Compositing Break Down” video can be found here (http://vimeo.com/8200251).

(These are screen shots, before and after, taken from one scene of the compositing break down video that show the integration of digital technologies in the final film.)

Often times we think or film, video, and animation as separate and distinct industries that carry some overlap but not much. My journal 4 entry aims to introduce to the class to a young artist challenging this separation of industries through the use of digital technologies and in various mediums to create stunning architectural feats that tell a story. I interpret the story as the beauty of camera movement through a space and how film can take our architecture and turn it into art. Roman does an incredible job of incorporating these digital technologies in film and his work is definitely worth the share. The question I propose is which digital technology in Roman’s piece, the 3D modeling, rendering, or compositing techniques, are the most important component in the success of his work? Does the artist give away the elements that are not real with the scenes showing the method of how he records the architecture? Roman also composed the audio, so is the piece as powerful or captivating without this element? With these questions I want to explore the work of interdisciplinary digital technologies and their importance to making a film successful.

Works Cited

(http://vimeo.com/7809605)

(http://vimeo.com/8200251)

Journal # 3

Topic for Discussion: The “Interactive” in Interactive Installations

Paul (2008) writes that although all art is “interactive” in the sense that it involves the mental engagement of the viewer, “with regard to digital art…interactivity allows different forms of navigating, assembling, or contributing to an artwork that go beyond this purely mental event” (p. 67). The purely “mental event” Paul writes about is the viewers ability to interpret artwork through reflection, question, and thought. These three processes are done mentally in the mind of the viewer.

Interaction means conversational and requires responsive movement or action. Artwork such as a traditional painting or sculpture hanging on the wall in a museum or exhibition engages thought but has no interaction. Interaction is created by artists through the use of digital technology and can then provide the user with an experience. Daniel Rozin’s Weave Mirror conveys this idea of interaction with the combination of traditional and digital technology in a very literal way. Most of Daniel’s works involve mirrors allowing the viewers to see themselves in the artwork. Looking into a mirror is the most common event or interaction we have on a daily basis. Our reflection is common because there is no question that the reflection we see in the mirror responses directly to our movements.

Daniel’s use of digital technology takes this common interaction and makes it a unique experience through real time interaction.“Weave Mirror paints a picture of viewers using a gradual rotation of 768 motorized and laminated C-shaped prints along the surface of a picture plane that texturally mimics a homespun basket” (Daniel Rozin). David work can be found here:

http://www.smoothware.com/danny/weavemirror.html

In a way Daniel is promoting the creativity of movement of the viewer and makes us think about how our movements affect our environment and surrounding. This mental and physical event allows us to question how we see ourselves and understand how we move. The artwork is created through changes in greyscale value on each C-ring” (Daniel Rozin). Moving slower and further away gives the real time technology a more accurate reading of the viewer with more contrast in grey scale. Moving faster and closer to the sculpture challenges the real time technology responsiveness and makes the reflection faint and more abstract.

It can be said that no two persons movements are identical therefore Daniel is able to give each viewer their own experience and interaction. The artwork that Daniel Rozin created is a great example of what it means for artwork to be interactive but also a mental and physical event or experience.

 

Works Cited

Paul. C. 2008. Digital Art. New York: Thames & Hudson.

http://www.smoothware.com/danny/weavemirror.html