14. media studies... final artefact report (death of an angel)

… 20 February 2015 …

MEDIA STUDIES FINAL ARTEFACTDEATH OF AN ANGEL… THROW WIDE THE GATES!…an Arthouse-Narrative by The Forest House Productions

Written & Created by…Angela p. genders

Assessment 5Final Artefact & Report

Swinburne UniversityBch Communication (Media)

[MDA30005] Media Studies Project

Angela p. gendersStudent ID: 7588690

eLA: Ben CharnleyDate: 20 February 2015

Death of An Angel –Throw Wide The Gates!

Table of Contents

Part 1: Artefact Link (Video Presentation) … page 1- “Death of An Angel –throw wide the gates!”

Time – 0:07:30:00

Part 2: Report on the Artefact … page 2- Executive Summary … page 2- 1.0. Reflection … page 3

ϗ 1.1. Imagery … page 3ϗ 1.2. Transitions & Effects … page 3ϗ 1.3. Sound FX … page 3ϗ 1.4. Music … page 4ϗ 1.5. Narration … page 4ϗ 1.6. Copyrights … page 5ϗ 1.7. Achievements … page 5ϗ 1.8. Hurdles … page 6

- 2.0. Benchmarks … page 6- 3.0. Unique-Elements … page 7- 4.0. Overview … page 8

Part 3: Death of An Angel Storyboard … page 9

Referencing & Bibliography … page 24- Copyrights … page 24- Benchmarks … page 24- Academic … page 24

Part 1…

Artefact Link (Video Presentation):

Death of An Angel… Throw Wide the Gates!Time – 0:07:30:00Video Presentation Link… http://youtu.bu/HQo8781nT2U

YouTube…Email: [email protected]: williamhayesLink URL: http://youtu.bu/HQo8781nT2U






… Page 1 …

http://youtu.bu/HQo8781nT2U

http://youtu.bu/HQo8781nT2U

Part 2…

Report on the Artefact:

Executive Summary:

Hallowe’en is the Festival of the Gateway to Winter, Day of the Dead and New

Year’s Sabbat of the Witches. The Australian populus each year goes through the

same debate about their reluctance to take on an American Commercialised Festival

such as this one.

Hallowe’en, Anciently known as Samhain, marks the turning of the Wheel of the

Seasons. In Heathen Tradition it is believed that the New Year begins with Winter, as

life begins with death, and the regeneration which takes place during the withdrawal

of strength and energy through this season.

Hence within the American Northern Hemisphere, this time occurs at the end of

October, the now modern-day date of the Festival Hallowe’en. In the Southern-

Hemisphere, this time occurs at the end of April. The time of the “Gateway to

Winter”.

This then, is where the conceptualisation for the “Death of An Angel” comes from.

The symbolic and physical “death” of the Festival which proceeds new life and

regeneration.

And as is also akin within the Heathen Traditions of marking the Seasons and

Sabbats, the oppositional Festival, that of “Beltane”, the Fertility-Festival of the

Union between the Goddess and the God, is also taken into consideration and

acknowledged during the Celebrations.

Despite the countless hurdles and setback undertaken during the formulation of this

project, hopefully these accounts are clearly found within the viewing of the “Death

of An Angel –Throw Wide The Gates!”?!






… Page 2 …

1.0. Reflection:

“When we tell a story in cinema, we should resort to dialogue only when it’s

impossible to do otherwise”. –Alfred Hitchcock

1.1. Imagery:

The entire artefact functions upon that of imagery. Yet it is to the utilisation of

the subtlety of these images to which gives the artefact life and movement.

Still shot photography establishes the “character” within the narrative, and

speed of camera resting upon a ‘flip-booked’ image gives a sense of pace and

movement. Yet it is to the utilisation of that with Black and White

photography that gives a sense of retrospective narrative, as well as otherworld

sense of locale, especially with the selective utilisation of minimalistic colour

shots.

1.2. Transitions & Effects:

“Adding movement to still images is a great way of drawing attention to some

feature and add drama to a lifeless photo”. [Michael Bays. 2011. Pp. 1.]

The entire visual-narrative was dependent upon that of the utilisation of

Transitions and Effects. The Ken Burns Effect, giving life and emotion to still-

photography through the use of “motion and timing to change the mood in the

viewer” [Michael Bays. 2011. Pp. 1.] was employed. The Old-Hollywood

cinematographic-styles of Hitchcock’s infamous slow-fade transitions and

zoom-ins allowed for the establishing of the primary narrative-character, with

the “death of an angel”. Whilst modern-day quick-cuts established pace and

movement, enhanced with the ease-ins and ease-outs, simulating rapid-

breathing to support and enhance the Sound-FX heart-beat and Music.

1.3. Sound FX:

As has been reflected within the “Production Journal”, sound has been a

perpetual issue throughout the production of the film. However, as the two

driving audio-techniques within the narrative were those of both “sound-fx”

and “music-accompaniment”, the utilisation of Sound FX was essential as the






… Page 3 …

binding bridges for the audial flow from one sequence to the next. Sound

demonstrates “ongoing tactics, such as: withholding sound from the viewer to

pique curiosity, exaggerating sound as a form of narrative emphasis, and

creating tension through both ambient noises and silence”. [Kinema. 2014. Pp.

1.] Hence the “heart-beat” formed these bridging-continuities throughout the

film, sewing the sequences together into one streamline narrative. With

accents such as the “toccata”; “down in the lab” and the “scarred prelude”

building emotive moments of suspense, intrigue and audience-reaction. Sound

was also utilised and accentuated through the flow of the images to rest upon a

“black screen”, so in all the audience is experiencing is the audio, allowing for

a rest, or break in the sequence to pause for suspense and expectation.

1.4. Music:

As is commonly known as reflected within the immense popularity of the

“music-video” industry, a song in itself is pertaining of a narrative and

contains within the contextual-ability to hold and sustain a dialogue in itself.

Therein, the strategic placing of popular-songs such as “Bottle of Pain”;

“Toccata and Fugue” and “Bibit Aleum”, provides the emotional-journey

required beholdant of suspense; anxiety; sadness and fruition.

The simplicity of still-photography and music over narrative was a conscious

one in order to try and maintain the purity of the storyline, and allow the

viewer to immerse themselves within the attempted journey being portrayed.

1.5. Narration:

The decision to omit narration from the Artefact was a three-fold one. First,

the Moviemaker software to which was utilised within the production of the

Artefact was not one in which was designed for the form in which it was

utilised. Ergo, its limitations were most certainly found and met. One of which

was that although narration can be recorded within the programme, quality of

sound and ability to cut and edit recordings were nigh on impossible, and






… Page 4 …

therefore would have been met with a very amateurish production value

indeed.

Second, the chosen format of image-sequence, i.e., that of still-photography

was moreso of an “arthouse” flow and form. Hence to have added narration as

an overlay to such a style would have been somewhat out of place to the

method in which the Artefact was beholdant. Narration for a short film would

have been more suited to a “documentary” and “interview” styled form. And

hence the decision to add on those of music and fx was made.

Lastly, narration would have blown the time factor way out. In order to

properly and authentically explain the history, traditions and practices of the

Hallow’s Festival, would have required a minium of double the time allotted

in order to adequately inform the audience of its value and properties.

1.6. Copyrights:

The utilisation of still-photography within the documentary-narrative came

down to simply no other choice. Thankfully however, pre-established

copyright approvals had been arranged within previous years for independent

editorial writing/design purposes. Thus, almost 1,000 images are contained

within a personal data-base from the likes of professional photographers;

models; artists and graphic-designers in which to choose from.

1.7. Achievements:

The fact that despite the hurdles encountered – the interviewee cancelling;

software technical-issues; getting extremely ill – the fact that an artefact was

able to be completed and produced at all was “the” achievement.

Beyond this however, the “Arthouse-Sequences” yielded more narrative-

weight to the film-structure than expected. When placed in conjunction with

Sound-FX and Music-overlays, their production value carried the weight of

the Documentary moreso than expected, to the point of going beyond the

values that were expected from such a simplistic idea.






… Page 5 …

1.8. Hurdles:

The primary hurdles involved were first, the fact that the scheduled-

interviewee had to cancel at the last minute due to family-circumstances,

changed the entire format-structure of the Documentary. Second, the Software,

although basic and simple to use for the novice, was too simplistic within the

realms of “sound”, causing restrictions specifically with the option for

“voiceover-sequences”. And then causing technical problems with the

independent decision to stop reading “MP3” formats and only “WAV” media

able to be imported. And lastly, time was a major hurdle. The Producers

Degree’s being so stringently planned out that not even a day-off can be

afforded within the scheduling of educational-progression, a “week” not being

able to so much as stand-up without throwing-up and passing-out prevented

the final pull-together, which would have allowed for more refined polishing

within narrated-sequences re-recorded, arthouse-narratives fine-tuned, and

overall editing-down achieved.

2.0. Benchmarks:

The original subject of the Arthouse-Documentary – The Practice of Hallowe’en in

the Southern-Hemisphere – is one which has not been encountered before. Though

through researching the narrative, the following ‘real story’ behind Halloween was

found:

The Real Story of Halloween…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm9jeSLGTZU

It was also discovered that through that of “crowdsourcing”, the need for the telling of

these supposed Northern-Hemisphere, American Practices being beheld with

Australian Southern-Hemispheric contexts is gaining momentum:

Modern Witches & Paganism in Australia by Brittany McCowan…

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1226053075/modern-witches-and-paganism-in-

australia






… Page 6 …


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1226053075/modern-witches-and-paganism-in-australia


And for knowledge and inspirational archetypes in which to formulate the

cinematography of the Documentary, those of the Title-Sequences of Saul Bass,

infamously known for his collaborative work with Alfred Hitchcock, was referenced:

10 of Saul Bass’ Greatest Title-Sequences – the playlist…

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/10-of-saul-basss-greatest-title-sequences-

20120425

As well as, though moreso for the original agreed-upon interview-format, the short-

documentary style of the telling of the Curse upon the Film Poltergeist:

Poltergeist YouTube…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hMAaNxKfAs

With the required change in format, the primary sources of inspiration were hence

those of Saul Bass, Alfred Hitchcock and Ken Burns.

3.0. Unique Elements:

In order to produce a video flip-book still-photography artefact, the following skills

are required…

Images: the ability to formulate a cohesive storyboard-narrative, frame, pdf, jpeg and

import media, whilst binding together in a cinematic and visually-captivating

narrative with appropriate transitions, effects and timing. This is beyond question the

most intricate, skilled and time consuming aspect to that of the chosen format.

Sound: choosing music and sound-fx appropriate to the narrative that will support and

propel the storyline concurrent to the subject-matter.

Research: the fundamental basis of the documentary must be propelled by the

appropriate informative information relevant to the subject, therein educating the

audience whilst entertaining.






… Page 7 …

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/10-of-saul-basss-greatest-title-sequences-20120425



4.0. Overview:

As a whole, the Artefact production could probably be best described as – a car crash

that yielded no deaths – having said this. There is most definitely a gap in the

mediasphere for this type of production. There is little to no information available as

to the true origins of Hallowe’en, its evolution through history and its placement

within a Southern-Hemisphere society. And hence an intrinsic, community based

documentary into said subject would be considerably welcomed and original.

If nothing else, the production of the Artefact gave a wider and more fundamental

appreciation for those within the fields of sound; editing; production and even

voiceover work. A greater understanding is now to be had for the need for each

person within their required fields to hold inherent knowledge for media production

when formulating a media-narrative, irrespective of length and content, as is the

essential ability for that of the Software and Equipment for which one requires to

produce such media.

There were most certainly achievements within the Artefact to be beheld, despite the

many hurdles, and lessons learnt within the production capacity. Overall…

Hallowe’en was a good beginning to the New Year.






… Page 8 …

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0:00:17:20Scarred–By Combichrist(…do you ever get the feelingthings are completelyfucked-up?!)

Part 3…

Death of An Angel Storyboard…

Angela p. genStudent ID: 7

Assessment 5Final Artefac

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t & ReportSwinburne University

Bch Communication (Media)[MDA30005] Media Studies Project

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FX:

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FX:

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FX:

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Hear Now The Word of

the Witches

…the secrets we hid in the night

…when dark was our destiny’s

pathway

…we now step forth into light!!!

THE FOREST HOUSE

Angela p. genders

)O(

As Above…

So Below


Referencing & Bibliography:

Copyrights…Heather GauthierKarli SprucePamela McIntyreThe Black Cat SocietyThe Feisty Witches on FacebookTopiary CottageValentina KalliasJessica AllainJess Death (Lady Death Demon)

Benchmarks…The Real Story of Halloweenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm9jeSLGTZU

Modern Witches & Paganism in Australia by Brittany McCowanhttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1226053075/modern-witches-and-paganism-in-australia

10 of Saul Bass’ Greatest Title-Sequences – the playlisthttp://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/10-of-saul-basss-greatest-title-sequences-20120425

Poltergeist YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hMAaNxKfAs

Academic…Charnley, B. Swinburne Online. 2014. Filmmaking Resources, Learning Materials.MDA30005 Media Studies Project. Cited: 3 November 2014.

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14. media studies... final artefact report (death of an angel)

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