I found this week’s assignment both fun and creatively stimulating, as we were directed to take direct inspiration from Hollis Frampton’s film Lemon. However, I took inspiration from the feelings the film evoked from me — otherworldliness yet strange familiarity. The object of my video is my vintage harmony chime necklace my Nona gifted me, as it’s become simultaneously a mundane and cherished item to me.
I initially wanted to keep the camera very stagnant throughout the video. However, I found that it felt more so like I was directly copying Frampton’s work rather than taking inspiration from it. Therefore, I decided to switch gears entirely, and put as much movement into the video while ensuring the necklace remained the center of it. This newfound movement within the clips also gave me the opportunity to play with visual transitions to make the video feel more seamless as the lighting and the camera’s zoom moved.
Not only did I play with lighting, I also used the shadows to my advantage. For example, my first clip serves as a dramatic opening not only because of my hand’s slow movement, but because of the shadow behind it. I also tried using the lighting to create a glare within the camera’s view, and though it could have been executed better by possibly shifting the light’s position, I’m happy with how the effect emphasized the mysterious atmosphere of the video.
This assignment was such a new experience for me, and I loved every second of it. I hope to utilize these techniques within future assignments and projects, as it adds to the atmosphere and communicates a certain feeling to the audience without stripping away the other visual aspects of the video.