Final Clip - "Judgement Day Jogger"

(Click on Image to View movie, 57 sec)
For my final clip I decided to expand on idea of a near death experience and the balance between good vs. evil/heaven vs. hell in an everyday event such as jogging. Most of the idea behind it came from my previous work in trek 02 and thus is a further dive into the idea of a "bullet train to hell" and a "stairway to heaven," and the conflicting balance between the two as one nears death.

Rough Cut #3

For my third rough cut I experimented again with the concept of near death experiences and a runner. I re-shot some similar scenes from my previous trek and tried to improve upon it both visually and with audio. This cut will be the basis for my final and I plan on expanding further with this concept.

Rough Cut #2

For my second rough edit I mixed in audio of water and its movement into an edit of a waterfall. This was more of an exercise in matching audio with image and making the entire piece fit.

Rough Cut #1

For my first rough cut I experimented with panning around an object in focus while juxtaposing that action with the sound of a circular saw. I found that the natural circular feel to the sound enhanced the sped up version of the panning action.

Production Strategy

1. My production strategy for trek 03 is to go back to Jacobus Park in Wauwatosa, WI and expand on my ideas for trek 02. I will also trek out to areas in Milwaukee to further expand on images and sounds. My goal is to find images and sounds that help represent the balance and relationship of "life versus death" and "near death experiences," which corresponds with a short film of mine from trek 02. I believe going back to that site will be promosing since I've already been there a few times and know what types of material to expand on. However, to get even more material (in particular sounds) I will also need to trek in other locations.

2. To limit my image capturing activites I will use the same strategies as trek 02 (dutch angle, things cirular in nature) I will also add in "things that look heavenly, and things that look hellish."

3. To limit my sound capturing strategies I will record things that sound "heavenly and hellish" and also use a clothes hanger as a mic rig.

Ten Questions

1. What is at the end of the tunnel, where the light is showing?
2. Where did those deer come from and where are they headed?
3. Why is sometimes the waterfall turned off but other times turned on?
4. What would it look like if I filmed while moving the camera in a circle (around) the object in focus?
5. Where was that train headed?
6. Where did that golf ball in the woods come from?
7. Is there a better way to film the motion of running without trying to find a jogger and film him/her?
8. What makes the splashing of the waterfall/moving water so serene?
9. If the waterfall looks/sounds “heavenly” what recorded would have a “hellish” quality?
10. What would the same scenery look like at night?

Trek Assessment #4

My favorite experience from taking these treks was when I was filming at a playground. Not only did I capture the innocence of a kid playing on a playground, but I was also able to capture amazing movement of these roller toys on the playground. There were about 30-40 rollers with alternating colored sides that a child could spin. This may not sound very interesting but if a person quickly tried to spin as many as they could on the opposite side anyone viewing would see this amazing assortment of moving colors. It sort of made random patterns and reminded me of the green blinking numerals used in the movie “The Matrix.” It could also be compared to a kaleidoscope. For some odd reason this viewing affected me. It showed that I could make really cool “special effect” type scenes without relying on computers or editing software. It made me feel like a stronger and more confident filmmaker.

Trek Assessment #3

There were many surprises or unexpected situations that I encountered after going on my treks and analyzing the footage/material. One of which, was when I was recording some kids playing soccer. I thought I just recording the laughing, playful yelling, and kicking of the ball (along with mild ambience of the park) however, I also picked up an airplane and birds chirping. I did not think those sounds would be as pronounced in the audio recording as they were. It made me realize just how much is going on in the world around me even though I am only focused on one particular event. Another surprise was when I found an empty water runoff tunnel. I heard some water dripping and I wanted to record that image. I found the source but I also noticed how intriguing the light from the end of the tunnel appeared. That open circle of light immediately made me think of “the light at the end of the tunnel” when compared to the journey towards death. I guess that’s not all that surprising but it caught me off guard and really made me think of how fragile life is and how whatever I’m doing is just one step to the eventual light at the end of the tunnel. Finally, a third surprise I encountered was when I was recording audio of two men building a staircase to their porch. I noticed that they were using drills and saws and I thought that I would get a great recording of the saw. I did, but I was also surprised to hear the bantering conversation between the two men and a radio playing in the background. It showed how humans cope with doing work (or things they don’t want to). I’m pretty sure neither of these men wanted to build this staircase but they did it anyways and used whatever sources they could to make the job more bearable. It showed me that humans could turn tedious events into bearable (or even pleasant) tasks by simply using ingenuity and ideas.

Trek Assessment #2

During my first two treks, I also felt peaceful and at ease during certain moments. One example was when I was recording an audio segment of a citizen’s garden fountain. The calming bubbling water coming through my headphones relaxed me and put me in my own “heavenly” little world. Another peaceful moment was when I was taking pictures and filming a waterfall and ducks in a pond. The bubbling sound along with the rushing stream calmed me down. The serene ducks just peddling their webbed feet through the water also made me feel very calm and comfortable.

Trek Assessment #1

During my first two treks, I encountered numerous situations that evoked emotion from me. One example was when I was walking along side some railroad tracks. I was with my roommate and commented “Wouldn’t it be awesome if a train went by?” Sure enough, about 5 minutes later, a train went by and I was able to film it perfectly (which I later incorporated into a nice graphic match). This event completely shocked and amazed me. Another event that bothered me was when I was in Jacobus Park filming. While walking along taking pictures all the sudden two deer dart out and then stop. I thought to myself, what a great opportunity to capture these animals on film. This surprising event later turned into disappointment when I was unable to capture a decent picture of them due to their location. This event probably made me the most angered and bothered by the whole trek ordeal.