EXERCISE 02

1 minute

motif
1. a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition.
2. an important and sometimes recurring theme or idea in a work of literature. Also called motive
3. a short prominent sequence of notes forming the basis for development in a piece of music. Also called motto

The motif/manifesto project is a two part project with a writing and video component.  Consider how Vertov’s manifesto relates to his film. You will be asked to draft a manifesto for yourself. With this text in hand, you will then engage in a process of attempting to translate some aspect of this written text into a video (media) text. How can you transform alphabetic communication into images that move and make sound?

You do not have to communicate the entire contents of the manifesto. Instead you will be encouraged to identify a single component, idea, or motif that you can work with. Is there a particular tone or energy that can be communicated visually? Are there particular subjects, camera angles, editing techniques, sounds, etc. that might relate conceptually to your manifesto?

Your video does not have to be a direct illustration. Instead the manifesto could be a jumping off point, have only a tangental relationship, or be an extension of the written text. You will, however, need to be prepared to describe and explain the relationship between the writing and the video.

A suggestion: review your raw clips and finished pieces from Exercise 01. Look for any hints of recurring interests or aesthetic habits. Examples: you might notice that you shot a lot of doorways or that many of your shots had circular shapes in them; perhaps you have a lot of shots of frenetic movement; maybe you always shot people, but pointed the camera down a lot and only shot their feet; perhaps you shot several clips with only subtle motion, very little sound, and no people. Look for patterns in the way you see, pay attention, and collect.

*Important :: you may not add a single soundtrack over the motif video.  Diegetic sound (actual sound created while filming) is an important element is video and should be considered as part of the motif.  You may add segments of non-diegetic sound, like music or sound effects for brief segments, but this should not be a “music video.”

NOTE ::

I want you to think about your motif and manifesto in a constant flow pattern.  See how your parameters effect what and how you shoot, and then revise your parameters if you see something important that surfaces in the the process of shooting.  Video is an art form, so it is the artist that creates the rules.  Rules help the artist focus, but if they are too limiting they can stifle.  So my advice is to MAKE THOUGHTFUL RULES, but don’t be afraid to BREAK THEM when necessary.