Editing

Hi all
I'm in London and have found a place to edit on a fast computer with the latest FinalCut - the studio of a photographer, Manuel Vason.
I have been editing for an application over the last few days and am learning the material yet again. For now I have a couple of very rough cuts, but can continue to go back and work on things.
The news from the end of the residency was that they'd like to have us back at FAC - so pending funding, the project will be rolling.
It's now half-past two in the morning, so I won't hang around. Hope any who are following this are well.
Mich

Apple Intermediate Codec

Today I have finished logging and capturing footage, or perhaps it should be called timeage or something as digital tape is not really measured in feet which relates to the length of film - the 'real' kind. I video, log, capture, edit and produce something serious like this not more than every few years. It's not quite like learning it all again, but can be frustrating as things change.

Now the new Final Cut, iMovie and Quicktime are using a codec called Apple Intermediate Code, which doesn't appear to be backwards compatible with the versions of Final Cut and Quicktime I am using on the ppc machine. So, I've captured HD with the new codec and DVCam with the old... (for those who don't understand this, it doesn't matter - more of a rant than anything else).

I have a few options to make it possible to continue to edit after leaving the country. The first is to get some new RAM for this poor old MacBook to make it compatible with Final Cut Express (which will cost me about $450 all up); struggle through using iMovie (I've already lost all the useful timecodes for the HD anyway); or purchase a new MacBook Pro (now under $2000 or cheaper still if I get it in the UK on a good AUD day).

In any case, I need to make a decision to go with something or other so I can at least move forward over the next few days. Lots to do. Leaving the country in less than a week now. Managed to get superglue on my fingers, but thankfully not on anything else at the same time.

In the meantime, it is interval at the concert at Fremantle Arts Centre. I decided to take up the free ticket tonight as it's a good program of 20th Century classical music. As a former musician I appreciate it and it also gives me a little time out of my own head.

Hire car goes back tomorrow. I'll be back to the laptop on the train gig...

Tonight - final shoot

I decided we needed some longer shots, so took some from the road outside during the late afternoon and into the evening. It looked enticing, so I jumped in...

Support Material Structure

During our first few days here we filled twelve boxes on a large sheet of paper with things we thought we needed to demonstrate or explain through the support material. This initially helped us decide what we needed to do (in such a short time). It also helped me make the sort of plans that constantly change. It is still difficult to know how far things might go, given they are things we haven't necessarily done before (and certainly not as a group).

Time was our main constraint which meant we could not wallow in the fun stuff - getting mucky in doing and thinking. We had to make quick decisions and constantly (and almost literally) be ahead of ourselves. The sun only goes down once a day after all and we had decided to mostly work with the facades of the buildings in the evenings (when the projections are visible). It's been rather fast and furious - though we did get into the good habit of stopping for a meal at sunset (a beautiful time of day to be eating outdoors overlooking the docks).

Today I have gone back to the sheet of paper with the twelve boxes and done some thinking about all the things people have said over the past few weeks and have come up with a little bit more of a plan (I inch closer to the goal).

The below list is something I hope you might comment on from your own perspective. For those who were here, please let me know if there are holes or things you think should be included (or not).

1. Voiceover of how I came to be working with archival materials. A 'story' illustrated by slides of prior works.
2. Voiceover - Introduction to the PNG Work. Text to be transcribed and edited from my explanation of the project to Mia Halton. Unsure about what visual material I should use here.
3. Example of process. Simon has suggested I put the following together to demonstrate the process. This may work with a voiceover which includes point 4. a) Hayley Bahr being introduced to the 'stuck' score; b) Adelina enacting a more complex score in Jo Harrison's studio (with projections); c) Both Adelina and Hayley enacting scores within a projection environment on the grass.
4. Voiceover explanation of what improvisation is in this context and why it is important.
5. Example of a group score highlighting how we can use these methods to work with historic buildings and film footage. Video footage from both Thursday and Saturday nights will be used. There are a few strong examples. This footage could also be combined with point 6.
6. Where to from here - an explanation of how the research will proceed and why a research process is necessary.

As you can see, this is possible a more linear structure than I had first imagined. It almost feels like a very short documentary. I'm not sure though if it's going to be possible to show that much in five minutes. I'd be happy to have your opinion on this and if you think it's too long, what I could cut out or curtail.

Run Rabbit Run

Photograph of 'running rabbit' in Simon's hand.

For those of you who haven't been here at the Fremantle Arts Centre over the past ten days you may be wondering what rabbits have to do with anything.

Look closely at the photograph.

Yes, that is a rabbit running on the palm of Simon's hand.

But why?

You may recall my intention not to use the PNG material in order to focus the support material on the development of methodology rather than the creation of a work? Well, the running bunny was once a thirty-second third-year student film - and a relatively random addition to the project.

I wasn't completely convinced by the material at first. I like that it was simple and clear, however, I was worried we wouldn't be able to link it content-wise to the performance and architecture aspects of the exploration.

After racking my brain between Sunday and Tuesday last week I realised our running rabbit was stuck. Going nowhere. Stuck inside a frame. Camera travels, rabbit does not. Generally speaking.

Coincidentally (or perhaps not), in Canberra (December) Adelina, Dan and I had been working with 'stuck' as a 'score'. We found that placing ourselves in an every-day 'pose' or position and then negotiating how to more ourselves 'stuck' led not to the person doing the score looking stuck but instead having an increased human-ness. 

The detail of movements became more apparent as did the architecture of the building we were doing the research. The senses of both the 'performer' and 'witness' became heightened.

Reintroducing the 'stuck' score into the process worked on a number of levels. While I still think the rabbit material remains fairly arbitrary (and not very meaningful), when we worked with some local artists (dancers, performers and visual artists) here at the Arts Centre we were able to integrate everyone into the process and the architectural/projection environments as well as conceptually link their improvisations through working with this score.

Clothes

Hi Adelina and Dan

I've been thinking about the sorts of clothes that would be useful for you to bring. It's okay if you don't have (or can't bring) a lot of stuff, but easier and also more comfortable for you in some ways to work in clothes you already know. Be prepared to change clothes regularly as we work through things.

Please bring a range things that might be:

• 'every day';
• slightly formal or 'heightened';
• a range of colours and tones;
• dresses/skirts/shirts/t-shirts/trousers/jeans/pants; and/or
• accessories such as scarves if you are comfortable wearing such things.

Weather

The following information is from the Bureau of meteorology:
http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/wa/forecasts/perth.shtml

This is the forecast for Perth and Fremantle is likely to be a little cooler, so it's not going to be as hot as it has been the past few weeks. Although, the seven-day forecast is never very accurate.

Don't hold your breath on the 'possible shower' - we've seen 0.2mm of rain since mid-November!

Friday: Partly cloudy.          Min 24 Max 39
Saturday: Cloudy periods.   Min 21 Max 30
Sunday: Sunny.                    Min 18 Max 30
Monday: Mostly sunny.        Min 18 Max 29
Tuesday: Possible shower.   Min 17 Max 25
Wednesday: Partly cloudy.   Min 15 Max 24