Extra Extra Bits From Filming!

Here in this post just quickly is the video of me playing the keyboard/solo part of the music for you to see in full. This is the video shown playing on the TV in the piece and the audio is exactly the same as here.

Also I apologise in advance for the creepy stares of me playing the Keyboard, I was very tired and trying to look serious yet also comical haha! I hope that has come across instead of creepy haha!

I've uploaded it mainly to show that it wasn't a pre-recorded piece just played over the top of the visual, it was actually me playing it live (technically) through the TV and not just an MP3 file.

Speaking of MP3 files,the second thing I've uploaded is the MP3 file of the Bassline which i burnt onto CD and is played through the CD player. Here it is as a quicktime file but I just thought I'd document it as it's a crucial part of the piece and thought it should be heard in full, without chimes or Xylophones getting in the way.

And finally here is a photo of the aftermath of the Party Poppers scene where we had to clear up a lot of confetti! But the scene is one of my favourite so I think it was worth the ffort of cleaning up. (P.s after I took photo I did help to clean up, I didn't just leave my Gran too!)

That's it for this post but check back soon for how the filming went. :)

Take care,

Joe.

FILMING IS COMPLETE! (From My Grandparents Coming Home to Final Completion and Ready For Filming!)

FILMING IS COMPLETE!

Yesterday I finally finished filming and all is well. :)

However, filming did not go as smoothly as planned.

Firstly, making the bassline and keyboard riff to go along with this piece took much longer than expected. Luckily this was done the day after my last post (Thurs 21st) and so that whole day was taken up making those pieces and exporting them ready for filming the next day.

Sadly though, the filmed Keyboard bit didn't work. I had made recordings of the machine working so that I could figure out how long the piece was going to be (e.g. how long the marbles took to turn on the CD player and Xylophone etc.) and so how long the bass lines/keyboard bits had to be as well.

Once I'd done this I set about recording the keyboard bit to fit in with this time frame and my drumming tempo so it all ended at the same time, but the piece I'd recorded didn't fit properly.

So the day of filming properly (Fri 22nd) I got up extra early and re-recorded this keyboard piece in a different location too as I filmed it against the white background at the end of the room and unfortunately got half of the robot part of my machine in next to me.

These minor setbacks were incredibly irritating but after re-shooting on a totally white wall in my Grandparents bedroom and fixing the music I got the keyboard part fixed and ready to go with the rest of my machine so ultimately it worked out for the better. :)

Making the recordings of the machine for timing issues was a massive help as the tempo could be adapted easily since I was playing it, not a machine and so everything fitted together well and filming could finally begin. :)

On the other hand, when it came to actually filming we had more issues again!

Firstly we had less time due to re-shooting the keyboard scene, and secondly I realised that since I was going to be behind the drum kit playing, I couldn't operate the camera as well!

So as you can see in the small video I've uploaded and the photo, my Gran and myself constructed a makeshift dolly out of her vacuum and I taught her how to operate the camera.

Originally I did say I was going to use straight shots but wondered if it would look better on the day if we could figure out a smooth camera effect. Here is a photo of the makeshift dolly:

Although she did a good job, the camera itself was too shaky due to the dodgy wheels and floor, which you can see in the video although this is on concrete in the garden.
However, even on carpet the camera jerked and joggled around so in the end we came to the conclusion of using straight shots again. It would have been lovely to have straight smooth shots following the machine as it worked, but sometimes you’ve just got to do what you can with what you’ve got so I stuck to my original plan of straight shots.
I remembered how earlier I had said I would film from different angles as if it were a dangerous experiment so I think it will be fun and more visually exciting this way actually as static cameras mean you can see what's going on, no realistic camera shake or distracting movement, for example my film might have ended up like the camera work in “Cloverfield” where many complained of feeling sea sick due to trying to focus whist the camera jostled around wildly!

I really wanted to avoid excessive camera movement since my subject was so small (seeing the marbles fly past is quite tricky!) Plus when it actually came to filming, the amount of time it took to re-set up each piece was longer than expected, let alone trying to do this in one solid take so static camera was a fantastic choice!

Once we’d decided what type of camera movement to use, we began by making a list (which I’ve uploaded) of what shots we needed and the order of importance. The most important shots were the ones where I was present, as after that I could do the close-ups of the machine working on my own, allowing my Gran to have a rest as she’d done so much for me already.
So starting with the beginning and working as chronologically as possible, we shot all the scenes of me playing the drums/with me in the background as the machine worked and then once these were done the end scene after the marbles have hit the cymbal and I set off the printer scanning.
I’ve also uploaded a photo of the aftermath of the final scene with my Gran’s help, where we spent ages cleaning up bits of party popper confetti!
Even though this wasn’t the last scene all together, it was a wonderful way to end working with my Gran as it’s a celebration of the film chronologically ending, and also of our time working together so she could at last relax after I’ve taken over her front room for weeks!
I still feel that this piece could have been completed a lot quicker if I stuck to original plans as I have a habit of working on something and still continue to think up new ideas and adaptations to a piece, when in reality the original works fine and we’re running out of time!
I found this out when working with Simon Wills on MEDI 262, The Experimental Animation Project, and as much as I try to change this habit, I love to experiment and keep developing ideas. It’s going to be very hard to stop going the extra mile as in some ways it’s very handy and beneficial as a lot of errors are found by re-thinking every angle, but at the same time I think I need to stop being a perfectionist at times and relax and trust what has already been designed. I’ll keep working the way I do, but I think I shall be more realistic in future when it comes to making pieces to a timeline. It’s all about balance and this is one area where I will work on balancing these aspects of my work method.
Moving on, once the shots with me in were done, we had a small break for lunch and then I cracked on to film the close ups from as many angles as I could so that even if one didn’t work, I had plenty of “Plan B” backup shots which could. This is because after the filming was done we were going to start dismantling the machine and so the more I filmed, the safer and more prepared I was should I need another angle in post-production, but be unable to re-film due to the machine not existing anymore!
The close-ups went well and I got all I need but again it took much longer than anticipated so once all the footage was collected and completed, I backed it all up and slept properly for the first time in ages!
The next time when it was day again I was able to record the background noise through the camera and also record the bassline and keyboard and all the other instruments playing on their own in the environment. I was going to do this on the night of filming but it was so late when I finished that I couldn’t have recorded the drums etc. for example without waking people up so the next morning I’ve recorded all the pieces in the environment just in case in editing the videos don’t quite match up musically, and so I can then add in bits of the music as the machine’s will be mostly off screen and so the edit will remain unseen/unheard.

That’s it for today but before I sign off for today, I’d just like to point out that the piece does actually work overall and so this truly is a kinetic sculpture and not just a fake created through editing alone.
I know that most sculptures like this do use cuts to make it seem seamless but even then the machine does work, it’s just due to time and money etc. that it is easier to cut and paste it all together from takes than wait and re-setup every time and hope it works perfectly throughout.
I was very worried about “cheating” and editing it all together like this but in my opinion now, I am not cheating as the machine does work all together as a full piece, but I have simply filmed it in the easiest way and still retained the fun and working merit of this piece.
So I hope that’s cleared up everything, although it was mainly just for my conscience as I was worried about the piece losing interest should people think I faked it due to the many different cuts, it is a real and fully working kinetic sculpture, I’ve just filmed it in the easiest way due to time and money etc. :)

So that's it for this post but check back soon for my post on how the editing went and what is left to do. :)

Take care,
Joe.

Extra Bits From Finishing The Physical Aspects of The Machine

Here before we move onto the filming etc. are some extra bits of information etc. I wanted to point before the final shoot.

Firstly, the cat and keyboard you see in my post before the last (before I finished the physical machine) were taken out due to the fact that the final layout I have chosen was so much easier to work with and assemble than figure out how to get the cat to walk (the On/Off switch was on the bottom of the cat so very hard to get to with a marble etc.) and the keyboard playing only one key sounded rubbish if I'm honest.

Secondly, I have attached a video of the Guitar sensor in action so you can understand what I was trying to explain about why the sound will come out when the laser from the sensor is broken.

In the video I move the guitar sensor in front of the camera causing the sound and so just replace the camera with the marble holders on the elevator and I hope it's easier to understand how the laser (the blue light you can see on the sensor) is broken when you see the final video where that guitar sound is coming from. :)

and Finally I have added the final photos of the Machine, showing the full thing at the end and then in 4 parts starting from the drum kit and ending on the robot, all ready to go for filming. I was talking about how to show how much has gone into this piece without making it boring using long panning shots. Basically I just wanted to show the machine in it's full form but didn't want this to drag on so instead we came up with the idea of showing these final photos in order at the end of the film. That way I can show the machine completely but not in a slow and dull way. :)

We've also added a yellow/black/silver colour theme and the extra clockwork robots I had to cover up the Blu-Tack and Duct Tape fixtures throughout the piece, and tie it all together with what I believe is a professional look and feel and I hope you agree it works well.

The robots were going to walk off the edge along with the Daddy Fantastic robot but didn't have On/Off switches and so I couldn't keep them stationary until set off, they just kept walking if wound up.

So instead I have placed them throughout the piece to pretend to hold up track/maintain the piece, which again links to the influence I had of clockwork, cogs and gears and machinery sustaining machinery, which rounds off the feel of this being a machine and robotics inspired piece nicely in my opinion. :)

That's it for now but check back soon to find out how the filming went and how editing went as well. :)

Take care,

Joe.

PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE!

As the name suggests, PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE MACHINE IS COMPLETE!

It's taken absolutely ages but at long long last, it is fully complete and we are ready to film. :)

I'm only going to do a small post as I've done a post that explained all of what happens in the film out in text but it got deleted and so since I am absolutely shattered from working non-stop to finish it physically, I am going to upload a video at the end which will explain the machine so I can finally sleep properly(ish).

I say "ish" because tomorrow I'm getting up early to film the keyboard scenes and make the bassline which will play through the CD player.

So yeah, that's it for now, I am over the moon that it is finally finished but I think it's time for me to rest and prepare myself for filming soon. :)

Check back soon/tomorrow for the extra bits I have of finishing the physical piece, E.G. Photos etc. :)

Take care,

Joe.

From Dismantling the Drum Machine To Grandparents Coming Back

Hello well as the name suggests, this is my post about the time from when I had to dismantle the main drum machine up to my Grandparents coming home and running out of time.

As you can probably tell, I didn't finish the piece before they came back. :(

But on the plus side, my Grandparents are incredibly understanding and said it was fine to leave it all up and carry on until it is finished which is just amazing of them!

However, not everyone is going to be so caring and understanding so in future I REALLY need to buckle down on planning and make sure everything is 110% ok and that I have been realistic in my approach. In fact, even then as long as I at least make sure I have time for errors, when I do any projects in the future. :) A very valuable lesson indeed and one I am certainly going to use and remember completely in the future. :)

So moving on, since dismantling the drum machines, here are some photos of what has been created so far:

Firstly we have the drum kit added in and the printer next to it. As I raise the Hi-Hat, this will release a ball bearing along the massive marble run stretching in front to turn on the CD player and play the bass line.

Secondly we have the CD player itself and the Xylophone which is turned on by the ball bearing which turns on the CD player. This marble sets another going which turns on the motor you see on top of the bass drum, which is how the marbles hit the Xylophone and repeat.

Thirdly we have from there (haven't yet figured out how to set this bit off) a motorised cat toy which, when the on off switch is pulled walks forward meowing until it walks into the basket. This basket as it rises up from the weight of the cat pulls the "on/off" switch for the second motor into the "on" position. Once this motor is on, it drops marbles down onto a key on the keyboard and repeats.

And finally here we have my own D.I.Y. which I did for my remote control robot. The plan is to have his switch turned to the "on" position somehow and then by Blu-Tacking down his remote control to go forward he will keep going to trigger something else. unfortunately the remote control when activated made a loud robotic sound, so using some pliers I cut the wires to the speaker in the remote control rendering it silent but still working. :)

This alone has taken a mammoth amount of work and little sleep, and still I'm not even halfway!

Never the less, all progress is progress none the less, so with thanks to my Grandparents and Eden for helping me out tremendously so far (Eden has stayed with me all week to keep me company and help me out which is more than a sign of a fantastic girlfriend if ever I saw one!) I will end this post for tonight, get some sleep and crack on tomorrow. :)

Take care,

Joe.

Links To My Extra Research

As you couldn't actually click on the links from my presentation slideshow pieces, here is the link to a part of "The Way Things Go" by Peter Fischli and David Weiss (the whole thing is 30 minutes long!) and also Honda's - "The Cog", which have both been very influential on how certain parts can be achieved.

The Way Things Go by Peter Fischli and David Weiss:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXrRC3pfLnE

Honda - The Cog:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ve4M4UsJQo

That's it for now, but check back soon for how the final piece is coming along. :)

Take care,

Joe.

The Main Drum Machine

Hello here today in this post is my work so far on creating this final piece, and sadly things have not been going very well.

In short, the main drum machine works nearly perfectly every time but sadly trying to keep the two in time with each other is proving very difficult due to all manner of things such as marble speed, velocity, motor speed, whether the elevator will pick up the marbles properly and not drop them etc. etc.

There was a lot which went into trying to make this piece of the machine (the main blooming piece!) work but it seems that I am going to have to go with my Plan B option.

This plan B option is that I myself will play drums and have the machine/marble run pieces working around me whilst I play.

There are a lot of benefits to myself playing this part of the music as being a drummer, I can mentally keep the beat and adjust should it need it, I can alter and change the beat to make it more interesting and also I can have direct control over how the piece works and moves from one instrument to the other in time.

This seems a very easy transition but the amount of work that has gone into this main piece is making it very upsetting to just dismantle it all and recycle it for other pieces. It's lucky I can recycle it in the first place otherwise this would be much much harder!

The worst part of all of this however has to be that I have wasted precious time I needed to make this piece properly before my Grandparents are back so fingers crossed I can advance quickly and get back on track. :)

Never the less it's all a learning curve and I've learnt a lot from just this hiccup so I am ready to move on tomorrow and get back up to speed with it all.

Before I move on however, here are some photos of the piece before it was dismantled (and also my sleepy helper Eden Peskett who agreed to help then fell asleep under the table bless her!).

I did have a video explaining how the pieces worked but unfortunately it will not upload due to being a uncommon file format so instead I will explain now what happens with this piece of the machine.

Basically, a marble is released down a cardboard tube (not seen in these pictures but it was by the Tom Drum) at the back to turn on the Tom and Snare's elevator motor. Once this is turned on the marbles start going round and as the elevator turns, one of the marble holders has a piece of string attached to it.

This piece of string is attached at the other end to a piece of card which, once the marble run has pulled the string tight enough, moves out of the way as the marble run pulls it and releases a ball bearing down the run to hit on the CD player.

Meanwhile, I hadn't sorted out how to turn on the Hi-Hat machine but the motor simply lifted up the marbles to drop onto the Hi-Hats and then they were caught by a small hammock type piece which stopped them missing the run and then went down the run back to the bottom of the elevator to repeat the process.

As you can tell, it took a lot to get this machine working but onwards and upwards as they say so check back soon to see how the project is carrying on. :)

Take care,

Joe.

The Ups and Downs of Getting Ready For Finally Finally Making This Piece!

I'm sorry there's been a delay in my posts but things have been up and down for a while but finally I am out of the woods and ready to crack on tomorrow with actually, physically and finally making this project.

The main problem that has kept me from posting on here has been getting all the props down to Plymouth from home and then finding I can't use the Scott Building's sound room (108).

This was a massive blow as someone had booked the place out for a week or two, which was firstly annoying for me as now I didn't have anywhere to make my piece, but secondly an eye opener as I was going to do the same and realised how unfair this would have been!

Without a place to make my piece, I started to panic but with the help of family and friends I have thankfully found the most perfect place to make this piece!

Here is my list of possible ideas for where I could make my piece:

Scott Building 112/the balcony part (worry about people touching it etc.)

My room in Plymouth (possibly going back to the alarm clock idea as can't move bed?)

My house in Plymouth (what about everyone else though?)

My house/living room at home? (Again putting everyone out)

Renting a recording place down where Jeff's band used to rehearse? (Depends on money and how long I can book a room for)

Grandparents house? (Again putting them out)

The result was one of incredible good fortune as my Grandparents are going on holiday for a week starting Saturday 9th - sat 16th so they have ever so kindly let me use their front room/dining room to create and film my final piece! :D :D

This is fantastic as I only live 10 minutes away and so can either stay the night at theirs should I work late, or go home when I please!

However, now that I have a place does not mean I can relax, as I am posting this on Monday 11th April and so after my Step Dad Steve very kindly drove me back to Plymouth to collect everything, we then took it all my Grandparents and began setting up the area in which I am going to work. My Grandparents also very kindly left some white sheets which I could pin to the walls for a background as they were going to re-paint it soon anyway.

So as of today, me and my Step Dad Steve have moved all of my Grandparents stuff out of the dining room and carefully sorted it away into the spare room and have put up half of the backgrounds and moved my drum kit in ready for really cracking on with it tomorrow.

Unfortunately we only had two sheets so I'm hoping I can borrow some from my Mum if she has some!

Other than that, here is a photo of the boot with all the props I am going to use (Yikes! Was not the word when we realised we had to fill the boot more than once with all this stuff!). :)

That's it for now so check back soon for how the project is coming along!

Take care,

Joe.