Happy Hour
This is my take on an experimental video - whether it actually is "experimental" is another question. As I have stated before, I've always enjoyed documenting things that go on around me, so I chose to integrate this aspect into my video. I decided to focus on the idea of "Happy Hour" because I think it symbolizes a break from this "age of anxiety" that McLuhan speaks of. It is a moment that allows us to interrupt our schedules and abandon our worries. More or less we join others for a good time and forget about our homework due the next day. Shooting this video reminded me of McLuhan's thoughts on our new world of technology, "Ours is a brand-new world of all-at-once-ness. 'Time' has ceased, 'space' has vanished. We now live in a global village...a simultaneous happening. We are back in acoustic space. [...] We have had to shift our stress of attention from action to reaction." While I am documenting the actions and decisions of others around me, I am also partaking in them by choosing what to shoot/focus on, and thus I am really just reacting to it all. Through media (video) everyday movements and actions are turned into forms of art - and simply just reactions.
I thought the camera angles in this film were outstanding. The music in combination with the laid back scenario of having a few drinks and shooting pool was excellent
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite aspects of your film is how you've taken a very social event (happy hour at a bar) and have basically removed the people from the scene. What the viewer sees is a purely documentary recording of actions done during happy hour but not the "actors" associated with them. It's a very interesting perspective to take.
ReplyDeleteI am a strong believer of 'selling the mood' of the piece. The play with focus and audio together sold the relaxation of happy hour. PS the music's strong pulse feels like you are walking slowly and the marimbas sound like a clock clicking/alarm-like. :)
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