Cha Update

I'm getting on much better with the film, Cha, now, and although the process is quite slow, I'm feeling much more confident with the way it's turning out.

I've been working on Foley recently, getting all the sounds needed for the film, and I'm now in the process of editing the sound with pro-tools. I'm just worried about not getting it finished in time before I move to Bristol, as I want to take in a copy to David and Kathy at the Essence of Tea.

The Foley recording was really fun, getting inventive with whatever we could find around the flat, deciding what sounded closest to what was happening on screen and then making the subtlest sounds with a microphone pointed at the objects. I'd love to do it again.

Cha

I'm currently working on a short experimental film called 'Cha' which follows the process of a Chinese tea ceremony. I've done the filming and have been editing for a while but it's getting very difficult, I don't think I'm much of an experimental editor.

The filming went a lot differently than I'd planned and so it's turning out quite differently to how I'd imagined in my head, but I'm improvising with what I've got and it might be okay.

I'm trying to use editing to create the effect that a lot of Chinese tea has on the drinker, especially during the ceremony, so therefore a lot of repetition, and experimenting with speeds and direction of play. the sound will be very important too, but I feel we may have to re-record some of the sound as a lot of seaguls, children and cars can be heard from the street outside

Cha was filmed in 'The Essence of Tea' http://www.essenceoftea.co.uk/ owned by a lovely couple in Falmouth - a tea shop I can't stop going to for their teas and vegetarian sushi.

Long time no write...

I have finished my installation, almost. I exhibited it in the TV studio at university and it seemed to be a success. it was really helpful getting the participants to answer a few questions on camera - partly for my documentation video as part of the hand in, but it also helped me understand what I should change, what went well etc. I was very happy with the outcome, with just a couple of things I have to change, but it was an overall enjoyable experience.

The installation will be back up again during the Pixel-8 film festival in the poly, where it will be exhibited for all three days, which is good to hear. It will also possibly be part of the final year 'summer show'. I don't know much about this though - I don't think it's film related.

Slovakia was absolutely amazing. what a beautiful place. I really enjoyed my time there with my good friend Katarina. we climbed the mountains for three days, sharing a wood cabin with a large group of partying Slovaks, but they were friendly enough- very welcoming! The mountains were like something out of a film, but even better! they were snow covered and beautiful and just unbelievable, and we saw a bear print on the last day!! I'm definitely going there again some day soon.

Update/Slovakia

I haven't posted on here in a while so thought I should update what I'm doing.
I've been really busy lately, and will be very busy over the next couple of months, helping out with other peoples' short narrative films, and working on my own installation. I've done most of the filming for it now, and feel quite happy with how everything has turned out. in Mid-February I'll be briefly going back to Bradford to collect the tent I need the frame for to build the installation space.

In other news, I'm very excited about a potential plan to go to Slovakia with Katarina Complova for a week in late April to help out with filming there. We will be filming in the mountains near her house, and I'm very excited. The only obstacle at the moment is my job. hopefully they'll let me have the time off - I only work once a week so would only be taking 1 day off.

Finally, nearly finished with redrafting my dissertation, I feel like I'm at the point where I'm fairly happy with it, not overwhelmed, but I think that would be difficult considering how long I've been working on it. hand in is on 25th March.

Update

I finally exported the film, An Air Of... as it had been too long unedited. I'd tried to shoot some more footage but due to certain circumstances it didn't get added to the edit. I think what I have is okay though.

I have been shooting footage for my installation which is looking really good, I still have more footage to shoot and editing to do but I'm getting a start on that. I feels much more real now I have something to look at.