- “This unit develops critical awareness of the primary themes which emerge from sound art culture in the 21st century.” – From BA Hons Sound Arts Handbook
Week 1: Introduction and Documentary Modes
In the class we looked at various perspectives of documenting; with examples of the Chernobyl disaster’s documentaries (in which a nuclear power station went into meltdown and blew up). This informed us to reflect on our own positionality in the world and it’s effect on the narrative of any subject in question. When doing this we can self-assess our work more thoroughly so that we do not miss out important information and also so that it is most informative to our target audiences and considers all aspects of the wider world.
How do we present our research in the format of an audio paper?
The Documentary
– Poetic mode; capturing what’s before you, in it’s harmony.
– Expository mode; Subjects the actions of beings in an explicit perspective: Holds the subject accountable to it’s form.
– Participatory mode; The documenter/film-maker immerses themselves within the narrative of the subject to provoke information.
– Observational mode; Takes you, the viewer with the film maker from their eye’s perspective rather than a mounted camera.
– Reflective mode; Considers the creation of the film and it’s execution, allowing the viewer to explicitly see the film for what it is or allowing the viewer to understand how it is made. Put’s the audience at the same level as the film maker.
– Performative mode; Subjects the film maker within the narrative of the film.
What perspective and cultural capital do we bring, consciously and unconsciously, when sharing knowledge?
I researched the Free Cinema Movement mentioned in the week 1 slides and found this quote from the BFI website:
“Free Cinema was created primarily for pragmatic reasons. In early 1956, as Anderson and his friends Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson and Lorenza Mazzetti were struggling to get their films shown, they decided to join forces and screen them together in a single programme at the National Film Theatre, which Reisz had conveniently been programming for three years. They soon realised that although the films had been made independently, they had a definite ‘attitude in common’. Anderson coined the term ‘Free Cinema’ (a reference to the films having been made free from the pressures of the box-office or the demands of propaganda), and together produced a ‘manifesto’ in which they stated the ideas behind the presentation of the programme. Although the name was intended only for that one-off event, the ‘publicity stunt’ proved so effective – with the event attracting wide press attention and all screenings sold out – that five more programmes were shown under the same banner in the next three years, each accompanied by a programme note in the form of a manifesto.”
This seems to refer to the opposite perspective of a film I found in 2018; Blackboard Jungle (1955). This film I found to be pushing a set agenda whilst drawing in a younger audience. The film is said to have introduced the UK to rock and roll and I believe it is this film that also sparked disruption in London during it’s screening. People were compelled to stand against it’s manipulative narrative and live up to the rebellious personalities it tried to diminish. I think it is only natural that there sprang moving-image works that opposed this propaganda type of film and I would assume the Free Cinema Movement came to be that, it’s like only being allowed to do what an unreasonably strict parent says, so you find a way around them.
As for my own personal cultural capital, I grew up in an area of North Wales where there is mostly low paid jobs or unemployment. I have learnt about the history of English oppression and the wars between England and Wales and have been witness to the racism between the two countries that still exists today. I was told rather calmly from an early age that if a welsh person goes within the walls of Chester after the sun sets that they can be killed. We were taught in school that when the Anglo-Saxons invaded wales, they invaded towns and kicked out and kept out the welsh people who lived there, the welsh language was also scared and shamed out of people with the use of the welsh knot followed by canings in primary schools. I have been called “backwards”, a “hill billy” and a “sheep shagger” on many occasion, ironically by people who have likely eaten lamb that comes from wales.
As well as this from England, in some areas of Wales the frustration has festered, Welsh people shun other Welsh people who don’t speak the native language thus a sometimes toxic sense of welsh pride exists today in a retaliation to English rule. That being said there is the positive sides to Welsh pride, we have a deeply rooted culture that surpasses the arrival of the romans in Britain and national festivals that hold the arts above all else.
I grew up in-front of a computer during the turn of the century. I was able to communicate with people across the world from a very early age in digital spaces that weren’t confined to physical forms. This is why I find it so mind boggling that people are still reliant on the houses of parliament. There is a very simple solution to true democracy with the use of the internet and a completely transparent system. I hold quite a disregard to the form of society right now. I try to make art that is either in explicit response to it, or separate from it, trying to get people to think deeply about life rather than society. I have spent time fascinated by nature whilst surrounded by it, so I think this also plays a big part in my life.
– Reference; (Free Cinema, Cristophe Dupin, 2014, Online Article, Viewed 6th January 2022, <http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/444789/index.html>).
Do our listening habits inform our interpretation of audio work?
To this question I think so. In the context of music, people listen for various reasons, sometimes multiple times in one day which affects the progression of the day and effects the emotions of the listener. There is a paper I read last year; Human emotions track changes in the acoustic environment (Weiyi Ma (马维毅) and William Forde Thompson, 2015), which elaborates on the unconscious effects of our thoughts and emotions when listening to music and hearing sounds. It’s shown that the sounds effect people though there is of course variations in the data collected by the individual people, thus meaning that there is differences in their personal responses. With this I also think back to the lecture we had from Annea Lockwood where she told us to listen whilst considering that there are multiple other beings also in witness and affect of the same audio environment. This leads me to think about the breadth of attention I give to various aspects of sound in a sonic scenario and to imagine what other beings bring with them to be effected by the same sounds.
If we consider the cultural capital of a sound source, an audience of various people will result in various reactions. Some may be triggered by a sound to listen more attentively, whilst others could be repulsed by the same sound, or some may simply listen and dismiss the audio entirely, depending on their own positionality. More generally if someone is performing a task that does not consider audio, having audio played may entice their attention away from the task, rendering them more consciously perceptive to the sound whilst others may forget that the sound is apparent and thus be effected more unconsciously. I also think about the differences between solely listening to audio, listening to audio whilst watching a film, and listening to audio whilst watching a film and eating. The latter of which can trigger an emotional rollercoaster.
– Reference; (Weiyi Ma, 马维毅 and William Forde Thompson, November 24, 2015, Human emotions track changes in the acoustic environment, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 112, No. 47, pp. 14563-14568, <https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26465858>).
On the 21st October I took a couple friends to see Koyaanisqatsi at Genesis theatre after I read the title back in the week 1 slides.
The film subjects the ever evolving technology of humans and how it is taking us further and further from nature and the natural cycles of life. It shows an incredible amount of scenes from the natural world and our domestic world as well as scenes from industries and factories.
The score was created by Philip Glass and I remember thinking throughout that his use of an orchestral choir was interesting. I felt it became rather jarring, though was placed strategically so that the viewer had something to ground themselves at distinct points in the film. I also recall 40 minutes into the film was the point when I became bored. Not to say that the visuals weren’t spectacular, they were extremely impressive though it was more the feeling of being sat in a dark room, unmoving for that amount of time which caused me to become restless.
I feel his score; while it accompanies a visual that presents a very impactful narrative does not give a lot of clues as to it’s subject by itself. I could perceive the aspects of danger, warning and urgency which attached to and dethatched from emotions of awe, might and serenity though the subject of the natural world was nowhere to be heard. You may be able to take the use of the choir and associate that with humanity or themes of religion and ways of thinking. Periods in time could be assumed by the individual instruments used and the variations in how the instruments are played together, but there is no specific or verbally-tangible point that is made. I think if this score were to be seen from the context of an audio paper it would miss the mark, therefor I don’t think this type of score could be seen as an audio paper, more so, solely an expression of emotion:
This it does very well though, while my personal opinion is that it drags on too much, too often -which could be due to the pace of society I grew up in-, I think it captures the essence of the narrative very accurately and beautifully, it tells you whether the scenes are to be seen in a positive light or whether they are to be questioned. These are aspects that can be very useful in an audio paper in conveying a certain point.
I feel that the poetic mode of documentation is much more appealing to me in a relaxed setting, it allows me to think for myself more easily, rather than to have information pushed towards me by someone else. I feel that when you are talked at by someone it somewhat restricts your ability to think broadly, the audience in these cases are more inclined to go along with what is being said unless they have a preconceived alternative opinion. With these poetic modes you are still free to think and conceptualise the works as you see fit, or otherwise do nothing.
Last year I watched a film; Man with a Movie Camera (1929) by Russian film maker Dziga Vertov. This was also quite poetic in it’s execution, as it too showed scenes of life and of happenings. The beginning of the film states:
“Man with a Movie Camera. A 6 reel record on film. Produced by VUFKU in 1929. Excerpt from a camera operator’s diary.
ATTENTION VIEWERS: This film is an experiment in cinematic communication of real events.
Without the help of Intertitles
Without the help of a story
Without the help of theatre
This experimental work aims at creating a truly international language of cinema based on it’s absolute separation from the language of theatre and literature.”
This to me utilises at least three of the mentioned documentary modes;
Reflective mode; noted in the lecture slides
– Poetic mode; capturing what’s before you, in it’s harmony.
– Expository mode; Subjects the actions of beings in an explicit perspective: Holds the subject accountable to it’s form.
– Participatory mode; The documenter/film-maker immerses themselves within the narrative of the subject to provoke information.
– Observational mode; Takes you, the viewer with the film maker from their eye’s perspective rather than a mounted camera.
– Reflective mode; Considers the creation of the film and it’s execution, allowing the viewer to explicitly see the film for what it is or allowing the viewer to understand how it is made. Put’s the audience at the same level as the film maker.
– Performative mode; Subjects the film maker within the narrative of the film.
I feel personally that viewing this film when I did -on my laptop in my room where I had more light and more space- was more enjoyable than the cinema, though admittedly not as spectacular.
I think this relates to my dislike of conversational podcasts, I have the view that they allow someone to think for them, taking in and exchanging information with no effort on the behalf of the listener. I also am yet to find podcasts that I enjoy, I find that the platforms that have podcasts on them don’t really interest me. I have heard one of the works from Cai Pritchard and his collective so I should ask him more about where to find good ones.
Understanding what an Audio Paper is:
For the entirety of this first term the idea of what an Audio Paper is has been extremely overthought resulting in it seeming extremely vague. This then has lead to frustration on my part and the feeling of being lost.
We were told it is a new medium and it’s confinements as to what it is are not yet completely defined, so It’s understandable why it has been chosen as the medium for this hand-in. If we are students and future creatives, we should lend a voice in shaping new mediums and also recognise the changes in archaic institutions such as a university. I feel the need to be very particular in my understandings of things so that they can categorically be defined and thus understood for what they are, so personally I have not taken to this medium very fondly. It causes worry in it’s risk of being interpreted differently by different people which comes naturally with it’s lack of establishment.
“Audio papers resemble the regular essay or the academic text in that they
deal with a certain topic of interest, but presented in the form of an audio
production.”
– Reference; (Audio Papers – a manifesto, Sanne Krogh Groth, Kristine Samson, 30th August 2016, Viewed on 24th September 2021)
Week 2: Interview Recording
Techniques and Oral Histories
- Who gets to write the history books?
- Has pandemic listening changed our range of sources for information and debate?
- What role does the voice of the researcher and presenter have in our understanding of sound
In this session we will investigate the legacy of oral histories and their impact. We will identify and develop the relevant skills for interviewing and researching our chosen areas.
Follow Up
- Visit “a so-called archive” A/V Installation by Onyeka Igwe at LUX, Dartmouth Park Hill, London, N19 5JF. Viewings last 20 minutes and are available to book online or walk up in person, WED – SAT
- Write a 200 word reflection on your blog and post a link to the forum below.
Week 3: Information, Language and Interaction
- How do we, as sound artists, contextualise ourselves within a wider context of sound art whilst distilling our work and research in audio papers?
- How do we approach language to communicate ideas effectively? Should the language of sound be accessible?
Presenting oneself and another artist requires a similar set of skills that we would use as sound artists in practice and presentations. In this session, we will explore different aspects of language: visual, audio and written through a range of workshop tasks. We will focus on transforming critical thinking through practice, presentation and performance skills.
Follow Up
Write a short instructional score for yourself, as a performer of your Audio Paper and post it on your blog.
Consider:
• How you want to introduce your audience to the subject?
“Taking a look into the sound used in…”
•What instructions are required?
“Part 1” – “Part 8”
•Identify what your goals are for the Audio Paper in terms of the information you want to share.
I want to bring attention to the specific music and sounds used within fashion showcasing. I want there to be more of a focus on the sounds that enhance the showcasing experience.
• What approaches to the ways of listening can be incorporated to support your goals and the representation of the subject of your Audio paper?
Spoken word
Audio examples
Interviews
Attention to the context in which the audio is used.
8 Videos;
1) Introduction
2) Examples of how sound in used in fashion
3) Historical use of sound in fashion
4) Interview
5) Interview
6) Interview
7) Conclude the effects of music on fashion: Lady Gaga/Grace Jones. Bob Mackie and Cher and Diana Vreeland
8) Conclusion and look forward
I want to make an 8 part TicTok dive into the audio used in fashion.
I could talk about a specific period or I could attempt to find the examples used during lockdown and after lockdown. I could also look into a specific designer’s showcasing.
I will research all of these options and pick the most suitable one for our time frame.
I want to talk to people within the fashion industry as well as people who are new to fashion.
TicTok at this time is a pinnacle for audio advertisement.
Week 4: Script Writing and Foley/Podcast Technical Inductions
This session will start in M112 as usual, and you will be doing your inductions in groups of 5 in the Foley and Composition Studios. The inductions will take 30 minutes, and for the rest of your session you will be drafting the script for you Audio Paper. Please use the resources for this week to write an abstract first, and then begin a draft for your Audio Paper script, these include the Procedure for Audio paper Production Guide, examples and papers.
Follow Up:
Book the foley studio and make 4 test recordings of foley sound that you may include in your audio paper. Post these tests on your blog with commentary. Continue with your draft for the follow up task and practice how long it takes to perform by recording yourself.
Week 5: Sound, Wellbeing and Disability Representation
Asynchronous study task: Update blogs and continue with rough draft of script for recording. Book foley studios and begin recording foley and narration.
[CHECK MOODLE DOC]
Week 6: Turbo Tutorials
- Prepare a rough draft of your script, a work in progress audio track for playback and a minimum of 3 blog posts to present.
Follow Up
- Reflect on and implement your feedback through practical exploration. Evidence this problem solving and research through trials and error in a blog post of 200 words or more.
Week 7: Sound, Wellbeing and Disability Representation
“Despite more abundant anthropogenic sound, urban and frequently visited sites offered exposure to natural sounds associated with health benefits, making them a valuable target for soundscape mitigation.”
Reflecting on our individual and group experiences of pandemic listening, we will discuss how this has impacted on the ecology of our creativity. Through workshops we will explore the present constraints and conundrums for creativity in Sound Arts practice.
- What interventions have we made on our sonic surroundings to mitigate their impact during the pandemic?
- How has this shaped our current and future listening constructs?
- How will you incorporate this current climate of listening into your audio paper?
We will investigate the various platforms available to promote your work and submit your audio papers in future.
Follow Up
As part of your rough draft for your script, write a further draft of your introduction to the subject of your audio paper situating it within the current debate covered in this session and/or previous sessions in this unit.
- Listen to 3 potential platforms you think could include the subject of your audio paper.
- Write a 200 word description of your Audio Paper for promotional use in future. This can be rewrite of your abstract for a non-academic audience.
[MOODLE <Éliane Radigue – l’île re-sonante>]
Week 8: Site Visit
Follow Up
- Identify a sound library or Archive relevant to your research and write a second draft of your script incorporating this resource.
Week 9: Appropriation, Decolonising Sound Information and Archives, Sound Libraries and Getting your work heard
In this session we will pursue an interrogation of past practices and explore examples of decolonising practice.
- Where do we situate our individual and collective Sound Art practices within this debate?
- What changes do we feel need to be demonstrated within the field of Sound Art?
Follow Up
- On your blog write a review of a Sound Library or Sound Archive. Explore and evaluate the different problems faced and the methods used.
Week 10: End of Term Crits
Please prepare to present your Audio Paper and Blog to the group for feedback and finessing. This is a formative assessment, where you’ll be able to sign up for a slot and get feedback from the group and tutor before finishing your assignment for submission
Week 11: End of Term Crits
Please prepare to present your Audio Paper and Blog to the group for feedback and finessing. This is a formative assessment, where you’ll be able to sign up for a slot and get feedback from the group and tutor before finishing your assignment for submission
Recorded interviews on Zoom H8 Mic…
Sources for sound effects
BBC Sound Effect Library
– Footsteps Down Stone Stairs – Medium tempo footsteps down stone stairs, 1 woman. (With approach and stop) <https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07004144>
File info: MP3, 128kbps • WAV, 44.1KHz, 16bitFile size: MP3, 169.47KB • WAV, 1.85MBChannels: 2Source: BBC Sound Effects
BBC Sound Effect Library
– Domestic Sewing Machines – Electric Sewing Machine, winding bobbin. (Machine c.1968.) <https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07039136>
File info: MP3, 128kbps • WAV, 44.1KHz, 16bitFile size: MP3, 333.29KB • WAV, 3.66MBChannels: 2Source: BBC Sound Effects
BBC Sound Effect Library
– Cottage Industries – Seamstress – sewing on treadle machine. <https://sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk/search?q=07070136>
File info: MP3, 128kbps • WAV, 44.1KHz, 16bitFile size: MP3, 451.14KB • WAV, 4.96MBChannels: 2Source: BBC Sound Effects
For this week I set the task to identify my positionality within the practice of sound arts and the fashion industry, I noted also to be honest yet ambitious. This is to get a clearer picture of from the perspective of which I am talking: