APD WEEK 10: Play and Nature
Context
This week I wanted to engage with the nature surrounding me in an urban environment, and found myself focusing on the birds who lived in the same spaces I do. I thought I could record them, and piece together a funny mockumentary about them, engaging in a kind of dramatic play.
However, the recording process was much more loose than an activity like playing with dolls, since I can’t control them in the same way. Instead, I frame them and set the scene, and was mainly observing and learning about them. I was learning about their behaviours, which ones liked to talk, how the different birds sound, which individual birds didn’t mind the crowds, and which preferred to be on their own.
In my original plan, I was going to write a script for these birds and then do a voiceover. However, I felt like this didn’t truly make the most of my observation process, and instead imposed an artificial nature on the birds which was kind of regurgitated from reality tv shows. So instead, I thought I would record some of my friends and family, and use their reactions. I liked the idea of paralleling human nature and bird nature.
I found this process of piecing it together was when I was most actively playing with nature, in bothe people and birds. The concept was inspired by ‘Creature Comforts’ (1989), and I aimed to achieve a similar kind of whimsy, but with a bit of tenderness for these everyday birds and people.
Method
I started this process by collecting footage of birds. I would go on hour long walks around a local park, filming various birds interacting with one another and in interesting places.
I then asked my friends and family to send me audio of them answering these questions:
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Describe some or one of your neighbours.
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What is your relationship like with them?
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What is it like living in your suburb? Think about the social and physical aspects.
I edited the audio together first, so I could get a feel for the pacing and which parts were worth using.
After that, I made a first edit of the bird footage assigning each person a main bird. I then started editing in more bird videos the smaller chunks of each person, to match what they were saying with birds.
Response
Reflection
Overall, I really enjoy the final product. It was also a really fun process. There were lots of moments I was following birds around and I felt very silly, but I took this as a sign I was moving in the right direction.
I would’ve liked to get more footage of different kinds of birds, especially more Australian ones, but I guess this shortage is a reflection of the city bird population.
I also think I should’ve planned out my interview questions a bit better, as they could’ve yielded more directions to explore and choose from. Plus, if I had interviewed strangers it could have also generated more unexpected answers, especially considering I had made the questions already having known who would be answering them.
Downloads:
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Download File: 4066de23-5786-4f6b-b289-1e4f8928db0c.png
