Dance Video - Briefing + Initial research

by Tarald K. Tvedt 11:30 pm 0 comments Cinematography Dance Video Experimental Film Innovation and Interference Year 2

"Does the camera dance too?"

Dance Video - Innovation and Interference 2017

For this project we are tasked with creating a dance video, where we learn a greater understanding of the relationship between the choreography, the dancer, and the camera. We can create whatever sound we want, and be as experimental as appropriate - and I'm assuming that this means we can go nuts as long as we still fill the brief of the unit. We will explore rhythm, beat, dance, sound, and choreography throughout this project and if successful we will incorporate all of this in the finished video. 

I think the biggest challenge for me will be how to capture the choreography and scene with the camera to best show the extent of the performance. I also struggled during the editing process of last years dance video, so I also think that will be a challenge - I might have to ask for help from some of my course mates to crew and edit. But as far as the brief I don't I will have any problem with creating this. I already have multiple inspirations I want to look at and incorporate. 

Bill Viola 

Bill Viola is a visual artist from New York, who does a lot of work with the elements in his film. He creates almost miraculous visuals by manipulating time, and incorporating the elements in ways that makes the frame look almost religious at any point in the video. The one that especially caught my eye was a piece called "Tristans Ascension", in which water slowly rises up around a body. During the duration of the piece the water rising becomes more and more intense and the body even starts being pulled with it. I assume he used suspension cables to do this and then removed them in editing, but nonetheless, it makes for a stunning visual, with heavy religious undertones. I really want to use this effect of water and time manipulation in my dance video as I think the movements of the dance would look amazing with these kinds of effects.

 "Tristan's Ascension" by Bill Viola (2005)

 The challenges I would be facing with this idea are many, as it is a very complicated and craving project. I would have to find a dancer who would be comfortable with the water, and possibly getting cold and wet. In the risk assessment I would have to make sure that I will take care of my performer as far as this goes (Bring towels, food, and possibly something warm to drink, etc). I also have find a location where I could use a large amount of water with a safe way to dispose of it, maybe like a large warehouse or a garage. This is definitely an idea I want to incorporate in my final pitch, but I also have other ideas that I want to pursue. 

Stop Motion

The second concept idea that sprung to mind was stop motion. I am researching this idea more for my own interest as actually creating a dance video using stop motion would take weeks on end, and I might end up with something that doesn't even fit the brief. I have been interested in stop motion for a long time, but I haven't tried to create a full on stop motion project since creating a short film for my university application. It was just a silly video, that was meant to be a lot bigger and more developed, but I was only a crew of myself, and stop motion is really difficult.

I don't know who reviewed my application, 

but this was the end result of my little project.

I also had a look at the behind the scenes making of Wes Andersons "The Fantastic Mr. Fox", and that just confirmed my earlier suspicion that using stop motion for this project would be impossible. I do really want to use it for a future project though as I think it is a fascinating way of creating film. 

Minimalistic Dance

A still from the music video for Flume & Chet Faker's "Drop The Game"

 We all have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to life, and although I agree that we should always try to strengthen our weaknesses, and try new things - I have to admit that creating choreography is a massive challenge for me. I have never done dance in my personal life, and I'm a very stiff person in general. So I want to make the dance as minimalistic and simple as possible - if anything I think that would be considered playing to my strengths, rather than hiding my weaknesses. While looking around for this on youtube I found this music video for Flume and Chet Faker's song Drop The Game. It features a man in his 20s dancing in the street, but instead of it looking like a overly planned routine, its rather a collection of casual movements that seamlessly fit the music. I think that these kinds of movements would look stunning if maybe combined with the water and time manipulation I explored in the Bill Viola section of this post. It would require that I have very close contact with my dancer, as I would have to work them to create the  dance as it has to look natural for them to perform it. 

 "Drop The Game" by Flume & Chet Faker (2013)

Martial Arts

The last idea I have researched and want to discuss in this post it martial arts, and how it can be used for this project. I have been a fan of kung fu films since I was very young, even though most of the film are very dramatic and over the top. But the choreography that goes into that kind of fight scenes must be incredibly dubious, and well thought out for it to look real. Now, I am not a martial artist, nor have I ever created a dance using martial arts, so of course this is a stretch, but I also think that if combine it with either of my other ideas I might be able to create something that will look absolutely beautiful. While writing this post a memory came to mind about something else I could use in combination with martial arts and Flumes style of dancing. It's a bit silly, but if translated to a real choreography I think it would look amazing. I am talking about the children's cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender that ran on Nickelodeon in the 2000s. It's a show about people who can control the elements through certain gestures and movements that correspond to the element they can use. For and example if you want to control water you need to have very fluid and soft movements, while if you want to throw rocks around it requires stomping and rough movements. 

This idea would also require that I have good contact with the dancer, as I need to make sure that they are comfortable with the style of dancing, and they believe it can be done. 

This is all the research I have done so far, and I will in my next post put together a pitch so that I can get started on pre-production as soon as possible. There are clearly very many challenges with this project, and I am really pushing myself into new territory, but I truly believe that I can creating something unique, and raise my standard as a video artist.


TJ