World Building

Our world started with the question, “What if the earth rotated so that one night and one day were each a year?” Much like the reading Design Fiction, we realized that, in order to develop a believable world, scientific fact would influence the fictional world, which in turn influences culture, technology, etc. We considered physical implications: long days and nights would lead to deserts during noon and tundra during midnight. How would people survive this world? Here we drew from Garth Nix’s The Seventh Tower. That world is without sunlight. One tribe lives in permanent migration following prey. Another group creates sturdy buildings to survive the cold. That idea sparked a realization that, in our world, the most habitable places would be close to the twilights: average temperatures and a better environment for plants and livestock. While there may be some tribes that settle and wait out the days and nights, others would be circumnavigating the globe in fleets of amphibious vehicles, following the path of the sun. When brainstorming our ideas, we were not able to coordinate together due to different schedules, so we passed on the general idea, and then each separately thought of the implications and added our own insight. The result was a diverse take into the culture of the world.

We realized these large migratory vehicles require energy. They would need to have permanent energy stations around the globe that harness gas, solar power, tides,etc. Due to temperatures and harsh conditions, working at these stations wouldn’t be popular. The circumnavigation also means workers would only reunite with their fleet every 2 years. They would determine who would go by draft, and, just like the drafts during our wars, people who went would be encouraged to do so by society, like it is heroic. Hence the poster by Brendan.

Secondly, if society is traveling along in large fleets, they need to communicate. Since you can’t string wires between ships, they would have focused more on radio technology. This society would thus have developed radio-show style entertainment. That is why Kaily and Brendan created such a radio show from this world, talking about a ship’s captain who has driven farther into the hot day to find an energy station.

When considering the dullness of life on the ships, we also decided that artistic endeavors would likely be abstract. For one thing, the landscape would remain desolate and the lighting wouldn’t change as they remain in the twilight, nearly eliminating drive for representational art. Also, since they solely live on the same ships in the same situation, there wouldn’t be much room for diversity. Thus, for some there would likely be a feeling of entrapment and stagnation that would provide drive for some mode of creation. Kaily created a possible piece that would result from this need--a glass vase filled with unraveled audio tape. This reflects the lack of resources for creation, and the emotion of entrapment. The individuals in this society all receive the same stories and interviews through audio communication, furthering the absence of diversity. However, they cannot escape this void because they are retained in their ships by necessity, represented by the glass vase. The long process of unravelling the audio tape reflects the sluggish rotation of the earth and the unhealthy mindset of this flat society.

In the last artistic piece, we decided to follow the nomadic tribes of the people who became accustomed to the dark. That being those who were unable to create sturdy buildings and closed societies therein, but perhaps had become over exposed to the harsh elements of the tundra atmosphere associated with the night. Immediately, I was reminded of the Native American folk legend of the skin-walker. A person, who exists and functions primarily in the dark, and has the perceived ability to transform into animals or more scientifically plausible, walk on all fours. Again we draw on elements of science and exploration to create this last wild element of our harsh world. I was reminded of the old “Twilight Zone” Episode The Midnight Sun. This narrative explores, very scientifically I might add, a scenario in where the Sun and the Earth are drawing closer to each other. This results in a much hotter days with completely no night. So naturally we wanted to explore the opposite effect of this scenario- the night. If a people were completely shrouded by night for a seemingly endless amount of time, would they in fact become a skin-walker? It is entirely plausible that their eyesight would gradually begin to degrade and as a result, other senses would become enhanced. In order to successfully navigate terrain and seek sources of food and water certainly the indigenous people of the night would require use of all fours, creating a more animalistic evolutionary species. In this last piece, Billy decided to explore the idea of a young person aboard one of these migratory ships who decides to explore the world of the night. Using a camera that is unable to record the images of the night due to a faulty lens, we follow the narrative of a curious scientist seeking to discover if there’s truth to the fear of the indigenous Night dweller that is ingrained into the people of the Day.

Overall, each piece explored a different portion of societal trends whether it be the practical aspect of the science and logical reasoning behind travel and communication, the artistic expression among the people, or the innate curiosity that leads human being to explore dangerous new frontiers.

Textual Poaching

You may ask why I chose to poach an image of a young black man? And not just any young black man, but Tupac Shakur, one of the most iconic Americans of the 20^th century. This assignment took me what seemed like eons to discover what I most identified with. Perhaps it’s just been one of those weeks where I listen to a lot of 90’s rap and its on my brain. I grew up in Miami, Florida but currently reside in Provo, Utah. Provo is somewhat culturally ignorant, at least from my viewpoint. This is certainly my own bias that affects my perspective but the more I analyze what goes on around me, the more I am lead to believe this a product of the societal conditioning that occurs in the "bubble."

You see in Miami you cannot afford to be culturally ignorant. A multiplicity of cultures surrounds you and shapes you as a human being from an early age. Latino, European, and various American cultures and traditions seem to blend to create a diverse balance. And on top of that, if you are ignorant to culture you will certainly feel the proverbial slap coming your way. Anyone from South Florida will testify to this circumstance. I love rap music and especially Tupac, but I feel like if I, a white male, were to state that at BYU it would certainly mean some raised eyes in my direction. I cannot express how many times I’ve heard the ignorant question: Why do you listen to rap music? You’re not black.” Or even worse off: “Why do you sometimes act black?” I don’t even know what the hell that means to be completely honest. I think it’s coming from a place where that person feels they are defending the culture, while they are actually making an inherently culturally ignorant as well as pretentious statement. It’s similar to when we state that an athlete has just performed a great feat because he is the first “African-American” to do so. Why can’t we just celebrate him? You may say: “Oh but we’re celebrating the triumph of this African-American,” to which many of my childhood friends would reply: “I am not an African-American. I am an American who happens to have initial African roots.” Rap is just a simple example to the product of a societal conditioning which I perceive, but it means something specific to me because I have actually experienced this judgement too many times over the course of my college career.

“Social conditioning is defined on the web as the sociological process of training individuals in a society to respond in a manner generally approved by the society in general and peer groups within society. The concept is stronger than that of socialization, which is the process of inheriting norms, customs and ideologies.” So in this case I have most definitely been conditioned by the society in Miami. In my opinion Miami has more pros than cons but it is my home and I cannot overstate my bias.

I felt that combining the images of a contemplative Tupac, the words societal conditioning, and an image from the March on Washington during the Civil Rights Movement, I hoped to push forward the point that it is imperative for us to move past the figurative chains that bind us in order to pay tribute to the monumental moments and figures of American society. There are essentially two trains of thought when it comes to race relations and the mixing of cultures in America. We can either acknowledge what has happened in past American history and choose to see race and culture as a poignant reminder of how to avoid this or we can choose to wipe it aside completely and not see race at all. Honestly, I believe we need a little of both in order to progress as a society. Rap should not be defined as African-American music; in that it limits the medium. Nevertheless, it is crucial that the cultural roots of the music are not swept aside. Instead, let us embrace all cultures that make up the greater American culture. We should point out that we are all Americans. Whether you are black, brown, yellow, whatever skin color you are labeled as, you are an American, and your uniqueness, your culture, and especially your authenticity contributes to the beauty and greatness of this country. Instead of labeling certain aspects of culture present in artistic mediums as distasteful or ‘bad’, we should aim to thoroughly examine and look to appreciate these mediums. Pretentious is not a word with which one should hope to become associated with.

I love rap music because I relate to it. It paints the reality which I knew as a child growing up in Miami in an impoverished area and home. It paints my reality of a father who left my mother and I, for another woman instead of taking the accountability that is associated with fatherhood, which is a common theme in Tupac’s Dear Mama and many other musical mediums. Much of Tupac and his artistic medium is derived from his own reality. Jenkins, in How Texts Become Real, explains how different media creates different meaning based on the connection that someone develops to that specific media and meaning. As a child, I developed this unique connection with Rap music and with Tupac’s poetry because it represented a significant portion of my reality. I hope that I can grow past my social conditioning and appreciate everyone for their own individuality and unique culture. I hope that I can succeed in not casting that very same judgement on others for who they are, that I have felt time after time cast upon me. Instead, I plan to cherish and embrace the cultures around me while striving to rise above the effects of societal conditioning present in my life, mainstream media, and the areas I choose to inhabit.           

Medium Specificity

What is art? How do we define art? A quick search on Google would define it as: the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. An even broader definition is: the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance. The art form of painting, which was my medium of choice, is a vessel which can hold any number of ideas and messages. 

For the medium specificity assignment, I chose to model the work after the artwork of Piet Mondrian. Piet Mondrian was a Dutch painter in the early 20^th century famous for his works involving primary colors and geometric shapes surrounded by vertical and horizontal black lines. His style was influenced by Picasso and Braque as it morphed into his signature non-representational form which he termed Neo-Plasticism. Neo-Plasticism experimented with elements of cubism which would follow soon thereafter. 

I personally love art that has been produced from the Northern parts of the world such as the Netherlands, Norway, or other Nordic countries. The soft light associated with that region of the world as well as the use of that light in art is fascinating to me. The flat picture and structural lines were also particularly drawing to me as an aspiring cinematographer due to the use of line and depth of filed in film. Another huge aspect of cinematography is the use of shape and color to develop mood and tone throughout a narrative. 

This medium serves as a celebration of the Neo-Plasticism and work of Mondrian. I would say this piece serves as a celebration of the life and work of Mondrian because it incorporates the stylistic use of black lines, geometric shapes, primary colors, and even elements of nature. In the piece, there is the shape of a lily that outlines the majority of the shapes and colors that exist within. I wanted to experiment with the fundamental shapes- triangles, squares, and circles that stemmed from the base of the flower, mirroring the veins of an organic flower. I thought that the use of text within the piece also lent some mood and overall theme of the piece.What I found most interesting is that in the earlier and later life work of Mondrian, Piet explored naturally occurring shapes both in nature and geometric's. Evening: Red Tree is an example of this mesh of primary colors and a shape found in nature, blended by bold, blackened lines. This earlier work signifies the beginnings of Mondrian towards his later artistic style. 

I wanted this piece to tie back to the abstract use of art and qualities within the medium. Similar to the 4'33" by John Cage that spoke about the use of sound in a live performance and the qualities associated with that medium, I wanted to create a discussion centered on the emotions evoked by different mediums within art. In this piece, I wanted to explore the themes derived from Mondrian's style and using a medium that was rich with his signature. What does this piece say to the individual? What are the themes that one can derive from piece? Would it be more similar to the wintry climates of his earlier work or the exploration of space and shape in his later work? These are questions I hope that would spark a discussion from the piece.  

It’s important to note that this piece breaks the rules as exemplified by Mondrian’s style. The blend of naturalism and realism incorporated into the lily illustrates Mondrian’s roots meeting his signature Neo-Plasticism style. The geometric shapes filled by primary colors, and, connected through curvy black and bold lines, breakaway from classic Neo-Plasiticism by using the background lily shape. I thoroughly enjoyed this specificity assignment. It helped me to appreciate the exploration of different mediums to voice my artistic voice and draw parallels through a variety of art mediums. 

Historic Piece- Man on the Moon Script

Just about everyone on planet earth is intrigued with the historical moment in which man first walked on the moon. The event itself is shrouded in both controversy as well as mystery. Thousands of questions are asked, from debating whether or not the event actually happened to questioning the motives of the mission itself. For our Historical Story, we decided to beg the question, “what if the astronauts who went to the moon found something they had to keep top secret? What if they found life?’

Obviously, in tackling a story such as this, we needed to have two real life historical figures play integral roles in our script. It was a no-brainer to have both Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong assume the vital role of discovering an egg within the surface of the moon. The focus, however, is mainly on a NASA official named John Carson and a headstrong reporter named Nancy as the two of them discover the truth with differing attitudes.

After doing some research we discovered that there were multiple articles that did nothing but incite controversial ideals. Many gave detailed description of what Neil Armstrong “really” saw on the moon while others debated periods of radio silence and erased tapes.

According to an article on exopolitics.org, Neil Armstrong claimed to have seen “other space craft out there… lined up on the far side of the crater edge… on the moon watching us.” Now, it’s important to note that exopolitics.org is a site dedicated to proving alien life as fact by any means necessary, therefore it cannot be taken too seriously, but it is a fun idea to play with nonetheless.

Another interesting article we found on the Apollo 11 mission was that there were allegedly over two minutes of tape that was “lost” – which is really just a nice term for “erased.” According to an article on npr.org, the tapes were erased “during a period when NASA was erasing old magnetic tapes and reusing them to record satellite data.” It makes you wonder if they might have been hiding something?

As the writers of this particular script, we decided to have some fun with these two interesting theories and make our own little spin on the historical event. We decided not to go with an outlandish vision of other spacecraft being out there, hovering over the moon, but instead the idea of alien life growing just beneath the surface of the rock. We decided to have our characters John Carson and Nancy play off of those few minutes of information that the government would have wanted erased, as well as the minutes of radio silence. It is during this time, that true interest is peaked in Nancy’s character as she goes about searching for truth.

In the end, we also used another allegedly factual historical event of the time – the use of cocaine in experimental memory loss – to cover up all loose ends. This also spells out a rather unfortunate conclusion for not only Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, but for Nancy as well.

All in all, it was fun to play off of real life events, just like the texts we read about Hurricane Katrina and the Islamic Revolution. Obviously our script plays off of the fantastic more than other stories do (such as Persepolis). Our creative process was perhaps a little more inspired by the outlandish nature of “My Grandmother Ironed the King’s Shirts.”

Sources:

http://exopolitics.org/first-man-on-moon-dies-along-with-secrets-of-what-he-saw/

http://www.npr.org/2009/07/16/106637066/houston-we-erased-the-apollo-11-tapes

The Creative Process

Buried Alive Audio Recording

Sydney Flora & Billy Knowles

TMA 112 Process Piece

Process Piece Artist Statement

Processes exist all around us, in every way, shape, and form. They are an essential component of the human condition and dictate every action done by humans. Thought processes, creative processes, and even life processes all share a simple coherent truth. They involve a clear beginning and end, something that is changing to a final result.  They can be as simple and mundane as writing your name on a piece of paper or they can be complex and last weeks, like painting a magnificent piece of art. In whatever form, the characteristics that make up a process are similar to that of the classic three-act structure of a play or film. There is beginning or an inciting incident, a middle where much of the leg work is done, and finally an end where, at least in most cases, there is a clear resolution. 
So with this in mind, creating a process piece actually leaves the artist open to an unmeasurable amount of options. There is a certain freedom that is allotted to the artist within the creative process. Our creative process dealt with the striking prospect of being buried alive. We felt this process was intriguing and would be a treat to explore. 
There is a clear beginning involved, with someone waking up to unfortunately find they are trapped inside a wooden coffin, with 6 feet of seemingly lifeless dirt between them and people, unlimited amounts of oxygen, and the rest of the world. The first thing someone would do is determine their surroundings and if possible ascertain numerous methods to escape. There is a serious catch involved in this process. The more they resist and fight the tremendous adversary that is their burial, the more precious and limited oxygen they use in their efforts. The daunting realization of this would be horrific, but I also imagine that an intelligent person would stop and begin to analyze the situation. This would lead to attempts to scratch or force their way out, but also more unconventional routes such as searching for a cellphone. Obviously, they were buried either by mistake or by malicious intent, both of which would leave a very viable option that the prisoner would still have their belongings. Thus, using the cellphone as a last resort of escape. 

This audio clip we did was entirely improvised and spontaneous. All we did was bury Billy inside a make-shift coffin and let the magic play out. This type of creative process is very similar to filming a cinema-verite documentary. Sydney was acting as a fly on the wall if you would, whilst Billy was buried underneath the mounds of blankets, pillows, and a large love sac. In the film, “The Queen of Versailles,” the filmmakers began by documenting a fantastical story of some extremely rich people building the biggest house in America. But halfway through this process, the 2008 financial crisis hit and the story completely evolves from a whimsical dream to a depressing trail of horrible events. So from this perspective, sometimes beautiful, moving art can created when things aren’t entirely planned or prepared by the artist. 
Specifically, in our process piece, without planning, a suspenseful crisis emerges: Billy finds himself trapped underneath a cardboard box, similar to a make-shift coffin if you will. Heavily breathing, he realizes that if he doesn’t escape this scenario, he will run out of oxygen. He says this with a long pause before and after, really helping to build suspense. This small line of dialogue really helped to raise the stakes and provide a much more satisfying resolution. The situation was discussed beforehand, but it is truly difficult to prep for such a grave scenario until one is underneath the pressure and the tight, confined space. With the heat index rising, the lack of oxygen really becoming a factor, and the pressure to live the role, one really gains a small, but significant, insight into the frightening reality of this possibility. The scenario was extremely fun to play out, but also left me wondering what that actually would be like. Would I have remained that calm, or simply suffocated from asphyxiation of trying to frantically escape anyway by any means necessary. Overall, this creative process was extremely pleasing, and allowed us to experience the wondrous beauty of creating art organically. 

Rogue One- Thinking And Writing

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, as well as the new Star Wars films in general, may be redefining the creation of trailers in Hollywood and America. The trailers are so well made that they regularly attain millions of views in the first few days, if not hours. In fact, the first Rogue One trailer had an astounding 30 million views on YouTube in a just three days. The Rogue One Trailer is revolutionizing how trailers are made, the narrative arc within the trailer, and what is revealed and what is not revealed. The impeccable use of these elements is masterfully done. The trailers also use editing of certain shots and the use of sound to create a certain tone and depth to the brief two minutes.

The most important aspect in a trailer in my opinion is the use of the sound. Sound is responsible for at least 90% of the immersion of an audience in a film. Many of the iconic trailers that date back to the 1970s relied heavily on sound to create tone and mood. This heightens and sets expectations for the film being displayed in the trailer. When I think of an incredible use of sound, I am reminded of the teaser trailer for Alien with the memorable tagline: “In space, no one can hear you scream.” The Rogue One teaser trailer uses subtle chords and bass to establish a sense of urgency in the first few seconds of the trailer. Then, we hear the iconic Death Star warning siren pound over the screen and images. Additionally, the speech by Forest Whitaker leaves the viewer in awe. Finally, the beautiful subtle use of Vader’s breathing as Whitaker finishes his speech and we are left with the shot of Felicity Jones, clad in imperial armor, looking over her shoulder.

This beautiful use of sound and editing combine to create an incredible first teaser trailer for the film. We also see the mysterious antagonist in a beautiful shot of him walking across the water towards wreckage. The next trailer is where they take the marketing campaign for Rogue One to a new level of trailer art.

The second trailer immediately establishes one of the plot points of the film which is that they are searching for the plans to the Death Star. Characters are methodically introduced, as well as their possible motives for joining Jyn in her mission to seize the Death Star plans. And, of course, Vader is revealed in the final shot of the trailer. This trailer sets a tone of adventure, growth, and urgency for the film. Stunning shots of action sequences, character exposition, and a beautiful rendition of the classic Star Wars Force theme subjects the viewer to a new take on the Star Wars universe. 

Disney and Star Wars have also released collaborative shorts that detail the production and work that goes on during set hours. These ‘celebration reels’ allow avid fans an inside look to the perspective of Director and Actors involved in the film as well as all those working on set. The creation behind shots and elements of the story are fascinating in themselves and really allow the person viewing the video to gain a newfound respect for the art of filmmaking, particularly in these Star Wars films. Even those who are not fans of the saga can appreciate the effort and work that is put into the film. Simply, it is brilliant marketing for the film. 

Now, these are all wonderful points to why the marketing and trailers for the new Star Wars films by Disney are changing the industry but how? Really, it is because in these trailers the viewer knows a basic plot structure which creates intrigue and mystery. Nothing major is revealed, as compared to other common film trailers in the industry. They don’t need to reveal major plot points in these trailers because they are so incredibly well done. That isn’t to say that those other trailers are poorly made, but rather the argument to be made is that the new Star Wars trailers are creating more intrigue and positive anxiety for the franchise than any other comparable franchise in the industry. Last year, during the theatrical debut of the Force Awakens Trailer on Monday Night Football, tickets for the film sold out in minutes and crashed the Fandango servers. This is even more revealing of the trailers considering Fandango anticipated the number of buyers and upgraded all their servers in preparation for the load. Yet they still crashed within minutes of the trailer debut. This was done by the incredible trailer and I make the bold statement that it will happen again this Fall with Rogue One. The trailers also continue to set view records and create an atmosphere of hope and positivity throughout the fan base, both old and new to the franchise. Ultimately, the use of sound, the editing, the marketing during peak times is brilliant and changing how other franchises choose to market their films. I’m in. All the way.

  

Exquisite Text

Nearly every creative class discusses the Chauvet Cave paintings at some point, and for good reason. When considering the elegant lines, bold colors, and ancient shapes it is crucial for us as creators to remember that creative processes do not improve, they change. And they change frequently as society progresses. There are always new opportunities and thought processes that are formed with each generation that comes forth.

The exquisite texts are an example of a new, progressive creative process. As students of the art of film, it was interesting to explore and experiment with the nuanced nature involved with the texts. The fact that we couldn’t see the narrative characters intrigued us, and we had to consider what kind of situations people would utilize texting in and how those people would realistically react to the situations being created. We talked about Kidnapped and how it made some sense that the two characters would be texting each other but also how it was kind of unrealistic in some instances. Also, due to its spontaneous nature, we allowed ourselves to be influenced by our own situation while we brainstormed for the texts.

We found ourselves in quite the situation, as we decided to create on the fly. While discussing our ideas, we were driving up the canyon with a large group of friends to a bonfire. It was dark, cold, and confusing due to a serious lack of directions within the group. We headed towards a meadow up by Squaw Peak to where the fire was supposed to take place, only that the members in our car had only be to the meadow once.  We got lost on the winding trail towards the meadow by Squaw Peak. We even passed the location when one of our friends reluctantly suggested we had gone too far and we decided to call one of the other cars. We got in contact with them, and they met us by the road where they directed us to a winding trail through the woods, and got lost, again! So twice now we had lost our way on the trip to the increasingly elusive bonfire. When we finally arrived at our location and started up the fire with several massive pallets, it wasn’t too long before a trio of Utah Forest Officer’s approached our group. There was an awkward miscommunication when the first cop came up which heightened an already tense situation. We inquired if it was alright that we were having a fire. There were awkward jokes being made between us and the officer’s and one Officer tiredly responded “yes,” paused, and then said He needed to rephrase as the other two officers surrounded our circle of friends. With subtle hands placed over the holster of the 9mm pistols, the Officer’s told us we were not allowed to be burning pallets in the forest.  We promised to leave as soon as the fire was out, as well as to clean up the pallet debris, and the cops let us off the hook as they proceeded to go hunt out other hooligans in the forest. It was tense and awkward, and while as a whole we were relatively good natured, I believe we were all anxious to leave.

Afterwards, when considering the nature of exquisite texts and our experience, we decided to use horror to create a suspenseful situation in which one person describes something paranormal to the other person. We wanted to do this because the reader can’t see what is being described either, helping them to relate to the characters and, hopefully, get their imagination going. After all, a person’s imagination can create far more fear than a visual image, in most situations. We also chose to bring in a third party to help drive the narrative arc of our story. In our exquisite text, Catherine was brought in to help us propel the plot forward and give nuance and hooks to each character. We also did this to heighten the conflict between Claire and her husband. Claire felt so distrusted and angry, that we felt it would make sense for her to turn to someone she felt would actually help in that situation. This highlights the miscommunication between Claire and James. We also illustrated this miscommunication when Claire literally stopped responding to James, leaving her fate a mystery and her husband at a total loss, scared for his life and family. Elements of the story such as the fire, the husband in the woods, and the police were definitely derived from our own experiences that Friday night.

It was motivating to challenge ourselves, both by collaborating and by trying a new form of art. Seeing our “exquisite text” take shape and change as it went along reminded us that it is imperative to challenge ourselves artistically. Consistently challenging ourselves allows us to mold, albeit in a small way, human creativity individually and as a generation.

My partner was Kaily Goodro!

Slow Dancing (Music Mosaic)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKRGypzCj8U

 The music I chose for my mosaic was Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayer. September 13, 2016 marks the 10-Year anniversary of one of the most influential musical albums to ever be created by the modern man. Continuum is a deep reaching album that stretches the depths of human emotions involving relationships. Many songs feature classic, archetypal blues roots that stretch back towards dawn of the modern guitarist in the 1930s. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room analyzes the deterioration of a relationship. The song evokes feelings of isolation, reflection, realness, subtleties of life, the necessity of trial, and thoughts of universal placement. Slow Dancing is in no rush to expose a narrative and truly allows the listener a chance to visualize and embody the gradual burning of a once fruitful relationship, or whatever metaphor the listener chooses for that matter. This song has always spoken to a hidden, perhaps naiveté aspect of my human condition. It beckons me to open my eyes, were it be, and truly see the world around me. It encourages growth, exploration, kindness, adventure. With its striking simple melody it encourages the development of these attributes, a return to a child-like curiosity and belief in yourself, people and the world. Growing up, I have always been fond of guitar, particularly the blues. This stems from early exposure to artists like Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton. I have played guitar since the age of 13, that of which traditional blues scales and riffs are the foundation of any young and eager guitarist’s learning curve. These sensational riffs and nuances created by the artist perfectly allow the listener exposure to the creator’s mind. This song embodies a sense of isolation and distance. It speaks to the timid introvert that is alive in each and every human being. The first time I heard this song I was instantly brought to a deep reflective portion of my soul that was rarely visited prior to this organic experience. Organic is the perfect way to describe the evocation of emotions that was aroused within my soul. The acoustic piece reminds me of that time to reflect and reach a deeper understanding of my isolation within this universe. I understand that can sound like a negative reaction to this piece but on the contrary, the seldom event of isolation in a cluttered world allows me to recognize my position in my own life and in the plan that God has for me. It helps me to realize just how much I need Heavenly Father, in my life and in cultivating relationships. We are all slow dancing in our own burning room throughout our lifetimes. From the ashes of trials and tribulations come the fruits of our labors. This is an analogy derived from the Allegory of the Olive Tree found in the Book of Mormon.  This song was a bit difficult to embody successfully in photography and art. Several shots are meant to isolate certain aspects of the image whether it be the blurred strand of individual lights or the empty courtyard being greeted by the night.The fire of the sunset and the emptiness of the late night streets beckons to the wanderer, to the isolated dreamer. The noir shot of myself in a long empty office hallway is one that resembles the place I reach when comforted by the tones and subtle nuances alive within the song. Perhaps this contrast would be more effective within a crowd or a cluttered city environment but I felt the natural lines of sight within the hallway, looking up, allowed slight perspective into my thoughts at that time. The pieces of art are supposed to represent the duality of human nature, or natures in particular instances, and the conflict of this deteriorating relationship. The spherical male dancing within the room while the contrasting and powerful female crashing to the ground in an epic dance move. Finally, the two dancers clashing within their own rooms and respective relationships. The instrumental of Slow Dancing in a Burning Room is a compilation of these shots and pieces of art. The emotional intricacies of isolation, reaching, perspective, and universal placement are alive and well in the human condition today, perhaps more than ever. In a world where we are more connected than ever before in the history of mankind, more and more souls struggle daily from a lack of basic social bonds than ever before. The millennial generations inability to commit is quite possibly a result of not understanding the role of isolation, perspective, and each individual’s universal placement.