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.