Second Year Media Design http://loxyreid.posterous.com Lachlan Reid posterous.com Sun, 30 Sep 2012 15:08:00 -0700 231 Third Project Concept http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-third-project-concept http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-third-project-concept

To force routine in people watching films I have decided to make a film where the frameRate corresponds to how fast the user turns a hand crank.

I will use an arduino and a rotary encoder to get the input and use Processing code to make the film work.

I will most likely use a silent film as when sound plays slower or faster than 25fps it would be really annoying and detract. This may change as I test it.

Concept

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/lC03gVtXbgMYO Lachlan Reid loxyreid Lachlan Reid
Sun, 09 Sep 2012 15:20:00 -0700 231 Third Experiment http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-third-experiment http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-third-experiment

My third experiment was again attempting to invoke a more safe/comfortable environment by looking at how people interact with the content of a horror film when alone and when with friends.

I got Ben to watch another horror scene and looked at how he sat and how he responded to the film. This was all taken place inside and in a dark room to enhance the films effects.

I then got him to watch another scene from the same film but this time with Bevan and Ryan in the same room. All three of them watched the scene. The tension of the room seemed to vanish and it was a less intense experience.

Although the results were not as extreme as my second experiment they still had a positive effect. I had hoped that the boys would talk about the scene and lose all immersion but apart from a few comments about certain things they liked it was still a pretty tense environment. Especially when the scene became extremely suspenceful everyone was totally silent and still as Ben was before joined.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/lC03gVtXbgMYO Lachlan Reid loxyreid Lachlan Reid
Sat, 08 Sep 2012 21:52:00 -0700 231 Second Experiment http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-second-experiment http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-second-experiment

My second experiment was looking at how the environment can change someones experience when watching horror films.

My friend Johnny was happy to help out. I first made him watch a horror scene insided the house with all the lights off and curtains/doors closed. I then made him watch it outside in the sunshine with the wind blowing. I was hoping to discover that he found it harder to become immersed when he was outside.

Johnny said the following things after the experiment:

The dark setting of the scene mimicked his surroundings which helped make him feel like he was there as well. The suspense of the scene was accented by the darkness.

The sunshine and wind detracted from his experience and almost made it impossible to be immersed by the scene. He noticed that his mind occasionally wandered away from the film and that he always knew where he was. He felt more safer outside and less 'frightened' by the scenes.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/lC03gVtXbgMYO Lachlan Reid loxyreid Lachlan Reid
Sat, 08 Sep 2012 18:50:00 -0700 231 First Experiment http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-first-experiment http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-first-experiment

My first experiment was to see if I could incur a routine in a person watching a film.

I made Kenji watch a heavily action oriented scene from Flags of our Fathers by Clint Eastwood. This scene has a strong immersion associated with it. I paused the film every five seconds and he would then have to resume the film by unpausing it using the space bar. My motive was to see if he would recognize the pattern and naturally switch his attitude towards the film to accompany this constant change.

Kenji originally started to watch the film upright with his hands holding his head up. Over time as he quickly realised the film would be stopped every few seconds he moved his hand to be at the spacebar, allowing him to restart the film straight away to get a continuous flow.

Some keywords associated with his responce were as follows: annoying - frustrating - immersion was broken - repetitive - predictable - as soon as stopped tried to start again - just wanted to watch the movie. He quickly noticed the pattern and switch his stance and mind state to accompany this pattern. He was actively ready for the film to stop and was waiting in between to make sure he could quickly start it again.

 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/lC03gVtXbgMYO Lachlan Reid loxyreid Lachlan Reid
Sat, 08 Sep 2012 18:45:00 -0700 231 Ideas for experiments http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-ideas-for-experiments http://loxyreid.posterous.com/231-ideas-for-experiments

Here are my three experiment ideas for creating moods whilst watching horror films

 

1 - Change the environment the person is in. (Dark - Light, Inside to Outside, Daytime to Nighttime)

2 - Experiencing watching movies with and without friends.

3 - Continously having to start the film when it is paused every 5 seconds.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/lC03gVtXbgMYO Lachlan Reid loxyreid Lachlan Reid
Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:44:00 -0700 CCDN231 Activity 3 http://loxyreid.posterous.com/ccdn231-activity-3 http://loxyreid.posterous.com/ccdn231-activity-3

Tying a tie might be considered of little importance in the daily schedule but it holds within a series of unusual subtle experiences for the tier. Beginning with the light reflection of the shiny or plain matte texture the ties visual asthetic can influence the descision as to which tie to choose. When picking up the tie we can feel the weight, small but still present, and the effort needed to lift it. Smooth textures of the tie can remind us of past experiences with similar materials. We can notice how the tie smoothly glides around in our fingers with very little resistance. Once the tie is around our neck we can smell the fabric, or even faint traces of cologne from evenings past. Securing the tie around the neck immediatly tightens the collar it envelopes. Sharp folds in the collar can dig into the neck uncomfortably creating a discomfort which can be associated with the tie.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/lC03gVtXbgMYO Lachlan Reid loxyreid Lachlan Reid
Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:41:00 -0700 CCDN231 Activity 2 http://loxyreid.posterous.com/ccdn231-activity-2 http://loxyreid.posterous.com/ccdn231-activity-2

 Weight lifting is an everday activity that invokes numerous senses, whether we are aware of these or not. The temperature of the bar, usually mind numbingly cold, is the first thing we can feel as we go about this task. Tearing of the muscle fibers, perspiration oozing out of numerous glands in the body and strong painful patterns are imprinted into the hand of the user are usually miniscule in comparison to the immense force excerted on the body. Rumbling echoes of other weight lifters or your own weights thundering through the floor as they are dropped back down interupt concentration. Over the course of a 'session' the body weakens to a complete state of exhaustion. The body's internal temperature rises noticeably as the muscles begin to warm up. Dripping sweat can be tasted throughout the mouth whilst clenched teeth grind against eachother. One of the most noticeable senses is the tainted smell of blood, sweat and tears, to quote Winston Churchill.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/lC03gVtXbgMYO Lachlan Reid loxyreid Lachlan Reid
Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:36:00 -0700 CCDN231 Activity 1 http://loxyreid.posterous.com/ccdn231-activity-1 http://loxyreid.posterous.com/ccdn231-activity-1

Whilst watching a film or a television programme our bodies and minds can experience extraordinary things. Consistantly we are plunged into a new exciting world and are engulfed by audio-visual information. This concept of immersion is experienced when, whilst our attention is devoted to the film, the world around us disappears slowly until we are unaware of our own environment. Noises heard around us can go unnoticed and even changes in lighting/physical envioronment can slip by without realisation. The most unnatural feeling occurs as our mind snaps back into reality by the easiest of triggers, our eyes move away from the screen, a loud noise renders us aware or our vision is obstructed. It is not only audial and visual changes that go unnoticed. Sometimes our body position can change slowly over time without knowledge and new smells can enter or leave our attention. 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/lC03gVtXbgMYO Lachlan Reid loxyreid Lachlan Reid