Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Final Project






Binding Empathy Series –
A series of images that are of my husband and I superimposed together into individual photos. This concept was influenced by a car accident my husband Ricky was in about a year ago. He suffered a concussion and the left side of his face was torn by shards of glass from his driver’s side. As I cared for him at home I began to feel pain pressure on the left side of my face as well. This was the first time I had experienced any kind of physical empathy with someone.
In order to mesh still photography with a time-based format such as video my plan for my final goes as follows: 
Setting – (taken with still shots) Ricky and I are standing facing each other in front of a wall of white linen. The white linen symbolizes the fabric bandaging that was used for his injury, as a sort of backdrop to the setting. We are both wrapped in white linen, which further displays the injury that took place.
Motion - At this point neither of the left sides of our faces are directed toward the camera because at this point the accident has not happened. We face each other in front flashing projected imagery. We are viewed in a wide shot point of view (from ceiling to waist level). This action of the projected images over us represents the accident occurring. The whole reason for superimposing each other’s images on one another is to help further emphasize that we are close and very much connected, even in a psychic physical way.
As the projector covers us with these images the camera slowly gets closer and closer until the camera is a medium shot (from shoulders to head). As the camera comes in for the medium shot I turn around facing in the other direction from Ricky. Then I start to move back towards him and then he hugs me, holds me and then we are cheek to cheek. At this point in the medium shot both of the left side of our faces are facing the camera. Sound – As far as sound I plan to compose a score of light airy ambient music. This will resonate from the beginning of the first projected images and the point where the wax breaks from our faces. The reason for choosing a lighter soundscape is to keep the focus on imagery. 
This piece is approx. 3mins and 4 sec. in length.
-Cecilia Sewell-

1 comment:

Alshaibi - Gladney said...

Dear Cecilia,

Your project is so successful. The score is also very strong. There are many moments that I can't figure out where your "layer" stops and where his begins. I feel it is also about distance collapsing. It is about space and human vulnerability.

I particularly enjoy the scene as it pulls out (right before it states "we are not alone"...his face is coming to a realization, and the background image of an eye staring up, almost what looks like death. At the same time, you are making me aware of the fragility of life and the body, and the sort of eternal strength of human relationships, in this case, love.

Excellent work!

Sama