by Markus Weber -

Procedural Narratives in Video Games

Procedural Narratives ist eine Designtechnik, in der die Erzählung einer Geschichte aus vielen Bereichen besteht, welche in beliebiger Reihenfolge erkundet, erlebt und interpretiert werden kann. Eine sehr gute Anwendbarkeit dieses Prinzips findet sich vor allem in der Videospielbranche wieder, da die permanente Interaktivität des Spielers ein Grundbaustein für ein immer einzigartiges Storytelling sein kann.

Die Definition von Procedural Storytelling darf und kann jedoch nicht mit anderen prozeduralen Vorgängen, beispielsweise dem Procedural Modelling, verglichen werden. Diese sowie viele weitere Gebiete der automatisch generierten Erstellung von Content spezialisiert sich ausschließlich auf die visuelle Umsetzung digitaler Produkte. Ziel dieser Vorgänge ist es, manuelle Handarbeit zu minimieren und durch Algorythmen zeitintensive Vorgänge in möglichst kurzer Zeit in die Tat umzusetzen, während die Qualität nicht darunter leidet. Das Procedural Storytelling beschäftigt sich keinerlei mit visuellem Content, sondern ergibt sich hierbei aus dem Produkt des spielerischen Inputs und die vom Designer vorgegebenen Ressourcen. Welche Kommunikationsart das Spiel verwendet um ihre Geschichte zu erzählen, ist absolut gleichgültig und tut hier nichts zur Sache, denn die entscheidende Rolle in Procedural Storytelling ist das Verhalten des Spielers selbst – nicht die Erzähltechnik. Er entwickelt durch seine Entscheidungen den Verlauf der Geschichte und passt ihn ganz personalisiert nach seinen eigenen Vorstellungen an, sofern das Leveldesign diese Art von Gameplay zulässt. Je weiter dieses Konzept in ein Spiel implementiert wurde, desto “freier” fühlt sich der Spieler, wenn es um persönliche Entscheidungen und die Verantwortung für den weiteren Verlauf der Geschichte innerhalb des Spiels geht.

Frühere Videospiele verwendeten dieses Prinzip um ein einzigartiges Gameplay im Spiel zu erstellen. Auf diese Art und Weise ist es beispielsweise den Entwicklern von Pac-Man gelungen, jede einzelne Runde abwechslungsreich zu gestalten, da jede Runde unterschiedlich gespielt wird und dem Spieler vor neuen Herausforderungen stellt. Das Prinzip von Procedural Narratives und deren Funktionsweise in Videospielen lässt sich mithilfe des einfachen Spielprinzips von Pac-Man sehr einfach erklären.

Pac-Man bzw. der Spieler hat ein Ziel – jedoch hat er unzählige Möglichkeiten, dieses zu erreichen, da viele tausende Wege existieren, die alle zum gewünschten Ziel führen.

Während dem Spieler eine „volle Kontrolle“ der derzeitigen Situation jedoch nur vorgespielt wird, ist der Start- und Zielpunkt vordefiniert und bleibt bis zum Ende hin unverändert. Welche Aktionen der Spieler jedoch zwischen diesen beiden Komponenten tätigt, steht ihm frei zur Auswahl. Weiters ist das Navigieren innerhalb des Labyrinths aufgrund einer eingegrenzten Fläche beschränkt. Natürlich ist der Person diese Tatsache bewusst, doch wird dies mit diversen Aufgaben, die der Spieler zu absolvieren hat, meist in den Hintergrund gerückt.

Profit: Nicht nur das Spiel ist ein einzigartiges Stück Software – es unterscheidet sich ebenfalls jeder einzelne Durchgang und fördert somit die Langlebigkeit eines Spiels enorm.

(Following content is WORK IN PROGRESS)

Overview of Three Techniques for Procedural Storytelling:

Simulation:
Bei diesem Ansatz lassen wir Charaktere nach bestimmten internen Regeln entwickeln, und Sie lassen zu, dass die Geschichte im Laufe der Zeit autonom entsteht. Sie platzieren eine Reihe von Zeichen in einem geschlossenen Raum und sehen, wie sie reagieren.

You can just run the simulation and see the story unravel under your eyes. In fact, another drawback is that you have no control over the story. Moreover, most of the stories are not enjoyable (as in life: not everyone’s life is worth a book or a movie). Therefore, the player needs to search for and reconstruct interesting stories actively. Like an archeologist. On the other hand, some people love this extra work.

Storytelling via Planning: (…)

Procedural Storytelling via Context Free Grammar: (…)

Quellen:

cubicleninjas (2021): Procedural Storytelling And Its Future In Marketing. In: https://cubicleninjas.com/procedural-storytelling-and-its-future-in-marketing/ (zuletzt aufgerufen am 10.05.2021)

Aversa, Davide (16.03.2020): Overview of Three Techniques for Procedural Storytelling. In: https://www.davideaversa.it/blog/overview-procedural-storytelling/ (zuletzt aufgerufen am 10.05.2021)

Mcrae, Edwin (2021): Procedural Narrative: The Future of Video Games. In: https://www.edmcrae.com/article/procedural-narrative (zuletzt aufgerufen am 10.05.2021)

by Eva Jobst -

Design Activism – Protest Art

In 2020, an analysis of Shutterstock search data showed the importance of protest art. Topics like inequality, environmentalism or Black Lives Matter were search terms which show that there is a need for images that both represent and inspire change. When you look at the action of protest itself – walking on the streets and raising your voice – protest art is a powerful tool to underscore and accompany the protest itself.

But what is protest art?

Protest art has the aim to promote activism and inspire social and political change. Therefore, it refers to a wide range of visual media and can be split in three categories, which influence each other: 

  • Art produced for demonstrations, such as posters, billboards, costumes, and performance art.
  • Campaign art created by groups looking to raise awareness of a particular issue, and circulated in print or online. 
  • Artworks created by protest artists, which are displayed in galleries, online, or in the outside world.

Protest art aims to evoke both shock and empathy in relation to issues that need attention. Basic design rules and carefully chosen words are used for this purpose. In today’s world, where protests, marches and demonstrations are almost the order of the day, also the role of protest art is getting bigger and more important. 

Yet protest art is not an invention of the 21st century. It is just as much a part of human history as great discoveries, wars and inventions.

The history of protest art

The invention of the printing press was also at the same time the gateway to a world in which the mass distribution of art and literature was suddenly possible. Protest art was not exempt from this. The technology, which made it possible to reproduce prints by using repeatable, machine-accurate letters and images, also made visual design possible as we know it today. And through the freedom of visual design, ideas could spread without gatekeepers.

The invention of the printing press in 1455 also made it instantly easier for citizens to protest. They no longer had to rely purely on word of mouth and were able to mass disseminate their philosophies and ideas, which also turned against the church and the government, in a summarized, concise form.

The first result of the printing press, The Gutenberg Bible, changed how humanity communicated. (Photo credit: imageBROKER/Shutterstock.)

Gutenberg’s printing press thus enabled entirely new avenues for protest through text. Art has always been used to supplement this text, but the early 20th century in particular is considered the time when visual art began to challenge the status quo. For example, Pablo Picasso led the reconstruction through Cubism, which in turn inspired the Bauhaus – who resisted the Nazis. This deconstruction, coupled with the ability to reproduce and share design, led directly to what we know as modern graphic design. The spirit of artistic protest was evident in the desire to deconstruct systems of oppression through modern, visual communication.

Protest art today

When it comes to protest art in today’s world, on the one hand you have a lot more reach through social media and can take your message around the world in no time, on the other hand it is increasingly important for protest groups – as well as companies – to stand out from the information overload and the multitude of visual signs. Protest art is no longer about the message alone, it’s about a unique brand identity. Logos, typography, and color schemes are just as important as they are in corporate identities for commercial companies. While the concept of branding might seem in contradiction with the anti-commercial nature of protest groups, the increasing visibility of and competition between groups online means that visual identities have quickly become a common feature of protest organizations.

Visual identity of Black Lives Matter Movement

For example, if you look at Black Lives Matter: it is a protest movement which has experimented with creating a visual identity. They have a logo (wordmark), color palette (black and yellow) and even typography. An independent design agency created it and the designers used a simple layout and a freely accessibly font, so the logo can easily be recreated – digitally and by hand. This is important for protest movements like Black Lives Matter as it makes it much easier to support the movement and spread the word. 

Links:

www.shutterstock.com/blog/trends/2020-creative-trends
www.shillingtoneducation.com/blog/activism-design/
www.shutterstock.com/blog/designing-for-change-protest-art-now
www.wired.com/2014/07/11-classic-examples-of-design-for-political-protest/
www.designweek.co.uk/issues/14-20-october-2019/protest-by-design/
www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/history-of-raised-fist-global-symbol-fighting-oppression

by Sabine Probst -

What is a documentary-film?

“The first use of the term in relation to film is generally attributed to British filmmaker John Grierson, who defined documentary as “the creative treatment of actuality” (Kerrigan and McIntyre,111). This definition attempts to reconcile the subject matter of a film — something that exists in the real world, as distinguished from fiction, wherein characters and settings are the product of a screenwriter’s imagination — and the vision of a filmmaker, whose art demands the creative interpretation of reality through the filter of a personal, subjective point of view, and whose craft requires innumerable technical decisions in the creative employment of the film medium and its production processes.”

“The cinema is an art form that requires conscious selective aesthetics judgments, but this fact shouldn’t erase the distinction between programs that depict avowedly fictional stories and those that address real-world topics without relying on the artifice of studio sets and actors’ performances. Documentary film thus enjoys a privileged status as a mediated representation of reality compared to fiction films. This distinction is not lost on viewers, who approach documentaries with a different frame of mind compared to fiction. Documentaries represent what Weik von Mosser (“Emotions,” 2014) calls “discourse of consequence,” meaning that viewers expect documentaries to potentially convey a message or have an impact on their actual lives, or at least on their understanding of the real world. This expectation is not diminished even though documentaries may evoke emotional responses in addition to presenting factual information.”

“The nature of a film’s reception depends to a great extent upon the expectations, knowledge, and values of its viewers. So a filmmaker frames her approaches to a topic based on the audience’s anticipated knowledge of and predisposition toward her topic.”

“The basic aesthetic elements of cinema may be summarised as visual composition, lighting, movement, color, direction of action, editing, sound (dialogue, sound effects, and music), and special effects. These elements of film craft may represent aspects of actual subjects in the real world, but they may also embody subjective perspective communicated by the filmmaker. For example, the angle of a shot may make a subject appear more powerful; a long take may convey a deeper sense of continuous reality than a series of quick cuts; and jux-tapositions of shots through editing may imply new associations and meanings through the comparison or contrast of images. Sound effects recorded in post production may add realism and emotional resonance to footage shot in the field without sync sound. Adding a musical soundtrack may lend an emotional tenor to a scene, reinforcing the message of the imagery. Even in direct cinema—the most pure mode of documentary style, which often relies on long takes and neutral camera angles—the filmmaker still makes decisions about where to put the camera, when to move it, and when to make the cut. There is no avoiding the conclusion that, as an art form, cinema molds its own reality as much as it presents that of the world.”

„Many documentaries engage in persuasive argument, desiring to convince the audience to adopt a particular point of view toward the subject matter. Toward this end, filmmakers employ age-old strategies of rhetorical argument to engage and persuade their audience. Following Aristotle, documentarians employ three primary rhetorical styles: (1) Logos—the use of factual evidence and reasoning—through logical argument, empirical visual representation (e.g. photographs or original footage), and statistical evidence (e.g., charts and graphs) to embody or clarify ideas; (2) Ethos—the reliance on authority, expertise, and ethical stature, established through testimony from recognized experts or those who speak from personal experience; and (3) Pathos—the appeal to values and emotions, often through cultivating an identification with sympathetic subjects, or feelings of anger toward their antagonist.“ 

„Documentary films certainly qualify as forms of communication or „speech“, but it is crucial to respect the difference by which a viewer receives an audio-visual presentation, in contrast to a written or spoken address. Speeches based on factual evidence or appeals to authority are primary left-brain, analytical activities. The listener weighs the evidence and reaches a conclusion, similar to the process in a jury trail. However, an image is „worth a thousand words“; it may appear to offer the strongest evidence of a state of affairs, as well as convey an emotional feeling, thus involving both analytical and intuitive mental faculties. For example, the juxtaposition of two images may establish an implicit link between them that creates a sort of „visual logic.“ The combination of an image and a musical theme may engage one‘s logical and emotional faculties simultaneously. The skilfulness of a persuasive documentarian often rests in his ability to weave these rhetorical threads together seamlessly.“

(The environmental documentary, Bloomsbury Publishing Inc, USA, 2017, John A. Duvall) 

by Julian Reidl -

Going Back West, Pt. 8

News of the World

In diesem Eintrag soll es um einen Western-Film gehen, der erst letztes Jahr vorgestellt wurde. Im Dezember 2020 wurde „News of the World“ offiziell veröffentlicht, und rund zwei Monate später auch auf Netflix gezeigt. In der Hauptrolle findet sich Tom Hanks, der in der Geschichte einen besonderen Beruf ausübt, und (wie so oft) mit den Widrigkeiten der damaligen Zeit umgehen muss. Der Film spielt im Jahr 1870, wo der Protagonist von Stadt zu Stadt reist, um den dort Ansässigen aus spärlich verfügbaren Tageszeitungen vorzulesen und über das Geschehen der Welt zu informieren. Dafür verlangt er eine kleine Gebühr, um seine Kosten irgendwie finanzieren zu können. Er lebt ein einfaches Leben, allerdings erfüllt ihn seine Arbeit. Als er sich auf den Weg in eine neue Stadt macht, stößt er auf ein kleines Mädchen in indigener Kleidung, das ausgesetzt worden zu sein scheint. Er nimmt es auf, um es schließlich der Armee zu übergeben, da er nicht weiß, was er mit ihr tun soll. Die Herrschaften der Armee aber machen eine Verwandtschaft zu einer Familie aus, die sich rund 400 Meilen entfernt von ihnen befindet. Was also tun? Wofür entscheidet sich „Jefferson Kyle Kidd“ (so der Name des Protagonisten)? Er entscheidet sich für die Rückführung des Kindes und macht sich auf den Weg.

Abb. 1 – Die Geschichte nimmt ihren Lauf.

Eine lange Reise

Schon bevor sie sich auf den Weg machen, gibt es einige Probleme. Das Mädchen mit Namen „Johanna Leonberger“ spricht kein Englisch und versucht immer wieder vom Protagonisten wegzulaufen. Drei Soldaten versuchen sie etwas später abzukaufen, und als Kidd ablehnt bedrohen sie ihn. Auf der Reise werden sie von den drei Männern gejagt, die aber durch Geschick und einer Portion Glück abgehalten werden, sie umzubringen. Mit jedem Tag den sie gemeinsam verbringen (müssen), verstehen sie sich besser und werden so etwas wie Freunde. Als sie nach weiteren Strapazen und anderen Ereignissen dann schließlich bei der Familie ankommen, wissen die auch nicht so Recht was sie mit Johanna anfangen sollen. Der Protagonist lässt sie dort, mit einem schlechten Gewissen. Er besucht San Antonio – seine alte Heimat – wo auch das Grab seiner Frau liegt, die vor einigen Jahren verstorben ist. Nach Gedanken wie es um ihn und seine Familie steht, die es nicht mehr gibt, macht er sich auf den Weg zu Johanna. Er findet sie angekettet vor dem Haus der Familie. Der Grund – sie will nicht arbeiten und läuft immer wieder davon. Schließlich einigt er sich mit der Familie Johanna wieder in seine Obhut zu nehmen. Das Mädchen akzeptiert, und auch die Entschuldigung, die er ihr vorträgt.

Abb. 2 – Der Protagonist und Johanna.

Die adoptierte Tochter

Der Film schließt mit einer Szene, in der Johanna dem Protagonisten hilft, als er die Geschichten aus den Zeitungen vorträgt. Sie wurde von ihm adoptiert (sie trägt seinen Nachnamen) und beide sind glücklich darüber. Ein schönes Ende – und ein doch recht klassischer Western. Obwohl die Geschichte alles andere als klassisch ist, sind die Motive und Elemente typisch und stark vertreten. Es kommt vieles vor, über das wir schon gesprochen haben. Der Einzelgänger als Protagonist, der sich mit Land, Leuten und Natur herumschlagen muss, das feindlich gestimmte Umfeld, prekäre Situationen und eine Reise, die die Charaktere so schnell nicht vergessen. Auch Sklaverei, Schusswechsel und der Tod als Thematik werden selbstverständlich aufgegriffen. Themen der damaligen Zeit, wie etwa das Aufkommen der Zeitungen, dienen als schöne Rahmenhandlung. Auch die Landschaft wird in einem starken Licht eingefangen, was einen für den Western typischen Kontrast mit den Geschehnissen schafft. Alles in allem handelt es sich bei „News of the World“ um einen durchaus erfrischenden, sehenswerten Western-Film, der vieles aufgreift und doch seinen eigenen Zugang zur Materie findet.

Quellen

  1. Paul Greengrass; „News of the World“ (2020)
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/feb/05/news-of-the-world-review-tom-hanks-rides-straight-down-the-middle
by Esma Kurbegovic -

Leadership Lessons from Musicians

Nowadays, some of the world’s biggest ‘influencers” are musicians. But how exactly did that happen? It does have something to do with the quality and mainstream appeal of the music, but there is a lot that happens behind the scene in order for a musician to become successful and influential. Believe it or not, many of the principles in the music industry are actually very useful common business and leadership practices. In this article, I go over some of the most impactful leadership lessons (in my own opinion) from musicians.

Leadership begins with a vision/dream

Many big pop stars describe how at the beginning of their career, they would dream or visualise themselves playing in huge venues. In 2010, Lady Gaga tweeted a photo of herself standing in front of the marquee at Madison Square Garden. Later that night, she explained how she would dream that one day her name would be in lights at the venue. She used this to form her vision of the future and share it with her team so that they would always push her to reach that goal. In order to be a good leader, one must have a clear vision of what they want to be or to achieve in the future.

You Need Support

Obviously, musicians can’t have a successful career without the support of numerous fans. musician Amanda Palmer challenged others into shifting the paradigm on how we ask for support: “I think people have been obsessed with the wrong question, which is, ‘How do we make people pay for music?’ What if we started asking, ‘How do we let people pay for music?’”

Amanda talking about her crowdfunding campaign, asking fans for help and success.

Just as musicians are building a support network, so should anyone who wants to be a leader. Find your support network, offer them great value for their support and really show that you care about them. Recognise that big dreams require big teams.

Leaders should learn “informed improvisation.”

Everyone just assumes that improvisation in music performances is purely unprepared material without the foresight of how the performance would go. That is not completely true. In order for a musician to be successful at improvisation and dazzle the crowd, one must have a lot of knowledge on the given subject, in order to be able to recognise and foresee possible musical resolutions of the progressions played during an improvisation. When a musician is capable of anticipating notes/sounds, they can take informed risks during improvisation.

There is a lot of talk about leaders needing to take risks and big steps. While that is certainly true, leaders also need to be prepared to make their own “giant steps.” Leaders should study market conditions and forecasting to make better informed decisions.

Leaders make others look good

A lot of big musicians help out new, young talent to swim out to the top, either by mentoring, coaching, or collaborations. True musical leaders help others become better at what they do. That also pertains to on-stage support for artists- Michael Jackson used to oversee and help his crew make the best performance possible.

Leaders should be adept at providing support to make others on their team shine. They listen to their team, take feedback and use that to make the team better.

Leaders understand self-discipline

Stereotypically, most people believe that touring musicians live a very “off the rails” life, party all the time and drink/do drugs. However, when one is touring for weeks, or even months, discipline is absolutely necessary in order to finish the tour and not fall ill during or even die. Simon Tam explains that he and his band have a signed internal agreement about staying sober during performances, as well as keeping up with practicing, equipment maintenance and a schedule that leaves enough room for sleep/recovery. Why is this is necessary? Their usual tours require 4-6 hours of driving every day, 1-2 hour of media/press and then performing until 2 a.m. every night. If they had partied and disregarded their schedule, they simply wouldn’t be able to finish the tour.

A leader should have high expectations for their team and themselves. Just like musicians, they should maintain their skills, develop time for rest, and make decisions for a sustainable career. 

Last year, a study confirmed that trees never stop growing. Year after year, they continue to add new rings. In fact, older trees keep growing at a faster rate. The day that a tree stops growing is the day that it dies. 

For those of us in the music industry, there are always opportunities to learn, collaborate, and grow. Leaders have similar opportunities for development. Leaders are learners. But whether a tree, a musician, or a leader, there’s one universal axiom: never stop growing.

Sources:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/5-powerful-leadership-lessons-from-musicians_b_6810216

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2020/05/11/lessons-of-note-what-music-has-taught-me-about-leadership/
by Katrin Weißler -

Rhythm in Film | 2

Overview Part 2:

5. Visual Rhythm

6. Picture + Sound

7. Advantages of Film Rhythm

************************************************************************

5. VISUAL RHYTHM

Visual rhythm is expressed in different ways.

First of all, visual rhythm is shaped by the “complex orchestration of the mise-en-scène – its composition, lighting and movement”[1] and second of all it is composed in the editing room.

The construction of an image consists of “symmetry, balance, repetition, opposition – all patterns that occupy, entertain, and intrigue the eye”.[2]

Rhythm is bound to MOVEMENT.[3] Rhythmic dynamics are reached by “movement within a shot[4], movement of the camera, movement of editing and the general feeling of temporality”[5]. Focusing on one frame “movement of our eyes”[6] is needed to perceive every detail “because visual stimuli occur in succession”.

The editor decides the length of each frame, cutting on sound rhythms, on movement and taking into account the content of each frame. A wide angle with lots of small details normally needs more screentime to see the whole surrounding whereas a detailshot already sums up the most important massage concentrated on one detail.  

“Each image tells its own story and must therefore be considered individually. One image will convey all its meaning in a short space of time, another will take longer: this must be taken into account if the increased rate of cutting is not to lead to obscurity.”[7]

The image itself inheres the “intensity of a frame’s content and the duration of its visual units”.[8]

“Rhythm [in film] has more to do with relationships of intensity [than duration] – but relationships of intensity contained within relationships of duration … The intensity of a shot depends on the amount of movement (physical, dramatic or psychological) contained in it and on the length of time it lasts.” Danijela Kulezic-Wilson, p.39 referring to Jean Mitry (2000, p. 222)

The rhythmic montage is not only a “powerful sensual experience” but also “contributes to our deeper understanding of film”[9].

6. PICTURE + SOUND

Film rhythm never works only visually or aural but as a combination.

Rhythm is not only successful through “the synchronization of the movement of music and the movement generated by elements of the visual composition”[10] but also independent storytelling of both features that “changes the perception of visual movement by adding sonic rhythm and a sense of continuity to it”.[11]

Describing the sound of the robbery scene of Odd Man Out, Karel Reisz depicts a “sound-picture counterpoint”: The group of men hurrying up during their robbery is accompanied by “casual rhythmic beat of mill machinery slows down the pace of the scene to convey something of their state of mind. ”[12] This reduction of tempo in the audio layer emphasises the rushing time and the “working ’against time’”.[13] This “sound-picture counterpoint” plays with information within the visual and the aural level. The audience should perceive these two layers combined without realizing the contrast.[14] In Film as an audio-visual medium “both components are responsible for its intensity”[15] Of the content.

7. ADVANTAGES OF FILM RHYTHM

There are lots of reasons why to include rhythm in film. The first advantage is that “Strong rhythmic components onscreen help us maintain concentration and remember what we saw”.[16]

“Musical perception tests have demonstrated that rhythmical grouping can help one to remember as many small groups as one can individual objects without grouping. Also, if individual sounds are grouped hierarchically in measures, phrases, periods and movements, the ability to grasp larger and larger units increases (Seashore, 1967).”[17]

Rhythm functions the same way how we perceive information, always in titbits. The provided structure helps our brain to understand the complexity in steps and focus the attention.[18]

“Thus, it seems plausible that if the principles of periodicity and grouping are applied to a large-scale form in either music or film, the ability to comprehend the structural relationships of that form will certainly be increased. Rhythms of patterns, changes and repetitions, tension and relaxation, anticipation and expectation in an art form do not always have to be perceived and recognized consciously, as long as one responds to their pulsation.” [19]

Moreover, repetitions[20], motifs and symbols help us remembering and making connections.

In the film In the mood for love by Wong Kar-wai repetitions play an important part. The passing time is shown by lots of different shots of the two protagonists and neighbours Mr Chow (Tony Leung) and Mrs Lizhen Chan (Maggie Cheung) going up and down the stairs to a tiny noodle shop to get their ready-made dinner with varying weather conditions. [21]

[1] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p. 43

[2] Rabiger, Hermann, 2020, p.87

[3] Vgl. Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.37

[4] Vgl. Reisz 2010, 205

[5] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p42

[6] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015 p42

[7] Reisz, 2010, p.202

[8] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.39

[9] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.47

[10] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.85

[11] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.86

[12] Reisz, Karel; Millar, Garvin: The Technique of Film Editing, 2nd edition, Burlington, USA; Oxford, UK: Focal Press, 2010, 226.

[13] Reisz, 2010,  226.

[14] Vgl. Reisz, 2010, 226.

[15] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.39

[16] Rabiger, Hermann 2020: p.87

[17] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.53f.

[18] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.54.

[19] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.54.

[20] Vgl. Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.57f.

[21] Vgl. Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.64

by Katrin Weißler -

Rhythm in Film | 1

Overview:

  1. Definition
  2. Human Rhythm
  3. Aural Rhythm
  4. Time

********************************************************************

Film is essentially musical, like any temporal art form. It’s all about incremental progressive effect of all the events that make up the flow.[1] – Sheila Curran Bernard

  1. DEFINITION

CAMBRIDGE DICTIONARY[2]

rhythm

a regularly repeated pattern of sounds or beats used in music, poems, and dances

Rhythm is also a regular movement

Rhythm is also a regular pattern of change

COLLINS DICTIONARY[3]  

Rhythm (rɪðəm )

1. A rhythm is a regular series of sounds or movements.

2. A rhythm is a regular pattern of changes, for example changes in your body, in the seasons, or in the tides.

Thinking of rhythm, rhythm in music is what first comes in our mind. Maybe you think of a drummer playing a beat… But rhythm can be found in many different forms. From the definitions we already know that rhythm provides structures through patterns, are variable and changing and it is connected to movement and us as humans.

2. HUMAN RHYTHM

Where do we find rhythm in ourselves? If we are very quiet, we can hear our heartbeat. It can be slow when we are relaxed and fast when we are excited, but it is a constant faster pulse. Our body is rhythmic. Let us concentrate on our breath – breathing in and breathing out. This is a ongoing pattern. Moreover, there is rhythm in our voices, varying from person to person and to different situations. [4] Through rhythm we communicate sub messages.[5] A straight reaction implicates certainty. A long pause before answering implies doubt or scepticism. In nature rhythm demonstrates in the “succession of day and night, lunar influences, the change of seasons”[6].

In film different rhythmic elements evoke suspense, build a structure, support understanding and create an experience. Visually as well as aurally a film works with repetitions, patterns, accents, pauses, tempo, time and pulses.

3. AURAL RHYTHM/ SONOROUS RHYTHM

Film music evokes emotions, and the tempo purports the speed and perception of time passing. Atmospheric sounds and noises of the surroundings help to immerse in a film. The ringing of church bells or an alarm bell, barking of dogs, or the monotonous ton of rain, all small audio details play their own role.

Jacob Bricca explains for example how he included a sound of typing:

“I used the same strategy in my film Finding Tatanka, taking scans of typewritten letters and notes from my father and turning them into living, breathing documents via Jonathan Swartz’s animation. This gave us license to add rhythm to the typing (spurting out particular sentences and phrases together while pausing elsewhere for effect) and to make the audience feel as if they were present for the moment of its creation.”[7]

Through the power of editing rhythm gets “reinforced” so objects which “tend to have no inherent rhythm of their own” are given a “desired tempo and rhythm of presentation”.[8] Karel Reisz names as an example a scene from Merchant Seamen where a calm ocean through rhythmic beat suddenly is “placed in a sequence of great speed and excitement”.[9]

Danijela Kulezic-Wilson regains the Principles of Gestalt Principle within rhythm as both use a repetition and grouping. [10] In music there is a “repetition of aural stimuli“ processed with similarity and proximity.

“.. grouping on all architectonic levels is a product of similarity and difference, proximity and separation of the sounds perceived by the senses and organized by the mind …In general, sounds or groups of sounds which are similar (in timbre, volume, etc.) and near to each other (in time, pitch, etc.) form strongly unified rhythmic patterns. Difference and distance between sounds or groups of sounds tend to separate rhythmic patterns. However, though similarity tends to create cohesion, repetition usually makes for the separation of groups.”

The aural rhythm has a huge impact on the perception of the audience as audio signals are perceived much faster. In comparison to visual cutted patterns, music pervades the spectator even faster. As Widgery says that “music rhythm, ‘particularly that with a steady pulse, arguably has a more immediate and visceral kinetic impact than the rhythm of cutting itself’”.[11]

But how do we perceive rhythm in music?

“The process of organizing separate sounds mentally into structural patterns is influenced by various aspects of music which, as well as duration, also include pitch, intensity, timbre, texture and harmony, although rarely at the same time.”[12]

4. TIME

Rhythm provides the spectator with a “sense of temporality”[13]. Jean Mitry compares silent films to sound film and realizes that “a real feeling of duration, of time passing” is only provided by “rhythmic beat to enable the audience to measure internally the psychological time of the drama, relating it to the basic sensation of real time”. [14]

The beat helps the audience to be in the same time experience as the character within the film. Rhythm allows to stick to a measurement of time within a film: “The time experienced by the characters in the drama, the relationship in time between shots or sequences, may be perfectly well recognized -but it is understood, not experienced”.[15]

[1] Bernard, Sheila Curran: Documentary Storytelling. Creative Nonfiction on Screen, 3rd edition,Burlington, USA, Oxford, UK: Focal Press, 2011, p.260

[2] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/de/worterbuch/englisch/rhythm [02.05.2021]

[3] https://www.collinsdictionary.com/de/worterbuch/englisch/rhythm [02.05.2021]

[4] Vgl. Kulezic-Wilson, Danijela: The Musicality of Narrative Film, Hampshire, England: Palgrave Studies in Audio-Visual Culture, 2015, p.37

[5] Rabiger, Michael; Hermann, Courtney: Directing The Documentary, 7th edition, Oxon, New York: Routlege, 2020, p. 87

[6] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.37

[7] Bricca, Jacob: Documentary Editing. Principles & Practice, New York: Routledge, 2018,p. 156

[8] Reisz, 2010,136

[9] Reisz, 2010,136

[10] Vgl. Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p.41

[11] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p42 refering to : Widgery, C. J. (1990) ‘The Kinetic and Temporal Interaction of Music and Film: Three Documentaries of 1930’s America’, unpublished Ph.D. diss. (University of Maryland College Park, UMI order no. 9121449).

[12] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p. 42 refering to Mitry, Jean (2000) Semiotics and the Analysis of Film, trans. C. King (London: Athlone Press), p.143   

[13] Kulezic-Wilson, 2015, p. 39

[14] Mitry, Jean (1997) The Aesthetics and Psychology of the Cinema, trans. C. King (Bloomington: Indiana University Press), p.248

[15] Mitry, 1997, p.248

by Florian Schmidt -

Projectionmapping als Erweiterung des Raumes

Projektionsmapping (PM) ist eine relativ junge Form der Lichtkunst, die mithilfe von computergenerierten Grafiken und Animationen die Wahrnehmung unserer physikalischen Umwelt manipuliert. Meist werden PM-Projekte bzw.-Installationen von einem großen Publikum betrachtet und sind in ihrer immersiven, sowie illusorischen Wirkung stark vom Betrachtungswinkel der anwesenden Personen abhängig. Vor allem dann, wenn die Projektion nicht nur aus zweidimensionalen Inhalten besteht sondern auch dreidimensionale Illusionen erschaffen werden.

Anders als bei klassischen Projektionen werden bei PM alle erdenklichen Oberflächen als Projektionsfläche genutzt. Denn die Erschaffung von (dreidimensionalen) Illusionen, starker Immersion und gleichzeitiges Einbinden des Trägermediums durch kombinieren von audio-visuellen Inhalten, stellt die Schöpfer von PM-Projekten vor große Herausforderungen. Durch den Fortschritt und die (relativ) kostengünstige Verfügbarkeit der dafür benötigten Technologien, ergeben sich immer innovativere Anwendungsmöglichkeiten von PM. Die meisten PM-Installationen finden ihren Anwendungsbereich in Fashion-Shows, Unternehmensveranstaltungen, auf Konzerten und Musik-Festivals, bei Theateraufführungen und als Klassiker auf Architektur in öffentlichen Räumen – aber auch in der Medienkunstszene, abseits von kommerziellen Anwendungsgebieten.

Eine PM-Installation der Superlative kreierten die ungarischen Künstler von Limelight mit Unterstützung durch Global Illumination. Das Projekt Interconnection entstand 2016 im Rahmen des jährlich stattfindenden iMapp in Bukarest, Rumänien, und hat international für Aufsehen gesorgt.

Quellen:

Paddy Baker. Limelight wins awards for projection mapping Romanian Parliament https://www.installation-international.com/technology/limelight-wins-awards-for-projection-mapping-romanian-parliament-video

A VIDEO PROJECTION MAPPING CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
AND APPLICATION: YEKPARE. 2011. http://dergipark.ulakbim.gov.tr/t
ojdac/article/view/5000047052/5000044345

The Illustrated History of Projection Mapping

https://www.barco.com/de/solutions/projection-mapping

by Eva Jobst -

Design Activism – Protests and famous symbols for activism

In design activism, the designer seeks to effect change on a critical issue. Even when you go on the streets to protest, you stand up for something to change the world a little bit for the better. You are part of a movement, that has the aim to shape social and political processes. 

A powerful tool in protest is art. It is used to make change happen. From hand-drawn posters to large-scale art installments, everything is used for protest art to draw even more attention to a topic. Especially in 2020, Protest Art was developing as a stand-out visual trend for 2020. From an ongoing global pandemic to a mounting demand for social justice, the stories of 2020 have been illustrated along the way with art that helps us understand — and calls for — momentous changes. But integrating art into protest is not a 2020 invention. Powerful symbols, posters with often very reduced designs and effective messages implemented in artistic form have long been part of protest.

Following I would like to present three amazing, well-known and strong symbols for activism and protest: 

The Raised Fist

https://www.shillingtoneducation.com/blog/activism-design/

The Raised Fist is a symbol of solidarity and one of the most widely used graphic symbols in the world. It was first used by as the logo of the Industrial Workers of the World in 1917. In the Spanish Civil War, the symbol was popularized by the Republicans and has been copied by many different organisations and campaigns ever since. It has been used by Irish Republicans, Feminists and during the May ’68 uprisings in France. Probably the best known use of the Raised Fist is the Black Fist. It represents Black Nationalism or Socialism and was used widely by the Black Panther Party in 1960s’ USA. It is a global symbol of fighting oppression and it has a strong history. From1936, where a Parisian crowd demonstrates its support for the Popular Front, a coalition of socialists, communists, and other anti-fascist organizations, over members of the anti-Nazi Red Front Fighters, who gave the clenched fist salute in 1928 to black lives matter protest – there are a lot of examples for protest including the symbol of the raised fist. 

The history of The Raised Fist

The Smiling Sun

https://www.shillingtoneducation.com/blog/activism-design/

The Smiling Sun is a globally recognised symbol of the Anti-Nuclear movement. Today it is most known in the slogan as “Nuclear Power? No Thanks” but it was actually originally Danish: “Atomkraft? Nej Tak”. In fact, the symbol was originally a badge designed by 21 year old Danish activist Anne Lund. Lund belonged to the organisation OOA (In English: Organisation for Information on Nuclear Power).

The special thing about the icon is that it is non-confrontational. It’s friendly appearance combined with its polite but firm questioning calls for communication by dialogue. This badge has been produced in 45 different regional and national languages. Over 20 million have been produced and distributed worldwide.

The Peace Symbol 

https://www.shillingtoneducation.com/blog/activism-design/

The Peace symbol can be definitely seen as one of the most famous symbols worldwide. It was designed by British designer Gerald Holtom as a logo for Nuclear Disarmament. Soon after its release in 1958 it became the official logo for the British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). It was first used in the march to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston, England. Holtom began with Nuclear Disarmament, ND for short, and then took the semaphore signals for those two letters. He combined the symbols, added a ring, and ended up with one of the most well-known icons of our time.

The logo was never copyrighted and in the decade after its introduction became the general purpose peace symbol we know it as today.

by Julian Reidl -

Going Back West, Pt. 7

Kleidung im Western

Nicht nur bei John Ford und in den von ihm geschaffenen Werken, auch beim Western im Allgemeinen spielt Kleidung eine besondere Rolle. Wie in den vorherigen Einträgen schon näher erläutert, besticht der Western unter anderem durch eine immer gleiche Symbolik, analog gezeichnete Helden und typische Merkmale. Das zeigt sich auch in der Kleidung der Charaktere, die in der Regel prominent zu sehen ist und immer wieder auch selbst Teil vieler Geschichten wird. Nach kurzer Überlegung kommen einem eine Vielzahl an unterschiedlichen Kleidungstücken und Accessoires in den Sinn, die sich auf der Leinwand wiederfinden. Da wären etwa der Hut, die Stiefel, der Holster (bzw. Gürtel), auch Mantel, Handschuhe oder Hemden (aus Leinen) sind nicht selten zu sehen. Als Material spielt allerdings Leder die vordergründige Rolle – vor allem für Stiefel und Holster – da es als widerstandsfähig gilt, was besonders für die dargestellten Orte und gezeigten Bedingungen wichtig ist. Insgesamt ist die Kleidung, wie das gesamte Genre, den Erzählungen und Geschichten des „Old West“ nachempfunden und wurde teilweise auch direkt übernommen. Was aber lässt sich nun sagen über die Kleidung im Western? Handelt es sich dabei nur um Kostüme für die Leinwand oder steckt vielleicht mehr dahinter?

Abb. 1 – Ein neu inszeniertes Western-Outfit

Hats & Boots

Wie oben bereits angesprochen, ist die Kleidung im Western typisch und in der Regel weichen Formen und Farben nur in geringem Maß von Film zu Film ab. Anders als beim Thriller etwa, oder dem Science-Fiction-Film, wo Setup (und damit auch die Kostüme) stark variieren können, sind die Szenarien im Western ähnlich. Da das Reiten ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Geschichten und des gesamten Genres ist, sind die Stiefel wohl das zentrale Element. Fast jeder Charakter trägt sie, die Protagonisten so gut wie immer, und wenn sie mal ausgezogen werden (müssen), nimmt die Erzählung eine (entscheidende) Wendung. Ohne seine „Boots“ ist der „Cowboy“ kaum bereit gegen die widrigen Bedingungen anzutreten; sie sind ein essentieller Baustein seiner Ausrüstung. Ähnlich aber doch auf eine eigene Art kodifiziert, ist der Hut im Western. Hier variieren Formen und vor allem auch Farben schon eher, da hier oft mit dem Thema „Weißer Hut, schwarzer Hut“ gespielt wird. Der Hut ist nicht essentiell in einem praktischen Sinne, aber in einem moralischen: So dient er in der Regel als Alleinstellungsmerkmal (obwohl viele Charaktere Hut tragen), und ist mit einer Art Stolz verknüpft. Man gibt acht auf ihn, und jeder weiß, welchen Wert er für die jeweilige Person hat.

Abb. 2 – Der schwarze Hut ist prominent zu sehen

Revolver im Holster

Auch beim Hut nimmt die Geschichte eine Wendung, wenn er zu Boden fällt, gestohlen oder zerstört wird. Als drittes, wichtiges Kleidungsstück möchte ich den Holster anführen. Der Holster ist dazu da, den mitgeführten Revolver möglichst schnell griffbereit zu haben. Auch er wird von sehr vielen Charakteren getragen, denn ein Schusswechsel ist in fast keiner Situation ausgeschlossen. Beim Holster spielt nicht so sehr die Aufmachung an sich eine Rolle, sondern mehr die schlichte Präsenz und Griffbereitschaft der Waffe, die mitunter schnell und gerne gezückt werden kann. Meist wird nur ein Holster an der Hüfte getragen, in einzelnen Fällen auch zwei, wenn der Charakter ein besonders guter Schütze ist. Auf der Leinwand werden die Holster in fast jedem Western prominent gezeigt, mit Kameraeinstellungen, die teilweise auch nur den Holster und die Hand zeigen, die Bereit ist zum Zug des Revolvers. Von ihm geht eine ständige Gefahr aus, und allein seine Anwesenheit bringt eine gewisse Spannung in viele Situationen. Mit diesen Kleidungsstücken sind drei essentielle Teile eines jeden Western-Films abgedeckt, die zugleich auch als tragende Story-Elemente dienen können.