6. Audience and audience interpretations of the work.

Understandably reactions to these videos would have been different with everybody in the group, arguably the point to most experimental videos is to provoke feelings or reactions from viewers and to feel a certain way, whether the reactions are completely different from viewer to viewer or not. Whether interpretations of the artists work differ are not the matter with experimental videos, more of the question has it engaged or affected the viewers in an appropriate way. I don’t feel it is important in experimental videos for all viewers to have one view or identical interpretations, as in many cases this is very hard. It is as or more important for the viewers to be able to connect and grasp their own concept. Several people in the group took their own interpretations of "the girl chewing gum" for example, this is to do with what people bring to the video themselves and what is triggered in their mind when viewing it, this can be down to past experiences, mind sets whilst viewing it and levels of understanding, these are all important aspects to be considered viewing experimental videos.

5.How these works might inspire your own works.

I feel that the experimental video "telling lies" is the most inspiring one that I looked at because I feel like I can relate to it and understand the point very well, plus the fact it uses simple technology that I could use for my own video at quite a basic level . "Doll face" also inspired me because of the strong emotion and sadness that is displayed. Usually a video like this that tries to connect to the viewer using emotions is very effective. Although the point to the video becomes quite obvious the craft of it and the use of the robot and human face are very effective. Due to this simplicity I found it very easy to grasp the idea and concept of the video. Despite "Koyanisquatsi" having good ideas and displaying good use of speed and soundtrack I found it hard to be inspired by it as many of the camera shots and scenes would be out of my reach to use in my own videos at this early stage, saying that the video could still be seen as inspiring as its ideas are very easy to relate to and similar techniques could be used on a much smaller scale.

3. Are the story lines narrative or Non narrative?

The first obvious narrative video is "koyanisquatsi", its beginning; middle and end are clearly defined. It begins with pictures inside a cave on rock and returns to these images at the end, this is done create the effect of closure on the viewer, kind of like an insight into that way of viewing life and then returning out of it at the end. The middle could be seen as the repetitive showing of people cars and lively life of our everyday city. This is could be viewed as the middle as its in the flow like a story would be and the speed seems to build up as if waiting for a climax like at the end of a book. "The Girl Chewing Gum" is a lot less narrative based because it is a lot freer flowing, but the end scene of the countryside kind of gives it an end like a narrative. The fact the director’s voice can be heard giving directions and letting the viewer know what’s going passes it as a narrative and the director the narrator. The opposing argument to that could be that their is no real structure like a narrative, which is a strong point. Overall I feel that most of the Experimental videos I have seen are narrative's but each to their own degree and own style, I feel the only real non narrative is "1001 nights", because although the actors tell a story, the overall look is quite messy and confusing as to what is the point and where it is heading. I feel the narratives are a lot easier to grasp a meaning of compared to non narratives which require a lot more understanding which may engage some people and not others.

2.The use of technology, techniques and styles.

The technology and techniques used between 'The girl chewing gum', 'Koyanisquatsi' are very similar in many ways. 'Koyanisquatsi' is much heavily post produced, Whereas 'the girl chewing gum' is a lot less so, which I feel is less to do with the technology advance that 'Koyanisquatsi' has but more to do with the different points the videos are trying to make. The technology in 'Jan Kanen' could be seen as much more advanced than both. The artist has used a technique known as Stop Frame Animation. This has allowed the artist to alter size, speed and movement of people and objects in the video. The video is very much craft based, as the technology, imagery and soundtrack makes it entertaining to watch. I also see this as very much a craft based video as I failed to grasp any concept or background ideas the artist may have had, this may have been down to the channelled ideas the artist had as apposed to the other videos that left it more to the viewer. The Girl Chewing Gum's non diegetic sound of the director which arguably creates the whole impact of the video is a lot more primitive to the high action shots of cities and desert terrain that 'Koyanisquatsi' boast's, but both points can be grasped by invidividual viewer which makes them as well made and effective as each other. This compared to 'Jan Kanen' which is a lot more craft based but fails to allow the reader to grasp any real point, so maybe the use of advanced technology could be seen as much more narrowly aimed.

1. Discuss both past and current artists and works. Discuss the artists you have looked at comparing general similarities and differences between them

In this section I will compare 3 of the experimental videos I have looked at; KOYANISQUATSI written by Godoffry Reggio, 1001 Nights by Jananne – Al – Ani and the Girl Chewing Gum by John Smith. All 3 of these videos were made in different decades and were constructed differently to create original effects for the viewer to interpret to some extent in their own way without missing any real point.

KOYANISQUATSI; which was funded by Francis Ford Capollo and was shown on screens in 1983, uses speeded up and slowed down action shots to help present the feeling of busyness and to show the rhythm of peoples everyday life combined with a soundtrack of Non – Diegetic sounds that helps further this point. Compared to the 1973 experimental video ‘The Girl Chewing Gum’ made by John Smith, which is a much lower budget video but similarly gives insight to a normal day in the city for citizens, but at the same time shows deeper meaning which would have had a bigger impact because of the time it was filmed for example the moment when the birds pass the camera shot, and the director makes a stage direction for them. These brief few seconds would have the impact of surprise and given the veiwer an instant idea of what the point to the video was, which is more subtle than other vidoes in the same decade. The fact that experimental videos such as this were few and far between at the time . The sounds are also Non – Diegetic as the voice of the director can be heard behind the camera not on screen.

The final Video I have looked at for this section (1001 Nights) is very different to both, written more recently and more of a craft based video, the use of Non- Diegetic sounds are constructed purposely and the confusion created in the feelings you have left after watching are more of misunderstanding and lack of engagement.

Craft And Concept

One of the main Factors of videos is the use of craft and concept. Crafted Videos often have a lot of well choreographed technology and uses of effects and sound to display the point of the video which is very difficult to fake. This is very much the same for all art. Concept is very much the meaning and idea's the artist has tried to explore and present which can very easily be mirrored in other pieces of work.

1001 Nights

This film is very short and has no obvious point or meaning at first viewing. It displays 5 women who in turns talk about an individual experience each of them have had containing a lot of description about war and fear. The content and way of filming is very simple in this film but has been used quite effectively to create the feeling of loneliness and the fact that when one women speaks, the others on the screen shut their eyes. This may have been used to emphasize the idea of a dream and everyone around you being asleep an effectively not listening. This video is very much craft based and despite a good use of technology I found it very hard to grasp a meaning or have any connection with it.