Final Project: Blood, Sweat & Stairs

Blood, Sweat & Stairs from Shannon Ho on Vimeo.

MoMI trip

Our recent trip to the Museum of the Moving Image directly correlated with everything we have discussed in lecture so far. On our tour we explored how the elements of sound and light are so vital to moving images. The first interactive activities we did looked at stop motion film. We looked at a sculpture that rotated in a circular motion, and changed with each quick flash of the strobe light, proving the necessity for light and pause or rest. We participated in a short photobooth type activity that created a flip-book-esque product by taking a series of pictures instead of a short video. And then we created our own stop motion clips at the neighboring station. It was way harder than expected, and it proves that making such type of film is extremely meticulous work.

After that we focused on the importance of sound. We went to a station to listen to how the score of films changes the mood of the scene. It proved to be incredible crucial to the plot of the movies. The wrong song completely throws of the intention of the moment. It was a reminder of how important music and sound choices are in the projects we do for class as well. The final interactive piece we went to was the ADR room, in which we re-recorded movie scenes with our voices. That was something we discussed in lecture and, again, seems like incredibly tedious but important work. The second project we did, the audio portrait, was fresh in my mind as we went around the MoMI and furthered my appreciation for the craft that is audio and visual editing.

The Vitality of Editing: Final Scene in Harry Potter

This scene from the final Harry Potter film relies heavily on editing to convey the drama of the series' ending (sorry if this spoils it for you, Mathew). 

The music behind the duel adds to its intensity. At first, the only sound audible is Harry and Voldemort crawling on the rubble to their wands. This is also slowed down, building the intensity. As soon as they stand up, the orchestra begins, a fast and frantic tune. The orchestra is only interupted when Neville destroys Voldemort's snake, and the sword swishes through the air. Then - silence. The silence is also important to the scene because it is short, making it significant, and allowing for the drama to catch up from the slow-mo scenes. The orchestra builds back up again, for the last time, as Harry and Voldemort finish out their duel. The instruments steadily increase loudness until Voldemort's loss and death, which is when the instruments fade away. As the music fades, a faint dying scream can be heard from Voldemort, echoing in the wind. The audio editing for this scene is essential in captuing its tone, and can tell a dramatic story even without the visual component of the scene. 

The aesthetic of the setting is dark and murky. The color gradient is mainly gray, with the exception being the flashes of light emitted from the wands during the duel. This is significant because it not only highlights the vibrancy of the magic, but also contrasts it to the war-torn school that they are fighting on. The colors of the setting capture the idea of desolation and darkness. 

The shots in this scene are cut obviously because of the many storylines that the movie must complete within these last, few minutes. It cuts from close-ups/medium close-ups of Voldemort, to Harry, to capture both of their intense, angry faces as they duel. It then cuts away to the snake chasing Ron and Hermione (and we see the snake in low angle shot, making it look huge), and then back again to an extreme close up of Voldemort's face as he duels Harry. These obvious cuts also convey that all of these dramatic events are occuring simultaneously, adding even more intensity to them.

Audio Portrait

A Soundwalk in Kips Bay

It’s easy to plug into your music as you walk down a city street, which is something I am also guilty of. Walking down the street and actually taking in the sounds, as simple as it may seem, is something I rarely do. But by doing so I really appreciated the city symphony that plays out every minute of every day. 

Engines are the base of the live city orchestra. They rev and pull forward, rushing to get from one light to the next. The larger the engine, the larger the car, and the deeper the sound. Even with eyes closed, it’s possible to guess at how large the cars and trucks are based on the low rumble of the engine as it grumbles by. It’s more of a keynote sound, until they attract more attention--the beeping of the impatient horns, the truckers blasting fast metal music, or the warning beeps of a truck in reverse. Then suddenly, the “keynote sound” becomes the “sound signal.” 

On the sidewalks, smaller sounds ensue but only are noticeable when paying attention to them. But even then, passing conversations are mostly unintelligible, either because of murmuring or the diverse range of languages being spoken on any given block. But on the other hand, people are yelling, people are on the phone (also yelling) which is possibly to eavesdrop on, even as the drills stutter on the sidewalk across the street. High heels knock against the pavement at different decibels depending on the shoe, and strollers make a steady, grainy roll. Even with eyes closed, as I kept walking it became easy to identify the sources of sound that contributed to the rushing, bustling city symphony.

Define a Space

You Must Take The Stairs from Shannon Ho on Vimeo.

Artist Statement

I have always had a passion for telling stories, whether it’s through writing or imagery. Inspiration for stories can be found in the most unexpected aspects of life –on the subway, in a classroom, at home. I have always enjoyed using art, specifically painting, as a form of catharsis and exercising creativity that can easily get lost in the mundane routine. While I admire the pioneers of abstraction, like Jackson Pollack and Wassily Kandinsky, I also have a fascination with landscapes and cityscapes. I love the covers of the New Yorker, and the artists who contribute to them, such as Jorge Colombo and Saul Steinberg. 

Through the use of media such as photography and painting, I strive for my artwork to capture the essence of the human condition and its imperfections. However, I am open minded to using other media. My aim is to bring attention to the individual’s interactions with others -politically, economically, socially, demographically- and their environment through art. I am intrigued by how environments influence and shift one’s sense of identity and this can be highlighted and captured through photographs and painting, as well as other media formats like film and illustration. 

Seemingly insignificant moments are significant and affect the way we will develop our individual outlooks on our lives. This also makes us flawed- our perceptions are based solely on the environments in which we are familiar; we are the products of our perception and our environments, which is a concept I find interesting and applicable not only to art, but also in life. And because of this, we each have a unique story to tell.