The plaster cast comes off!

On Wednesday the day arrived to have my cast removed.  Fingers crossed that the X-ray showed that leg was healing in the three places it was broken. The removal of the cast was pretty scary, but I was assured that the circular saw was completely safe! 

 I have been kitted out with a boot which can bear weight but I still need to use crutches. I was quite shocked at how swollen the leg is still. The consultant said it could be up to a year before it returns to normal. I had a lovely long shower to remove six weeks worth of dead skin. Then I moisturised with olive oil. Just being out of the confinement of that heavy cast and allowing the air to the skin is wonderful!

Session 3 - Litter Art workshop

The girls at King Edward V1 Handsworth School have excelled once more. Given the brief to construct 3D marine fossils which in their lifetime ingested plastic litter, the girls have produced really imaginative art. This is all began with my film, 'The Plight of the Albatross' which they watched. We discussed the issue of irresponsible disposal of litter and set to work.

Great response to my film!

I finalised my 'Plight of the Albatross' film on Friday. I took it into the dance studio of King Edward V1 Handsworth School to watch on the 40" plasma TV.  There were some girls in there having a final after-school dance rehearsal before their GCSE exam on Tuesday. After they had finished their session I played the film for my own viewing. One by one they turned round and began to watch it. They seemed mesmerized by the images. When it had finished they broke into a round of applause and one student said she felt like crying. Another described it as 'wicked!'  I felt really proud of my work. It has involved hours and hours of editing to pull it all together. It was the first time I had seen it on the big screen and it really is breathtaking.

I just hope it evokes the same response in the examiners!

Fairtrade bunting is a record breaker!

The Fairtrade bunting has been entered for the Guinness Book of Records longest bunting ever. Measuring 3,427.94 metres, the final bunting was hung in Battersea Park. It is awaiting Guinness verification. It's really uplifting to think King Edward V1 Handsworth School has made such a positive contribution to Fairtrade history.

Session 2 - Art Workshop - with King EdwardV1 Handsworth School

The students are really getting into the project. During the session they cut up various plastics such as disposable cups, 3 foot long coloured plastic straws, carrier bags etc.

They have been very creative when producing the skeleton of these marine creatures. Some have strung together plastic cups with strimmer cable to create a backbone. The group working on the jelly fish are working purely in monochrome. They are using bubble wrap, clear plastic and lots of cling film.

Nice variety of textures and creative use of everyday items.  Looking good!

Litter Art workshop at K.E.

I worked with a Year 9 group at King Edward V1 Handsworth School this week. I showed my 'Plight of the Albatross' film which we then discussed. I had already cut out large templates of 'marine creatures'.  They then selected from the collection of plastic bottle tops, netting  and carrier bags to produce the fossil of a marine creature. The hour soon passed and some interesting artwork was developing. I will inlude some photos next session.

Final film editing sessions

I cannot believe how long it takes to make minor adjustments to the editing.  In spite of a broken leg, I have spent four hours in the editing suite this week after a tutorial with Steve B. at BCU. He also prefers the orchestral version of 'Under Pressure'. I am pleased that he commented that the images carry you along with the rhythm as I have really worked hard to achieve this. There is some refining needed but I will wait until the final rendering to do that.  I explained that I have found some closer images of an albatross in flight which are far more appealing and make you feel more connected with it.  I am going to replace those with the current ones I have which are a little distant and blurred.

I am also playing with the presentation of the quotations from the Rime of the Anciernt Mariner.  I don't want them to distract from the images. I am going to test out using a split screen where the quote is in its own area at the bottom.  Also I will try using a black background with just the quotation on the screen.  What I am up against is maintaining the rhythm of the music and so squeezing in enough time to read the text means losing an image along the way. As every image is crucial to the narrative, my dilemma is which ones to cut?

More feedback

Anyone who comes by my house is a captive audience subjected to watching my film. 
Comments regarding Queen vocal version v Royal Philharmonic orchestral version. Philippa- the words really emphasise the urgency of the situation.
Catherine- the orchestral version is more subtle. It takes you on a journey, then you see the shocking message. 
I have worked through every scene of the film which includes so far about one hundred images over four minutes. In my next editing session I am going to cut and paste numerous scenes, lengthen some, shorten others. I want to do some fading in and out. I want to experiment with putting the quotes from the Ancient Mariner on their own against a black background.

Litter Art workshop based on Albatross film.

Naturally, you can't go headfirst into a secondary school and dabble in a bit of Art without having a firm plan of action which includes educational aims, objectives, outcomes.  With very short notice, I am writing a scheme of work which then needs to be approved by the Art department so that I can go ahead with my workshop. I have already researched litter artists (see post dated ) so I already had an idea of what direction my workshop would take:
Session 1
Show Albatross film
Discuss particular images which made an impact
Discuss how artwork could be produced to further communicate message.
Specific reference to fossils - sculptures of fossils from the 'plastic era'
Show examples of litter art
Show materials. Ask students to collect materials for their own project
For next session bring plastic litter to use for artwork and sketch in sketchbook of fossil
Session 2
 Brief review of what they are expected to produce
Work on project
Roberto es tu tio

Albatross film - Campaign video or Artwork?

I continued editing my film yesterday.  I have removed all the informative text. I have inserted lines from 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' to underline my message.

I am tweaking the length of some clips to make them more punchy. I have synchronised the industrial clips perfectly to the music.

I have been watching more wildlife documentaries on the Albatross. I have found some images which I consider to be more appealing.  Instead of the Albatross seeming remote in a far-off ocean, these were filmed landing and taking off from an island off Tazmania. The images of the Albatross are much closer and you can only look in awe at their size and complete grace with which they soar and float in the breeze. You can see their faces and you actually feel some connection with them. You certainly envy their flying ability.

These images contrast sharply with the images of the decaying Albatross corpses. How such a majestic creature can be reduced to a pile of bones, feathers and plastic due to our greed is shameful.

Over the six weeks I have been researching for and working on this film, I have been conscious of the point made in a tutorial.  Where do I position this film?  Is it a campaign film or is a piece of art in its own right?  I would like to address this issue. I think versions 1,2 and 3 were more educational in tone. That is why I have removed the text and tried to communicate the same message using strong images which speak for themselves.

If one defines Art as a personal interpretation of our culture in whichever form that takes, be it  photography, painting, dance, theatre or film, then my piece is very definitely in this category. It is also true that this film imparts information.  It questions the use of TV advertising.  It questions our selfish consumption.

I am using my film to communicate an environmental message in the hope that it will provoke some sort of response in the viewer that challenges them to modify their consumer habits, or at least question the way that society disposes of its waste.

I am taking an issue which is having a long-term devastating effect upon the world we all inhabit and opening up a dialogue.

Isn't it the role of the artist to stop us in our tracks and make us question why?

Unlike the scientist who is obliged to be objective, artistic licence allows me to use my emotional response to highlight a social issue.

Someone commented, 'First and foremost this film evokes a visceral emotional response which then engages the intellect.' This confirmed for me that I had achieved what I set out to do.  What sets my film apart from purely an environmental documentary is that I am using wildlife footage and environmental footage combined with poetry, all synchronised with orchestral music to convey my environmental message.

If my film has the desired effect then I don't mind how you categorise it.

A final collaborative Art project

In the run-up to our Final Degree Show I shall continue to edit my film until I am satisfied with the final piece. Easier said than done with a leg in plaster. The editing studio at King Edward V1 Handsworth School is on the second floor and is not wheelchair accessible. There are two flights of ten steps to negotiate. What choice do I have?  I had to get up there.  I lowered myself onto the first step and then shuffled up the first flight on my bottom.  At the landing I scooted along then raised myself onto the bottom step of the second flight.  Once at the top I lifted myself onto an office chair with castors and, with help, wheeled myself into the studio. Tiring but worth it.

I took up where I had left off with my film before Easter. It is good to see it with fresh eyes after a break.
I have made some subtle changes. I have been looking at tv commercials on the internet for 'life-enhancing' consumer products. Bottled water is an obvious choice. Plastic bottles spell disaster for the environment. I have combined the Evian water babies advert with a clip of marine plastic litter. They juxtapose well. In addition I have merged a clip from a Huggies disposable nappies commercial with an image of a disposable nappy floating in the sea.  Those 6 seconds of film took me two hours to edit.  I am now looking at appropriate places in the film to insert lines from the poem 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'

I was in the process of editing when Nick, Head of Art came in from his office next door.  He was about to leave for the day. I asked him if he could spare 3 minutes. He watched the film and his reaction was very encouraging.  He said the images of the alabatross corpses reminded him of fossils.  If they were dug up in years to come, people would ask, 'what are those coloured objects, they aren't bones?'  They would be shocked to discover that they are plastic that is not biodegradable. It was then that I told Nick that it is with that in mind that I am producing this film as I intend to use it as the basis for an art workshop.  He said he would be happy for me to use it with his classes.  We discussed the students using man-made plastic litter to create an organic sculpture.  If I come up with a scheme of work, Nick will provide the students.
I was so thrilled.  It will be an opportunity to use my film as a catalyst for some artwork and use this group as a sounding board.  Just the good news I need to kick-start my final phase of my degree work.
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Run-up to Final Degree Show

College resumed today. We had a group briefing. I was given a lift and I transported my buggie so that I could get about the corridors. It was nice to see everyone and we were given the relevant dates for the show build/install and final assessment.
I have been feeling a bit low since breaking my ankle as I feel I will finish my degree with a whimper and not a bang. I want to be part of the student atmosphere in the run-up to the Final Show but find myself unable to take part in anything constructive. I left college feeling a bit flat.