Nietzsche Quote

"You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star." - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

This quote has been stuck to my parents' kitchen wall ever since I can remember. Whenever I see it I feel rich.

What's a Metaverse?

I became interest in a project called Second Life (http://www.secondlife.com/) - initially just out of curiosity. Broadly, the idea is a whole virtual world, with residents, money, shops, houses, businesses and so on.

I tried it out, and lasted about 10 minutes before I was inspired enough to leave. This is because, the actual second life, the one that exists is little more than a so called-Massively Multiplayer Game (such as World of Warcraft). The major difference is there is no game element underpinning the thing, so essentially the whole experience is dull.

However I really do like the idea. Utilising the Internet (in particular) and technology to get many people interacting, playing, creating things are the exact projects, games or works of art that enjoy and also represent an area that I would love to have a role in.

Simulated reality is the idea that reality could be simulated — usually computer-simulated — to a degree indistinguishable from 'true' reality. It could contain conscious minds which may or may not know that they are living inside a simulation. In its strongest form, the "Simulation Hypothesis" claims we actually are living in such a simulation.

This is different from the current, technologically achievable concept of virtual reality. Virtual reality is easily distinguished from the experience of 'true' reality; participants are never in doubt about the nature of what they experience. Simulated reality, by contrast, would be hard or impossible to distinguish from 'true' reality.

Practical or not, the idea raises three vexing questions:

• Is it possible, even in principle, to tell whether we are in a simulated reality?
• Is there any difference between a simulated reality and a 'real' one?
• How should we behave if we knew that we were living in a simulated reality?

An interesting aspect of Second Life is the parallels to social networking dedicated websites, like Facebook.com or Myspace.com. These websites take the lion share of internet hits, if you disregard key areas like email and pornography. They're a modern (internet enabled) phenomenon.

Maybe it would be possible to create a non-graphical virtual world that would seamlessly link with sites like Facebook and Myspace. I used to play an internet game, where you were the leader of a planet and had to use your resources to live and expand your empire. Planetarion I think it was called. The game takes place in real time and had about 500,000 participants all existing on their own planet, invading other solar systems, amassing hundreds of space ships. The point is, it was very successful and absorbing, was "real" to extent (there were real people playing it) and took place outside of the graphical world. All that was required was numbers and figures representing how your world was progressing. Maybe I should explore a text-based, socially-networked Metaverse (more Metaverse reading on WikiPedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaverse and also http://www.metaverseroadmap.org/)

I really enjoy all of the philosophical ponderings that are born from this subject.

The philosopher Nick Bostrom investigated the possibility that we may be living in a simulation. His argument attempts to prove the disjunction of three hypotheses (that is, that at least one of the following three propositions must be true), that:

either

1. intelligent races will never reach a level of technology where they can run simulations of reality so detailed they can be mistaken for reality; or
2. races who do reach such a level do not tend to run such simulations; or
3. we are almost certainly living in such a simulation.

At the time I thought the concept behind the Matrix was inspired, with hindsight its obvious that the writers had plenty of back-thinking to turn to for inspiration.

Ask why? Live

My girlfriend Caiti said to me, very profoundly for her intoxicated state at the time, "To ask why, is to live" and whilst counting traffic last summer I wrote some words that were meant to reflect that sentiment. I ended up with something that was pretty heavy-going and not very good reading/listening - I don't think. But I'm still in love with the turn of phrase, it rolls from the tong beautifully and is full of philosophical meaning. I guy I used to work with would refer to it as "a poser".


I used a few sections of these words in a bouncy dark dance track, with a highly distorted vocal track. It sounds pretty good I think and may well end up on the album. There's no way you could tell its me either.

"Why is alive; why survive. To ask why is to live"

Learning Agreement: "Classic" Photography

I've become very aware of my (lack of) bank balance recently, especially due to the proximity to Christmas.

On a trip to Chorlton water park (South Manchester) and various other expeditions I've been over the last two months, it struck me I could possibly make some money selling prints of my images. I haven't a particular speciality in my photography.

I'd like to explore different kinds of subject (nature, architecture, people etc) and different techniques. I'd especially like to experiment with different types of lens (zoom, macro and wide-angle) and also with the different ways (and costs!) of printing and framing photographs.


Goose; This image is a turning point, looking at this I thought "I could sell these...." This has had some digital manipulation, post-exposure, to increase the contrast in the image. However I think I took this a step too far, when printing the image looks too unreal.

Learning Agreement: Time

Whilst working on my VJ project I've become very interested in different ways of taking photographs over a period of time, as well as representing time with photographic methods. Combining the two is a goal but I'm not quite sure how wide the posts are.

Yankee Sleeper

I went back to Yorkshire for the weekend, on my return I found this note in my room. Turned out "the crazy American" - whom I've never met - had slept in my room.

By all accounts I was relieved to have been away. She sounded quite a handful, my friends and sister all ended up and a very dodgy Belle & Sebastian disco in Salford... or something.

She is from a town in the mid-west called "Normal" and thinks that the Trafford Centre is the biggest mall in the world.

Excellent!

Social Networking

Utilise networks on Facebook or Myspace to create something. Simple!

Nice Box

Too right!

Learning Agreement: VJ Project

This is my first learning agreement and covers something that may break into various smaller projects.

I have really enjoyed making music videos, mainly to my own music, but I would like to explore "Visual Jokey-ing" which is, in essence, making a music video live or on-the-fly. Its not quite that simple though, VJs normally exist at music events or in clubs, and often the aim is to create someting to help people feel at one with the music they're listening and/or dancing to. I have no experience of this but would like to explore it.

Never-never Land, Abu & Mr Bukhari

Over the last 2 or 3 weeks, we've been set group tasks. Firstly we had to decide on a name a place and an object, then basically we were asked to flesh out the situation we had created with back stories and further information.

From the notes we (Bryn & Johnny) made in the initial session, I came up with this as a concept:

Mr Bukhari is thinking:

They never understand. They never understand. I am never understood. I understand them though. Why do they never..... I should have some tea. Its the right thing to do. Tea and a cigarette, then I'll be able to think clearly. They NEVER understand, the simplest thing! If the light goes out you fix it. No sauce means no sauce- I understand! Why... they never! Bloody Tuesday. Tuesdays, if I write a sign, why do they never read it? Sign read. Read sign.

I think its a sign. Why would the almighty decree it, if it were not a sign. Never does a thing happy without a good cause. Never. I told her that and she never listens to a thing I say. "Never does your lip move without good grievance" is what she said. Never a useful thing. And they're never easy, never move without a problem, never do they clean behind the sink at 22 or the downstairs utility on the avenue. They never get 200 quid though. Huh.

I never think clearly these days. I used to never be angry, I'm sure, never now though. Well, I never. Those happy slapper, little posh girl with bloody miniskirt. They underestimate me, they never get money back and got once in life-time, never-again chili kebab sauce. . . Huh.

Tea good though! I need my tea. Why people never know that I take 8, and black. Stupid bloody people. Understand.... never you do. Why I never have tea when its needed and it always last never long enough for me. I never going to explain myself again if they never understand me, never explain. Only to Mr Bukari, he is the only one that will understand my never land. Why is he never here any more? What size are my shoes?

Pan to shoes and then up to a fast-boiling whistling kettle that has been silent until then. Maybe it should be visible throughout, but the sound only becomes audible right at the end. The full story is this; Mr Bukhari has been talking over the noise of his kettle constantly boiling. He has slowly descended within himself and become mentally ill, taken over by his own anger, temper and contempt for his customers, his friends and his family. Shot from "within" Mr Bukhari's head, so hold the camera to some one's face looking out. Throughout we can cut in relevant clips to the things he is talking about.

We never actually filmed this and it didn't go any further, but I'm still quite fond of the idea, despite its obvious use of ethnic stereotyping I think it could become an evocative short film.

The name Mr Bukhari was my initial contribution- it is the same name as my landlord. However, my own Mr Bukhari is an excellent landlord and doesn't share any of the fictional one's character.


Robin Hood's Bay; It was my birthday on the 21st October, this is one of the two cards I got (both from my parents, albeit on separate occasions). I really love the image, one reason is that the place is familiar to me (Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire) and invokes many childhood memories and the other is the aesthetic qualities of the image itself. This is actually a photograph across the bay, amazing.

As a second part to the video project I wrote about above we had to do exactly the same thing as before but use somebody else's words rather than coming up with them ourselves. We ended up with Abu Baker, Amsterdam and a pair of shoes. Having failed to complete the previous task me and Bryn were extremely keen to get this done (unfortunately we failed to hook up with Johnny and include him, I think this was down to his work commitments).

This is my initial idea for the concept, but again we didn't use much of this in the final product.

Abu in Amsterdam

[the name is meant to be Abu Baker, not Abu Craig]

Fast opening sequence, showing some running [pan from the chaser’s feet to the person being chased] (chasing "the victim"), traffic, city scenes and finishing on the canal (which is the scene of the crime). Focus on a pair of shoes (maybe could get the same red shoes that Aliyah and Emily used).

Fade into the interview room.

Concept notes;

Abu Craig is a suspect in the killing of a prostitute and a mob boss in Amsterdam. The police have been tipped off anonymously that the man behind the incident was called Abu Craig, the mystery caller also said “He’ll know Cecila”. They have no further information in relation with the matter, no witnesses or anything else that be constituted as evidence. The police are basically run by the mob, and they’re after someone’s blood to avenge the death of the leader. They’ve tracked down all the people on their intelligence network of the name Abu Craig.

The real story is that a group of Russian gangsters are trying to muscle in on the crime revenue to be gained in Amsterdam, particularly interested in people trafficking and importing large quantities of cocaine and heroin. They think that by killing a particular Dutch mobster they can unsettle the community so much that they’ll be able to move in without too much of a fuss. They murder the boss and throw in a dead prostitute to add to the confusion. At the crime scene mysteriously there are a pair of red high-heeled shoes. These turn out to be the shoes that the Russian boss’s wife was wearing the night she slept with Abu1. His wife is called Cecila.

The middle of the film is comprised of interview footage of several people, all going by the name Abu Craig.

Abu1 is from Birmingham and turns out to be the man they’re after. He is being framed by the Russian mafia who are the real culprits. The only reason they picked him is because he once slept with one of the bosses mistresses many years ago and has no other connection to the incident. He did once meet Abu4 in Camden during the 80s. He will cooperate fully with the police.

Abu2’s girlfriend lives in Amsterdam and he lives outside the city. He’s always thought it would be cool to be a drug dealer but doesn’t have the connections. Apart from petty things he’s never committed any real crimes so has nothing to fear from the police.

Abu3 studied economics at Oxford and went to public school. He doesn’t have a shady side at all. He is however not accustomed to being in police interview rooms and so is a bit shaken by the whole thing. He doesn’t want his girlfriend to find out that he slept with a prostitute (who called herself Cecila) when he was in Amsterdam for a business trip. He used to enjoy wearing women's clothes, and did have a pair of shoes similar to those at the murder scene.

Abu4 is a drug dealer from London (this is how he met Abu1, in his early days he pedalled 10 bags of weed in Camden). He was in Amsterdam trying to do some underworld networking to find someone to import dope directly from the Netherlands to London. So, understandably he is quite edgy about the fact the police have called him in (he doesn’t know it’s purely because of his name). Although he failed to make any business connections as he had intended, he did manage to pick up quite a bit of the underworld gossip. He has heard about the district the incident happened in, and knows it is where most of the mobs major deals go down. He knows the Russians are trying to shake up Amsterdam because they’ve been pushed out of a lot of eastern Europe since the fall of the USSR.

Abu5 is nothing to do with anything. He is an part of the Saudi royal family (so therefore incredibly rich) and is disgusted he was arrested on landing at the airport. He came to Amsterdam for kinky sexy and sexy drugs, and he’s not ashamed about shouting it out loud to the police just so long as they let him go. He wants his Ambassador. He has a fake passport with the name “Clarance Richardson”.

Interviewer: Confirm your full name please.

Abu1: Abu Craig [repeat for each Abu we interview]

Interviewer: Were you in Amsterdam on Tuesday of last week?

The idea is that the responses aren’t scripting (as they’re written here) but we will record the response to all of the questions here after actors have been given their background information.

Abu1: I went through Schipol on my way to Birmingham. I have my tickets still in my brief case.

Abu2: Yeah.

Abu3: Yes.

Abu4: I’m not answering any questions without my lawyer present.

Abu5: This is an outrage. I came to see vice and colours. Let me out of this shit hole now! I want to see my Ambassador. There will be repercussions if you do not co-operate.

Interviewer: Excuse me sir but I must insist things are quite different to that- if I were in your position I think you should be cooperating with me!

You are familiar with the Vondelstraat area?

What was your business in Amsterdam?

Do you know a woman called Cecila?

Have you ever met a man called [dead guys name]?

Do you know who he is?

Do you take drugs?

Have you ever used a prostitute?

Have you ever met [prostitute’s name]?

Would it shock you if I said she was dead?

Did you drink or take any drugs that night?

What were you wearing last Tuesday?

Are you the real Abu Craig? What other names do you use?

What is your business? How do you make your money?

Would you like me to call a lawyer for you?

etc etc

[continue contrasting different reactions to the same question until the truth is clear, or a version of it. Whodunit style.....]

These are some of the notes from a brain storming session me and Bryn did before filming. Click on them for larger images.



The film we finally made was about a British Tourist who was named Abu Baker. He is on a visit to Amsterdam, claiming that it is a "pleasure" visit, his motives are never clear. Although its not immediately obvious, the film tries to convey a sense of Abu's obvious guilt. I play the police interview and Bryn is playing Abu.

I was really pleased with the end result. Bryn plays the guilty man really well, especially as the whole thing is entirely improvised. Mixing the video footage we took (in student halls) with shots of Bryn walking around the darker parts of Manchester city centre, the film achieves a prolonged sense of dread and uneasiness. All of the non-interview shots are sequential still photographs that have been animated. The whole sound track of the film is encompassed with a huge reverb sound, so the relatively few words you hear sound distant and haunting. In addition the entire video has been processed to have a dramatic aura, the makes the dark parts and as black as they can be and the bright parts are unnaturally vivid.

This is the first non-music video that I have filmed or edited (let alone both), but I'm extremely pleased with the end result. Having said that, I was happier with a previous cut (that was nearly two minutes shorter), but unfortunately due to a brain-malfunction I deleted that version. I feel that where the film really comes into its own is where the animated sections are cut in (and the timing of when they're cut in) and with the extremely fast digital zooming and panning onto Abu's nervous twitching and guilty eyes. I'd really like to make another film, maybe (definitely) less black, but using the same techniques. I'm also really pleased with managing to fuse "proper" video and animated photographs. Most of my films use photographs as their basis but having the possibility of using video and photos is the next area to explore is something to relish.

You can view the end result (at degraded quality, unfortunately) on YouTube here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7O7xRmJz6A

This is a shot of Bryn (playing Abu) walking along a canal near Deansgate locks in Manchester. We chose the canal because of the obvious parallel to Amsterdam. Fortunately there were some CCTV cameras there which fitted nicely into the eventual plot. Also I feel the lighting and colours contribute well to the general feeling we were trying to achieve. This is one of the still photographs that were animated and cut into the video at appropriate moments.

As a result of posting the film to YouTube I've been approached by a television broadcaster based in the United States, requesting a copy to include in one of their programmes. This has come as an unexpected, but welcome bonus!

One, two & three; Lectures so far

The first three lectures of my University career were reassuring (that I'm not completely out of my depth) but also re-emphasised the fact that nobody can do well without serious thought and effort. I've made very few notes from each lecture but I feel as though I have come away having consumed what I was supposed to.

The first lecture in the series seem to be putting the task of learning to be creative in context. The main point I took away with me was that experimentation is a key asset and only by practicing can you actually move yourself forward in your creative ability. I think playing these two quotes off against each other will produce an effective working strategy without constraint on scope;

"The more I practice the luckier I get" (Gary Player)

and;

"Chance or guess work can sometimes produce better work than systematic procedure. But you can't depend on them" (the Universal Traveller)

Learning in this style is completely new to me (my 'A' level subjects included Maths, Physics and Computing) but it has had a significant impact on my thinking. Thinking of creativity in terms of the mind at play, or the ability to be spontaneous and surprising, as simple as it is represents a step forward for me. Previously the majority of my success has come from systematic experimentation until a satisfactory result is achieved, now I can continue to do that but also expand upon it significantly. My thoughts on the subject are still rather chaotic though.

Intrigued by the Alvin Toffler book, Futureshock. I should read it.

I came away from the second and third lectures having had the slightly chaotic feeling, that was swimming around my head after the first lecture, calmed down completely. A system behind the chaos has been clearly defined, what it is to be creative or to improve ones creativity is now much more tangible for me.


Gifted? I snapped this during a lecture. It is a doodle on somebody elses hand out. I guess it is phsychedelia?

Since the lecture I have been working on jumping the synaptic gap and indeed, I think I've succeeded with a few things.

In addition to the Interactive Arts lectures I have the option to attend another lecture each Friday (on changing subjects, literature and media based, it seems). Bill Rob is wholly excellent at delivering his lectures.

The first was about the use of various systems and techniques in writing. Specifically exploring what was the first novel to be written, and how it represented a shift in popular writing.

Although completely out of my depth, missing a lot of the references and language that Bill Rob was using, I can see the value of attending these lectures; it was very inspirational. Also Bill Rob's amazing delivery and ability to articulate his points with finesse, gives me an idea of how I would like to be able to perform, should I need to to be my own advocate for my art.

I love my Mum!

My Mother is excellent. Whenever I speak to her about some creative work I'm trying to do, she seems to produce infinite different concepts to mine, both in line with them and completely disparate.

Fortunately I generally know what I want to do, and then do it, but if I were stuck it takes a weight off my shoulders to know that my Mum would back me up with a wealth of inspiration.

Birthday Notes. My birthday card from Mum & dad, on the first page is a selection of words copied from Roget's Thesaurus relating to "Scratches" - one of my first University projects. I didn't use any of it in the end, but as contextual research I think its priceless.

Review: Chris Clark's Body Riddle

Starting with natural jazz beats and sweet tinkle noises, Chris Clark's Body Riddle swiftly develops deep electronic stylings. Clark carries the style and quality that I've come to expect as given from Warp records (other artists include Squarepusher, Aphex Twin, Jamie Lidell & Jackson, to name a few). I think the first track, Herr Bar, sits as an exposition of what is to come.

The record rises and falls in an organic way, always with electronic soundscapes sneaking into the fore but with "real" sounds ever present too. Exceptional production and crafting of the music is evident throughout. The 3rd track, Springtime Epigram, marks the end of the beginning with a slow and calming 90 seconds. Herzog, follows on and slowly crescendos into a glitched and harsh but almost anthemic synthesizer led medley. It really draws you in, and sets up the listener the first really beat heavy and punchy tracks, Ted.

Clark's website. I like the "written" menu.

The remaining six tracks take you on a musical journey that, to my ears, just feels right to listen to. With dark and bleak industrial sounds on tracks like Vengance, and the sinister title Matthew Unburdened is matched by a seemingly not-to-be trusted array of sounds. Haunting horns and magical beats at the end. Sporadic, uneven, but perfect.

Penultimate track Night Knuckles I think is one of those classic tracks that somebody is going to play to me in 20 years time and it will still do something special. This track is constantly in development throughout, almost like a variation on themes in classical music. Consistent throughout the track is another sweet "Tinkle" sound that blends blemish-free with the rhythmical elements and space-like background noises flesh the whole thing out. Its a stark contrast with the final track, which is a return to the darker, slower end of Clark's spectrum.

Really, very, good.

Scratch Notes

Notes from thinking about what to do with the "Scratch" title.

I went through a lot of different things before arriving at the web project that I started and the audio work that I actually presented at University.

Its a really good example of how you can have many, completely separate, but all equally valid ideas from a word or subject that initally may mean nothing.

Below the heading "Scratch That" (in the image above) is where I decided to scrap all of my other ideas and make something with scratch sounds.

Note to Emma

Digging through an old drawer, I came across a notebook with this page in it.

I used to live with my sister in Keighley where we grew up, an existence saturated with Emma wanting me to do more in the house.

In the note I'm trying to explain that I will put the dish washer on at some point, eventually. We'll get there.


Its so lovely to remember those times now. I'm still really close with my sister, but looking back those times seem like the golden age in a way.

First Thing!

The first proper work we have been asked to do this year was to make a film showing the journey of an object around Manchester. To elaborate; in groups we were all given an object (seemingly random things including: a ball, plastic elephant and tape) and asked to document its journey to a set of specific locations, including galleries and museums around the city centre.

Unfortunately I didn't really get into a group (not that they weren't welcoming) - and I'm still not sure why. I ended up making a short film on my own, so as to not be totally lacking when we were asked to show our work. Using a Kanye West cover of "Fly Away" (I love the song) I put this together; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUr_xfrulWE

I used pictures taken on that day with my digital stills camera. This is the first time I've converted an entire film to black and white and added "old cinema" style effects; I think it does work really well despite it being something of a cliche. I would do it again, if it felt right. Also drawing on my experience of making my own music videos, and matching changes in image to key beats in a phrase or a bar, I think I managed to add to the film's view-ability. I did try and make it much looser than my previous beat/image matching, mainly due to the jazzy nature of the backing music.


Self Portrait; this is me playing at taking pictures in a distorting mirror, at the Museum of Science & Industry. Maybe this is a representation of my emotions at the time; red, distorted, squashed, reflective.