Final Adjustments

Since my last blog post, I've been working on the last refinements of my video. Firstly, sound design. I listened to the audio both with and without headphones, making sure that it was consistent, and louder or quieter when the scene called for it. For instance, a clip showing my grandmother where the sound of a sewing machine can be heard, should be quieter than a clip showing the actual sewing machine whilst it's being used. Additionally, for clips when my voice is overlapped with others' voices, I wanted the volume levels of my voice and my grandmother's voice to be as equivalent as possible, so that voices are difficult to recognise and/or distinguish. This accentuates my intention of fusing subjectivities, and positioning my own self in other's subjectivities within the same community of people (Cypriot women). I also worked on perfecting the timing of the subtitles to make for a more seamless viewing experience. These are the kinds of details that will elevate this short excerpt, and things I will be considering when editing my final film. 

For a few days, I was unsure of the final voiceover, and considering recording something to accompany it so that it felt more conclusive and connected the various aspects of the video. I recorded a short voiceover and added it before the final voiceover, but, ultimately, decided that this gave too much away and made my "message" too explicit, and this took away from the video. I removed it and kept the voiceover exactly as it is heard in this excerpt. I also timed the superimpositions in the second sequence so that the fade ins/outs don't look too rushed or gimmicky.

The last thing I want to do before submitting is watch my film on a television, in order to evaluate whether the sound is consistent with multiple devices/viewing experiences. This will also prepare the video for a potential viewing in the university cinema. At this point, watching something you've made over and over and over again can become emotionally draining, and make your work feel less impactful after a certain point. So, I'll be taking a few hours before watching it in full for the last time before submission. The next thing I have to do is continue on with process of my self-reflexive essay.