AMEN: SPLIT SCREEN DEVELOPMENT VERSION 2

The last critique was less than satisfactory but from feedback from this was well as my own screenings of my Stupidly I did not bring the single screen a version to the crit bit it did make me want to revisit this and play again with the hierarchy of elements.  The following points and concerns were raised following my last version of the split screen approach and I wanted to explore these a little. Short of spending lots of consuming time in After Effects I wanted to do these tests again with variations of the assets I had already had in Premiere Pro. I feel that I do need to eventually once I get the elements, message and hierarchy clarified this is where I may finally compose the installation though to enhance the visual style of the piece if i go the one screen route which is looking more likely.

• Greater use of the drummer in future places as it emphasises the drum element of the piece. Possibly incorporate as a stronger element more visually. Green screen and double exposure?
• Music generally better shorter and the drums and similarities and were not the dominant element BUT music videos still a real diversion at times.
• The AMEN animated built typeface from cover/sleeve tiles a little brash and blocky for some. I do agree to a point and these may need re-working.
• Musical notes were leaving clues to the drums much better and were the dominant aspect for most of the time. Perhaps look again at different ays to interpret this though.
• Visually OK but a little flat and graphical. Would be good to experiment more on layout, layers, overlapping and get the project and assets into Adobe After effects.
• Still a little unsold on the single screen multiple elements approach and prefer the 3 screen piece and tests with this. Trying the above After Effects experiment may help ease off off this as perhaps too reliant on 3 screens from last year and having more than one screen to play with.
• One screen installation test did go down pretty well against the 3 screens BUT I feel 3 screens shown large in the installation environment would be a different experience to it small on a computer screen.
• Overall though the message was still not clear enough and a little confused to the audience I screened it to. Possibly too many elements or the lack of clarity through the narrative of hierarchy of elements. I do not really want to use explanatory text but it is possibly worth a go.
• However upon explaining the piece the revelation did get a good response I just need to investigate how to create  a clearer message within the piece.

AMEN HIERARCHY SPLIT SCREEN 2 from Jon Saward on Vimeo.

Split screen version 2 did make small in roads into addressing some of the issues outlined above. Once again I screened it to a few friends and students to get their opinions. These are combined with my own thoughts below.

• The greater use of the drummer did emphasise the drums theme more.
• Same thoughts on the use of the animated musical notes AMEN cover/sleeve graphics as unchanged.
• Graphically and visually the piece is very similar and will need attention and more creativity by importing the assets into After effects and manipulating and applying a stronger sense of design.
• Single screen now working even better than the three screen approach in mine and their opinions.
• Message still a little unclear and needs more clarification and perhaps the use of type or a VO may do this. I have resisted the idea of these but do need to test them.