Film Process April 24th

Abstracting the beat of the heart and the rhythm of the sea.

Cécile goes inwards. She listens to both the heartbeat, and the waves on the sand, counting them aloud. And then the sound of them fades away, and all she can hear is the sound of her insides. This can be demonstrated aurally, but what will we look at?

I have wanted to create an abstract visual for this, but have been unable to think of one, and then remembered the original 4 yellow circles I used for the visual title. I could animate circles simply on screen, and use these to signify the increasing build up and abstraction of reality. If the yellow circles indicate the beating of the heart (yes, very good Annie, this is the title of the film Four Heartbeats) and then the circles can continue beating, even when the heartbeat isn't heard, then the crash of the waves can come in.

There's an effect on AE called Radio Waves which allows concentric circles and multiple layers will easily allow for duplication and layering.

I need to use the original picture as inspiration here.

And I just saw an advert on TV for a 007 film and the circle rolls along the centre of the screen, 'dotting' itself, or leaving a print of itself which slowly dissolves along the way. I will do this for the heartbeat, slightly reminiscent of both a lifeline monitor and an abacus.

Even though AfterEffects doesn't play sound that well, because I'm working with such an easy audio track, I can visually match the rhythm.

The keyframes on the shape layers match the waveforms of the heartbeat. I have repeated the 1,2,3,4 and each time, the opacity becomes more, so that by the end, the circles are barely visible. They should still be visible even when the heartbeats are inaudible, as they will fade away quicker.

With the waves, I wanted to create an effect of coming in, covering the screen, and then a small inertia as the wave holds before gravity pulls it back to the sea, and the sound fades away. I have done this with a simple graphic line that pulls up an opacity. Watching it through, it's too clean. It becomes much more interesting as the opacity gets less, and the shape gets darker, and it becomes particularly interesting when the shape becomes a deep red, as she goes more inward. I will have to work on the waves. Also, it's possible to change the look of the photo as she's counting the waves.

Mmmmm, really struggling with visualising the waves. I just made them more 'watery' but they look so digital now, and so illustrative.

Watching it back through, I'm wondering if actually, I need to make this bit more sensual. Maybe close ups of lips kissing, of legs intertwined, of hands on necks, that sort of thing. These could be in time to the waves, and made to look silhouetted, and shadowy. Going into the red and the sound of the underwater is definitely working as a kind of abstract, but I think I do need a more sensual aspect and it's over the sound of the waves.

So now I need to find some images from films that I can rotoscope again to make the kissing bit. I'm thinking Blue is the Warmest Colour.

The second thing I'm thinking is the use of the circle. It seems to come out of nowhere when the heartbeat starts. I wonder if I can use this more as a theme within the whole film. It could also represent Anne's view, like a telescope!