Exercise 3: Experience & Memory

Our memory tells us stories, that is what we get to keep from our experiences, is a story. - Daniel Kahneman

Telling a story involves composing a series of ideas/actions together into a narrative. These individual ideas/actions can relate experience through use of texture and tempo. Our memories are similarly composed of experiences and narratives, sometimes scattered and sometimes clear. In this exercise, you will use the set of sounds from Exercise 2: Listen to create 3 short audio stories.

Inspiration:

• Audio Editing Demonstration
• Sound Collage
• Wochenende - Walter Ruttmann 1930
• Etude aux chemins de fer - Pierre Schaeffer 1948
• Earlids / Stress - The Tape-beatles 1991

Requirements

Create 3 audio "stories" from the sound experiences of Exercise 2: Listen, 1 for each of the 3 separate locations:

• Each audio piece should be edited to 30 seconds exactly.
• You may only use the audio from each discrete location, no additional audio is permitted, and you cannot combine audio across the 3 different locations.
• Audio clips/segments cannot be used multiple times.
• Make the narrative experiential and non-linear rather than linear (memory is scattered and selective).
• No effects or alterations will be used for this assignment (only Cuts and Cross Dissolves).
• There will be no video submitted with this project.
• The entire project should be edited in FCPX.
• Use the audio log from Exercise 2 to help make editing decisions.
• Do not use understandable spoken words/conversation.
• Do not use song/tune/melody in any shape or form.
• For the final 30 second piece, avoid recognizable sounds.

When creating your 30 second audio narratives, use the following techniques:

• mood
• tempo
• texture
• layering
• beginning, middle, end
• cuts and fades

Save your completed audio with these specs: AIFF or WAV, 48k, 16bit or higher

Refer to the syllabus for subject matter that will not be accepted for projects in this class.

What To Turn In

In Progress

Create at least one 30 second audio piece from 1 of your 15 minute audio files in Exercise 2: yourlastname_expmem1

Finished Work

Create a folder yourlastname_expmem containing:

• 3 audio files (WAV or AIFF): yourlastname_expmem1, yourlastname_expmem2, & yourlastname_expmem3
• 1 brief Statement of Creative Works (PDF) (expand on your decision-making process in regard to specific directions in your work; support those decisions; expand on descriptions and techniques, etc.): yourlastname_expmem.pdf
• 3 screenshots (PNG) of your FCPX workspace/layout correlating with the audio (see Tech Notes on how to take a screenshot): yourlastname_expmem1.png, yourlastname_ expmem2.png, & yourlastname_expmem3.png

Prepare to present your work to the class in a 5-minute presentation.

Prepare for electronic transfer onto the instructor computer at the beginning of class.

Submit work by the start of class on the due date. Work submitted after the start of class will be considered late, incomplete projects will not be accepted; in addition, work not labeled according to assignment specifications will be subject to grade adjustments - see syllabus for breakdown of grades. Save your work as you will need all deliverables for your final portfolio.