Final Project

Media 160 Final Project from Maureen Murray on Vimeo.

MOMI Visit

One of the demonstrations that I found the most interesting was one of the last ones that my group experienced. After observing demonstrations that experimented with ADR and sound effects, this demonstration broke down the different audio components from the final version of a scene from Titanic. By separating the various audio tracks and isolating them, it became clear just how necessary each individual track is to the creation of the environment of any specific scene. When only the actor’s voices were heard, the scene seemed ridiculous. The desperate yelling, screaming and panting of the characters seemed comical and out of place, even though many of them were drowning, because there were no audible triggers or responses from the world around them.  Because of the chaos taking place in the scene, any of the sound picked up on location would have been impossible to control and would have drowned out all of the actor’s sounds.  Additionally, sound equipment and giant swimming pools do not mix well so recording equipment would have been kept at a distance on set.  Understanding all of these things, we talked about how each sound is added in post at the discretion of the sound designer.  While most of the choices served to heighten the realistic, although highly dramatic, nature of the scene, it was interesting to learn about where all of the sounds actually came from.  As huge ropes snapped and broke off from the sides of the ship for example, they chose to use the sound of snipers being fired to increase the magnitude of the effect.  Of course, the addition of an orchestral score pulled all of the sounds together and captured the dramatic intensity of the action.    

Relationships Between Shots

In the first quiet moments of the video, the shots are neatly framed and cleanly cut, defining the stark setting with wide shots.  The camera dollies in slowly in each setting, drawing the audience into the world of the video.  The barren rooms are suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a girl.  The bright window of the preceding shot acts as a graphic match for the doorframe she perches in, and the contrast between the two images, in addition to her blank stare, is startling.  Once she drops from the doorframe (on the word “down”) the familiar subject distance and duration of the shots is disrupted.                                                                                                                                            

Towards the beginning of the first verse, a variety of camera angles and shot sizes are used, almost as though the viewer is investigating the girl.  Cuts are obvious; some accent musical beats, others occur at seemingly random moments, giving the piece an unpredictability that matches its subject.  As the music builds to the chorus, cuts become more fluid and shots duration increases, usually tracking the girl from a close range as she dances.  She is rarely centered and it feels like the camera is trying to keep up with her movement.  Occasionally, the shot returns to the first frame size, with the girl centered, as though the onlooker is trying to remain objective and not get caught up in the dance.  This attempt at objectivity is emphasized by the motivic use of framing devices for many of the long shots showing her full body (doorways, windowframes, hallways etc).  Inevitably the viewer becomes mesmerized by the dance and the camera cannot stay so removed, thus, the entire final chorus is one continuous shot.  The rack focus finish suits the instability underlying the whole piece.

Project 2 Interview

What I Hear

I start walking west from Hunter around 5 o’clock pm.  I hear the clear, steady beat of my feet on the pavement, occasionally accented by the soft clink of my boot zippers.  There’s a calm hum to the Upper East Side.  Street blocks are quiet but avenue intersections are full of steady traffic sounds.  I hear isolated voices: a doorman talking quietly on his cellphone and a woman speaking from an open window.  As I approach Central Park I hear the sound of my footsteps change as leaves start to crunch beneath my feet.  Once I enter, kids yell as they run past me playing, skateboards swoosh by, horses hooves clip clop past me.  It seems like a hush falls for golden hour in the park and there are no harsh or sharp sounds.  The light layer of dirt covering the path even muffles my footsteps.  Birds call to each other, leaves rustle on the trees and walkways and bicycles whizz by – soundmarks of the park.  I am not surprised when sirens greet me immediately as I walk into Columbus Circle.  Individual phone conversations follow me down Eighth Ave.   Car horns blare and police whistles shriek.  I can no longer hear my own shoes above the noise but I hear the rumble of subway trains rushing by beneath my feet.  A man on a bike rides by blasting “La Vie en Rose” from a speaker.  As I approach the 40s individual voices blend together until everything is a cloud of sound.        

    

Project #1: Define A Space

Define A Space_Maureen Murray from Maureen Murray on Vimeo.

Artist Statement

The Arts have always been a part of who I am.  My mother is a music teacher, and lots of my childhood was spent sitting under the piano, listening to her teach.  Eventually, I ventured out to sit on the bench and years later, I discovered the cello.  While I love many forms of the performing arts, I am first and foremost a cellist.  I love the versatility of the instrument, the ability to express myself without words, and the collaborative nature of being a musician.  As a classical musician I dedicate lots of time to memorizing other artists’ work.  From Bach, Mendelssohn and Fauré, to contemporary composers like Mark Summer and Daniel Delaney, I’m amazed by so many of the musicians whose work I have the privilege of sharing with audiences, but I also really want to find my own voice in other mediums and become a creator as well as an interpreter.

Outside of music, I'm very interested in theatre and photography.  I want to work in the theatre industry, possibly in marketing.  While I love classic musical theatre and plays, and almost anything written by Stephen Sondheim, I’m inspired by new work as well, like the new musicals Hamilton and Fun Home.  These shows combine diverse music, movement, and visual art in unprecedented ways to explore major societal issues and tell stories that are not often told in mainstream media.  I hope to create work like that.  I want to utilize my interest and experience in many performing arts disciplines and find a way to bring them together to tell new stories, or bring a fresh perspective to familiar ones, and learn to present them effectively using digital media.