Precis
For my final major project I aim to produce a video or myself,
talking about my views on how YouTube has affected the world. I want to focus
on the beauty YouTube community, and how I am affected by what these videos
talk about, and the people in them. I want to be able to talk openly about how
I feel watching these videos and the and how it affects my consumerism. I also
want to have a set of photographs along side this of still life/product
pictures showing my own interest in the YouTube/blogging community, and how I
would show the products myself.
Proposal
I have been an avid YouTube watcher for a few years and I have
become a huge fan of the beauty ‘vlogging’ community that has built up. I want to be able to create a video piece
talking about my thoughts and experiences, and have others be able to relate. I
want the piece to communicate the ideas of how YouTube has affected consumerism.
I want to be able to communicate with both the girls in the age range, and
others who may not totally understand the idea of YouTube as it is today. I want to stay unbiased, and not just talk
about the good things about YouTube, and why I enjoy watching so much. I want
to be able to talk openly about how watching the videos affect my consumerism
habits, and the idea that I fully trust what the bloggers are telling me, and
feel I need everything they talk about. I feel it will be eye opening for me,
and anyone who is in the same position as me as a fan. I feel that I will
understand more about my admitted ‘obsession’ with YouTube and blogs at the end
of this project.
I also want to explore still life photography to go along with this
idea. I want to be able to create high quality product images, and try to
create the images I see that draw me into buying the products in the first
place. I want to explore both how I photograph my own blogging images now. At
home with natural light and a more natural setting, and how that comes across
to the reader compared to images taken in the studio with lighting and
different set ups.
I want to use Lauren Greenfields work as a resource, in Kids + Money
she shows kids who tell their stories in a series of interview-based
“portraits,” about their relationship with money. Some talk about their love
for shopping, talk about their ambitions to become rich and some talk about how
money is not important to them. In some of the interviews, they talk about how
kids are now being judged on their family’s wealth, rather than their race like
previous generations.
I want my video piece to feel natural and laid back; I don’t want it
to be too staged or structured. I want it to feel as if I was talking to a
friend about my thoughts and opinions, and not me telling people how they
should feel about the subject. My still images how ever will be staged, both
with the images done at home and in the studio. I want a professional and clean
look to my images, to draw in the viewer. My intended audience is mostly
gallery based, but would seeing as this is a video based around YouTube; this
would be a great place to display it. People who would be watching on the
website, would be the people most understanding of the concept I am talking
about.
I hope that during this project I will learn more and understand the
whole area around the Internet and how it affects our spending habits and us. I
want to be able to speak openly when I film the final video, about what I have
learnt and realized about myself watching others videos each day. I want to be
able to develop my still life photography skills, and improve how I work with
products.
The support I need during this project is yet to be decided. I will
need technical support with any new equipment, lighting and any still life
aspects I do not already know. I may want to undertake some training in a
medium or large format camera to evolve my skills. If this is successful I may
want to use this for my project, and be able to show my development through the
assignment.
At this stage I am not totally sure on the exact equipment I may
need. As stated, I want to try to learn new skills to improve over all, but if
this is unsuccessful I may need to stick the equipment I am used to, and know
how to use at a high standard. Due to the fact I will not be shooting any of my
project on location other than my own home, or the studios at university there
will be no travel considerations that I already don’t take. I will not being
needing to travel to another area to shoot my video, or stills.
The over all budget for this project will be small, with travel
costs and the fact that no other person is involved means that costs should be
small. The amount I need to spend will become more apparent with printing costs
etc.