When researching videos of artist/photography books, what I mostly found was a nicely lit, clean looking video of hands gently turning through the pages on either a light wood or white table. I decided I would use the camera equipment that I have to try and recreate this format on the underside of a white shelf board. I understand that the format of flipping through a book with a blank background is so that the focus is solely on the pages, which completely works for a flip through.
A cover to cover video of the book is definitely a good asset to have if I wanted to send it to anyone along with pdf slides or images of the book. I think it would be a good idea to perhaps hire a camera that will give a cleaner video, as well as find a larger surface to record on.
To go with the cover to cover video of the book, I had originally intended to make a conversation/interview based video where I discuss the work. However, I found that whenever I would speak into the microphone, my voice would retreat and I would consistently sound less convincing and nervous. I decided to make something more conceptual that could work as advertisement, serve a cover to cover preview of the book and also potentially stand alone as a separate piece.
In the video I created, I recorded the reaction I had from my partner coming in the room, slowing down the footage as she begins to make me smile and laugh.
The video feels to me like a summary of the book, there is purity in the reaction I have as my partner begins to warm me up, and it is only possible because she is there on the other side of the room being the light of my life. My literal hope in the darkness.
The music I chose for the video is a piece from an album I composed for a sound and video installation in Toronto in 2017 called ‘A Lover’s Discourse’. I felt that the music sat nicely with the tone of the work whilst being able to shift in feeling along with the visuals.
CRJ 