Sound image and image image relationship

Alfred Hitchcock "The Birds"

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qMwvHLe5m3g

For the first thirty two seconds, there is no noise except for the tiny piece of dialogue between Mitch and his mother. When Mitch, his mother and Tippi Hedren exit the house we can hear the gush of the wind. The wind blowing is an important sound because it creates a disturbing atmosphere. All three characters are surrounded by killer birds who  destroyed the entire town of Bodega Bay. The image that is shown as soon as we hear the wind blowing is all three characters opening their front door. The wind blowing, along with the image, informs us of the change of scenery. As all three characters exit the house, the screeching of all of the birds that surround them is heard. The birds screech is used not only because this is the noise that birds actually make, but because it leaves both the characters and the audience in an unsettled mood. The audience and the characters have seen these birds kill. By having them screech at all three character as they walk by them, it creates suspense. Are the birds screeching because they are getting ready to attack? Are they communicating with each other on what to do with the humans? Or are the birds communicating directly with the humans? These questions pop in our heads and they are left unanswered. As all three characters are leaving the house, their is a shot of a car before the film returns to the three characters. The shot of the car informs the audience that these characters are trying to get away through the vehicle. As all three characters exit the house we get another shot of the car with the camera zooming in on the vehicle. Then we get a close up of all of the characters faces before getting a shot of the birds that are just a few feet away from them. These scenes are perfect because it shows us the anxiety of the characters. The zooming in on the car tells us that the characters are trying to enter the vehicle as fast as possible. The close up of all of the faces shows us the fear that fills the characters and by cutting back to a menacing shot of the birds, the film reminds us what these characters are afraid of and the reason behind their fear. As the characters enter the car we get a medium long shot that is shot from above. This shows us how the birds see these people and all of humanity for that matter; they see us from above. After having retrieved his younger sister from the house and bringing her into the car, we get a shot of Tippi Hedren leaning her head on Lydia. Then we see Lydia looking at Hedren soon afterwards we get a shot of Hedren squeezing Lydia's wrist. In a matter of seconds, these shots quickly tell us th relationship between Hedren's character and Lydia. These two women have developed a bond a closeness with one another. The shot of Lydia resting her head on Hedren tells us that these two women need each other and have accepted their relationship. The final shot of the film is of the car characters driving away in the car as the birds watch them. In the background the sky is open and light shines through. This shot tells us that the birds have allowed these peopel to live, to escape. Although it is never mentioned why, the open sky and the bright light tells us that far away from this house, from this town a better life awaits. The shots in Alfred Hitchcock's, "The Birds" quickly inform us of the relationship between the characters with the use of very little dialogue. The shots reinforce the tension that is felt between mankind and the bird population.

Project 4: The Ass

https://vimeo.com/114385605

Extra Credit: Beoming Robot

Paik's work includes pieces that, for the most part, involves humanities connection with technology. This is evident in pieces like the "T.V. Chair" which was present in the exhibition. This piece involves a chair in which the subject (a human) sits on. There is a video camera above the chair and a television underneath the seat which displays what the camera records. In order to see one self, one must get up from the chair in order to see the television but by doing so you destroy the piece of art because you, the subject, are removing your self from the display. This could be Paik's way of saying that most people, especially during the time the piece was made, were unaware of their connection with technology. Another piece was a huge Buddah statue siting on the ground. A television sat a few feet away and a camera sat on top of the television recording the Buddah's face which was on display in the television. This, like the "T.V. Chair" could once again be Paik's way of referring to the way society is changing. People are not conscious of the way technology is affecting their life. The real Buddah was conscious of many things so perhaps it could be that t.v. or technology in general is a reflection of human society. Paik's work embodies natural objects (the human body) with those of technology (t.v.) He is pretty much making a statement of man kinds life under technology.