Time Cash Discontinuum (Assignment #2)

February 18th, 2009 by Shane Farrell

My film deals with the commodification of time and the organization of time into schedules. The watches and clocks spin, becoming more and more frantic, to represent the overwhelmingness of schedules. The soundtrack mirrors this feeling. Time, as represented by the clocks and watches, is invaded by the alien force of commodity, as represented by the jewels. This force is parasitic and utilizes time for it’s own means, using the watches to create it’s own progeny. Throughout the length of the video these symbols for scheduling and commodity build until the entire process implodes upon itself, illustrating the futility and absurdity of placing constraints and external forces on time.

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5 Responses to “Time Cash Discontinuum (Assignment #2)”

  1. Diana Says:
    February 24th, 2009 at 4:04 pm

    This piece is successful in portraying “the commodification of time and the organization of time into schedules.” In particular, I am drawn to the relationship visually conveyed between the clocks and the jewels. This relationship becomes clear in this final version of the animation.
    However, some of the sounds seem misleading; they almost sound like water. I may be interpreting this incorrectly.
    Overall, I really enjoyed this piece and I think its conceptually and visually strong.

  2. daniel Says:
    February 25th, 2009 at 6:12 am

    Shane,

    I think the selection of sound is very appropriate for your animation. The progression that you create by accumulating different sound elements goes along with the interaction of the visual components. The way your piece starts with a single shot of a watch and then evolves into a more chaotic display is successful. I can appreciate the tension you are trying to create between the visual elements.

  3. Lissa Says:
    February 25th, 2009 at 8:03 am

    What I feel are the two strongest item from this film are your audio and the scenes featuring multiple clocks laid out in a grid format.

    Your audio starts quietly, drawing the viewer in, making them almost strain to make sense of what they hear. The tick-tock creates a smooth but fast-paced rhythm. Slowly it become louder before the watches are ingested by the jewels with a loud almost sucking noise. Something that many including myself were having difficulties with was making the movements of our videos match the movement in our audio. I think this is something you very much succeeded in however. Which leads me to the scenes with the grid formatted clocks. These scenes to me fit perfectly with your audio during those moments. Additionally, having made a stop motion myself, I am somewhat aware of the time and the energy that these particular spectacles must have taken, which to me is very reputable.

    Nice work.

  4. sean Says:
    February 25th, 2009 at 10:10 am

    Shane,
    The visual elements of this piece are simply amazing. I cannot stress how much energy the movement of both the clocks and gems have. The sound is an excellent compliment and really gives the piece a sense of life in that their is a crescendo of sound and image, which correspond. I like that your sound in this video as opposed to the original sound presented is so much more natural, and is considering it is sounds you made with your mouth. The build up allows the piece to be both playful and terrifying which I think is appropriate given your subject matter. I am not sure how i feel about the ending as I feel it cheapens your peice and is such a break from the organic feel of the rest of the project.

  5. michael Says:
    February 25th, 2009 at 10:51 am

    This piece stands out to me because of the overall structure, and the clarity with which that structure is presented. It moves, fittingly, like clockwork and the humorous play works not by breaking the rigid structure (as it would if you tried to push too much of an organic counterpoint) but instead by playing up and accelerating the hectic nature of the structure (of time, of the schedule) itself. The transition, at the opening, from the single rotating clock to the wall of rotating clocks always makes me laugh- it is overwhelming, and the fact that there is a shot between them pushes that. I must admit that the piece doesn’t really make me want to read too deeply into the symbolism of the jewels etc. I don’t think that that is a problem, but given your clear definitions of the symbolism involved it might be a concern of yours.

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