The context of my work explores the emphasis perception has on form in abstract artworks. Form can be entirely subjective when exposed to interpretation, and I believe this concept translates to the form and subjectivity of natural environment. The question I want to answer in my audio-visual artwork is ‘how can we illustrate an environment through the lens of our own psyche?’. This concept is very broad and I am choosing to limit my focus on a natural landscape (undecided) and the medium will be reduced to 8mm film to limit capability in processing, also allowing space for illustration and abstraction of the material itself.

The philosophical anxiety I am addressing in using analog means rather than digital means in the creation of the film is to focus on the interaction I will have with the medium rather than accessibility or potential. Jonathan Sterne addresses concerns around digital versus analog modes in audio in his paper The death and life of digital audio. Most notably he expresses the finite nature of analog means in describing how the digital concept of resolution translates to tape and film stock.

‘Evans’ point is not, however, unique to digital media. Analogue media can store their data in discontinuous formats as well, and resolution can be just as big an issue. Consider the two images of magnetic tape in Fig. 1. One shows particles of ferric oxide on a strip of magnetic tape, magnified through a scanning electron microscope. In tape recording, the recorder takes a sound that has been converted to an electrical signal (for instance through a microphone) and runs that signal through a small magnet that it passes over a moving strip of tape covered with particles of ferric oxide. The particles on the tape rearrange themselves in concordance with the waves given out by the magnet in the recording head of a tape recorder. When the machine passes the tape over the magnet in the reproducing head, the process is reversed, and eventually sound will emanate from a connected speaker or headphones.’ (Sterne, 2006).

This concept is not meant to be explored in my proposal, however, it is a concern. In limiting my work to analog means there are a variety of factors outside of the realization of this project that could hinder my work. The fascination and embrace of these factors is what excites me.

The subjectivity of constructing an instrument solely for the purpose of composing a score for an experimental film works transcends the practical nature of instruments as tools. I view an instrument typically as an extension of an individual. One guitar might have been used on multiple well known records, however, the mojo, so to speak, of the instrument is highlighted by the artist themselves rather than the actual device, because of association, years of practice on that specific tool, and maybe even imagery formed in interviews and playing live. Contrary to this common perception of instruments as tools for an individual, I want to construct something that I have not played before, with no structure, with no technique, and with complete naivety. This is to serve the image of abstraction I hope to form in parallel to an experimental film work.

Currently, I am working out a rudimentary design to figure out how much tension the cavity of the instrument will need to withstand to house a harp like structure on top of it. The inspiration for this instrument is based on a hurdy gurdy as well as a German style zither harp, which utilized a sound hole and reflective cavity to project sound acoustically. I will cut pieces for my prototypes using thin birch plywood and a laser cutter, however, for my final piece I want to make it by hand with repurposed and found material. However, I have been considering using a metal bridge in the final design.

Here is my initial (and primitive) adobe illustrator file that I will use when cutting out the components of the cavity on the laser cutter. It features the box itself, the wheel, and the curved bridge idea (to align the strings with the wheel). The wheel will be covered in rosin and potentially fine horsehair as well in the final design to mimic a violin or cello bow. (The bottom three circles are also meant to be cut in half, and then shaved down until the desired height is obtained).