Homage to Parthenon Marbles -the making of
It has been almost 2 years since the time I have created this video and I think it has become so popular that I need to commemorate it and celebrate it a bit.
Google search 8th in a row on Parthenon marbles search
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The making of
And all this work was initially opposed from my tutors because of the profound showing of political standpoint. We were requested to get the cameras and choose some well known places in London like Kew Gardens, Museum of National History, British Museum.
I had vowed not to go in there ever again, but I felt tempted to so I had a chat with my tutor telling him I want to do a documentary, try to be detouched about this anger and sorrow I felt as a Greek and just say the story as a few Brits know. He was immediately afraid of raising political views in the academia. I persevered. “I didn’t want to talk about love in the spring time in Kew Gardens”, I had to be a part of a team though and that was hard, since nobody else was interested in the subject.
So I started working alone, I researched on genre I would follow, wrote the script, made the story-boarding, voice over-ed and sound edited Lord Byrons poem, kept the log journal of the project.
1st Treatment
Assignment Outline:
The format of video recording is DV tape. The genre initially intended was documentary in a broader sense. However since Dogme95 is ruling out genres by definition as I am mentioning bellow; I can at least state that the purpose of this video is to “document reality and politico‐historical facts in a Cinéma vérité style ‐ known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics‐; I pose the problem of truth & finally capture personal reactions”.
updated Assignment Outline
Due to lack of conforming to the Dogma 95 in several parts, that is rule no. 2, 9, 10 we decided to drop the idea of making a dogma 95,
Apparently we were lacking the funds and the knowledge of transferring the DV film into Academy 35mm, and even the tutor we seek advice from did not have the required knowledge, nor did the faculty provide such facilities.
Last but not least, for the purposes of us submitting this assignment we had to include credits to the director, editor and producer.
2nd Treatment
Activity Log
Research
After my topic was determined, the research was focused on historical facts of The Parthenon Marbles and the historical timeline from past to present. Coming to 2008 when the Greek Government is announcing the completion of the Parthenon Museum which has been specifically built to host the Marbles which are now in British Museum and their formal request via European Union (reference needed).
Footage Day 1
Friday 4th of April 2008
Equipped with two different DV cameras, Sony Handy cam DCR‐HC32E and a Sony PD100a, but no flash, I mostly used the smaller camera.
My nationality, background and education evoke strong emotions which I decided to express through a poem “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimagei” of a most noble British poet, Lord Byron. And this is a way to capture personal reactions as intended.
I stayed until the late closure of the gallery in order to get an unobtrusive footage from the visitors, which I later decided to include in order to better depict the natural environment of the gallery.
Overall footage shot was about 40 min
Footage Day 2
Saturday 5th of April 2008
On the second day I have tried to change my perspective in order to enliven the statues, by stroking them with lens, by peeling their stories while panning with the camera.
I solely used the pd‐100a camera and I recorded the same route to the Parthenon Marbles. By now the idea of paying a tribute to the parts of the Parthenon temple is solidified. This time, I was aware of what exactly I was looking for and the effects I wanted to play with, so the footage was quicker and smoother in overall; which provided me with additional time to include complementary photography footage as well.
Overall footage shot was about 20 min.
Editing
We began by separating the footage in to sections according to the script. Once this was done we all decided which shots, out of the different takes, were best suited for the final piece.
We used ‘Propellerhead Reason’ to create our song, which was done by creating a combination of ambient strings and a variety of woodwind instruments.
The music that was produced went well with the visuals when we tested it. So after placing the music on the timeline we began to neaten up clips and transitions according to the music.
Additionally we increased the brightness in the shot entering the main hall of the museum. This was to allow a continuous fade from that shot and the initial shot of the temple. Despite the improvisation, the effect applies a more depth for the audience to read in to. Perhaps it could be metaphorically representing the wants and desires of Greece.
At this point we made sure to align the music so that it crescendos during the transition.
We also remapped the time of the last clip. During this, the poem is spoken and the final song begins. All of this is done for dramatic affect as well as an increase in depth.
Finally we adjusted the contrast and brightness to all the clips to assure they appear consistent and captivating to the eye.
“Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage”
Cold is the heart, fair Greece! that looks on thee,
Nor feels as lovers o’er the dust they lov’d ;
Dull is the eye that will not weep to see
Thy walls defac’d, thy mouldering shrines remov’d By British hands,
which it had best behov’d
To guard those relics ne’er to be restor’d.
Curst be the hour when from their isle they rov’d,
And once again thy hopeless bosom gor’d,
And snatch’d thy shrinking Gods to northern climes abhorr’d.
By Lord Byron
2011
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