Question 1.
The moment of the first “Thumbs up” put it in perspective for me. The sound really gives me a clear meaning of your work. It really gave comedic sense to the part and added a “checklist” feel. Do you agree with this?
I agree with it supposed to be a check sound. It is a sign of completion with the building, and the competitions of the house and the sound inside my head. It functions mainly as a sign of completion and affirmation. In the workers head its reveals “Good job to me and now I got to keep moving forward”.
Question 2.
When I watch your video, I can think of it in context to Joan Jonas and her vertical roll because the repetition of sound found in both videos. She uses the constant sound as a rhythmic technique. What were your inspirations for making the work?
I can see the similarities with her as I only use the same 4 noises. I grew up in Brooklyn and Manhattan. All you ever saw were the creation of the building, condominiums. Every day new pieces being build and after completion more are being made. I was thinking, “How can I replicate this in a short period of time.” I thought of a house of cards because it is segmented while you do it and the finished product can be grand. In its own right in a hard to do and magnificent.
Question 3.
I would describe the tempo of how you sequence clips very as cyclical. How does your use of sound add or contrast to that?
It adds to this because the motions are repetitive and going to one place then back and back again. The sounds that are most repetitive are the footsteps of me turning and the pieces of the structure. It goes “one step two step, placing down”. My sound adds to the cyclical effect you are perceiving.
Question 4.
I’m particularly interested in how you used the camera. Mainly, the angled ground shot Can you tell me why you did this?
I did this to more effectively show the grandness albeit small construction. To really elicit feelings that you are actually looking at a newly constructed tower. New, shiny, epic and something to be amazed at even though it is clearly a house of cards.
Question 5.
I felt like you were mocking the construction workers with them being slow, taking a break and giving themselves a “sarcastic good job”. Is this accurate?
I was not trying to make fun of them. In the video, I was the only construction person building the house of cards. In effect, I was the entity as a whole, the whole construction team. To that effect, I showed to how what they do is very repetitive, and laborious. Even though I did take a break, that was there for comedic effect. Construction crews still have to resolve and push forward to make sure these modern day marvels are completed. Even though there are breaks in the repetitive stance, the workers still see projects through.