Home - video 1

I began tackling the 1 minute silent video and selected the home topic. I decided to capture what you don't see while you are taking an DL course and reveal new student study habits that form around this new interface for learning. I'm very keen on DL due to its' flexibility and access. Busy people who may not be able to otherwise juggle their personal and professional obligations around a class can participate with DL. And while we connect each week, I wonder what everyone else is doing while they are taking the class. The temptation to multi-task or disruptions (from baby in my case) sneak into the learning experience. And while I may never really get to know my class mates I wonder about them.

Although this sounds like it could be the education topic video, it really does reveal a lot about my home situation right now. Home is certainly the focus for me. I recently had a baby and that of course transformed our home life. In addition, I moved last weekend and was worried about not getting the assignment done on time. The real worry of squeezing in a project or time for education/art making was translated into this 1-minute short. I also speeded up the footage to hopefully add some humor but also to reflect the psychological speed in which I often find myself moving at.

Aesthetically speaking I am a big fan of Lars von Trier, especially his "Idiots", and of the Dogma DV movement. I was very excited by this work when it first emerged particularly because it valued the nature of the DV medium and its formal qualities. Doing this assignment made me think again of those earlier critical experiments with DV. It also made me reflect that it's not what you know how to do but what you can get done within the constraints of your resources. I'm going to call this a DIY aesthetical philosophy from here out!