Doc Mode 2 - Noise

The poetic documentary mode differentiates itself from others by not having a straightforward narrative or story. Poetic documentaries are typically very subjective, with viewers being able to have different takeaways after watching. For this documentary assignment, we combined our interests in photography and music creation to create a thought-provoking documentary about the contrast between nature and man-made. The dichotomy between serene nature and man made machines becomes exaggerated with the sound design and editing. Immersive soundscapes were created using a modular synth to enhance and compliment the natural visuals, giving the auditory experience a bizarre and emotive quality. Even though they can be harsh at times, these artificial compositions heighten the viewer's sensory awareness by acting as exaggerated interpretations of the faint and sometimes overlooked noises heard in these settings. The addition of natural elements changes the auditory setting as the composition progresses to more man made subjects. With a base composed of industrial hums, engine noises, and rhythmic machinery, the raw, organic tones progressively blend with mechanical textures. This sequence demonstrates the complex ways that music can bring seemingly distant worlds together while simultaneously highlighting the disparity between nature and human intervention. By combining these components, the soundscapes function as a bridge, connecting the distinction between the natural and the artificial and eventually demonstrating how sound itself can operate as a link between chaos and order, the past and the future, and nature and industry. Beyond the sound design, shot choice, color, and movement were used to make the contrast more visible. We aimed to give the footage a similar disorienting feeling to the sound accompanying it, and this goal was accomplished primarily through the editing process. The footage was all shot very simply, using tripods to ensure the only movement in the shots was from what was in the frame. The only shot that includes movement is a very shaky tripod pan, following a boat as it goes across the frame. This choice was intended to be disorienting, leaning into the chaotic feeling of the man made shots. In the edit we used color grading, especially contrast adjustments, to give a manufactured feeling to the shots with man made objects. The cuts between shots have a few frames of black between them making the scenes feel disjointed. In addition to disorienting cuts, some of the clips have slight speed adjustments, giving the shots an unrealistic feel to them.