“Searching for Self” by Michelle Taylor is licensed by CC by 4.0.
Video editing software used: iMovie, combined with Canva Pro for text animations
Export settings: MP4, 1080p, High Quality
Images used:
Photo of head bust print artwork by meo: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Photo of mental health related conceptual art by Tara Winstead: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Photo of Paperclip in a Shape of a Light Bulb and a Rubber Eraser in a Shape of a Brain by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Photo of A Woman with Band Aids on Face Looking in a Broken Mirror by ShotPot: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Photo of A Woman Covering her Ears by Yan Krukau: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Photo of Arranged Paper Clips around an Eraser by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Photo of Gentle mysterious woman touching face in darkness by Mariana Montrazi: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash is licensed under CC0. Text used on photo is from Invictus by William Ernest Henley and is in the Public Domain.
Videos used:
Video by Azhaan Bashmil: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Video by Coverr: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Video of Silhouette with Headphones in Front of Computer Screen by cottonbro studio: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Video of A Woman Walking on an Empty Road by Vlada Karpovich: Pexels is Licensed under CC0
Video of Woman Looking on the Mirror by Tima Miroshnichenko: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Video of A Woman Taking Pictures Of Motivational Words Written On Stick Papers Over A Mirror by cottonbro studio: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Video of Close Up Video of a Man Talking Beside a Mirror by cottonbro studio: Pexels Licensed under CC0
Audio used:
Mind (Robbero Mix) by Robbero (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license on CCmixter.
Hello Michelle,
Your video seems to explore mental wellness and self-actualization against the cold, detached context of mobile phones. Many of the images you use create a sense of unease and longing, particularly those with human figures present. I think that the graphic designs that are used fit the themes you’re exploring but are less successful in creating an emotional response in the viewer. The soundtrack features a robotic voice and philosophical lyrics that combine with your video to create an introspective mood, though its driving rhythm creates an interesting sense of optimism in contrast with the vocals. The most striking image in the video for me is the one of the figure walking down the street towards the glowing sun- it reads like a moment of genuine hope, of respite from the trappings of modern technology, which I think combines nicely with the audio piece.
Your edits are fluid, never really calling attention to themselves, and you do a nice job of lightly animating the static images to maintain a sense of momentum and progression throughout the piece.
Hi Michelle. Great mix of still photos and video with “Mind” by Robbero. It makes the viewer really think about how we come to think of ourselves and the many factors that play in that decision and influence. Ultimately it is us, but it’s not easy to realize that in the world we live in with social media, reality TV, streaming social experiments, and the habit of “keeping up with the Joneses”. I loved your choice of video, “People using Smartphone Together” when the lyrics “Where do the thoughts come from” is said. Your use of zoom, scrolling, cropping, and transition timing was very effective in your video to keep me engaged. All of the videos and images you selected are a great contrast to the lyrics that evoke your theme of defining one’s self or self reflection. “Gentle Mysterious Woman touching Face..” showing a fractured image of a person was a perfect image to use before you ended with William Henley’s quote that we’re the captain of our souls. Great work!
Hi, Michelle!
My main takeaway from this video is that it is very difficult and/or complicated to cultivate a relationship with oneself. I found the audio very interesting and I think that the clips and images you chose reflected it well without being too on-the-nose. I might have liked to see a little more variation in the pace, but I don’t think that what you have here is bad; the fact that the pace of the cuts is a little slower complements the mesmerizing quality of the audio. I also like your careful inclusion of text with the quote at the end, which recontextualizes the word “captain” that you hear in the song at the same time. Great work!