We have moved into an artists studio in Hackney. It is part of the 'Old Peanut Factory' complex, which James and Faysal are already familiar with as they have a friend who lives there.
It is obviously a step back from the original intention of building the installation in a derelict and empty space, however it was necessary at this late stage. We will continue to pursue the goal of moving into such a space, but for the sake of this project and the deadline we decided it would be better to cement a definite location and concentrate on the project itself.
We had a choice between two studios, one which was 230 sq ft but in an inconvenient location, below a bedroom and surrounded only by thin plasterboard walls and a 190 sq ft room which is obviously smaller but has a second room next door which is 90 sq ft for our use and has solid concrete walls and ceiling meaning us making noise will not be a problem. For this reason, we decided to go for the 190 sq ft room and we are confident it will house the installation well.
Here is a link to see this space http://www.amazing-space.org.uk/e3oldford-280.htm the pictures currently show it with screen printing equipment but this will be moved out very soon.
The Space
Wimbledon Car Boot 4
Great again as per usual! We mostly tried to collect research this time as this is the main thing we are lacking, so books, illustrations etc were at the top of our priority. We left with a fair few interesting books that can be put into the installation either as ripped-out pages or in their entirety.
Other things we got include:
Super 8 Camera
A eumig which looked in good working order but we have later realised it has a cracked and loose filter inside. We may try and use it anyway.
Speakers
A pair of 1970's sanyo speakers in great condition for only £1, not necessary but couldn't resist! Im sure we will use them in some way or another.
Trunk
Lamp
Materials
We have now collected a few key bits of scrap metal to build the machines out of.
Square Tank
James got this square metal tank from near his home in Somerset, it will be great for the boot machine due to its size and aged aesthetic. The fact that it is metal will ensure we attain the sound we are looking to achieve through this machine.
Boiler
I got hold of a boiler from a family friend back in Southampton. It could be used as the body of the Praxinoscope machine. It is copper and it would be interesting to investigate ways of ageing it prematurely so that it will tarnish and become greener in colour.
VHS Loop Testing
We spent today testing various ways to loop VHS tape and it turns out it is a lot harder than we anticipated.
Following our schematics laid out in our research and pre production folders we took apart a VCR and tried to create a loop in the same way that a film or reel-to-reel audio loop works. Our tests were unsuccessful as VCR's are cleverer than we thought! They really do not like being manipulated and are not as simple as older projectors and reel-to-reel players.
For this reason we have decided to instead use vhs tapes and record the footage over an over again in extended play, on a 4 hour tape we will be able to squeeze 8 hours into it doing this. The work will not be exhibited any longer than 8 hours a day so this works out fine, we will just rewind the tapes over night. Another advantage to this is that it takes up less room than a loop so we will not be prohibited by any possible issues with space.
All in all I am a disappointed we will not be having the visual aesthetic of a loop but I am happy that we have a solid back up, guaranteed to work.
Wimbledon Car Boot 3
This time round Wimbledon was the best yet! We got hold of an incredible amount of stuff and for unbelievably cheap.
8mm Viewer
This viewer is interesting because it has a large screen like a television monitor, could be a great bridge between the various technologies within the installation.
Box of vinyl records
Not sure if this will be relevant with this project but a proposed project we have been working on outside of this one involves the gramophone we used in 'Waiting Room'.
Various Books
Journals on Supernatural Topics
Mannequin Arms
Again, we are not sure whether these can be used in this project but they look fantastic.
Binoculars
These will be built into the praxinoscope machine.
Weighing Scales
These could work well with the DIY tools on display.
Magnifying Lamp
We had an idea where we could play a VHS through the viewfinder of the camera and magnify it using this lamp. It would have a Brazil-esque look to it which would work nicely with the bizarre and unnerving environment we will create.
schedule
Chapel Visit postponed
The chapel visit with Justine from Wandsworth was unfortunately cancelled yesterday.
It will be postponed until the week beginning 22nd March. Disappointing, but at least we will still view it and potentially gain access to the space.
VHS Footage
James and Faysal sent me a link to some tests they did with the Panasonic VHS camera. I wasn't at theirs at the time, which is where the camera is currently being kept but their friend came over with some blank VHS tapes and they couldn't resist!
Original Video - More videos at TinyPic
The footage is everything I had hoped for. I have been wanting to achieve a degraded VHS aesthetic for a long time with my work and this is absolutely perfect, it has the potential to be used in this and further projects. With the abundance of VHS tapes available as most people get rid of all their old equipment their opens up a world of possibilities and experimentation. To me, this is the most exciting development in the project so far. I was pretty gutted I couldn't be their for the initial testing of the camera but am glad it has been done successfully.