mattswanuni-blog

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Recommendations

Recommendations for the project’s future development:

1) Adapt the two warehouses showing films for better comfort to improve the audio-visual experience. 

2) Rocklea Markets. May need to modify some parts of the set up but it has a large-enough area to host at least 1 film, a light show, and an art exhibit. 

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Personal Reflection

As is with anything creative, collaboration is key. The ability to put fourth ideas, to develop them with your fellow group members, and move fourth via compromise and work with other ideas is always beneficial. Developing this project was no exception: I shelved my idea and happily went with someone else’s; we then moved on with that idea, and smoothly, luckily conflict-free, went with some details and ditched others. It was also good to work with people specialising in other fields to my own, and put people to their best use (e.g. graphic design, video editing, etc). I accepted my designated responsibilities, and worked them into their place in the prototype and presentation. This was a good way to continue honing my skills in writing and presenting (the latter definitely needs work). This process as a whole was invaluable as an experience, and has me looking forward to doing the same in life outside uni as a creative. 

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Adaptability of drafted product

The latest version of the product/concept/festival/show consists of a Vivid-esque light show displayed on the outside of the warehouses, and locally and domestically sourced films played inside two of the warehouses. These aren’t any normal films, though; the audience determines what happens in the films (inspired by Blackmirror: Bandersnatch). For inside the third warehouse, it will host an art exhibition (also locally and domestically sourced). 

Could it work?

This concept checks much of the guiding criteria: 

It’s a great way of reconnecting the local, and more broad, community with the area. It gives people new reasons to come together - to celebrate, socialise, and admire the works of art on display; to be a part of something new and exciting while reinvigorating the water-front location. 

To address sustainability, it will all be powered by green energy using solar power installed on the roofs of the warehouses. 

The project has potential in terms of systems thinking. It will create a new feel and, in turn, establish an appealing atmosphere and greatly help to generate a simple, and modest, but effective entertainment system for Northshore, utilising visitors to turn the cogs of the show; similar to the function of user-generated entertainment sites. 

One weakness, however, is the suitability for the warehouses to show films. As they obviously aren’t built for that purpose, the interiors would almost definitely require acoustic treatment which wasn’t broadly considered. Without this, the sound from the films would likely not be palatable for audiences inside. 

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later development/final product coming together

As amazing as it may have been to have a huge extravaganza, sensory overwhelming, such as that detailed in the second photo of the previous post, budgetary restraints and a sense of pragmatism had to be adhered to. During workshop consultation with tutors, a light/film/fashion show was cut down to a light/film festival - allowing us to execute two things to a higher standard than three or more things to a lower standard.

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Brainstorming. Considering all options and possibilities with the aim of distilling.

Top photo: Our individual thoughts on what the project would look like, all put together for one total storyboarded concept - someone entering the area and exploring the festival

Second photo: a very ambitious collection of possible festival features and attractions. 

Third photo: the foundation and focus on which to build the concept

Fourth photo: subsequent brainstorming/elimination of many initial ideas

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The theory driving the project

Developing the project needs to involve specific thinking to be a successful example of positive urban development: 

It needs to create a sense of identity, community, and connection between people and the place (placemaking). Regenerating the area needs to be done with a focus on its communal value. I.e. the festival will be built by a team, but operated by the visitors and community. 

One of the more important factors will be a foundation of sustainability and diversity; work towards an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future for the planet and therefore current and future generations (to paraphrase the United Nations). 

Systems thinking needs to be the lens through which we view what we have to work with, and what we can do with the area to leverage it for the people; understanding the project as a whole and inner components which facilitate its role, potential, and purpose (systems thinking). 

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What did it need to do/be?

It needed to be community engaging, captivating, constructed out of existing and, if needed, new infrastructure; it needed, as much as possible, to be self sufficient and sustainable. it needed to be innovative and new; something that both made its mark on the local area but also not send the community and its residents into overdrive. This is where the Normative Framework, Methodology, and Theoretical Framework needed to be understood and guide us. 

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Our early inspiration - an all-in-one fashion, movie, and light-show festival. Not just that, we also envisaged using the water-front area to hold a catwalk that extended over the immediate river area for the fashion element. 

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Insights Film and Arts Festival project final overview

An interactive festival featuring films where the audience has control over what happens in addition to visually spectacular light shows

 It mainly targets youth audiences, ages 15-25, however welcoming and catering to a broad range of people interested in the arts and community activities. This detail was determined using statistics from the ABS and an estimation of expected community cultural interests and values. 

Overall it meets the pillars of cultural vibrance, enrichment of life style, and cutting-edge captivation by offering the community new ways to be involved in the work of their community creatives. 

This festival concept has taken multiple forms and experienced changes throughout development, ultimately aiming to be the best version possible of its intended state and capacity.