Mx.D.P

I haven’t used the group’s reflective questions as yet. I hope in my blog post that I do reflect on my work and practice, but I thought it would be an interesting exercise to use them to compare and contrast the two films together I made over the winter break.

Both were rendered in colours of the non-binary pride flag; this has been something that has become part of my practice, as has my push to discuss my non-binary identity in a more public sense. I believe this is important, and I discuss it more in my study statement. It has seen an encroachment of unconscious/conscious bias within aspects of my life, which has been interesting. It’s probably too early to truly reflect on this, but it’s on my radar now!

The Reflective Questions

What was the best thing I did?

My decision to make the films was short notice and not planned; I felt compelled to make them. I am pleased I made both, which was the best, possibly the Christmas one, but I liked the Solstice film.

Why was this the best thing I did?

I think the cartoon characters are a clear language I’ve developed. The fun, child-like simplicity is endearing and immediate.

How do I know that this was the best thing I did? Because they went out on social media platforms and were created specifically for them, it’s a simple engagement number, which is changing weekly. It could be the Christmas one is very time specific and the Solstice one appeals for longer?

What worked least well for me?

The time scale was too tight, and it needed more planning.

Why did this not work well for me?

I could have combined the activism of 5 Gold Rings performance (which I didn’t record which was stupid on my part!) with either or both of the films.

What have I learned about the topic concerned from this not having worked well for me?

Although art for the artist can be spontaneous, it needs time and structure to be presented effectively to an audience.

What have I learned about myself from this not having worked well for me?

I am good at ‘winging it’ (I knew that already), but a professional result needs time to hone a good piece into a great piece.

What do I plan to do differently in future as a result of my answers to the above questions?

I will use these to produce something seasonal at the end of 2024 that is more on environmental message; however, these were necessary art action research.

With hindsight, how would I go about this activity differently if doing it again from scratch?

It’s a bit like a restaurant plans its Christmas menu in summer. I need to plan this type of work much earlier, but I will use parts of this work again in the winter, probably using the 5 Gold Rings message.

To what extent will this activity influence the way I tackle anything similar in future?

I certainly need to video document any performance piece and need time to polish the animation and writing process.

What did I find the greatest challenge in doing this work?

It went fast, so from inception to production, it was tight. I had longer on the Solstice piece and used the print-making meditation sketchbook prints within multiple AI and filter programs. The poetry had developed over two weeks, so it had more flow. I also produced the film in several different aspects for different platforms, which altered the look of the print kaleidoscope in the snow globe. The Christmas poem was written sitting on the loo after 4 pints in the pub! It had two extra verses that I didn’t animate because they would have taken too long, but they were the best verses! The animation drawings took 7 hours the next day. That’s a very short turnaround for my animation, but I wanted to get it posted on Christmas Eve before 7 pm to hit the scrolling algorithms.

Why was this a challenge to me?

That’s the quickest I’ve animated.

To what extent do I feel I have met this challenge? Both got posted, and both got engagement. I learned a lot from these spontaneous pieces about myself and my process, my need for planning and polish, especially if I want to combine a complex environmental message with a humourous Dada piece. I also realised that every bit of art made is valuable and can be referenced and help develop future work.

What can I do to improve my performance when next meeting this particular sort of challenge?

Time, planning and polish!

What was the most boring or tedious part of doing this particular task for me?

I don’t find anything tedious or boring as I am a high-functioning, autistic, task-orientated person.

Can I see the point of doing these things?

Yep!

If not, how could the activity be changed to be more stimulating and interesting for me?

N/A