face to face to face

Two days ago I shot some video: a reflection of a man riding a Tokyo train, watching another moving train (a shinkansen) pass by on a parallel track. I made this music today, to serve as accompaniment for the 58-second film. I uploaded the video earlier this evening to YouTube here.

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by flapjax at midnite (12 comments total)

It sounds sad and desolate but also a bit omnious, as if he's been laid off from work first thing in the morning and, still chocked, decides to randomly take the train, not knowing what the future holds.

My first reaction, actually, was that there isn't so much train/movement to this music, but I think this actually works quite nice once you get your imagination started. Terrific work.

It's a damn shame more people don't check of Mefi Music, there's lot of talent and great stuff here.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:31 PM on June 21

Well, Foci, from now on, then, we'll be expecting you to drop by a little more often. Chococat makes wonderful brownies! And there's a couple of versions of Halleluja floating around here, too!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:43 PM on June 21

Wow, forgive me if I ramble a little bit, but there is much to be said about this.

The video imagery may be happenstance or naturally occurring (the collage effect), and little miracles like this happen every day, but it takes a keen and special sense to capture those brief moments.

The score is also amazing. Is it deliberate that the first handfull of notes are happy and almost playful? That the final notes leading to fade are stark and leave me fearing for the subject's life? Or did you simply watch the images and let the music come to life through your fingers?

Please don't answer those questions, flapjax, wait until you're 80 something and spout off some crazy blather, thus keeping the mystery of art alive.

Again, forgive me for yapping on like an idiot, but great art should illicit some emotion and THIS great art moved me.

Excellent, beautiful and thank you for sharing this.
posted by snsranch at 4:39 PM on June 21

I almost forgot...as artistic as you are, flapjax, have you every tried your hand at oils or water colors? Sculpture? You seem to have the eye and the feel. Anyway, just curious about that.
posted by snsranch at 4:44 PM on June 21

sns, we need more folks like you, yapping like idiots!

I'm not gonna wait til 80, as I fear I might not make it that far, so allow me to do some (yapping) like an idiot) of my own, in answer to some of your queries...

Is it deliberate that the first handfull of notes are happy and almost playful?

That first little motif was actually from a fashion show soundtrack I did last year. Somehow I thought it'd be a good opener for this little movie. I didn't really think of it as playful or happy, exactly, but I suppose it is, particularly when set against what follows. As a total piece, to accompany this bit of footage, I think I was just going for an overall feel of a certain complexity, a mixture of lightness and ominousness. I guess I wanted to keep the "meaning" of the melodies a bit unclear. There was something sad about the man, though, to me, and I wanted to hint at that. When he looks at those train windows passing, there seems to be an odd sort of... incomprehension, or something. Like he's seeing some sort of unfathomable thing, and doesn't quite know how to process it.

...have you every tried your hand at oils or water colors? Sculpture

No, I've never felt much affinity for paint, although I like drawing and I've been a doodler for years. As far as visual stuff goes, though, I'm into photography in a big way. I do quite a bit of shooting, on a daily basis, really. I have a flickr page with a coupla thousand photos.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment and questions, sns.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:12 PM on June 21

I have much more to say, but it's Fathers Day, and I'm getting lots of love here and I hope you are too. Happy Fathers Day! (I'll be off to see your photography as soon as I have a chance!)
posted by snsranch at 7:16 PM on June 21

Good stuff FJ, it works really well together.
posted by doctor_negative at 12:09 AM on June 22

Thanks so much, d_n.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:20 AM on June 22

I watched the film. It's really quite powerful, and I love the way the music complements it. I was reminded of certain European films from the 60's and 70's, without being able to get any more specific than that. Maybe even some Russian animation... I agree that there seems to be a complexity to the man's thoughts, and I quite like the description Foci for Analysis came up with. I felt something similar when watching. Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing.
posted by edlundart at 11:02 PM on June 22

You're very welcome, edlundart, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:08 AM on June 23

Great video! A surprising music selection that was unsettling in the best possible way.
posted by Corduroy at 10:46 PM on June 24

Yeah, that video was great, the bewilderment really reflected in the music.
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 3:35 PM on July 4