Video Project No. 1: Michael Lemaire

Q: What piece did you choose and why?

A: I chose the piece by Jessica Dimmock called “The Ninth Floor” about a group of heroin addicts living in a apartment in New York City. I chose it not only because I feel it was the best piece we saw in class, but also because it was interesting and effective the way Dimmock chose to use a series of still photos instead of video, and only the addicts telling their story, no narrative.

Q: Why did you think the still photos were more effective than video?

A: While I think that video would have been able to tell an equally compelling story, the still images were more effective because they allowed the viewer a chance to look at all aspects of the photo, and allow the story and plight of the addicts to sink in and resonate somewhat more. It would have been tough for a perpetually changing video to paint the same graphic and poignant picture that the group of still photos did.

Q: There was no narrative. Did this enhance or diminish from the piece?

A: I think it actually enhanced the piece greatly. The topic of the piece is a story that is best told visually. People watching need to be able to see how bad the lives of the addicts are and how much the drug has taken control of them. If Dimmock or someone else had narrated the piece it would have been distracted and detracted from the power of the images that accompanied it.

Q: Were there any parts of the piece that could have been taken out without ruining the quality?

A: To be honest I thought everything was very well-done and produced. Maybe the least recognized yet most important part of this piece was the somber and slow music that accompanied the entirety of the piece. Many overlook the important of music in videos whether serious or humorous. But in this case the music really added to the mood of the piece and helped viewers, even if it was subliminally, understand the situation facing these addicts better.