Webspinna Reflection

This was one of our most experimental and entertaining assignments yet. I had never thought of using the Internet in this way. I often forget the title of this major is “Media Arts Studies” and not just “Film Studies”. I think it is great that we are given such opportunities to branch out and experiment with different mediums to see what they are capable of.

Reflecting on my experience, at first I had trouble mixing sounds I wanted to go together. Instead of flowing, it sounded like a layered mess. I was finally able to achieve a nicer sound by layering and experimenting with simpler sounds.

I had rehearsed my creation several times before, and was able to do it the same way a few times in a row and was very pleased. When I got up there to perform, I clicked on the wrong sound on one of my websites. At first I thought my planned piece was ruined, but it actually really worked. I decided to really take a chance and experiment with more sounds on the spot. I think it ended up sounding a lot better than my rehearsed composition, and it was a lot more fun and in the moment. I actually didn’t end up using one of my planned websites because I got into using and exploring those tabs I already had up.

I was second to last, and I heard a lot of the sounds I wanted to use being used. I at first saw it as disappointing, because mine wouldn’t be as unique or innovative, but we all used the sounds in such different ways. Those few unifying threads brought interesting contrast. I also really liked how we kept it as one continual piece.

For my Webspinna, I wanted to have a constant beat, and layer sound bites and effects. I started with the sound of a spinning vinyl to contrast this modern representation and bring sound back to its roots.  I then contrasted this at the end with a voice telling how technological our society has become. This clip discussed the progression of our technological society on top of our shedding of old ideology. Early in my piece, I included a sound clip from Brecht’s communist hearing. In that time period, many experimental arts (and even mainstream arts) were seen as communist informed and influenced. The government recognized the power and influence the media can have, so they cracked down. We have come a long way technologically and ideologically since. These Webspinna are such an abstract and advanced means of sound creation. (We have come from vinyls to the internet and from guitars to screaming animated beans).
Each Webspinna probably meant something to its creator. There is probably a good reason they chose the sounds they did, but we each had a different experience listening and interpreting the individual works. I think the last line of the sound clip I included helps us understand this piece and many others worked on in this class. It says “this is not about what I produce, it is all about what others receive”. This was a process of experimenting, creating, and interpreting for both viewer and listener.