What are you ashamed of? / Evaluation

                                                                     Final Evaluation 

This project was a community-based art/design project devised from a collection of submissions from users. The users submitted something they are ashamed of onto an online platform, which was then produced into a publication with relevant photography and a short video.

This brief was a highly compelling and responsive project which was unpredictable and primarily lead by the participants. I had no control over what users could post to the online platform, meaning this was entirely up to those who posted what ended up in the publication. The uncertain nature of the project, however, was what made it so interesting. The project received a high amount of submissions, more than expected, and some were incredibly heartfelt and personal, that I felt grateful that someone had shared that with me.

Using the submission I have created a short video as an advertisement for the book. I was struggling a bit with the video. My aim was to include people on it, their emotions and facial expressions while reading the submissions and reacting to them in a completely silent room, to show the importance of it and make viewers feel as they are in the same room. I booked a photography studio at our university but due to many students, it was very hard to record the video in a complete silence because, all the time people were passing the room, some of them were shouting, talking or laughing very loudly. Also, someone booked a studio next to my one and on the video, I could hear them moving chairs, tables and taking photos etc. We left the photography studio and looked for an empty and silent classroom but due to the very bad lighting, I was unable to use the video for my final. With the help of tutors, I was able to use a recording studio for the first time. It allowed me to record an audio in a professional quality. To make the video interesting I have added a text to the background as I didn't want to leave it black which will make it very boring. The text allows viewers to listen to the audio but also read the text.

The publication has been printed out in an A3 format as I wanted to make it look like a newspaper. I have used a recycled paper as its the I could get in a print room which is similar to the newspaper stock. I feel a thinner stock would have worked more appropriately with how I envisioned the final outcome. However, I am incredibly pleased with this and I feel this project is very different to the ones I did this year for extended practice.