Key Points of this project

I started off making a couple of time lapses.

Then I decided to experiment with direct light sources to make light trials

I decided that the long exposures with direct light sources weren't working out to my best advantage so I decided to just continue on with my time lapses.

This was a video I did from the top of the fletcher tower, I really like the lights and the hustle and bustle.

I tried something a bit different with this time lapse, but I don't think that it works. The theme of the project is light and although the sunlight dims and brightens as the clouds pass overhead I don't think it really works.

I decided the best way to display my work would be through an installation. So I started planning how it would work.

I started making more time lapses.

Made my new window after deciding the first one wasn't good enough.

Made dvd case

DVD Case

The above screen print shows my first draft of the dvd case. 

I decided to reverse the colours as it was a bit boring and this gave it a more dramatic look.

Seeing as I was going for more of a monochrome look and the photograph stood out a bit too much I decided to make the picture black and white.

The image still stood out too much so I erased the edges slightly to soften it and blend it into the background, more like it was peaking through,

I decided that the font was too girly and fancy so I changed it to a simpler plain one.

This is the final cover. I added a smaller version of the image to the spine to give a more professional look and changed the white text to slightly grey, just so it doesn't look too stark.

Final time lapses for dvd

These are the time lapses that I have decided to include on my final dvd. The final sequence showing the order the time lapses would play in the installation is also included on the dvd.





Newark Point from Alex Smith on Vimeo.


Time Lapse 2 from Alex Smith on Vimeo.

Final Run Through

This video shows one of my time lapses shown through my window and will be included in my final dvd as a layout guide.

Final Set Up

Once my window was built I could prop it up and set up for my final video.

Even simply placing it up against the TV I can tell it looks a lot better than the first one!

I'm really pleased with the way this has turned out. This photo shows the set up for the final video, I think that the cross on the window makes it look more three-dimensional.

Building my window day 2

I used sand paper to smooth over the rough bits of wood and to remove the excess filler. This took a while but I think that the result made it worth it.

I then painted the frame, I decided on white as the walls behind the TV are creamy coloured as are the curtains so I thought that white would stand out nicely.

Once the paint was dry I carefully (so as not to crack it) cut the acrylic to size. I then drilled holes in the acrylic for the screws that would hold it in place.

I pulled off the protective plastic from one side of the acrylic and screwed it to the frame.

Then using double sided sticky tape I measured (for the centre line) and attached the beading that created the 4 panels of glass in the window.

Then I needed to make the legs that the window would stand on. So I measured from the floor to the bottom of the window (while my boyfriend held it up in place) then marked out the length and cut both bits down to size. I used the same type of wood as the frame. 

I removed the last piece of plastic from the acrylic and attached the legs in the room where the TV is. I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Building my window day 1

The first step was to measure the TV screen (50x88.5cm) then once I had bought all the materials (pine for the frame, beading for the inside of the frame, more beading for the cross in the middle, tacking pins, screws and paint) I could get started.

I measured the lengths of wood and sawed them off at a 45° angle. Doing this little extra work rather than just sawing them off square I decided was worth it as the corners would be much neater.

Once all the pieces were the correct size I (with a little help from my boyfriend, and more importantly his drill!) I screwed the frame together.

I then did the same with the beading I was using within the frame although I did not take into account that the beading was round on one side and the 45° angle did not make them sit together the way it did with the square timber.

I attached the beading with tacking nails then used filler to cover any gaps (like the ones in the corners of the beading) and left it over night to dry.

Decision to custom build a window

I decided after my miserable first run through that the only way to get a realistic effect was to make a window exactly the correct size for the TV I am using. I decided that using glass within my frame would be dangerous so I will use acrylic along with 38x63mm pine to build my window.