Put Something Here 2.0 (con.)

Put Something Here 2.0 from aymann ismail on Vimeo.

I went back to the same location, this time equipped with a camera (and extra batteries just in case). In the previous version of this assignment, I put a video depicting a struggle of identity in a public place to insight debate. To push it foreword, I put the debate in a more public place.

Augmented Reality

After the lecture last class, i found this article very interesting

http://thecreatorsproject.com/blog/iphone-app-lets-you-turn-real-life-into-star-wars

augmented reality is taking over, i'm very interested where private coders will go with this technology...

...

look theres more!

http://www.thecreatorsproject.com/blog/paint-all-over-your-world

Sara Drury

Based on Sara Drury's works that we have seen in class and the works that are viewable online, I would like to know her views on interactivity and wether or not available technology would push her work further or she would complete and present them the same way.

I would also like to know if she would ever consider combining her creative experiments with tasks of daily life to create a blend of creativity and practicality.

Last, I would like to know why Sara Drury uses musical elements in a lot of her work, and if she would ever use pre-recorded music samples to automate the instillation work.

Put Something Here 2.0

After finishing Put Something Here 1.2, I was inspired by the dialogue that was created in a public space about a topic that is very sensitive in today's world. I wanted to take this idea to the next level and go to the streets and engage people in direct conversation about Muslims in America and how their identities can come with negative stigmas attached. I interviewed several people of all backgrounds, including other Muslims, and the responses were very diverse. One student, who claimed to have many Muslim friends, could not identify a single difference between Muslims and Arabs other than "One can have many wives right?" Another student went as far to say that there isn't too much of a Muslim presence on the College Avenue Campus because it primarily a caucasian campus.

Not everyone was dead wrong with their responses, as one student went a far to tell me less than 20% of the Muslim population in the world is of Arab descent. Out of disbelief, I looked it up and discovered it to be true that only 15-18 percent of all Muslims are Arab. I took my video camera and recorded all of the interviews, but for some reason the audio was not recorded, making the video useless.

I will be returning to the same setting and asking a new set of people similar questions with more direction and create a video discussion between different students on campus about what Muslim identity is about and how it is dangerous to believe false facts about a large diverse group of people.

Put Something Here 1.2

To take my video to the next step, i grasped the idea of really shoving the video into people's faces. For the 1.0 version of Put Something Here, I had posted the video online to Youtube, but did not receive as many views as I had hoped for. To really try and get a response from people, I spammed the computers in a Rutgers computer lab by logging into every computer available and played the video on loop for everyone to see. To get the proper responses out of people, i stayed in the computer lab and claimed ownership of the video.

Students asked me what it was about and I asked them to interpret on their own. The opinions were widespread, but most visitors understood the piece to be about personal id

entity. Many students had questions about the challenges of being a Muslim in America, and I explained my view point and experiences.

I feel that this method of presentation was most effective, only because of my ability to have 1 on 1 conversations with those who were interested in learning about the differences between being an Muslim in America, and being a member of any other faith. Some questions that were brought up were very serious in nature. One example that stood out came from a Jewish student who spent time studying in Israel. He was very kind and shy about asking wether or not all Muslims hate his country, but as the conversation grew more intimate, I was able to dispel the fallacies that surround the issue as being as a religious conflict rather than the political conflict that it is.

Put Something Here

Of course, the threat of Muslims in America are topping headlines for the 9th year straight. Me being both Muslim and American is really conflicting, with the news making Muslims public enemy, I feel as if they are putting pressure on people like to pick one. If you are Muslim you can't be American, and vice-versa.

My concept for this project is to have a Muslim take the side of American, and list the problems with Muslims that have been attached as stereotypes over the years. The media is largely responsible for these stigmas, so I want to put this project on Youtube, a public space on the internet for the whole world to use as their own outlet of media.

Here is the outcome, and message from one individual to the world. The video is very uneasy and uncomfortable to illude to the discomfort of the individual who was forced to pick a side.

Artist Statement

Artist Statement

Always looking to improve, I find myself engaging in projects that push my boundaries as a cinematographer and as an editor. Above all, I consider myself to be a problem solver. Often times, I find myself in a position where a problem presents itself. I find it most rewarding when I discover a solution or draft a plan to reach my goal. This creative process is my art.

Before starting my career at college, I never considered myself to be an artist. I often had something to say, but never a proper outlet to convey my message. In high school, I spent time in the art classroom taking advantage of the resources available to me. Drawing and painting could never satisfy me, my message would always be misrepresented and misinterpreted. I first discovered my calling after attending a video production class taught by Andrew Teheran, a successful sculptor. The class was a trial program in the school and had no set curriculum. The instructor instead insisted that we come into the classroom and play with the provided equipment and familiarize ourselves with the different gadgets and software. Without understanding the full situation, everyone in the classroom became their own instructor, teaching themselves the latest video and photo editing software like Final Cut Pro and Adobe Photoshop.

In Teheran’s classroom, I was exposed to many guerilla style artists. One fellow classmate introduced me to an artist named Banksy. What fascinated me about this artist was that he avoided freehand art and used technology and spray paint to create art. With my newly acquired knowledge of editing software, I felt empowered and inspired to attempt to create my own art.

Throughout my college career, I delved further into the world of editing and video production. After completing many video projects, what I found most rewarding was the exploring of different solutions and problem solving. I was quick to take advantage of on campus organizations like the Rutgers University Television Network and The Daily Targum that offer employment opportunities for students interested in new media.

After three years, I have collected extensive experience working with different powerful software like Final Cut Pro, After Effects and Premier. I Also gained a lot of experience using professional cameras that gave me the tools I need to create original art to deliver my personal messages to the public.

Being an Muslim in America, it is difficult to not be aware of the politics that revolve around my life. Being in this unique position, I find that most of my work has a self-aware imprint of Muslim struggle. After college, I am aiming to leave my impression on the world of mass media. I want to graduate from Mason Gross at Rutgers University to eventually be employed at a media station like CNN where I can influence those who influence the world.

Drift Assignment

http://vimeo.com/15194155

Assignment 1 from aymann ismail on Vimeo.

New Blog

Got the blog to work! hooray!