When thinking about seeing and hearing in 3d, I’m not talking about a 3D movie or a picture in the mall that seems to jump out at you. I am referencing the effect of a ‘full’ experience, a robust experience that has depth and size. Today I would like to talk a bit about experiences you step wether it is what you see or hear.
From an early age, I noticed that while I enjoyed many different bands, some seemed to do more than distribute music and lyrics to enjoy. When you listed to these small group of bands, their songs appear to be fuller and more well developed. This was true with all types of music, whether it be classical or pop rock. A group that really stood out was Pink Floyd. Their music creates a wrapper that your mind steps into.
Pink Floyd is the music I listen to when I need to write or do some unique thinking on a spreadsheet/project plan. You can sing along if your into that, but mostly the music fills the area in your head between your ears rather than being pushed at you like a recording of a band on a stage.
If you have a chance, Pink Floyd produced a DVD a couple years ago (Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon 2003) that has a lot of extra video interviews. The mixing of bits and pieces, altered here and there to create music that comes together as music with depth. Sure, many people feel that in order to get this level of music you remove the natural talent of the musician. I agree if your talking Jazz or Blues, where your not looking for the depth.
It has been said that it takes five to ten years to appreciate a Stanley Kubrick movie. I have not seen a single movie he produced that I didn’t leave theater wanting to talk it over with someone. It isn’t that there is so much going on you think you missed something, rather that there are so many crossovers and hidden meanings to everything – you want to talk about what you saw. Kubrick took years to develop a movie plan then years to film and cut it. His final product is not just eye candy, the movie has a depth that you become part of… reading a room color or an actors quick wince that is not by mistake.
My first Kubrick experience was his “2001”. Our whole 4th grade class loaded up on buses and went into town to view in a rented ‘big’ theater.
My mother was a chaperone for out little field trip. She ended up sitting mid theater right next to the class bully. I knew his evil side quite well. Lucky for me, my mother negotiated an agreement with him and his pea shooting straw a limited first strike treaty.
After the movie, we returned to our classes, a bit confused about our feelings. My teacher in particular decided it was her job to explain it to us. That was for a few of the class members, most of us still felt ‘uneasy’. I’m not sure many 4th graders would be able to understand the depth of what they saw…
Jump to today: After talking through his movies with others you discover that there was points that tied to other points. It isn’t that you missed anything, it is only that each of you may have translated in your mind what you saw differently. I don’t think I could have pulled off being in one of his movies, doing a scene fifty times till you have just the right expression. Kubrick got his message across with the little things your subconscious picks up on more than something hitting you in the face.
Tim Kreider spent years pulling apart “Eyes Wide Shut”, producing a must read article “Introducing Sociology: A Review of Eyes Wide Shut” about what you may not have realized you saw.
Producing anything in 3D takes time, forethought, and honestly some people are naturals at it. If you take the time, the payoff can be huge. Everything in life can be done with a flat look, it’s faster and easier. To create anything that draws people in and speaks to their subconsciousness makes the experience stick.
Prior to being a professional wedding coordinator (a previous job), I had been in 13 weddings, of which I had been best man in 11, prior to the age of 25. I would like to think it was because I was a swell friend. But I know it was because both the bride and groom knew I would be involved in their special day.
An example is my own wedding. It was a an old house in the country, owned by a couple that had traveled the world collecting rocks and then returning to show those finds in their home. The challenge was to create an emotion as they approached the house and draw our guests to where we wanted them, a hidden rock entry. Flowers were placed over parking signs and posts, arrangements growing in size the closer the guest got to the entrance. The entryway had silk draped benches with bows that softened the rock walls. Light shined in through the exit of the walkway… where just a hint of the atmosphere could be seen and the scent of flowers was growing as they neared the event.
The even set up was a tent over covered tables. Each pole and line for the tent was covered with greens and flowers. Each table had colorful little present boxes. And wireless speakers under ever other table allowed music to be softer and surrounding our guests. Every seat in the house was the best seat. I will go into the event more in a future post – I was only bringing it up to point out how anything can be a 3D experience to help drive a feeling that just happens without having to point it out.