>This entry is a translated version of an entry at my academic blog.
I have now completed my multimodal poetry montagé and with Løvland’s and Van Leeuwen’s theories in mind, I now wish to reflect upon the process and product. I chose Whitmans’ poem for its initial simplicty, however I must ad that the fact that it can be difficult to distinguish between the interpretation of the poem and the interpretation of the multimodal text when we work with poetry has been challenging when reflecting upon the experience.
Nevertheless, I want to use Van Leeuwen’s concepts of functional importance and elaboration and expansion. However, it is challenging to distinguish the different modalities’ functional importance and relational role in the montagé as Løvland points out.
There are three modalities in the text: the first is text, Whitman poem, and the second is my two photos, while the third is my vote.
- textual
- visual
- auditatative
Extensions and depth
A given item of information can either elaborate or extend the information presented in other items of information. In the case of elaboration, it repeats or restates information for purposes of clarification. In the case of extension, it adds new information, linking it to the existing information in a particular way – for example, temporarily, or logically.
(van Leuwen, p. 222 Introducing Social Semiotics)
My choice on how I choose to use the poem leads to the emergence of a greater elaboration than an expansion. The reason for this is that the selection of photographs are committed to support the text to a larger extent than expand the meaning of the text. Examples are “free flight into the word less” and an open sky of the two stone pillars, or “night, sleep, death and light” in the darkness. Information links that arise here are attempts at expanding the text’s content. Regardless of this I find that the photos have functional gravity as they constitute the background of the entire montagé and are especially prominent. The interaction between the first photo and the second creates a transition between the light and the dark. I have deliberately sought a simple, minimalist expression during the course of working with this poetry montagé – from the white font on black background in the beginning to black text on gray background in the poem.
To the extent that the montagé has an expanding function can be related to the themes of the poem itself as well as my own interpretation of the poem as expressas as ideas of freedom quest, the static life and in death. But I do encounter a problem in my reflection on the multimodal aspect of the text as I then move towards my own interpretation of the poem. Naturally, this might perhaps be an inevitable consequence when one works with poetry?
Rhythm, tempo and layout
Rhythm provides cohesion in texts and communicative events that unfold over time.
(van Leuwen, p. 181 Introducing Social Semiotics)
In keeping with my intention to create a minimalist and easy installation I wanted to have peaceful transitions and effects, and get a sense of “airy” transitions rather than flashy gestures and effects. To highlight the text I wanted to read the poem after feedback from fellow students during the performance that it might establish more cohesion. I think this works well, but I could probably have worked longer with synchronity and tempo. As the montagé appears now the text is all too briefly on the screen before it disappears. This in turn led to me reading fairly quickly to keep up, but it works fine. I have also tried to have a conscious awareness of my own voice and tempo. I read quickly in some places (both as a consequence of the rapid rate, but also to create variation), as I read slowly and waiting for the last verse to just expand the text’s content.
When it comes to layout, I have deliberately chosen white text/black background or vice versa in order to focus on the text, while I wanted a simple and effective reading path by placing the different stanzas at various locations on the screen. The reading path follows the conventional direction in the West – from top-left corner to the right and back down. I mentioned in my presentation that I had thought of LP sleeve cover aesthetics, and also think that my use of black and white image and small text can support this inspiring association. U2′s Joshua Tree was mentioned, and Anton Corbijn photo cover art.
Final reflection
Working on a poetry montagé was useful in the sense that it creates some reflective thoughts about digital didactics in the work of multimodal texts that go beyond the technicalities. Terms such as expansion and elaboration, I find difficult because they do blend easily, while the functional weight can be easier to relate to. Cohesion between the different modal components, is probably equally open to subjective interpretation of the poem, but to be conscious about one chooses to extend or deepen when a worker (or assess student’s work) is certainly useful and interesting.
I used Mac’s Keynote and iMovie when I made my poetry montagé, but other presentation tools can easily be used. Powerpoint or Open Office are good choices.
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