More than 1 year on...

Since Completing my degree in Audio Visual Production, and graduating with a 1st class honours.

I have earned the permission to publish the full Rory Gallagher documentary onto youtube, where it will be the first of its kind!

I have started a career at localfoodadvisor, where I now work in the role of Media Director. An example of one of our visits can be found below

More of my videos can be found on the site http://www.localfoodadvisor.com/, or at the sister youtube site of www.youtube.com/user/localfoodadvisor

Evaluation - Changes to the Prototype

Based on feedback from a variety of sources, I have begun to implement changes to the prototype DVD.

This included:

• making the DVD more simple to navigate by changing aethetics within the menus


• altering the ratio of content by adding more relevant movie clips to the DVD.

Aside of these changes, the future of this project will be discussed in a presentation on the 24th of May.

Evaluation: Preparation

After handing in my prototype project, I have started to discuss with my tutor, the areas which will be detailed in the evaluation document being handed in in May.

These include:

• Evaluation of the content of the project - Dr. Pamela Heaton to be established as an evaluation method
• Evaluation of the format (DVD Authoring) - Dave Hall of Realtime to be consulted to provide an opinion
• What I have gained from creating the prototype.

Rainman: A Re-Evaluation

Before I started research into Autistic Savants, I referenced the film Rainman as one of my immediate examples of an Autistic Savant presented within mainstream culture. I have since watched the film again, and with my understanding of the subject have noticed many things which I did not before.



The story is told from the POV businessman Charlie Babbit played by Tom Cruise, who discovers he has a brother he never knew about. Charlies brother Raymond is an autistic savant: as the real-life complications of Raymonds condition are presented to his brother, the audience learns of savants at the same pace of the central character.

One of the film's central characters, Raymond is an Autistic Savant. This has been illustrated in the film at times, by using a collection of historical occurances among real savants. The same can be said for the characters skills, which range from exceptional memory, calendar calculating, drawing, and lightning calculating.

One notable example of a real life occurance, which has been used to illustrate raymonds character is that of an occurance among twins George and Charles: many research was conducted on these individuals in the 60's. Oliver Sacks wrote about the twins, and recalled a time when a box of matches fell on the floor. Both twins cried "111" simultanously. When sacks counted the matches, he found there to be exactly 111.

The twins were also reported to have the ability recall details relatating to any date they were given, such as which nurse they were seen by, or the weather on that particular day. Raymond is able to perform this particular feat in the film.

A similar occurance happens in the film with Raymond when a box of toothpicks lands on the floor and he calls the number "246". It is discovered that he was correct.

Other areas the film covers are savant traits such as echolalia, and self-harm as well as the repetition of memorised conversations or television programmes.

Adobe Encore

This week I have been studying online software tutorials, provided by the university on Adobe Encore. The tutorials cover some of the basic controls of the program, giving me enough knowledge to experiment with the program. I hope to have animated backgrounds within the menus, where appropriate to enhance the DVD's aesthetic qualities.

Research Into Intended Format

I have contacted Timm Baldwin of Real Time, a Digital Communications Production Company based in Reading. They have produced CD's and DVD's for numorous clients and have an excellent track record. I discovered Real Time last summer when I co-founded the Kino Eye Filmmaking Club in the same area as Real Time operate.

I hope to meet with Timm prior to the Christmas period to discuss DVD layout and structure.

Results of Dr. Heaton Interview

on 17/11 I met with Dr. Pamela Heaton, a Psychologist at Goldsmith's College, University of London.

The interviews I have been conducting are beneficial not only as a resource to the prototype and product, but also as a valuable learning excercise: I am constructing a documentary for my Client Project, where much emphasis will be placed on the interview process. Therefore this type of primary research is a very productive way to spend time on my projects. I have also interviewed Stephen Wiltshire, which I discussed on a previous journal entry.

One of the most important aspects to cover in the Dr. Heaton interview was to obtain a definition of a savant; this will be included in the DVD, and interview segments such as this one will be used to break up parts of the DVD where aethetics play a less significant role.

Dr. Heaton has also agreed to assess the quality and accuracy of the product, so that changes can be made prior to the final stages. The Stephen Wiltshire Gallery have also agreed to evaluate my work.

A point was raised with Dr. Heaton which I discussed with my tutor, which was the possibility of a savant having direct contribution to the creation of the DVD. Dr. Heaton acknowledged it as a possibility, but suggested it could pose difficulties. Upon further consideration, I would rather keep the roles played in the product as they are - so if the product is of a high enough standard it can be used by parents, carers, or the public in general as an educational tool.

Dr. Heaton also mentioned a documentary made by the BBC, which I may be able to use segments of for my project. Dr. Heaton is going to try and contact the producer of the Documentary to find out if it will be possible or not.

Meeting with Tutor

On 16/11 I met with my tutor to discuss the progress of my project. I mentioned my interview Dr. Heaton that I would be conducting the following day.

I recieved positive feedback for my proposal document, and my tutor showed interest in the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. in a later entry, I shall cover the book in more detail as a result of the meeting.

The following points were raised in regards to the product and prototype:

• What will be the visual style of the product?
• Can I obtain archival footage to juxtapose with the interviews, to be edited together to be used as cutaways at relevant points. Perhaps use a still sky image of nottingham through the observer?
• Would it be possible for a savant to have editorial control upon the product in any way, shape or form?

The discussed points will be raised and answered in journal entries to follow.

Dr. Heaton's Research

Following arranging a meeting, Dr. Heaton has passed on to me one of her papers - Annotation: The Savant Syndrome. The Paper discusses the nature and origin of savant syndrome, as well as looking for symptoms in people who are not necessarily within the typical IQ category as a savant.