Crow Journal 4
12 / 04 / 2023
Thoughts about crows, sightings, encounters, communication ...
I’m thinking about the performance for my workplan.
I think the first thing I would like to do is research some of the movements that crows make and see what happens when I copy them. I can film some of the experiments and watch it back, but I’m not publishing that online, I don’t think.
I’m not sure me hopping around the basement studio with my chin stretched out forward is the most useful of ways to use up Vimeo capacites.
I was thinking about the costume as well. I keep getting stuck on the idea of the feathers and then thinking what they could be made of. I had an idea of printing up lots of pictures of the forest and then cutting feather shapes out of those, with the idea that the costume is part of the forest. Not very crowlike, perhaps, but interesting nevertheless.
I think the first thing I should make is the head, starting with the beak. I remember years ago Chris and I went to Lantern House in Ulverston in the UK and Chris got a chest infection. He was working with FanShen on a play. I think it was Green and Pleasant Land. I remember he made a big clacking crow beak as one of the props. They were going to close the residency centre down. I found a copy of The Book of Hopi on the shelf and they said I could keep it. I still have it.
I think as well I would like to send a verbal (i.e. audio) questionnaire to some friends about crows so they can send me the voice recorded answers back. I would like to use this soundtrack either with the performance or with the film.
Perhaps these could be the questions:
A CROW QUESTIONNAIRE
Please read out the question and then record your response — just as a voice message on WhatsApp on your phone is good enough quality.
1) Do you like crows? If yes, why? If no, why not?
2) Do crows form a part of your daily life? Where do you see them?
3) How do you feel when you see a crow close to you?
4) What do you think crows symbolise? Do they relate to any feelings for you?
5) If crows had a superpower, what do you think it would be?
6) Do you think crows are smart? Smarter than you?
7) Is there anything else you would like to tell me about crows that you haven’t already?
NOTE: I will use these recordings as part of a research process. If I wish to use your recording for anything that will be published online (such as experiments, short films, etc), I will contact you separately to ask if it’s OK to use it.
That will do it.
I’ll write it up and send it.
I think the first thing I would like to do is research some of the movements that crows make and see what happens when I copy them. I can film some of the experiments and watch it back, but I’m not publishing that online, I don’t think.
I’m not sure me hopping around the basement studio with my chin stretched out forward is the most useful of ways to use up Vimeo capacites.
I was thinking about the costume as well. I keep getting stuck on the idea of the feathers and then thinking what they could be made of. I had an idea of printing up lots of pictures of the forest and then cutting feather shapes out of those, with the idea that the costume is part of the forest. Not very crowlike, perhaps, but interesting nevertheless.
I think the first thing I should make is the head, starting with the beak. I remember years ago Chris and I went to Lantern House in Ulverston in the UK and Chris got a chest infection. He was working with FanShen on a play. I think it was Green and Pleasant Land. I remember he made a big clacking crow beak as one of the props. They were going to close the residency centre down. I found a copy of The Book of Hopi on the shelf and they said I could keep it. I still have it.
I think as well I would like to send a verbal (i.e. audio) questionnaire to some friends about crows so they can send me the voice recorded answers back. I would like to use this soundtrack either with the performance or with the film.
Perhaps these could be the questions:
A CROW QUESTIONNAIRE
Please read out the question and then record your response — just as a voice message on WhatsApp on your phone is good enough quality.
1) Do you like crows? If yes, why? If no, why not?
2) Do crows form a part of your daily life? Where do you see them?
3) How do you feel when you see a crow close to you?
4) What do you think crows symbolise? Do they relate to any feelings for you?
5) If crows had a superpower, what do you think it would be?
6) Do you think crows are smart? Smarter than you?
7) Is there anything else you would like to tell me about crows that you haven’t already?
NOTE: I will use these recordings as part of a research process. If I wish to use your recording for anything that will be published online (such as experiments, short films, etc), I will contact you separately to ask if it’s OK to use it.
That will do it.
I’ll write it up and send it.