A Sound Walk

   When given the assignment to take a sound walk I pictured myself drifting by at a place like Washington Square Park on a beautiful, sunny day. However, those days have yet to come and I found myself walking with the company of my lime green umbrella through a grey and rainy day in my neighborhood, Jackson Heights. Although I love my neighborhood, there is something about rain that seems to accentuate the unattractive dog poop and dirt of this diverse place. My first instinct was to focus on what my eyes were seeing; therefore I had to talk myself into putting it behind and focus on the sounds.

     The highlight of the walk was the sound of the falling rain unto the ground, the cars, trees and my umbrella. It was as if each drop made a different sound; some falling heavy, others lighter and together making up a rhythmic beat. For a Saturday in my neighborhood, I found it to be pretty quiet, not as many cars passing by, of course until I reached the main avenue of Roosevelt. Having left my cell phone behind cause me some anxiety. I am so used to running somewhere, and doing something that walking aimlessly without nothing else to do but to listen, was quite the challenge for me.

     As I walked towards the big avenue the sounds grew louder. A woman passed me by and our umbrellas clicked unto one another, then only her fading steps and my steady ones were to be heard. As I reached Roosevelt Avenue and focused on the sounds it was chaotic; the above ground 7 trains, people’s steps unto the wet pavement, baby strollers being pushed, car tires, door slamming, wind, drizzle and  the chit chatting of people in Spanish, English and other languages I could not detect. There is just a lot of sound going on. I did not stay long, I could not. 

     This is a place I walk into everyday and I guess my mind has developed its own mechanism to avoid being affected by this hectic environment. My realization from this experience is that I tend to place a higher value onto images and the visual aspect of all, and that although sound plays a big role, it is not acknowledged as quick and naturally. It gave me a deeper understanding on the importance of sound, and its effect on the human mind and body. Sound absolutely opens up the mind for imagination and interpretation. 

Extra Credito! ;-p

      La eterna noche de las doce lunas or Eternal Night of the Twelve Moons directed by Colombian director and producer Priscila Padilla, reflects a grand development in Colombian cinematography and film. Colombia can be considered as an underdeveloped country within the film industry, and its major productions are soap operas. From the few films that have been successful on a local and international level, the core of its triumph relies on its storytelling which revolves around drug cartels or the infamous Pablo Escobar. In this documentary, even a person like me who was raised in Colombia, found something new and authentic. An unspoken indigenous society of Colombia is presented, but its major theme is the essence of the Wayuu women. As a conventional culture, the Wayuu’s definition of a woman orbits around the subjects of virginity, housework and motherhood. These beliefs maintain rituals that for many, would now be considered absurd and misogynistic. However, despite her ideals, the director truly projects her utter respect towards the Wayuu’s culture. As a viewer, one is not just exposed to these eccentric customs but a deep understanding is also transmitted. 

       The cinematography is simply organic and smooth. I found it quite different from other Colombian films I have watched in the past, which tend to be grainy and “dirty,” with more of a “green balance” instead of white. The setting is outdoors and it seems like there was major use of the sunlight to capture all the vibrant and idle colors of nature throughout the day. Many of the shots are more focused on the environment and display the people as being part of it. There are lots of cut-in shots, such of the characters’ hands and feet which contributes to making the characters and their environment more personable to the viewer. Nevertheless, what really did it for me was the rawness of the sound. It is solid! This film captures the Wayuu’s environment mainly through sound from its beginning to end. The sounds of the grass in the wind, the fly nearby, bare feet splashing through mud; it was just sensational to me.

¿Qué Sera? Saturday at Hunter College

¿Qué Sera? from jessica riascos on Vimeo.