Since 2004, Magnum in Motion has been using audio, words and editing to turn still images into rich multimedia essays that give new meaning to the photographs contained within them. If you fancy creating your own In Motion essay, here are some pointers to bear in mind…
Every essay needs an argument
Be clear about what you’re trying to say. Pierfrancesco Celada who won the 2010 IdeasTap and Magnum Photographic Award, submitted an In Motion essay in the final round of the competition. He recalls: “I was interested in the sense of isolation that Japanese society was experiencing. I thought that a similar thing was happening in London so I was comparing both societies.”
His prize included the opportunity to work with the Magnum in Motion team in New York to improve his essay and it changed a great deal as a result. “With the first one I wanted to do as much as I could, but for the second one I used fewer images and focused on Japan only, because I felt the comparison with London didn’t fit. It was deeper than the previous one. It’s only about three minutes long, so you don’t need a lot of material – mine has just 27 images. Less is more.”
Think outside the frame
It may sound obvious, but one thing you need to remember is that an In Motion essay works differently from conventional photography. A stunning stand-alone photograph might not be suitable for this format. Fiona Rogers, Cultural and Education Manager for Magnum Photos, says: “Photographers tend to hinge so much on one image. It’s like you don’t want to relinquish it because you strove so hard to get it, but you need to ask yourself: what is the message you’re trying to give? Stop seeing it as a photo story consisting of still images and try to think of it as a multimedia essay.” With this in mind, when using text, make sure that it’s big enough and remains on the screen for long enough to be easily read.
Japan, I wish I knew your name from pierfrancesco celada on Vimeo.
Sound it out
You should be prepared to move beyond your comfort zone when using audio, something Pierfrancesco Celada learned through his experience of working with Magnum in Motion. He says: “The choice of sounds between the first and the second is very different. In the first one, the way the photographs and sounds went together was far too literal. There were photographs of the street and the sounds of the street together. With the second one, the sounds are like space sounds – far more abstract and atmospheric.”
To source audio content for your essay, go to sound libraries such as Freesound or record your own. Programs such as GarageBand, Audition and Audacity are great for manipulating sounds.
Live with your images
According to Pierfrancesco Celada, “Editing is the most difficult part.” Fortunately Fiona Rogers has a nifty tip for figuring out which images to keep, which to ditch and what order works best. She says: “There’s a technique which a lot of Magnum photographers use – it’s called ‘living with your images’. Print them out as thumbnails on a desktop printer and then tack them up on the wall in your bedroom or your living room to create a storyboard. You can then move them around and play with the sequence before you do it in the software. Living with your images can help get you through the peaks and troughs.”
Read more How to articles.
Need some inspiration? Check out the Magnum in Motion website.
Image by Pierfrancesco Celada