Statement of Purpose:
With this piece, I hoped to draw attention to how separate pieces of media could be remixed, and therefore re imagined using digital technology. I also desired to show how media forms from different eras could be juxtaposed together in ways that, while possibly discomforting, are intelligible.

Influences:
My influences for this piece were first and foremost some various artists of the death, black, and other extreme metal genres. I was also influenced by the original radio broadcast, and my imagination of what the atmosphere was like for the people listening in and believing it to be a real news report.

Fit within Larger Notion of Aesthetics:
I am not familiar with any other works like this. I assume there are some, somewhere, but I believe this to be quite original. Musically, the audio track was created to fit with the speech, and therefore is not a proper song in my mind. The music is not to be listened to on it’s own, but within the context of the speech. As well, the video is more of accompaniment to the speech/music, not to be watched on it’s own. A note to metal enthusiasts, this piece is not be thought of as an *insert sub genre here* metal song, rather it is influenced by those genres with musical techniques borrowed from them. However, anyone viewing this is free to make their own judgements and assumptions.

Materials:
To complete this piece, I used a MacBook Pro, the REAPER digital audio workstation, an LTD Eclipse guitar, a Spector Legend bass, Superior Drummer 2.0, a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40, KRK Rokit 8” studio monitors, as well as guitar amp emulation software from TSE and LePou. I used iMovie to edit the video and to apply the audio track after it was rendered.

Methodology:
To begin this project, I split and grid edited the War of the Worlds mp3 to fit within a consistent BPM. Oft times the speech was purposefully edited in a way that sounds unnatural, such as stuttering and repeated phrases. Then I composed MIDI drums that occasionally mimic the syllables. Afterwards, I wrote and performed guitar and bass tracks that once again occasionally mimic the syllables, and other times are just “riffs” in the same BPM as the speech, but not syncopated with it. The synth was added later to provide a “spacy” atmosphere to the piece. The gameplay video was very lightly edited so at certain points to fit with certain beats, but I liked how the radio broadcast naturally had key words that described what was happening in the video.

Desired Results:
With this piece, I was hoping to audibly, as well as visually, create a feeling of anxiety and chaos that would naturally be present in the event of some massive invasion by hostile extra-terrestrials. I also desired to re-create my imagination of the hysteria that came from the original War of the Worlds radio broadcast.

Actual Results:
I think that this piece is enjoyable for some viewers to watch and unenjoyable for others. It is pretty clear in my mind that this piece sets a level of anxiety and tension that reflects the video game as well as the radio broadcast. It is also quite clear that the individual media items that make up this piece are related, not only in name, but in feeling, and brought together with digital media. I believe that I achieved my stated purpose.

Outcome:
I am quite happy with this work. I rather enjoyed making it and still enjoy viewing it. I could judge its success partially on my feelings about it. However, to make a proper judgement, I need to hear other viewers thoughts on how it made them feel and what it made them think. I haven’t shown it to a large amount of people, so I cannot say more about its success until I have.

The War of the Worlds the Video Game – HD Gameplay. Perf. Patrick Stewart. The War of the Worlds the Video Game – HD Gameplay. Splazer Productions, 26 Oct. 2011. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. .

Welles, Orson. “The War of the Worlds.” The War of the Worlds. The Mercury Theater. New York, NY, 30 Oct. 1938. http://www.archive.org. Web. Feb. 2014. .