Might: Battle the Buffer
When I move to step on a bus, I hesitate, cautiously lunging forward and recoiling back if it’s not my desired route. When I cross the street, I linger off the sidewalk, prepared to retreat if a car zooms past from an unfamiliar street side. When I explore a new art medium, I experience this same hesitation. While I’m initially engulfed by thrill, curious of the seemingly endless potential; this thrill is always ephemeral. The hesitation wins, and the buffers buffer on. After all, the material might not work, it might disappoint, and it might not be the best way to convey my message – at least, that’s what the hesitation tells me.
This battle of indecision and fleeting excitement is captured by this video, a compilation of life’s “buffers” or “might moments.” Moments that were once propelled by curiosity but quickly engulfed by hesitation and ceaseless “what if’s” and “mights.” In this compilation you’ll see the start of my journey as an exchange student, beginning with my departure from the United States and followed by my first few explorations of the city of Sydney. From deciphering public transportation to befriending new people and everything in between, the moments shuffled together form one collective buffered experience. Who knows what else I could have accomplished if it weren’t for the persistent “mights” of life?
Technical glitches, screen static, and inconsistent buffering screens are layered throughout the compilation to emphasize the uncertainty that comes from the most common use of the word “might,” to express possibility and doubt. The ultimate form of doubt is presented in the last few seconds of this video as I break the fourth wall by showcasing the doubt rooted behind this new material for this very course. Knowing very little about videography, this experiment proved to be full of its very own “mights.” How will I combat these buffer moments in future projects? Stay tuned to see how experiment two battles the buffers of might.