Bloodrain: When tornados manifest in places with red clay soil, water sometimes mixes with the rusty dirt resulting in a phenomenon called “blood rain”. The iron oxide that makes the soil red is the same element that colors our blood. The inside/out of that strange weather inspired this video in which birds take on the appearance of blood cells and lightning looks like veins.
Bloodrain, 2005 – 2:00 mins
Poor Audrey: A short, editorial biography of Hank Williams, using his life to explore perceptions of addiction and its impact on the people closest to it. This is an experimental take on the Ken Burns style documentary, which uses archival images and voice over to analyze and reconstruct history.
Poor Audrey, 2007 – 2:37 mins
Paradise: In September of 2006, a man walked into a one room school house full of young Amish children in rural Pensylvania, sent all the boys and teachers out of the building, barricaded the doors and eventually shot the little girls, seven of whom died. In the aftermath of the shooting, the Amish community responded with extraordinary forgiveness and grace. This video attempts, through secular eyes, to make sense of their ability to react with such generosity.
Paradise, 2007 – 5:00 mins
Lydia Moyer – Covesville Virginia
17 Days Video Series 
I would have to say that “Poor Audrey” and “Paradise” were the best out of the three. Incidently, I was anticipating the “Bloodrain” more than the other two before they were screened. Must be due to the concept and the fact I never knew of this phenomena…but the other videos were better in my opinion.
Moyer expresses an empathetic view towards the victims and families of both Hank Williams and the schoolchildren. She tries to place herself in their situation and understand what they are feeling and the emotions they go through. “Poor Audrey” especially since, really, who in recent history has cared about poor Audrey? The school shooting is a little different because of the media and how it is a more recent event. When a school shooting occurs many people step up and empathize immediately and try to express this. Such as the VT murders…Bill Davis had his 548 class create a photograph of empathy and support that he ultimately sent to the school as a condolence. I view the two videos of empathy Moyer created as similar acts of condolence but with more disparity. Watching those videos helped me take
apart some of the work I do as an artist in response to others.
I was watching this at the same time Ben was and we could not figure out what the sparkles were. I guess it doesn’t matter, but I like how it carries over the two pieces. I began to think of spirits or ghosts due to the context they were placed in. Interesting.
Before I read the title of the video, or even took enough time to realize that it was a tornado I was seeing, I immediately associated the images on “Bloodrain: with the workings of blood vessels and cells. I think that a concept is successful if it can be related to without background information.
Bloodrain is well designed. I loved the fact it was done on film. If this was done digitally the feel will be ruined. The coloring was eerie.
I agree with Adrienne. I thought of blood and blood streams. It made me think of the planet as a living human like organism with much stormy turmoil. I think most Americans are in turmoil with their thoughts of weather and climate conditions. This work could be taken as an environmental awarness piece.
I’d have to disagree; I didn’t connect the storm with blood at all. Even after reading the description of the video I still don’t totally make the connection.
The other two videos were significantly more interesting. The imagery presented was fascinating, and the messages each tried to convey came through well.
Paradise is a difficult subject, especially with the increased number of random active shootings. It is very hard to rationalized the actions of an individual in these events. In so doing does that validate what they did? I wonder if the shootings are America’s suicide bombings? If so what validation does one get from killing random people?
I very much enjoyed these films, particularly Nebraska Suite. to me it seems as a self portrait of sorts, a personal narrative. the continuity of the narration, black and white video and subtle use of music, makes the piece very appealing, and easy to absorb.
I loved the video on bloodrain. I didn’t relate it to the human body as you stated it was for, but I felt it was very visually exciting to watch. For it reminded me of perhaps a violent storm on another planet- Mars since it is red.
Poor Audrey was great because the focus from the people was to wonder about the good in Hank. Can a person ever be angry at a person once they die? Did Audrey really want anyone to feel guilty for her? The fact that we tend to forget the bad is a very true philosophy of how people act.
I really enjoyed Bloodrain. it was interesting to see a video of nature and earth be shown to relate to the human body as a living being. I think people need to start treating the earth just in that way, as a living thing, to which miss treated will eventually die and fail to exist