For our second visit to the site, our group chose to go during a time when the space would be the most active, which was on a Saturday at one o’clock. Unluckily, that day the temperature decided to drop which negatively impacted the number of people who came to visit the park. Because of this, the majority of rides and stores remained closed, although the parks advertised that they would be open on their websites. Despite the low turnout, we saw more people this time around than the first time we visited, when the entire area looked deserted. We were still able to capture people on film, so our video will portray the interactions that visitors have with the space. For example, we were able to get footage of people zipping about in bumper cars, which successfully shows the liveliness of the location and offers a glimpse of what it looks like in a busier time, like the summer. This is important to the theme of our project, which partly deals with the impact of times and seasons on the atmosphere of a space. We were also able to get footage inside the arcade, and the flashing lights of the games and the blaring music further emphasized the energetic qualities of the location, however this vibrancy stood in contrast with the emptiness of the arcade itself. In summer, the place would be jam-packed with people, talking animatedly and competing for prizes. But on this chilly Saturday, the arcade was barren of people. There was a strange contrast between the activity of the bright screens and flashing lights and the emptiness of the space.

My photograph also captures this concept, in that the featured rollercoaster (The Thunderbolt) is shut down; silent and empty of the people that give it its purpose. This photo is also significant in that it depicts the dichotomy between the rollercoaster and the adjacent patch of grass. This theme of man and nature clashing with one another is one that is apparent in Coney Island; for example, the beach clashes with the boardwalk and amusement parks. This natural environment has become industrialized and commercialized, and this is another concept which we may explore in our final video.

Our group decided to focus on the Plaza Hotel and the unique image of grandeur it emanates. Located near Fifth Avenue, in central Manhattan, its exterior blends in well with the rest of the neighborhood. The area exudes an air of money and elitism. However, unlike the tall, glass skyscrapers that are clearly commercialized, the Plaza has an old-timey aura. It has a chateauesque style that makes me think of the French court. One of the videos we took showed the environment outside the building, which bustled with tourism. There was a stark contrast between the Plaza and the building next to it, which was a typical New York skyscraper. We also took videos that focus on the molding around the edges of the room and the curlicues that decorate the entrances. We plan on emphasizing the Plaza’s ornate architecture and how the building clearly caters to the elite.

The image I took was of the Plaza’s Ballroom Lobby. I had originally planned on taking a photo of the actual Ballroom but there were people inside preparing for an event occurring that night. The last time we went to the Plaza was during the evening when an event was well underway. This time, we went in the early afternoon and there was a clear contrast between this visit and the last one. It was interesting to see the difference between the daytime Plaza, which is much more subdued, and nighttime Plaza, which is exotic and elegant. Both versions, however, are clearly grand. In the picture I took, there is elaborate gold molding in the corners of the room. The chandelier is extravagant and the lighting is dim, reminding me of soft candlelight. However, if you zoom into the image, you can see chairs strewn around beyond the doors. There were men moving furniture around and the faint sound of someone practicing on the piano.

Captured in the photo above is another famous landmark of the Coney Island boardwalk: Parachute Jump, also known as the “Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn” that has stopped running since 1968. Also shown in the photo are different people walking along the boardwalk on this sunny yet brisk autumn afternoon.

For our second visit to Coney Island, my group and I decided to meet on a Saturday afternoon where we had a feeling that there would be more people than the last time we went. To our expectations, despite the cold, there were more people around the streets, arcades, and boardwalk than our first visit on a Sunday morning. However, the atmosphere was still nothing like how it was in the summer. The shops along the alleyways opened up slowly one by one but the bumper cars and arcade games were running. While collecting footage for the project, the owner of the bumper car station invited us in to record rather than just standing outside and peering in through the gate. The music played loudly as a family drove around bumping into one another. We then decided to visit Nathan’s before reaching the boardwalk. The store was packed with people as they waited in lines to get the famous hot dogs and cheese fries. Music and laughter filled the air within the store. Afterwards, we walked along the alleyways that had various murals that showcased the main attractions of Coney Island. As we continued walking towards the boardwalk, we began seeing more parents with their kids running around and people walking around taking photos and recording videos. The sounds of children’s laughter and seagull’s screeches filled the air. It was yet another atmosphere to experience at a place that I thought I was all too familiar with until these past two site visits. With all the footage that we collected today, we will not only be focusing on the highlights of Coney Island such as the well-known landmarks and bright murals but also the calmer vibe that this place brings during the colder seasons.

In this photo, the upside-down ship that signifies the African Burial Ground is undergoing nearby construction. In essence, the landmark is changing. This scaffolding and the notion of changing monument reminds me that places have different meanings particular to the context they are in. The African Burial Ground has a deep, nestled history. It roots back to the time of slaves brought from Africa to New York City, was designated as a national historic landmark in the late 20th century, and now remains as a distinct piece of architecture, standing as an upside-down boat surrounded by a modern, busy, urban environment. Regardless of its long history, it is extremely relevant today. One of the reasons the grounds were allotted was to give African-Americans a larger and well-deserved voice in the narration of history. Time and time again, this group of people has been pushed to the side and given a side role. By preserving the excavated bodies and creating such a site, these slaves are made important in the events of the nation’s history. The notion of incorporating different racial groups into history is always pertinent, as evidenced by artistic works such as Hamilton and Moonlight and social movements such as Black Lives Matter. In New York City, promotion of racial equality and celebration is especially significant. The idea of change marked by the scaffolding in this photo sparked this area of interest.

For our second visit to the Roosevelt Island Tram, we decided to start gathering footage of exactly how this method of transportation functions. We collected videos from the outside perspective of the tram, as it left and came into its station, as well as its gliding through the sky over the East River. We paid special attention to how easily the bright red color of the Tram is able to stand out against the somewhat dreary (since the day we visited happened to be cloudy) backdrop, full of various shades of gray and other muted tones. This iconic color was also the subject of one of our interview questions for people riding the tram. Other things that we ask our interviewees to consider are the different feeling of the tram environment, as opposed to the business of the subways and the bus, and of course, the beautiful view. We also gathered footage and photographs of the spaces that greet us as we get off of the tram on both the Manhattan side and the Roosevelt Island side, taking note of how they are similar and how they differ. On the Manhattan side, the loud honking and sounds of trucks/buses passing through is immediately heard, along with the crowding on the sidewalks and in the seating area outside of the station. The rider is completely absorbed by all of the aspects of New York City. This provides intense contrast with the Roosevelt Island side, which greets the rider with wide patches of green grass, right up until the river, and a much quieter environment. During our visit, I noticed that there were barely any cars on the streets, which can really never be said about the other side. Putting all of this footage together will allow us to explore the calmer, scenic tram and separate it from the chaos of Manhattan.

Our group is doing our project on the Roosevelt Tram. We wanted to focus on how it is such a different form of transportation in comparison to the normal methods taken by New Yorkers. A variety of people take the tram, from commuters and city workers to tourists, and all get to experience the amazing view of Manhattan, Roosevelt Island, and the Queensboro Bridge during their ride. When my group visited the tram for our field work, we took many videos of the entrances to the tram, to try and capture the life right outside it, as well as the view on the tram itself. We were able to get footage which starkly showed the difference between the busy and constantly flowing traffic of New York versus the more peaceful park area right outside the entrances. The photo I took shows this well – you get a classic view of New York. It looks so normal, but it is a common mode of transportation which includes an amazing, uncommon aerial view of the city. We also got the amazing view of Manhattan from inside the tram. We had an interview with someone on the tram as well and recorded footage of that for our project. We are planning to use it to get our video viewer to really understand how the tram is both an integral part of New York, as well as how it stands out from it. We need to compile the video footage into a movie, and put in voice-overs and music. We have a large portion of our project completed already just by getting the videos we need.

Blog Post 5: 300 words, due Tues. Nov 7th @ noon: This is the second post on your chosen iMovie site and should be based on your field notes and should address your plans for the development of your project based on the footage and materials you have gathered so far. Include a different image of the space with your post and explain its significance.

Blog Response (100 words, due before class): Respond to a classmate’s blogpost (not from your group) on an aspect of their project.