Initial Research - Where it started - Ahmed Bhutta

I was initially really unsure as to where to start with my research for “Everyday life”. I wanted to look at something interesting, go to fascinating places but then felt I should take the assignment title literally and start there. And so I began with taking a stroll down my road with my digital camera and let my feet lead the way.

I started collecting images, attempting to take interesting shots of what I saw. Below are some of the many images I had taken with my camera.

At the time I had left to go on this adventure, there wasn’t a lot of life around. The images above are of where I have lived all my life. Of course, it isn’t too interesting to me, but holds important value as this is what I see everyday when I come home and everyday when I leave home. This was just my starting point.

On my stroll I found myself entering Alexandra Palace Overground Station. This has a part to play in what used to be everyday life for me as I used to take the over ground train occasionally for a few stops to Hornsey Overground station. I wasn’t sure where this would fit in regards to gaming concepts and ideas at that point, but I was interested in how the camera angle relayed what I saw from my eyes, almost making the train track seem like a running track and the stairs and bridge look like stadium seats. Then I remembered how I used to run for the train occasionally just so I wouldn’t have to wait another 10 minutes for the next one.

Whilst I was in Alexandra Palace Station, I had recorded video, for the surrounding sounds that I thought I could extract and include in my research.

Walking out of Alexandra Palace Station, I came across an empty bus stop. Now I know it may seem quite boring; an ordinary photograph of a bus stop, but again I was trying to follow the concept of everyday life and how it applies to myself. I remember having to almost everyday I had school, run for the 102 bus just so I wasn’t late. If I had missed that bus, I was sure to be late so I’d have no choice but to run for it. That was very much part of everyday life for me.

At this point of my stroll, I decided to record video aswell, so that I could extract the sound and include that in my research and for possible background sounds for my game. I was starting to get some ideas as to which direction I wanted to take my concept to.

I had now taken at least 50 photographs of places, particular objects and signs, attempting to gain inspiration for game ideas. I wanted to carry on and so further down from the bus stop shown above, there was a roundabout where a lot of cars and busses were passing by. I decided to stand in the middle of it and record sound of the vehicles going around the roundabout to get a different sound to when cars are just passing by. I wanted to use my environment to try and get as many different sounds possible using my digital camera.

Above is shown the 102 bus, travelling on its diverted route where I had then caught the same bus down the road to wood green high street. I wanted to record the sound of the inside of a bus setting, attempting to gain as much material as possible for game ideas and possible sounds to use.

Here, I wanted to capture the traffic lights specifically whilst getting the city/town landscape. The reason why I wanted to capture the colours of the traffic lights is because I know in other countries; the traffic lights are different colours relating to different commands. For example in Turkey, the red light actually means traffic can continue. I also liked the shot and wanted to include it in my blog post.

From here, I found myself at Sainsbury’s, one part of almost everyone’s everyday life. If it’s not Sainsbury’s, then Morrison’s or Tesco etc. After getting permission from the security there, I decided to record what I was shopping for, which turned out to be a 9 pack of penguins and orange juice. I was again, attempted to find unique sounds in my recordings, something which I could use in a game environment possibly.

As I stepped outside Sainsbury’s, I saw that the street lamp caused a double shadow effect. I wasn’t sure how that occurred but I found it interesting and thought it could definitely fit into a type of thriller ‘shadow getaway’ game.

-By Ahmed Bhutta