This video contains a compilation of footage of the wildfires which combusted over the state of California, USA in December 2017. These were devastating natural events but I cannot help but find these fires extremely mesmerising to watch.
This relaxing/calm response to fire is quite common among humans, and is thought to be evolutionary. Cavemen would have associated the flickering light, sounds, smells and warmth of campfires with relaxation, gathering and friendship. Therefore, even though many people nowadays aren’t as experienced with fire as those in the stone-age, we still share the same associations with it. Our blood pressure actually drops when staring at a flame, causing this relaxed state.
I aim to create a video which is influenced by my chosen sound, to capture the transfixation we experience when watching any form of fire, from the size of a small flame, to a huge wildfire. I want the audience to get lost and captivated with the combination of the sound and visuals in my video.