Scavenger Hunt Exercises

The Effects of Weather

Find one object, place, or person that can illustrate the effects of weather. Spend at least 30 minutes observing the effects. Write down every detail you can see, hear, and touch. If you can catch the environment’s effects (wind, erosion, pressure, etc.) in action, include these as well.

The second part of this assignment requires you to determine the effects of weather on your mood. First, determine some of the causes of the effects you’ve observed: for example, sun, wind, erosion, rain, pressure, stress, etc. What kind of effects do these elements of weather have on your emotions and mood? Write down as many details about your reactions, moods, and feelings as you can. What kind of feelings do you suppose the object, place, or person has about what’s affected it or him/her?

Face Detective

Play the role of detective in examining one or more faces. The face(s) can belong to a stranger or someone you know well. Collect 10 clues by examining the facial features, movements, changes, and reactions of the person who is your subject. Determine whether or not your own mood or feelings are influencing your interpretation of this person. Come up with one line to summarize your diagnosis of this person’s thoughts, experience or mood based on the visual clues you’ve collected.

Human Pattern Scavenger Hunt

Choose a public place to visit -for example, a laundromat, or a bus stop. Take detailed notes on what is going on around you. Pick up on the activities, patterns, pace, and rhythms of the people moving through the environment. What kind of mood do the people seem to translate to the space? Is there anyone who doesn’t seem to belong or who breaks a significant pattern, rhythm, or mood?

Foregrounding An Object

Find 1 object. Try to see the object as a character. Collect details from its point of view? What does it observe, hear, fear, crave, etc? What kind of shots could express this?

The 5 Senses

Part One: Find a place that either irritates you or a place that you feel drawn to. Take 20 minutes to write down everything you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste (possibly) in great detail.

Part Two: Next, sketch everything you find yourself thinking about. Write down every thought that drifts into your head…as though it’s not your own. Are there any connections you’ve found between part one and part two?