Wow! Our fort building skills have really evolved since back in the day. I was ready to start stacking chairs on top of the tables until Barrett suggested the Butterfly kit. Oh. Yeah, that worked too.... :)
Well done class!
It was really great learning about how to shoot in 3D, especially with all the 3D movies coming out like Piranha 2 in 3D being shot here Wilmington (and now they've got nothing on us). I liked that
Anyways, as far as the screening in our fort, I was very surprised to see what everyone had came up with and what their "secrets" were. I always get nervous before screenings because I'm always hoping that nothing goes wrong with the sound/image or anything of that sort. I was really glad that I got some good feedback on mine, and I thought everyone did an excellent job. Hearing about the race at first was a bit confusing. We were all thinking it would be really tricky but it turns out that everyone had great unique ideas of their own and ran with them. When you have a story that you want to tell (whether is is narrative or lyrical) there is always an outlet and a medium for it. If you are doing a documentary where you don't have the time or access to the equipment you need, but you are going "underground" to get more footage, you're going to want to use what you have to show what you need to show. And it may be more appropriate for the content (of a secret) to come from a cell phone camera or to create something from your imagination using Maya.
Limitations really brought our creativity to life and helped us make some really original short films. Film is an art that is always expanding and changing, and I think that it is wonderful to see "cameras" in the forms of cell phones, computers, scanners, or any other new gadget that will be introduced in the future. As technology evolves, these gadgets become more accessible and affordable. Filmmaking is about picking up what you have available to you and capturing your surroundings to make a statement and spread the word, or just to have fun!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Rough Theater
"I know why the caged bird sings." -Maya Angelou
I think that this is a well written article that is attempting to capture the spirit of the theater. The theater isn't a physical place. It is a small gathering of people who share a common interest and coming together in whatever conditions are available. Who would appreciate cinema more than a group of prisoners like the ones mentioned in this story? In times and places where the conditions are/were terrible, cinema is something that has the magical ability to get people involved, whether it be making their own films or enjoying those at a traveling theater. In times of censorship it serves as a weapon, a way around the oppression to symbolically insert symbols and visual images that show what is really going on behind the scenes.
Watching a film in a small gathering with others is the same concept as listening to a beautiful piece of music, reading a book, or playing a game. These are the things that set us free. Always have, always will. It's the reason we're here, because without these things, why else?
It's about people opening their minds to a new world and sharing an experience together.
We are fortunate enough to have quite a few rough theaters here in Wilmington. The Brown Coat Pub and theater is a tiny building with a particular charm because the entire room is pretty much the stage. The lively actors reach out to an audience who have everything they need: each other, theater, and of course, a bar.
James Kruel always does his screenings at the opera room Monday nights at 9:00pm right when our 6x1 class ends, and I've had many good conversations with the film enthusiasts there. That place has also been the birthplace of some of my own personal ideas for projects.
I cannot wait to see the wonderful things my classmates have done with this 48 hour video race!
I think that this is a well written article that is attempting to capture the spirit of the theater. The theater isn't a physical place. It is a small gathering of people who share a common interest and coming together in whatever conditions are available. Who would appreciate cinema more than a group of prisoners like the ones mentioned in this story? In times and places where the conditions are/were terrible, cinema is something that has the magical ability to get people involved, whether it be making their own films or enjoying those at a traveling theater. In times of censorship it serves as a weapon, a way around the oppression to symbolically insert symbols and visual images that show what is really going on behind the scenes.
Watching a film in a small gathering with others is the same concept as listening to a beautiful piece of music, reading a book, or playing a game. These are the things that set us free. Always have, always will. It's the reason we're here, because without these things, why else?
It's about people opening their minds to a new world and sharing an experience together.
We are fortunate enough to have quite a few rough theaters here in Wilmington. The Brown Coat Pub and theater is a tiny building with a particular charm because the entire room is pretty much the stage. The lively actors reach out to an audience who have everything they need: each other, theater, and of course, a bar.
James Kruel always does his screenings at the opera room Monday nights at 9:00pm right when our 6x1 class ends, and I've had many good conversations with the film enthusiasts there. That place has also been the birthplace of some of my own personal ideas for projects.
I cannot wait to see the wonderful things my classmates have done with this 48 hour video race!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Beet stretch........................................... it's exactly what it sounds like
I listened to the first hour of the first track. It was really quiet at first and I thought, "where's the music? Why don't I hear it?" But slowly and surely I heard the note creeping in. It is really good ambiance to meditate to. As I was listening I was thinking hard (probably too hard) about what images it produced in my head. It felt as if I were going on an epic journey... but not necessarily a journey of my own. I thought of mountains, forming, growing, being worn down again. I think that I thought of this because the mountains are my place of origin and it tends to be where I do the best reflecting...but also the music comes in waves, making me automatically think of the contours and elevations of a landscape. The notes were suspenseful, but not in a way that caused anxiety... it was more of a humble acceptance. The long drawn out note made me feel as if I was waiting for something. It took awhile not to be impatient and wait for what was next but just to enjoy following the stretch. When I reached that point of acceptance, it was much more satisfying...and waiting out the moments of silence became more exciting than frustrating.
Like other forms of classical music, the songs are incredibly long. I am interested to hear more, I listened to the second track a bit as well. That track sounds more a little more mellow for some reason. It is unbelievable how long these notes can be held, and how slightly the notes vary during transitions. It seems like an organic thing, living, breathing, and changing. I cannot even fathom the amount of patience it took to create this. All I can say is that the composer must have been really lost in the zen. I wondered how someone might dance to this music...flowing slowly but freely--stretching in ways that seem physically impossible. Is also wondered what kind of film that this music may be attached to. Probably something fantastical, a mystical battle between good and evil, a journey in and out of black and white, stretching through the gray areas and being lifted toward the light. The motions that went along with this piece: stretching, floating, ascending. Never really falling, never really reaching a climax, but always coming incredibly close.
When I am free for a few hours and ever feel like working on my patience, I will attempt to listen to more beet stretch. I have never heard anything like it.
Like other forms of classical music, the songs are incredibly long. I am interested to hear more, I listened to the second track a bit as well. That track sounds more a little more mellow for some reason. It is unbelievable how long these notes can be held, and how slightly the notes vary during transitions. It seems like an organic thing, living, breathing, and changing. I cannot even fathom the amount of patience it took to create this. All I can say is that the composer must have been really lost in the zen. I wondered how someone might dance to this music...flowing slowly but freely--stretching in ways that seem physically impossible. Is also wondered what kind of film that this music may be attached to. Probably something fantastical, a mystical battle between good and evil, a journey in and out of black and white, stretching through the gray areas and being lifted toward the light. The motions that went along with this piece: stretching, floating, ascending. Never really falling, never really reaching a climax, but always coming incredibly close.
When I am free for a few hours and ever feel like working on my patience, I will attempt to listen to more beet stretch. I have never heard anything like it.
Lost Things
Lost Things by A Fine Frenzy
^I thought that this stop motion was sort of related to the article because of the surrealists looking at everyday objects in different ways. Plus, it looks cool.
^I thought that this stop motion was sort of related to the article because of the surrealists looking at everyday objects in different ways. Plus, it looks cool.
Molotov man and Ecstasy (the articles)
Wow, this man travelled a long way. Today, images, news and art travel faster than ever before. Everything is copied and pasted and forwarded. Things will be recycled a million times and reinterpreted over and over until they mean nothing similar to their original context. I believe that it is wrong to plagiarize—taking someone else’s idea and naming it as your own is unethical. But I also think that suing someone for thousands of dollars because another artist is tinkering with your idea is pretty ridiculous. If they give you credit, then it should be enough. If they take it and make money on it… then they probably beat you to it. It’s unfortunate, but it happens all the time. If you have one good idea or one good piece of work, then you’ll come up with another. People are cheated out of their own good ideas all the time, and those interested in money will try to bank on someone else’s work. There’s no reason for artists to be at war with one another. As the author of this article condones, it is mandatory to try to remember the original context of a photograph, especially in this case of the historical events in Nicaragua. If and when someone takes something and completely negates its historical text (for example: starting an evil cult that practices human sacrifice), that is a time that someone should take other measures if necessary.
We’re all in this together, and it is most important to maintain respect for others. If anything, there’s lessons to be learned from the rendition, whether it be a more expressionistic approach or a contrasting viewpoint.
Everything comes from somewhere. The human experience is universal, and certain themes are timeless. I hadn’t even realized all of the references mentioned in here… such as the Disney references, south park, Simpsons, etc. The John Donne quote about all of mankind being one author is very appropriate for this discussion. Art and literature is a process, and quite a long one at that. As Donne mentioned, it is all a translation, retranslated over and over again. I think that creating a collage of different works is very different than plagiarism. Mixing and matching, comparing and contrasting in order to convey a new perspective has proven to be very creative and effective. It is very important to investigate literature and art closely, and then revisit it again throughout the years. Taking something old and turning it into something new is entertaining and enlightening. We discussed this in my creative writing class as well, and I think that the rule is that after an author has been dead a certain number of years then their work becomes a part of history and public domain. That is why someone could write the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies…which is exciting, and relevant (somehow).
This article summed up their point perfectly by saying that the primary objective of copyright is not to reward the labor of authors but to “promote the progress of Science and useful arts.” What is the point of creating something if you aren’t willing to share?
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