Jack

Cucalorus

2009-11-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

Another solid year of films at Cucalorus. I was unable to fully immerse myself into the festival like last year but still caught enough to satisfy my appetite. I saw:
That Evening Sun
Mississippi Damned
House of the Devil
The Port Salut shorts
and Big Fan.

My favorite film was "She's a Fox". I thought it was one of the best shorts I've seen in a long while, from start to finish, it was flawless. I talked to the filmmaker afterward and he answered all questions I had about Chapman University, where he went for grad school, and certain aspects of his film. The atmosphere of Cucalorus is always great, laid back, energetic, outgoing, intelligent. It's always a great time to meet people and discuss film. I thought the entire block of shorts in the Port Salut program were amazing. Chip Hackler's "Two Hours in the Dark" received a standing ovation, which added all the more to atmosphere and my perceptions of it. The ovation was sincere and joyful and I was very happy for Chip. I also liked the short, "Nous". It depressed the hell out of me, knowing the outcome of this man, in his forties, and seeing him during a period of bliss, in love, happy. The image of a man dying, alone, with his memories of love locked behind a refrigerator door has stayed with me. I thought the film worked great blending the holiday footage with the facts of life. If the man in the film, on his holiday, had known then, what end was to become of him, what would he do I wondered.
Also, the short, "Small Change" was a very solid short as was the other film about a letter which escapes me. Both films, told a story in less than five minutes, which is no easy feat.

"House of the Devil" started off great, the opening titles, the set up of, the suspense. BUT the suspense dragged on and oN and ON. Finally, the "blood" which supposedly was to drench 75% of the frames came and in five minutes the entire "conflict" if you call it that was resolved and the audience was left with a cliffhanager.

Disappointing.

It was my last year at Cucalorus and I'm glad I was able to see so many great things. It truly is a remarkable event.

My Rough Theater

2009-11-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

My rough theater would look like this:

It would be dark and personal. It's the kind of theater that encourages viewers to see a matinee and then sneak into a completely different film. It's the kind of theater where one leaves, often lost within oneself, within one's own thoughts.

Of course I would have another theater, and that would look like this-

This theater would be fun and goofy. It would bring out the child in all of us. It would encourage uncontrollable laughter, it would contain a rule where viewers cannot cross their arms ever, it would be silly.

Mystery Workshop Response

2009-11-06T10:13:00.001-08:00

Fun as always!

I've never worked with 3D animation, and it was a fun new experience. I wish I had been able to think of a creative story to tell, or something unique. Also, I wish I was good at arts and crafts. My 3D glasses were nearly lost, barely salvageable. Luckily, Mark Eaton cut the glasses back to their most basic form. After that I added a little top hat and I had something. It was Saved.

3D appears to be the wave of the future and I was happy knowing, while watching the final product, that I could do it. However rough it turned out, I could do it, and I think that is something I am really learning throughout this course, that anything can be done. It might not be great at first, but most attempts aren't, as long as I keep working hard I can perfect whatever my endeavor my be. I'm also taking another look at what film tools are in my tool shed and what can be added to that shed of film tools. The means by which you tell a story should reflect the story itself, and when one has the power and the knowledge to wield many tools, they have choice when they begin production.

I am not and have not been the most knowledgeable person in the editing room, and I liken my mindset in the editing room to my mindset towards the weight room in high school. I played football throughout high school and unfortunately had to participate in wrestling my freshman and sophomore year. Both of these sports required time in the weight room to improve the body's strength. My older brother and I share similar frames but, unlike myself, my older brother spent a lot of time in the weight room and in turn excelled at both sports, finally receiving a scholarship to play football at a DI school, but I never spent that time and thus never bulked up. I was weak my freshman year of high school and I got deterred from going in because everyone older than me could put up a lot of weight. I think that's what happened to me in college with the editing room. Instead of working harder at my weaknesses I gave up and turned to something else. What I turned to was acting and I have done that the majority of college. For that reason, I haven't really felt like a filmmaker throughout college because I've created so little, but through this class I have created multiple projects that I am proud of and through these projects I've eagerly jumped into the editing lab and I've become stronger. I have more confidence when I say I am a filmmaker now, because I have projects that I created to back it up. I also am gaining confidence to undertake new technologies.

Overall, good stuff.

Rights of the Molotov Man and Ecstasy of Influence

2009-10-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

Cryptomnesia! I always wondered if there were a word to describe that inkling I get when a creative idea feels to familiar. Usually when I feel those inklings I back off from the idea or adjust until I feel safe. Growing up I performed a lot of improv, at school and then at the Second City in Chicago. It was a great experience, something I often think back on, recall what I learned and then apply it to what I think it is relevant for. The reason I bring improv up is because of this Cryptomensia.
In improv the mind is circulating a million thoughts. A performer is listening to their partner(s) and responding. One only has a few seconds, in which the brain must discover and forefront the strongest or the funniest possible thought. In this high pressure environment, I've experience cryptomnesia. My mouth has exploded with a word, my body has performed an action and during the ensuing laughter something clicks. There is that gut reaction of something vaguely familiar, a deja vu of sorts. Often times I would discover, a line, an action, or maybe just the delivery came directly from a SNL skit. Or from a line in a movie. Upon realizing it, I felt like a fraud. I enjoy creating, and therefore I always try something different whenever I get the inkling of cryptomensia. But this cryptomensia is unavoidable. It happens and I don't think their should be any punishment for it. When the problem I also think of George Harrison and "My Sweet Lord", which sounds a lot like The Chiffons "He's so Fine", or The Strokes "Razorblade" and Barry Manilow's "Mandy". In both Harrison's song and The Strokes song, there are chord progressions which match another song, what happened? George Harrison settled court and lost some money, the strokes never play razorblade. I don't think Harrison should have lost money, and I don't think the strokes should stop playing razorblade.
I think that its a new piece, new art, and should be respected as such.

The Yes Men

2009-10-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

The Yes Men is a hysterical documentary that raises questions about the WTO and big business, raises questions about apathy and/or complacency as inhabitants on Earth or more specifically consumers in society, raises issues that many viewers would never care to think about.

I actually saw Yes Men when I was in High School and I forgot all about it except the phallic suit. I vividly remember laughing on the floor.

It's funny how it exposes the apathetic attitude within people, I'm guilty as well. We become so focused on our lives, next appointment, next task, next night out, that we find it easier to say the word "yes", to accept what we're fed and continue on in our lives. It's the easiest thing to do. What scars me about the film is comparing the business event in Rotterdam and the student event. The students begin to catch on, they ask questions, they begin to get upset, which is great. University is the time to ask any and all questions. It's a time to learn. There is a freedom. What confuses me, is why some adults, maybe a majority, continue to carry these freedoms into the world. Does society or the work force deter one from asking too many questions? Maybe, maybe there is a fear of losing a job. We have one life, and when we find a great job we don't want to part, and maybe in turn we sacrifice freedoms, or beliefs to more easily fit into the middle of the curve.

I'm not sure what I'm getting at.

The culture jamming aspect was great. The ideas they conceived and the execution of such were ingenious. But one thing I'm beginning to ponder is the effectiveness of comedy within political and or social commentaries. I feel like sometimes, we are distracted by the comedy. I for example saw the movie four years ago and the only thing I remembered was a man in a gold suit with a phallic television extension. I didn't remember the message at all. The idea was funny, the speech prior to the reveal and during its exposition were near perfect, and its shocking view of the audience members reacted. But in the end, I, as a viewer, four years later don't remember what point they made. I've seen numerous other docs on the WTO and big business and I remember something from them. Sometimes, they are the scary details, but in any event I don't know how effect the movie is.

One Saturday Morning

2009-10-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

Limitations limitations, the presence of limitations. Saturday was a lot of fun and relieving in many ways. I filmed with my 495 project everyday over fall break and the amount of pre-production necessary to accomplish the task of filming a 10 minute short with only three weeks to do so, was physically and mentally exhausting. I'm still feeling the lingering effects. During those weeks I continued to surprise myself with a stupidity commonly associated with children left behind in kindergarten. I wasn't able to comprehend a square hole from a circle and thus I continued to pound my triangle peg without any progress.

The Saturday shoot was a relief because I had to accept what I was given. I wasn't allowed to call for another take, I wasn't allowed time, to ponder themes, motifs, symbols. I wasn't allowed precision, I wasn't allowed perfection.

Films aren't finished they're abandoned.
This, I believe is particularly true for the narrative form. In experimental, you can work alone, be a scratch film junkie by yourself, mold a project for as long as you wish and in the end you may still have to give up but you will know that you had the ability to work it to your desired perfection.

Narrative is different. It's impossible next to impossible to work a project all alone. You need other people and their hand in the process. Narrative in sports terms would be football, where playing one on one occurs infrequently in adulthood, where as a team you work as one, where everyone has a responsibility to tackle problems. Experimental would be like tennis, one on one is preferred but doubles is great too.

In general, I'm still trying to figure experimental film out, and in what capacity I can use techniques unique to the form, in creating a style that is unique to myself and the films I create.

Long takes are something I shall try now more than ever to incorporate. They are definitely exhilarating.

Ideas for One take

2009-10-08T10:36:00.002-07:00

I had an idea that I've been mulling over. Now I've never filmed anything at UNCW, or in my life for that matter, which included a gun. But on this occasion it could be necessary. The basic idea, stems from the idea that everybody is someone's son, or daughter, and I wanted to convey that. Unfortunately the only creative thing I can come up with-my brain is fried this semester-is this:

Idea 1:
Camera starts on the right side of Figure A
Camera finds left side of Figure B

Start: xcu on the eyes of Figure A and pull back to cu on the face framing them on the right side staring off screen left. Then down the persons neck to shoulder, down their arm and pull back to see their body as we turn and descend to their feet.
Slowly we'd move left three feet until another set of shoes, Figure B, appears, stopping we'd hesitate and then mimic the previous shots used to descend from Figure A's eyes to ascend to Figure B's eyes. But when we reached Figure B's arm we would see a gun pointing directly at Figure A. Upon reaching Figure B's eyes we would pan over following Figure B's eye line to where Figure A should be, but instead, in the place of Figure A, there would be a young husband and wife with a baby in their arms.
We would pan back to the xcu of Figure B's eyes, hold for a moment and again pan following Figure B's eye line to where Figure A should be, and this time Figure A is in fact there.
The camera then pans back to Figure B's eyes and holds for a second and it's over.

Idea 2:

Film Junkies

2009-10-08T10:36:00.001-07:00

Scratching, painting, magazine transfers, clear leader, exposure, painting and so much more. Upon viewing our 2nd scratch film junkies short, I felt like I had a greater understanding and appreciation for what goes into an experimental film. Its funny how little a person knows about things. I remember sitting through experimental shorts my freshman year and thinking how simple they were. Thinking, seeing, hearing without understanding what goes into these shorts, what goes on beyond these shorts that are projected onto a screen. I feel like I’m garnering a greater understanding of film through this class, I feel like in essence I’m training my “film id”. I have a new foundation or maybe an added foundation for a remodel of some sort. It’s funny because although I’ve shot on film before I’ve never had to really handle it. I’ve never truly felt it, hung over it, spliced it. It is now, only after those experiences that I may view an experimental short like the scratch film junkies short screened, with a newfound wisdom and maturity.
Even with the rhythmic editing assignment, I’m beginning to understand the internal cadence of film. Although I failed in terms of screening a portrait, I think I learned through the process to find a rhythm. Especially when inserting a soundtrack, or music/sound of any sort. I often find myself falling into the trap of throwing music down as a quick fix for shorts. I realized during our screenings that now more than ever, especially in this class, I must challenge myself with sound design. When it comes to music I love basic pop music structure, verse1, verse2, chorus, verse3, chorus, bridge, and chorus. I love tight, concise beautiful melodies, but I’ve pigeonholed myself. I often forget about Sound. It makes me remember preschool. It was Parents Night, and there were all these stations set up; stations for creating things. I know there were a lot, but the only one I can recall was the tambourine station. Together my dad and I assembled two bottle tops end to end-creating a pocket of air between- on a six inch by two inch piece of wood, and with one nail we hammered the bottle caps onto the wood. In essence it became a metal shaker, the metal equivalent of a homemade maraca, but I decorated it and used it for years after. In fact it still has a place on my desk at home. I guess what I’m trying to say is that five dollar instrument could still make beautiful noise, could still add its voice to a composition and I need to start opening my mind to the possibilities of sound design, which in turn my add something new to my film toolbox.

Ear-E Noises

2009-09-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

POP! A fist from the lead actor accidentally connects with the jaw of an extra...cue- LAUGHTER.

cue-Confusion

My brain tries to grasp what I saw, following multiple roads to final conclusions, often illogical. Visually, a signal of violence, a man punching another, is sent to my brain. Previous to the punch, my eyes and ears were able to discern that this was Take 3 of a student film, thus the connection of flesh and knuckle, should not have occured and therefore is an accident. This moment is a surprise to the actors, the crew, the extra, but my question is, why the laughter, especially from the extra who received a blow. It looked worse than it was.

The reason is the sound. The sound is harsh, the mic peaks, the reaction is a cringe and I don't laugh. But the reason the sound is so loud is the boom mic. The location is directly above the extra who is punched and for me this amplifies what on set was nothing but a dull thud.

Sound sound sound, in my opinion it is the key to good films, especially student films. Student films biggest pratfalls is lack of attention to sound. It becomes an afterthought, on the set which complicates things in post.

I enjoyed this article. I will focus more on sound, both creatively-using sounds as symbols, or motifs, and pratically.

Response on Wells

2009-09-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

Laying out styles of animation and the factions that define them. I was vaguely aware of these subgroups, as a result of exposure, but Wells clearly defined them, laying them out in black and white. I really enjoyed the paragraph, Dynamics of dialogue", where he defines Disney sound as symphonic and Warner Bros. as cacophonic. Leonard Maltin has a film, Songs of the Silly Symphonies, which are a collection of old lesser known Disney shorts. I enjoyed them when I watched them a few years back and it enlightened me to the distinct sound that accompanies Disney animation. In my view, for the majority of people, the cacophony that saturates Looney Toons, especially at a young age, is the most appealing. These noises and catch lines are the most easily duplicated for a person in the everyday scenario. Children find these impressions especially fun. I agree. I know "What's up Doc?" escaped my mouth more often than any Fantasia segment, and I watched the film every day after preschool. In general, I have no bias for either. They are equally pleasing to me. One must find good in everything.

As for abstract animation, I find that my exposure is far less. Besides Brakhage and Fantasia, I little of this style is known to me. It's limits and potential remain hidden. Personally, I enjoy the exploration of symbolism and the enjoyment of finding a firm backbone that will lie below the surface. But going further, I find, as of now, that story draws me more and though the incorporation of abstract form is not without possibility, I tend to find myself wary of it. I believe this stems from seeing abstract art without that meaning that resonates far below. I detest standing before my peers abstract art. For the most part I find myself unsatisfied with what I see, that the symbolic message is corny, cliched or poorly executed. For this reason I fear attempting it. I don't fear failure but think within life, if abstraction were strong within me that I would have known it already. I know this is not the case, for Picasso's divergence into cubism came well into his late 20's with Les Demoiselles D'Avignon. A painting that upended hundreds of years of western art philosophy. Turn of the century artists were on the look out for a style new and unseen. They believed the classical style could no longer express what they felt. Currently, I am content with what I have before me. My canvas is traditional and for now it pleases my eye.

Experiences Thus Far

2009-09-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

So far I'm happy with 6X1. In the future, with each assignment, I want to avoid every first impulse, every easy outlet, and anything I deem unoriginal. I want to push my creativity to a new level. Looking at the syllabus today, I was excited about the future assignments and the possibilities I'll have to push myself. I want to be original but also have substance behind it. If it's original just for the sake of being original then I'll have failed. But I hope that won't be the case. I enjoy seeing other films in class, the more I see the more of an understanding I have of what has been done, and what possibilities there are. I know that documentary films, and experimental films are among the fewest films that I've viewed in my life and that poses a problem for me when attempting to be creative. I like working in class too. I enjoy the stress free environment, it allows for more creativity when I'm relaxed and enough time to think.

I've never worked with film before, and the other week when I heard the projector and saw my film projected on screen, seeds were planted within my head, and I'm seriously considering filming my 495 project on film. (If I have the budget) It is magical, something internally gratifying. I've yet to explain the emotions, but the generic, happy, will suffice for now.

I hope the happiness will continue.

Synesthesia

2009-08-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Synesthesia, from my understanding, is defined two ways, in terms of art, it is the perception of two or more stimuli as one gestalt experience, while neurological definition synesthesia is the elicitation of perceptual experience in the absence of the normal sensory stimulation. As always, through art, the idea of this experience is romanticized. A unified whole combining components into beauty, an experience that depends on a mixing of the senses, a complex which is, statistically, a minority. It is from the abnormal, that the beauty is derived, and thus it sparks new ideas and new perspectives, pushing the whole into the limelight while subduing the parts, which propels beauty to the forefront.
What is comical is the neurological definition. This experience is propelled by the Absence of the normal sensory stimulation. This complex is, because it lacks, whereas in art it magnifies, there is a surplus.
The end result is the same in both instances, a cocktail of senses. Which I wish I could experience.

I guess I will just have to settle on art and videos that attempt to convey these sensory experiences; art by synesthesia and art meant to evoke synesthesia. I followed a link from the wikipedia page to a youtube video attempting to visualize tone synesthesia against Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. It was mesmerizing. I wathced it three times trying to get an understanding of what it means to have synesthesia and in turn how to duplicate it. I learned that in the future, in movies that I make, characters and the film itself should have a color scheme. Watching film is a synesthetic experience, and maybe the experience can be heightened?

Response to Scratch Film Junkies

2009-08-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

Children, Parrots, Construction worker, Coloring on film , Superimpositions, Scratching, Acid wash and last but not least, Well suited drums. These were the first words that formed within my brain after Thursday's viewing. These are the occurrences which my eyes saw and my brain remembered and articulated. But the confusion still ran rampant in my head for there are many things I did not understand. How? What? And Why? Experimental film, has always, to me, been something of a lesser form. But I believe that it is because it is not understood. The creativity behind each film is more complex, and more daunting than, at least I ever imagined. The patience, precision and dedication to each frame, which becomes one of twenty-four in a second, one of fourteen hundred and forty in a minute and so on and so on, is beyond comprehension. I think I am in for a treat this semester, where a formal introduction to experimental will occur and thus, hopefully, changing the way I see film, create film and study film.

Refering back to the subject of the film, I have to make a comment on the drums. I felt the sound complimented the images very well and very often enhanced it. For instance, a ringing bell, much like that of an ice cream truck was immediately followed the glimpse of children through an ever changing foreground. Also, the lines from the beginning of the film, lengthening and shortening to the beat of the drum, felt like Fantasia at 100mph. I love that movie.

Mumblecore

2008-12-01T18:29:00.000-08:00

1. Many mumblecore filmmakers have deep roots with the SXSW Festival, many have premiered or have had films in the festival at some point, many met each other there, the phrase mumblecore was coined at a bar during the festival and Swanberg and co. helped create promotional shorts that played before each feature this past year.

2. Mumblecore contains improvised dialogue, naturalistic performances by non-actors, handheld verite-style digital camerawork and long takes. Budgets are small. The films are reflections on the filmmakers personal life, mostly with white, educated, creative, sensitive, and sincere characters who struggle to communicate in this digital age.

3. Charges against mumblecore are mostly based on the central conflicts found within many of the stories. Many of the problems are small and everyday and the tone often comes off as pretentious.

4. The internet has allowed people to find mumblecore movies like one would find a good indie band. You find movies you like and y delving deeper you find similar artists that you enjoy and wish to support and in turn give money to in order to see more works later.

5. The negative consequences of the definition of mumblecore is that it is inaccurate. The label focusing on things within the movies that are without weight in the movie.

6. Day-and-date distribution means that IFC released Hannah for downloading the same day of its theatrical release.

7. The objection is that Pioneer legitimized these films first and why do these art films need IFC to legitimize them anyway.

Those last two I'm not so sure on.

Lance Weiler "Navigating the Digital Divide"

2008-11-23T19:13:00.000-08:00

1. PCs and "living room devices" (set-top boxes, gateways and gaming consoles) are the current platforms. Downloads and streaming is the current delivery systems, for the PC some names are Netflix's Watch Now, Amazon's Unbox, Joost, Apple, Brightcore, GreenCine, CinemaNow, Jaman, and Guba. For the Tv, VOD, XBox, Vudu, AppleTv.

2. Some advantages were that their film stood out among the hundreds of films released in theatrical release and they bypassed mass marketing and film print costs. Some disadvantages include limited marketplace penetration because most people don't download movies yet.

3. A digetal media aggregator is someone who orchestrates deals with PC and "living room device" companies, distributing films for them to broadcast. They are the distributors/sales agents.

4. They both offered their products based on a "set your own price" format, enabling their fans a choice. The range varies on what people will pay for this though, most people seem to take advantage of it. 10MPH chose a .m4v format because it allows the consumer to view their product using different outlets.

5. By saturating many digital outlets they received more attention which led to more monetary gain from merchandise and overall sales of the film.

6. A lack of compatible outlets in the living room? Laziness? I'm missing it, I'm not sure.

Week 14 Murphy 25-45

2008-11-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

1. What Flo is saying is that the dialogue of each character acts in the same way a decision might, the what? how? where? when? of the characters delivery provide great insight into their state of mind.

2. The main connection between the two is that they both include ambiguous characters within a character-centered plot that attempts to mimic real life.

3. First, Jarmusch never had a full script he only had a 55page "treatment" that allowed for improvisational techniques when shooting. Secondly, the middle of his film is the shortest section when broken down into a three act structure which goes against typical three act structures where the middle is usually the longest.
In terms of story,he usuallly has ends/consequences/results/details and from there he tries to connect all of the pieces or ideas like a puzzle. His protagonists lack clearly defined goals and are often ambiguous in their decisions.

4. An "execution dependent" screenplay is a screenplay that works more as a treatment with the idea that improvisation will play an important role when filming, and because of this it is difficult to make a financing decision and thus producers must take a leap of faith, if and when, they decide to work on it.

5. Some similarities include characters with cynical and aggressive attitudes without any redeeming motivation and any ability to relate. Films about characters on the margins. The biggest difference is the amount or lack of, in the case of Stranger than Paradise, violence.

Week 13 CHC

2008-11-10T20:55:00.000-08:00

1. Using what Guerrero defines as the plantation genre as a means to date the phases of the black image in Hollywood we find there are three phases; the first being pre-blaxploitation which portrayed black people as submissive, example films during this phase include "Jezebel" and "Gone With the Wind"; second there was blaxploitation which was a phase during the 60's and 70's which provided strong characters resisting "the man", example films during this phase include "Slaves" and "Mandingo"; and finally the new black cinema is the most recent phase including characters equal to all those around, films from this phase include "The Brother From Another Planet" and "The color Purple".
2. There rejection of the norms of Hollywood was a politically conscious decision, to contest Hollywood's aesthetic codes during a time of great change including: The Civil Rights Movement, Womens Rights Movement, the Anti-War Movement, and national liberation struggles in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
3.Bill Gunn's notion exemplified a subversive attack on the Hollywood system by subtle changing and attacking from within the walls of Hollywood.
Spike Lee avoided studios and went with a more independent approach and used independent cinema as a stepping stone to the Hollywood system.
4. Baraka views Spike Lee's filmmaking as a younger generation focusing on the economic struggle instead of the political struggle whereas Baker views Lee's economic focus as a political ideology giving hope to the re-institutionalizing of black commerce and culture.

Week 12 TWHTI

2008-11-03T18:30:00.001-08:00

1.
1920s: 4-6 seconds per shot
1930s-1960s: 8-11 sps
Mid-1960s: 6-8 sps
1980s: 5-7 sps
2000: 3-6 sps

2. Directors have found new visual cues to cut on that effectively infuse energy into the scene.

3. Shot/reverse shot eyeline matches and body orientation reiterate character placement, thus filmmakers intensifying dialogue scenes have omitted establishing shots.

4. After 1970, wide angle lenses were used to provide looming close-ups, expansive establishing shots, views inside cramped quarters, and medium shots with strong foreground-background interplay.

5. After 1970, telephoto lenses were used for multiple camera shooting, and in essence became an all purpose tool used in all facets of filming.

6. Filmmakers started mixing long and short lenses because many movie-brat directors wanted to keep tradition of 40's deep space filming but appreciated the long lens.

7. Close framing allows the director to vary the pace during editing and to pick the best bits of each actor's performance.

8. Vary the distance of the close-ups is one answer, also cutting to the establishing shot allows a beat, and lets the scene breath.

Bibliography/Research Question

2008-10-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

How did arthouse cinema, in New York and LA, propel “I’m Not There”?

Anderson, John. “Dylan Movie Set To Open Like A Rolling Premiere”. New York Times 21 August 2007. 28 October 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/movies/21dyla.html?8dpc=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1187722862-URyUhCrm6RAQ61mD0PLhUg
Film Forum, distribution of film.

Clark, John. “Survival Tips for the Aging Independent Filmmaker”. New York Times 1 October 2006. 27 October 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/movies/01clar.html?pagewanted=2&sq=Film%20Forum%20%20showing
Film Financing for Indies/Indie Directors and Producers.

Dawtrey, Adam. “Cannes plans take shape”. Variety 4 April 2007. 27 October 2008.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117962499.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1&query=im+not+there
News from festival, little info.

Frater, Patrick. “Foreign Tales told at AFM”. Variety 7 November 2005. 28 October 2008.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117932573.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1&query=%22ARP%22+I%27m+Not+There
French sales house Celluloid Dream handles “I’m Not There”

Hayes, Dade. “Rethinking Independent Film Finance”. Variety 5 September 2008. 27 October 2008.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117991730.html?categoryid=3235&cs=1&query=%22I%27m+Not+There%22
Indie films financial struggles and ideas on fixing it.

Hayes, Dade. “Dylan biopic blows to Forum”. Variety 6 August 2007. 28 October 2008.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117969795.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=Film+Forum+%22I%27m+Not+There%22
Info about release.

Kelly, Brandon. “Canada Tries to Curb Production Slide”. Festival Central 3 September 2008. 27 October 2008.
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&jump=story&id=1061&articleid=VR1117991523&cs=1&query=%22I%27m+Not+There%22
Woes, one line mention of I’m Not There. Useless.

McCarthy, Todd. “I’m Not There”. Variety 4 September 2007. 27 October 2008.
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934602.html?categoryid=2880&cs=1&query=I%27m+Not+There
Review of movie.

Morfoot, Addie. “Tangled Up In ‘I’m Not There’”. Variety 14 November 2007. 27 October 2008.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117976027.html?categoryid=38&cs=1&query=%22I%27m+Not+There%22
Premiere news and stories from production.

Morfoot, Addie. “NY’s Film Forum fuels award hopes”. Variety 24 October 2007. 28 October 2007
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117974693.html?categoryid=2734&cs=1&query=Film+Forum+2007
History of theater and info on “I’m Not There” and its opening.

Thompson, Anne. “Indie Spirit Noms: I’m Not There Leads Field”. Variety 24 November 2007. 27 October 2008.
http://weblogs.variety.com/thompsononhollywood/2007/11/indie-spirit-no.html?query=im+not+there
Little info on budget.

Vivarelli, Nick. “Endgame, Piedmont trigger fund”. Variety 1 September 2008. 27 October 2008
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117991394.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1&query=%22I%27m+Not+There%22
US films in Italy.

Week 11

2008-10-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

104-114

1. They bother with it because it allows for a broader appeal, mixing plot, for the keen viewers, and spectacle, for those specifically interested in action, into a tight knit film that will appeal to more that a certain niche of viewers.

2. What he means is that many action movies contain the same story structure and motifs; ticking clocks, clear cut act structure, emotionally broken hero, villains with clearly motivated sinister plans of which at the beginning force the protagonist to be reactive and later to be proactive, buddy-cop relationships with an arising conflict which calls their relationship into jeopardy as well as a group relationship with the same arising conflict.

3. Overall, action takes up 53 minutes of physical action and the remaining 73 minutes contains; plot which focuses on emotional and cerebral action.

51-72

1. What I believe Bordwell is talking about when he says “genre ecology” is the development and the relationship between directors/writers in those developments of blending genres. He characterizes the current range of genres as a blend of old B-genres with established A-genres, but lacking the original staples of musicals, westerns and domestic melodramas.

2. By “worldmaking”, Bordwell is referring to directors attention to detail within films, in a sense layering detail upon detail, which in turn creates a world all it’s own, a fantasy world. Also, as in Tarantino’s case, the ability to create characters that could potentially exist within another film subsequent or previous to the time and setting of their original inception into film. As well as creating ancillary products that could further allow the viewer to delve deeper into the created world. The narrative design is then affected by the worlds potential, the characters decisions become driven by what possible decisions can be made.

3. The rise and fall of contemporary genres is due in part to director/writer ingenuity; the desire to create an original piece, or elaborate by adding on genres that have yet to be “mined”.

Confused on this question? Fall of contemporary genres? Do you mean like the musicals, westerns or melodramas?

4. Maximally classical, means that the film is more classical than it needs to be. For instance Groundhog Day implores symbolism within its’ mise-en-scene that goes, to an extent unnoticed, and may, in some opinions, be unnecessary to a comedy.

5. Give the audience the full puzzle, don’t forget a piece and don’t make the pieces to big where it becomes too easy, too obvious to piece together. Allusions help in creating more pieces and therefore can provide greater entertainment to those aware of the references.

Week 10

2008-10-20T21:01:00.001-07:00

1. The five conditions include: a new generation of directors (the movie brats; Spielberg, Lucas, Coppola, etc.), new marketing strategies (wider massive advertising campaigns), new media ownership and management styles (MCA with Universal, etc.), new technology of sound and image reproduction (SFX, Dolby Sound, etc.), and new delivery systems.

Question: What does he mean new delivery systems? Like VCR’s and at home devices?

2. I believe, New Hollywood being defined as “the different as same” refers to this new age of Hollywood containing different people who are filling the same roles as Classical Hollywood icons. I believe, New Hollywood being defined as “the same as different” refers to the idea of New Hollywood taking certain aesthetics from International cinema, which are opposite in structure and style of Classical Hollywood, and creating a New movement. In essence being the same as different. Yes/No? Maybe so?

3. Elsaesser is talking about the horror genre in particular; rupturing realism by disrupting cause and effect patterns (often leaving out the cause of killers/monsters motivation until the end? I think), disrupting shot/countershot, continuity and reverse field editing in order to create a sense of mystery, suspense, and horror, as well as deliberately misleading the viewer and with holding information, especially with sound.

Question: Could you explain reverse field editing just a little?

4. The sound and image relationship within horror films deliberately is not synchronized in terms of cause and effect, question and answer; thus preventing viewers from answering the question of the sounds source and in turn creating suspense and when used effectively with score, inducing fear.

5. Paintings, films, technology of the past are alluded to, but only at a secondary level, hidden in subtext, underneath the story of Dracula being played out, thus it is like these older texts are still visible in the story of Dracula which is layered on top.

6. It is a prototypical because the vampire film is nothing new, but the allusions to the predecessors are. The self-reflection draws attention to the form which is constantly being reused to tell the same story but with different plots.

13. My monitor is a collage of competing realities, countering Bazin’s notion of the screen being a window into reality, the screen in this multimedia world functions as a glass house which is barraged by images, which mesh and juxtapose to create a pseudo reality which calls into question the very notion of the true function of film as an art form and maybe propels it into nothing more than stimuli for the senses.

Question: I’ve been thinking this over for sometime, wouldn’t the music industry be the first industry to promote multimedia, and merchandise? I’ve been thinking about A Hard Day’s Night (1964) from United Artists, and the cross promotion that helped propel The Beatles, which in turn television saw as the future and created The Monkees for television but incorporating music in order to fully capitalize on merchandise.

Also, I’m not sure if anyone else has this problem, but my CHC has contains the largest misprint I’ve ever seen. Literally 31 identical pages are reprinted, so my book goes from pages 1-170 then the next page starts at 139 and goes to 170. After 170, on the opposite page is page 203 of Elsaesser’s essay. Weird stuff.

Week 9

2008-10-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

2. Usually, films with multiple protagonists slowly begin to focus specifically on one or two characters, allowing the setup to further the primary character and the development to further the second and also reinforce their bond.

3. The main tactics include; "ticking clocks"(deadlines) that require characters to make and solve appointments, appointments which cause deadlines to be made, motifs that create deeper meanings throughout films, repeated objects or lines of dialogue which focus audience attention on key plot information can produce a great deal of pleasure in an audience member, wide range of knowledge that allows the audience to know enough but not enough to prevent guessing about plot development(strategic limitations), and long range goals that allow characters to room to grow.

4. Passages of overtness refers to moments within film where the film itself is speaking directly to the viewer, sometimes voice over or inter-titles or deliberate opening and closing shots that offer information on the films plot. Montage is highly overt and then maybe what I previously said is less self-conscious.

I was going to ask a question about "passages of...less self-conscious" but then I realized it was question 4. I'll think about it more.

Also, personally, I enjoy Bordwell's writing more than any writer we've read thus far.

CHC Questions

2008-10-08T22:03:00.000-07:00

1. I don't think I get Bordwell's, Thompson's and Staiger's view or maybe it's just that I don't agree with it. If my understanding is correct, and that is they find classical Hollywood still prevalent in today's films because today's films still incorporate a form of classical narration, then I disagree with them, because it definitely "flattens" out the history of film. If you were to take the same view and apply it to literature, you would lose nearly all movements simply because in the end they have a beginning a middle and an end. Most movements in literature are created by few and last only a short while, so why can't the same thought process be used to label film movements? I recall you said something about film not being seen as an art form??? But I think that was when we were discussing how merchandising has so fully become incorporated.

2. Fordist/Post-Fordist Hollywood? This relates to Hollywood because instead of mass produced assembly line products, Hollywood began producing genre pieces for specific niche audiences???Now, huge question, this is a new "movement" in terms of production, is it not? So, is there a timeline just for the production aspect and a timeline just for the stylistic choices in movies? Do these overlap? If so, why? Personally they shouldn't.

3. Spectacle through plot? There is always a plot in my opinion even if Bruce Willis spends three fourths the time blowing things up. I feel like this attack may come from those who regard art cinema as a better style, influencing intelligent thought, with the idea that blockbusters though widely appealing to the mainstream creates vegetables who digest the moving image without thought. Is this true? Who first stated this? I agree with Schatz and the idea of plot advances through spectacle.

I may have rambled incoherently, but reading this article created a cross fire in my mind of which I have yet to sort out.

Week 7

2008-09-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Daly's "The distribution and Exhibition of Jaws"
1. The publishers of the book and the producers of the film coincided the release date of the film with the paperback of "Jaws" which both used the same logo of a shark ascending vertically towards a female swimmer. The producers went out on tour for the book and movie, taking the conventional book writers tour, it was on this tour they answered questions about the book and movie and supplied answers all while building hype for the film. The publishers and producers advertised and supplied heavy word of mouth, even before film production began in 1973, keeping the book and film circulating conversation. The producers knew the logo for Jaws was successful because over 2,000 people lined up in a rainstorm in order to catch a midnight preview of the film "Jaws", using only the logo as advertisement.

2. "Blind bidding" is when exhibitors are given the chance to buy a rental copy of a film, but must do so before viewing the film. Exhibitors objected to the blind bidding for "Jaws" because of Universals' clauses that came with it. Many of the exhibitors would have to risk losing lots of money for a film that had no known potential. The blind bidding was called off after some exhibitors saw the film at the midnight preview in Dallas, TX, which in turn breaks the Justice Departments terms for blind bidding which states no exhibitors may view film prior to bid.

3. It was different in its scope, they spent millions on advertisements, focusing on national ads that would run the three days prior to the films release during prime time television. They also carefully planned the release of the film with the summer season to make the film relevant to everyday life. They also were heavily involved in insuring the books success by advertising as well as spreading word of mouth for it. They laboriously researched the ad spots, and created numerous preview cuts to appeal to men, and to appeal to women in hopes of gaining a larger audience which was costly but in the end effective.

Week 5 Nashville

2008-09-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

Sawhill seems to suggest that the function of the recurring electronic devices is merely to portray the path in which technology is taking society. That these devices are bringing us together but at a cost, we become a shallow society interested only in our egos, and how people perceive us.

Week 5 Nashville

2008-09-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

The stylistic techniques Sawhill associates with "inclusiveness", includes the use of multiple cameras- that allow the actors a greater amount of freedom to Be in the environment rather than Act, as they have no worries about acting to a camera, but rather have a knowledge and confidence that multiple cameras will find them. His lighting of the entire set also allowed the actors to move around without worrying about specific spots or leaving frame, the camera could and would follow them. Also his sound systems allowed for greater clearer ambient noise and minor-character noise.(I'm not sure what that exactly sounds like but I guess tomorrow I'll find out)

Week 4 Hollywood Classicism

2008-09-15T22:36:00.000-07:00

For Bazin and Selde, the Classical period in Hollywood ended in 1939 and the 40's became a post-classical period while Lloyd, Elsaesser and Neale grouped all of Hollywood prior to the mid 60's, as Classical Hollywood with Bonnie and Clyde ushering in the New Hollywood. Though the classic capitalistic Hollywood never faltered and the mind set continued into the New Hollywood.

Week 4 Berliner

2008-09-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

The Godfather Part II disappoints the viewer in two ways; one Pacino's portrayal of the new Godfather fails in comparison to Marlon Brando's, and two the killing montage at the end of the film fails to capture the intensity of the first Godfather's ending montage. The new Godfather's dark and depressing existence stresses the emotional state of the Corleone's after the death of Marlon Brando. The killing montage at the end succeeds in again portraying the Corleone's and its social circles emotional state. The deaths are not glorified, and their characters deaths fail to resonate any happiness in the audience.

Week 3 L.L. Murray

2008-09-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

2. The main parallel Murray draws between the two decades culture, is the social instability. The underworld of the 30's and the underground of the 60's are similar in their use of vice and their refusal to accept political and social norms without a fight. A desperation in both decades was followed by stances, a stance against depression, a stance against a war, a stance against liquor, a stance against civil rights. The themes in Bonnie and Clyde influenced many adolescents in the underground to believe they were right in their views, and Bonnie and Clyde became symbolic figures for them.

Week 3 CHC

2008-09-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

1. The studies divorcement from theaters caused the majors to focus their strengths on film distribution rather than that of the exhibitors. Also, as a consequence of the Paramount lawsuits the FCC was created, for fear that the majors would seek control over television and thus create a monopoly. As television began to gain momentum, in viewers and programming, the majors began to take notice. With large libraries of old films, the majors began to strike deals with television companies, allowing these old films to be shown on T.V. At this same time, studies began to acknowledge the decline in ticket sales for new releases and therefore the potential of television seemed far greater. The rise of television as a consequence has ensured that Hollywood movies, the product themselves will never end in the red. Also, due to television numerous companies/conglomerates have expanded into all media markets, with Hollywood films as their pyramid base and television as their second tier.

2. "Two Supreme Court decisions upholding the rights of local governments to prevent children being exposed to books or movies considered suitable only for adults" is the main cause of the switch from the Production Code to the Rating System. In order to avoid state legislature against films, the MPA created the ratings system. The rating systems biggest effect was rather than boost artistic freedom and creativity, they constrained it. In order to create a commercially viable product artists most often had to and still have to either add or cut scenes from their films in order to be granted a suitable rating. NC-17 and X equal death whereas PG is always better than G and PG-13 always better than PG and R for that matter. On the flip side, due to these ratings, the majors realized they could easily create products for specific demographics and in doing so the "Hollywood" film of today, aimed at adolescent males, began to take shape.

Week 2

2008-09-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

1. The Charles theater was crucial in the development of "underground film" in New York City. It's uninhibited selection process allowed the filmmaker from even the lowest depths of society reach a mass audience. These showings fueled ideas by which other filmmakers prospered. Their early film festival brought a wide array of artists together and encouraged discussion. These showings ignited a passion in artists, it sparked the idea that Hollywood did not have a monopoly on the market, that in America you could create a film of interest to you, without worrying about content, but with the full knowledge that you had a place to showcase your film. This film of yours, even if grotesque, would be, could be seen and that is what spurred the "underground film" sub-culture and that is why The Charles Theater was important to the movement.

2.Baudelairean Cinema is characterized by uninhibited sexual visuals, and dialogue, it is a cinema that brings to the forefront subject matter otherwise cast into the shadows. The cinema was a vehicle of change, that harnessed crudity and captured beauty. It is characteristically shocking, a form that word revolt, confuse the average viewer into territory far beyond a perplexed state.

Week 1

2008-08-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

1. The "classical" period in Hollywood ended when American directors began
to inject a greater sense of realism into their storytelling, and by doing
so they mixed genres, tackled topical issues and refused to shy away from
controversial subject-matter.

2. Gilbert Seldes's main critique in The Great Audience was simply that
Hollywood's continuing immaturity was the primary cause in the decline of
cinema attendences. He believed Hollywood catering to the youth was a
hinderence.