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?
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Response to Scratch Film Junkies
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.
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.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Mumblecore
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.
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.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Lance Weiler "Navigating the Digital Divide"
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.
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.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Week 14 Murphy 25-45
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.
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.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Week 13 CHC
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.
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.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Week 12 TWHTI
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.
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.
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