Ray Privett & James Kreul, “A Cinema of Possibilities: Brian Frye Interview”
--How does Frye relate his work (including his film programming) to the following movements / concepts / genres:
Performance (and performance art)- He did a couple of performance pieces in art school, one of which was "Strip Tease" in which he filmed himself getting dressed and then ran the camera backwards. He would also pay homage to performance art in his shows at the Art Institute by going on stage and not doing anything at all, like in his piece "Bryan Fye fails to masturbate." He would also give away original prints at screenings, and advertise himself as a "pseudo magician" on his show posters.
Minimalism- His works relate to the minimalist movement at times because the method of creation and the action on the screen is very similar. For instance, in "the greatest moment of my life" he films his head slowly turning away from the camera; there are no elaborate props, editing, or acting taking place.
Fluxus- Some of his films could also be qualified as Fluxus, like the first film he created to get into film school, with the shots of the building with different colored filters. Also, in many of his films conscious attention is paid to the film medium.
--How does Frye respond to the question about what he “adds” to films such as Anatomy of Melancholy?
From what I understood Frye works to present the found footage material in a way which allows the footage he's manipulating to work to its full potential, to express the hidden and obvious ideas that were present in this footage to begin with.
Scott MacDonald, “Maintenance”
--What are some of the reasons for rental income growth at Canyon Cinema between 1980 and 2003? How did Canyon distinguish itself from the Filmmakers Cooperative and the Museum of Modern Art?
The interest and support for American Independent cinema grew, especially with the support at the academic level, Canyon put out catalogs which propelled the study of avant-garde from the scholarly perspective, and people in general had more money to spend. Canyon distinguished itself from these competitors by regularly putting out catalogs and updating them in a much shorter time. These catalogs were also interactive for their readers and often included still frames or art work by the filmmakers discussed. Also, once in awhile, Canyon's catalogs would include surprise articles discussing various issues from the perspective of artists currently working in the field.
--What problems and controversies did video distribution cause for Canyon in the 1990s? To what degree were the sides of the debate related to the age of the filmmakers on each side? Based upon the interview with Dominic Angerame at the end of the chapter, what was his position on the video debate?
In the 1990s Canyon voted to allow video film makers to become a part of the voting members and help with distribution. Some members, like Conner, did not agree with this decision and thought that if Canyon started distributing video the focus would go away from distributing avant- garde film to a focus on new technologies. There was concern that if Canyon started to distribute video its small staff would become overwhelmed. Age of the filmmakers played a big part in which side of the debate they were on. The older generation was concerned with preserving the art of creating film on film and felt that Canyon's efforts should be focused solely on this goal. The younger generation felt that video art was just as important as film. They felt that video was the way of the future and that Canyon would not be able to survive unless it started to distribute it as well. Angerame felt that Canyon should remain a film only distribution center since there were other video distribution centers the video film makers could take their works too. Further more, he felt that these video distributors did not work to distribute 16 and 8 mm film, so why should Canyon overwhelm itself with video?
--What were the advantages and disadvantages to funding from the National Endowment from the Arts? What controversies developed related to the publication of Canyon Cinema Catalog #5?
I guess the advantages would be the benefits of the funding provided by the NEA and the disadvantages would be the uncertainty of the whether or not this money would actually be coming and if Canyon was going to be able to keep it even after a grant was promised. There was a controversie surrounding Catalog # 7 which was reviewed by the congressional representative, Hoekstra, who was looking into where the NEA funding was actually going. He did not approve of the catalog because he found many pictures and descriptions in it offensive, and then worked to cut of funding for Canyon.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Christie Milliken, "The Pixel Visions of Sadie Benning"
1. How is Sadie Benning's work related to general trends and characteristics in Riot Grrl subculture? How is Riot Grrl subculture similar to and different from punk subculture?
Benning's work has an "anti-tech aesthetic," which was characteristic of the Riot Grrl punk bands and subculture as well. Her soundtracks are dirty, sometimes incorporating the grind of the camera itself. Her images are pixillated, her editing is rough and obvious. The equipment she uses in itself is outdated and thus anti mainstream. She is creating for the sake of creating, just like the Riot Grrl punk bands, which many times were made up of girls with little to no musical experience. Benning's films were also made for girls like her, dealing with issues of growing up, dealing with sexuality and identity, as well as female empowerment, all done in anti mainstream working process. Riot Grrl subculture was similar to punk because it revolved around the same political and musical tendencies, but it was different because it was focused on the female movement. It encouraged girls to express themselves, form bands, and create art. During this time young girls were restricted from participating in street culture and this movement was their rebellion against this.
2. Why does Milliken refer to Benning's work as visual essays? What are the advantages of viewing the work in relation to this genre? What is meant by "radical feminist essayistic" form?
Benning's works, according to Milliken, are visual essays because they can not be classified under one genre. Her films span everything from fiction, to autobiographical. The advantages of this work is that the film is created from the first person perspective and place an emphasis on communication with their audience. The audience gets to experience her personal perspective without the limitations of a specific genre. The "radical feminist essayistic form" refers to her use of personal words and images in order to call others, as well as her self, to action on the issues with which her works deal with. In this form the female artist also clearly defines herself as different from the patriarchal norm.
Keller and Ward, "Matthew Barney and the Paradox of the Neo-Avant-Garde Blockbuster"
3. What has changed in the gallery art world that allows Barney to describe his work as “sculpture”? In other words, how has the definition of sculpture changed since the 1960s, and why?
The definition of sculpture had become much broader than before, changing from a concrete definition of an artfully created physical work of art to anything from media arts to architecture. The reason for this change has to do with the minimalist and post modernism movements that emphasized creation all across different mediums.
4. Tricky but important question: Why was minimalist sculpture seen as a reaction against the “modernist hymns to the purity and specificity of aesthetic experience”? In other words: Why do they say that minimalist sculpture is post-modernist?
Minimalist sculpture is post-modernist because it emphasized the concept of the experience a viewer has while interacting with a particular work of art.
5. Describe the role of the body in the works of Vito Acconci and Chris Burden. You may wish to consult the following links to supplement the descriptions in the readings:
For Acconci to find his own voice he had to confront the source of imperfection that restricted him, and this source was the body. The use of the body for both artists was for and against minimalism. Using the body took away the emphasis on the performance on the artist separate from the creator.
http://www.ubu.com/film/acconci.html
http://www.ubu.com/film/burden.html
5. In the opinion of the authors, what are the key differences between performance art of the 1960s/1970s and Barney’s Cremaster cycle? What do they mean by the term "blockbuster" in relation to the gallery art world?
The fascination in Barney's art is centralized on the extreme things one can make their body go through, the performance art of the 60s and 70s did not have the artist enduring painful and traumatic experiences for the sake if their work. By "blockbuster" they meant works with high budgets and high publicity, which was very unusual.
Walley, "Modes of Film Practice in the Avant-Garde"
6. What is meant by “mode of film practice”? Give two well known examples of non-experimental modes of film practice. Why does Walley argue that the concept of the mode of film practice can help distinguish between the experimental film and gallery art worlds?
A mode of film practice is a specific style or working process within the avant-garde, for example; classic Hollywood style, French New Wave, and post modernism incorporated into the avant-garde practice. Such classifications of film result in preconceived notions from the audience and other film makers, they categorize works into kinds of genres and thus help distinguish similar works of art.
7. What are some of the key differences between the experimental and gallery art worlds in terms of production and distribution?
Experimental films have more support and are more available to the public than gallery art. One can view avant garde films via the web, at festivals, and at universities. Gallery art viewing seems to be harder to come by and have less financial support from institutions, clubs, and festivals.
Posted by jimbosuave at 9:31 AM 0 comments
1. How is Sadie Benning's work related to general trends and characteristics in Riot Grrl subculture? How is Riot Grrl subculture similar to and different from punk subculture?
Benning's work has an "anti-tech aesthetic," which was characteristic of the Riot Grrl punk bands and subculture as well. Her soundtracks are dirty, sometimes incorporating the grind of the camera itself. Her images are pixillated, her editing is rough and obvious. The equipment she uses in itself is outdated and thus anti mainstream. She is creating for the sake of creating, just like the Riot Grrl punk bands, which many times were made up of girls with little to no musical experience. Benning's films were also made for girls like her, dealing with issues of growing up, dealing with sexuality and identity, as well as female empowerment, all done in anti mainstream working process. Riot Grrl subculture was similar to punk because it revolved around the same political and musical tendencies, but it was different because it was focused on the female movement. It encouraged girls to express themselves, form bands, and create art. During this time young girls were restricted from participating in street culture and this movement was their rebellion against this.
2. Why does Milliken refer to Benning's work as visual essays? What are the advantages of viewing the work in relation to this genre? What is meant by "radical feminist essayistic" form?
Benning's works, according to Milliken, are visual essays because they can not be classified under one genre. Her films span everything from fiction, to autobiographical. The advantages of this work is that the film is created from the first person perspective and place an emphasis on communication with their audience. The audience gets to experience her personal perspective without the limitations of a specific genre. The "radical feminist essayistic form" refers to her use of personal words and images in order to call others, as well as her self, to action on the issues with which her works deal with. In this form the female artist also clearly defines herself as different from the patriarchal norm.
Keller and Ward, "Matthew Barney and the Paradox of the Neo-Avant-Garde Blockbuster"
3. What has changed in the gallery art world that allows Barney to describe his work as “sculpture”? In other words, how has the definition of sculpture changed since the 1960s, and why?
The definition of sculpture had become much broader than before, changing from a concrete definition of an artfully created physical work of art to anything from media arts to architecture. The reason for this change has to do with the minimalist and post modernism movements that emphasized creation all across different mediums.
4. Tricky but important question: Why was minimalist sculpture seen as a reaction against the “modernist hymns to the purity and specificity of aesthetic experience”? In other words: Why do they say that minimalist sculpture is post-modernist?
Minimalist sculpture is post-modernist because it emphasized the concept of the experience a viewer has while interacting with a particular work of art.
5. Describe the role of the body in the works of Vito Acconci and Chris Burden. You may wish to consult the following links to supplement the descriptions in the readings:
For Acconci to find his own voice he had to confront the source of imperfection that restricted him, and this source was the body. The use of the body for both artists was for and against minimalism. Using the body took away the emphasis on the performance on the artist separate from the creator.
http://www.ubu.com/film/acconci.html
http://www.ubu.com/film/burden.html
5. In the opinion of the authors, what are the key differences between performance art of the 1960s/1970s and Barney’s Cremaster cycle? What do they mean by the term "blockbuster" in relation to the gallery art world?
The fascination in Barney's art is centralized on the extreme things one can make their body go through, the performance art of the 60s and 70s did not have the artist enduring painful and traumatic experiences for the sake if their work. By "blockbuster" they meant works with high budgets and high publicity, which was very unusual.
Walley, "Modes of Film Practice in the Avant-Garde"
6. What is meant by “mode of film practice”? Give two well known examples of non-experimental modes of film practice. Why does Walley argue that the concept of the mode of film practice can help distinguish between the experimental film and gallery art worlds?
A mode of film practice is a specific style or working process within the avant-garde, for example; classic Hollywood style, French New Wave, and post modernism incorporated into the avant-garde practice. Such classifications of film result in preconceived notions from the audience and other film makers, they categorize works into kinds of genres and thus help distinguish similar works of art.
7. What are some of the key differences between the experimental and gallery art worlds in terms of production and distribution?
Experimental films have more support and are more available to the public than gallery art. One can view avant garde films via the web, at festivals, and at universities. Gallery art viewing seems to be harder to come by and have less financial support from institutions, clubs, and festivals.
Posted by jimbosuave at 9:31 AM 0 comments
Sunday, April 4, 2010
response 5
First, respond to Tribulation 99 in relation to Zryd's description of student responses in his own classes.
From what I've read in the class notes and the article, Zryd's students had a hard time understanding which parts of the film were real, and which were fictitious. I haven't been able to get full version of the film yet, but from what I've seen so far I can understand how this could be a problem if they did not have their professor first explain the concepts behind the film. I watched the beginning before reading anything about it, and could not make any real sense of what was going on, but then again I'm not really a history buff.
Michael Zryd, “Found Footage Film as Discursive Metahistory: Craig Baldwin’s Tribulation 99”
1. Explain Paul Arthur's distinction between the "realist" use of found footage and the "figurative" use of found footage. Which becomes important in Tribulation 99 and why?
Filmmakers use found footage in a "realist" way to "illustrate or analyze" his or her point. This footage is an actual representation of what is being showcased, and is used in addition to a voice over dialogue to make a point about whatever it may be. The "figurative" use of found footage, which is more prevalent if not dominating in Tribulation 99, is the metaphorical representation of a concept or event. In this model the artist uses preconceived notions about the image to form an idea using images that might have had nothing to do with the actual event, and combines them with voice over to bring their ideas across.
Marc Masters, “The Offenders: No Wave Cinema”
2. Name at least three similarities between the punk music scene and the punk/no-wave filmmaking scene, in terms of technology, style, and community.
1. Everybody worked on each others movies and did more than one job, just like punk musicians would often play in several different bands and switch from one instrument to the next.
2. Acting and production crews formed much like the punk bands, based on the people they knew and liked as opposed to film or musical experience.
3. Both groups worked with technologies not used in the main stream; the punks with their slide guitars and the No-Waves with their super 8 cameras.
William Wees, “Peggy’s Playhouse: Contesting the Modernist Paradigm”
3. According to Wees, what are the 5 characteristics of the modernist paradigm dominating North American avant-garde filmmaking before the 1980s?
1. opposition to the mainstream and commercial cinema
2. the autonomy of art-> I'm not sure here, is this referring to artists being self reliant and independent, or does it have something to do with placing the art in historical content?
3. The need to explore and bring attention to the medium used to create the art.
4. The superiority of "high" art over modern culture
5. The need to create unique works of art that express the artist as an auteur but also invoke broad universal concepts
4. Given the 5 characteristics above, how does Awhesh reject or question each of them (give examples from throughout the article).
1. Post 80s AG film makers not only opposed the mainstream cinema but also the aesthetic of modernism associated with many AG works prior to that time.
2. Post 80s film included many aspects of society that were previously left out of AG films, and re-contextualized AG within the broader realm of all social media.
3. Instead of bringing attention to the medium, she uses the Super 8 and all of its imperfections to create a "throw together" feeling in her films. There are still manipulations present, such as film scratches, but instead of drawing attention to themselves they are encompassed into the whole experience
4. She does not try to create elaborate sets, uses low end equipment, and works with untrained actors, such as her daughter. She doesn't snub modern culture, but rather uses her works to examine it and the roles people undoubtedly have to play in it.
5. She uses found footage for some of her works, like "The Color of Love," rather then filming and thus manipulating the action in front of her camera.
5. What does Ahwesh mean by rejecting the “aesthetics of mastery” and how is this related to punk filmmaking?
She goes against conventional film making or "authoritative narrative structures." She doesn't use trained actors, uses a super 8 camera, doesn't spend a lot of time in preproduction, and films action for the sake of filming action. This is reminiscent if not directly influenced by Warhol's working style. Punk filmmaking was also more about the experience of creating the film and making it a spectacle for people to enjoy, rather then spending time perfecting every shot using high end equipment, sets, props, etc.
6. Why does Wees argue that The Color of Love subverts conventional wisdom about mainstream pornography?
In mainstream pornography there's there's usually a focus on an erect penis and the male orgasm, while in her film the focus is on two women making love and an unresponsive male.
7. In what ways does Awhesh transform images from Tomb Raider in She Puppet?
She took Laura Croft out of the video game context and made her perform repeated actions, which she edited together to recontextualize her character. She would use variations in these repetitions such as sets, costumes, and camera angles. She took other images from the game and made them work against their their original purposes. The guns never hit their targets, the tigers never attacked, ect.
From what I've read in the class notes and the article, Zryd's students had a hard time understanding which parts of the film were real, and which were fictitious. I haven't been able to get full version of the film yet, but from what I've seen so far I can understand how this could be a problem if they did not have their professor first explain the concepts behind the film. I watched the beginning before reading anything about it, and could not make any real sense of what was going on, but then again I'm not really a history buff.
Michael Zryd, “Found Footage Film as Discursive Metahistory: Craig Baldwin’s Tribulation 99”
1. Explain Paul Arthur's distinction between the "realist" use of found footage and the "figurative" use of found footage. Which becomes important in Tribulation 99 and why?
Filmmakers use found footage in a "realist" way to "illustrate or analyze" his or her point. This footage is an actual representation of what is being showcased, and is used in addition to a voice over dialogue to make a point about whatever it may be. The "figurative" use of found footage, which is more prevalent if not dominating in Tribulation 99, is the metaphorical representation of a concept or event. In this model the artist uses preconceived notions about the image to form an idea using images that might have had nothing to do with the actual event, and combines them with voice over to bring their ideas across.
Marc Masters, “The Offenders: No Wave Cinema”
2. Name at least three similarities between the punk music scene and the punk/no-wave filmmaking scene, in terms of technology, style, and community.
1. Everybody worked on each others movies and did more than one job, just like punk musicians would often play in several different bands and switch from one instrument to the next.
2. Acting and production crews formed much like the punk bands, based on the people they knew and liked as opposed to film or musical experience.
3. Both groups worked with technologies not used in the main stream; the punks with their slide guitars and the No-Waves with their super 8 cameras.
William Wees, “Peggy’s Playhouse: Contesting the Modernist Paradigm”
3. According to Wees, what are the 5 characteristics of the modernist paradigm dominating North American avant-garde filmmaking before the 1980s?
1. opposition to the mainstream and commercial cinema
2. the autonomy of art-> I'm not sure here, is this referring to artists being self reliant and independent, or does it have something to do with placing the art in historical content?
3. The need to explore and bring attention to the medium used to create the art.
4. The superiority of "high" art over modern culture
5. The need to create unique works of art that express the artist as an auteur but also invoke broad universal concepts
4. Given the 5 characteristics above, how does Awhesh reject or question each of them (give examples from throughout the article).
1. Post 80s AG film makers not only opposed the mainstream cinema but also the aesthetic of modernism associated with many AG works prior to that time.
2. Post 80s film included many aspects of society that were previously left out of AG films, and re-contextualized AG within the broader realm of all social media.
3. Instead of bringing attention to the medium, she uses the Super 8 and all of its imperfections to create a "throw together" feeling in her films. There are still manipulations present, such as film scratches, but instead of drawing attention to themselves they are encompassed into the whole experience
4. She does not try to create elaborate sets, uses low end equipment, and works with untrained actors, such as her daughter. She doesn't snub modern culture, but rather uses her works to examine it and the roles people undoubtedly have to play in it.
5. She uses found footage for some of her works, like "The Color of Love," rather then filming and thus manipulating the action in front of her camera.
5. What does Ahwesh mean by rejecting the “aesthetics of mastery” and how is this related to punk filmmaking?
She goes against conventional film making or "authoritative narrative structures." She doesn't use trained actors, uses a super 8 camera, doesn't spend a lot of time in preproduction, and films action for the sake of filming action. This is reminiscent if not directly influenced by Warhol's working style. Punk filmmaking was also more about the experience of creating the film and making it a spectacle for people to enjoy, rather then spending time perfecting every shot using high end equipment, sets, props, etc.
6. Why does Wees argue that The Color of Love subverts conventional wisdom about mainstream pornography?
In mainstream pornography there's there's usually a focus on an erect penis and the male orgasm, while in her film the focus is on two women making love and an unresponsive male.
7. In what ways does Awhesh transform images from Tomb Raider in She Puppet?
She took Laura Croft out of the video game context and made her perform repeated actions, which she edited together to recontextualize her character. She would use variations in these repetitions such as sets, costumes, and camera angles. She took other images from the game and made them work against their their original purposes. The guns never hit their targets, the tigers never attacked, ect.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
-Nostalgia was a unique way of approaching the film medium. This still images on screen were brought to live by their back stories and although the subjects of these photos did not move, motion was created when they were set on fire. I like how Frampton leaves time at the end of each story where his monologue falls silent and the audience is left alone with a destroyed photograph accompanied by the loud projector noise. I felt like this technique allowed time for reflection on the story and photo the viewer was previously presented with. The constant sound of a running camera or projector in the background adds to the "filmic" experience. It makes me wonder if the artist consciously chose to include this on the sound track, or if it just happened to record that way. I'm not a big fan of the title of this work, I feel like it could have been more creative, but I hate coming up with titles myself so I could see why he might have chosen to go with one that obvious. I enjoyed the way Frampton placed the camera so that the smoke would rise up and fill the frame. This created a neat depth effect. His narration strategy ingaged the audience in a form of active viewing, since the stories were about the next picture in line, the viewer has to work to associate the picture with the words that described it previously, as well as focus on the story currently being told.
1. As requested in class, post your response to Carolee Schneeman's Fuses.
-This work was absolutely stunning. Just like Brakhage's work, Schneeman film, in my opinion, can only truly be enjoyed if the viewer first sets aside their preconceived notions about sex and works to enjoy the movie for its beautiful images and editing style. I am a female artist working in what is still a largely male dominated industry, even in the present times I still encounter problems because of it. I couldn't imagine how difficult it must have been for Schneeman to showcase this work during the mid 60s when the feminist movement was just starting to take ground. In her interview she says that her goal was to show the act of "love making" from her point of view and compare it to the ways in which the female body had been represented in art as well as porn. She wanted to see if her representation would be different. I believe that she accomplished this goal. This film was very different from both. It was not voyeuristic; but instead showed the simple beauty which the sexual act entails. The collages she inter cut into this film were visually stimulating as well. The only thing I did not like about this work was the soundtrack, or lack of it. The random wind and bird sounds throughout the film were simply not enough for me. I feel like adding some powerful musical mix would have made it better, but I love music and feel like it adds to the sensory experience; I guess Schneeman agreed with Brakhage in regards to music and chose to exclude it from her work.
2. How is structural film different from the tradition of Deren/Brakhage/Anger, and what are its four typical characteristics?
-The structural film is different because it takes the audience out of the first person perspective of the experience. Instead of recreating all the functions of the filmmakers eyes and the physical movements of his or her body, the structural film engages the mind of the audience, rather then trying to represent how the mind functions. Its four typical characteristics are the fixed camera, the flicker effect, loop printing, and rephotography off the screen.
3. If Brakhage’s cinema emphasized metaphors of perception, vision, and body movement, what is the central metaphor of structural film? Hint: It fits into Sitney’s central argument about the American avant-garde that we have discussed previously in class.
-The central metaphor of structural film is the engagement of the mind it the medium placed in front of it? I'm not exactly sure that this is correct. The structural film focuses more on graphics and their interaction with each other. It has a preconceived structure and is presented as a whole piece with a central theme versus a collage of separate experiences?
4. Why does Sitney argue that Andy Warhol is the major precursor to the structural film?
-Instead of focusing on every frame as an opportunity for artistic expression, Warhol reduced his films to the minimal; he was not afraid to let the camera run as long as what was being filmed related back to his central idea. He was also not concerned with controlling every aspect of his films and did not obsess about every stylistic choice, i.e. lighting, sets, camera movements.
5. The trickiest part of Sitney’s chapter is to understand the similarities and differences between Warhol and the structural filmmakers. He argues that Warhol in a sense is anti-Romantic and stands in opposition to the visionary tradition represented by psychodrama/mythopoeic/lyrical films. But for Sitney’s central argument to make sense, he needs to place structural film within the tradition of psychodrama/mythopoeic/lyrical films. Trace the steps in this argument by following the following questions:
a. Why does Sitney call Warhol anti-Romantic?
-Warhol was "anti-Romantic" because he went against the grain of previous avant-garde cinema in which the artists worked to bring forth fantastic images through the use of stylistic techniques which asked the audience to decipher their hidden meanings and themes. For example, in his pop art he would present a series of very similar images with variations, and in his earlier works he would present a simple action over a long period of time making his viewers "endure" the same images or actions for a time longer than their brains would naturally be interested in them. He did this with no camera movements or other film manipulations, the opposite of what his Romantic counterparts were creating at the time.
b. Why does Sitney argue that spiritually the distance between Warhol and structural filmmakers such as Michael Snow or Ernie Gehr cannot be reconciled?
-Warhol's works forced the mind of the viewer to create interest after being confronted with something not all that interesting for a long period of time. These films made your mind work to stay entertained, while the works of Snow and Gehr were a contemplation on their subject, which had the possibility to invoke a meditative or spiritual experience?
c. What is meant by the phrase “conscious ontology of the viewing experience”? How does this relate to Warhol’s films? How does this relate to structural films?
-To me this means being consciously aware of the metal processes that are going on while one is watching a film. The experience is manipulated by stylistic choices of the film maker, as well as your own notions of reality. Warhol's films activate the mind by boring it, structural films take his concept of duration and incorporate other techniques to guide one's mind through the film to show a theme or concept which they want you to grasp.
d. Why does Sitney argue that structural film is related to the psychodrama/mythopoeic/lyrical tradition, and in fact responds to Warhol’s attack on that tradition by using Warhol’s own tactics?
-Like I said before, structural film takes Warhol's methods (his stylistic techniques) and use them to engage the mind by presenting a central concept or theme, rather then boring it with long duration and lack of action. The psychodrama/ mythopoeic/ lyrical films also worked to engage the mind, but did this in a different style, for example using the camera at times to recreate the movement of the eye, while most structural films keep the camera static.
6. What metaphor is crucial to Sitney’s and Annette Michelson’s interpretation of Michael Snow’s Wavelength?
The metaphor of consciousness, the minds ability and some times its lack of ability to interpret what is happening in front of it and relate it back to what it saw in the previous part of the work and what its about to see in the future.
1. As requested in class, post your response to Carolee Schneeman's Fuses.
-This work was absolutely stunning. Just like Brakhage's work, Schneeman film, in my opinion, can only truly be enjoyed if the viewer first sets aside their preconceived notions about sex and works to enjoy the movie for its beautiful images and editing style. I am a female artist working in what is still a largely male dominated industry, even in the present times I still encounter problems because of it. I couldn't imagine how difficult it must have been for Schneeman to showcase this work during the mid 60s when the feminist movement was just starting to take ground. In her interview she says that her goal was to show the act of "love making" from her point of view and compare it to the ways in which the female body had been represented in art as well as porn. She wanted to see if her representation would be different. I believe that she accomplished this goal. This film was very different from both. It was not voyeuristic; but instead showed the simple beauty which the sexual act entails. The collages she inter cut into this film were visually stimulating as well. The only thing I did not like about this work was the soundtrack, or lack of it. The random wind and bird sounds throughout the film were simply not enough for me. I feel like adding some powerful musical mix would have made it better, but I love music and feel like it adds to the sensory experience; I guess Schneeman agreed with Brakhage in regards to music and chose to exclude it from her work.
2. How is structural film different from the tradition of Deren/Brakhage/Anger, and what are its four typical characteristics?
-The structural film is different because it takes the audience out of the first person perspective of the experience. Instead of recreating all the functions of the filmmakers eyes and the physical movements of his or her body, the structural film engages the mind of the audience, rather then trying to represent how the mind functions. Its four typical characteristics are the fixed camera, the flicker effect, loop printing, and rephotography off the screen.
3. If Brakhage’s cinema emphasized metaphors of perception, vision, and body movement, what is the central metaphor of structural film? Hint: It fits into Sitney’s central argument about the American avant-garde that we have discussed previously in class.
-The central metaphor of structural film is the engagement of the mind it the medium placed in front of it? I'm not exactly sure that this is correct. The structural film focuses more on graphics and their interaction with each other. It has a preconceived structure and is presented as a whole piece with a central theme versus a collage of separate experiences?
4. Why does Sitney argue that Andy Warhol is the major precursor to the structural film?
-Instead of focusing on every frame as an opportunity for artistic expression, Warhol reduced his films to the minimal; he was not afraid to let the camera run as long as what was being filmed related back to his central idea. He was also not concerned with controlling every aspect of his films and did not obsess about every stylistic choice, i.e. lighting, sets, camera movements.
5. The trickiest part of Sitney’s chapter is to understand the similarities and differences between Warhol and the structural filmmakers. He argues that Warhol in a sense is anti-Romantic and stands in opposition to the visionary tradition represented by psychodrama/mythopoeic/lyrical films. But for Sitney’s central argument to make sense, he needs to place structural film within the tradition of psychodrama/mythopoeic/lyrical films. Trace the steps in this argument by following the following questions:
a. Why does Sitney call Warhol anti-Romantic?
-Warhol was "anti-Romantic" because he went against the grain of previous avant-garde cinema in which the artists worked to bring forth fantastic images through the use of stylistic techniques which asked the audience to decipher their hidden meanings and themes. For example, in his pop art he would present a series of very similar images with variations, and in his earlier works he would present a simple action over a long period of time making his viewers "endure" the same images or actions for a time longer than their brains would naturally be interested in them. He did this with no camera movements or other film manipulations, the opposite of what his Romantic counterparts were creating at the time.
b. Why does Sitney argue that spiritually the distance between Warhol and structural filmmakers such as Michael Snow or Ernie Gehr cannot be reconciled?
-Warhol's works forced the mind of the viewer to create interest after being confronted with something not all that interesting for a long period of time. These films made your mind work to stay entertained, while the works of Snow and Gehr were a contemplation on their subject, which had the possibility to invoke a meditative or spiritual experience?
c. What is meant by the phrase “conscious ontology of the viewing experience”? How does this relate to Warhol’s films? How does this relate to structural films?
-To me this means being consciously aware of the metal processes that are going on while one is watching a film. The experience is manipulated by stylistic choices of the film maker, as well as your own notions of reality. Warhol's films activate the mind by boring it, structural films take his concept of duration and incorporate other techniques to guide one's mind through the film to show a theme or concept which they want you to grasp.
d. Why does Sitney argue that structural film is related to the psychodrama/mythopoeic/lyrical tradition, and in fact responds to Warhol’s attack on that tradition by using Warhol’s own tactics?
-Like I said before, structural film takes Warhol's methods (his stylistic techniques) and use them to engage the mind by presenting a central concept or theme, rather then boring it with long duration and lack of action. The psychodrama/ mythopoeic/ lyrical films also worked to engage the mind, but did this in a different style, for example using the camera at times to recreate the movement of the eye, while most structural films keep the camera static.
6. What metaphor is crucial to Sitney’s and Annette Michelson’s interpretation of Michael Snow’s Wavelength?
The metaphor of consciousness, the minds ability and some times its lack of ability to interpret what is happening in front of it and relate it back to what it saw in the previous part of the work and what its about to see in the future.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
1. What were some of the venues associated with the early underground film movement in New York City? What were some of the unique characteristics of the Charles Theater and its programming?
Cinema 16, Fashion Industries Auditorium, Living Theater, the Charles Theater, Thalia, New Yorker, the Bleeker Street Cinema
The Charles Theater had very diverse programing, everything from Astaire-Rogers musicals to Italian neorealist dramas, cheap B movies (Ulmer), the Marx Brothers, to Orson Welles's Touch of Evil screened there. The theater would also show case local art on the walls of its lobby, held jazz shows weekly, showed Ukrainian films, held special events like a late nigh screening of Kubrick's Fear and Desire followed by a discussion, and devoted day time shows to silent movies. Basically the theater worked to tailor to a very wide variety of people from all sectors of the arts community. Mekas later held midnight screenings on the weekends, creating a buzz/ atmosphere of "cultish exoticism." He also inniciated the experimental film screenings that allowed for many new directors to debut their work; these screenings became very popular. Jack's Smith's controversial "Flaming Creatures" screened there and the theater also hosted the Filmmakers Festival.
2. Which filmmakers did Jonas Mekas associate with the “Baudelairean Cinema”? Why did Mekas use that term, and what were the distinguishing characteristics of the films?
Smith, Rice, Jacobs were associated with the "Baudelairean Cinema" The term come from the name of the writer Baudelaire. The films confronted the audience with an array of concepts and visual images that included tabooed subjects, violence, sexuality, etc.
3. Why did underground films run into legal trouble in New York City in 1964? What film encountered legal problems in Los Angeles almost on the same day as Mekas’s second arrest in New York City?
New York City was preparing for the 1964 World's Fair by cleaning up the city's "image" and shut down many of the theaters that screened underground films.
4. What were some of the defining characteristics of Andy Warhol’s collaboration with Ronald Tavel? What were some of the unique characteristics of Vinyl? How does Edie Sedgewick end up "stealing" the scene in Vinyl?
Tavel helped document how Warhol's factory was ran, he also rewrote "A Clockwork Orange" to suite Warhol's film making style, by stripping down to its basic structure. Vinyl was shot in real time, with one stationary camera, and showed the bare minimum of the story. Sedgewick plainly sat on a truck and flicked her cigarette, but her eyes were so intense that they stole the focus of the scene.
5. In what ways did the underground film begin to "crossover" into the mainstream in 1965-1966? What films and venues were associated with the crossover? How were the films received by the mainstream New York press?
Underground film first gained attention in the mainstream in the magazine circuit. After Warhol's series, "The Chelsea Girls" was released, it gained wide spread popularity, partly due to an impressive review in "Newsweek," and also because the people who saw it were so ecstatic about it that they encouraged others to see it as well. It was the first underground film to screen at a major theater where it played for seven weeks. Then the film spread throughout other major theaters, including the York, St. Marks, the Cinema Theater (LA), and eventually all across the country. The mainstream press in New York received this film in a very negative light.
6. Why was John Getz an important figure in the crossover of the underground?
He decided to create compilations of underground films and send them out to midnight screenings on a circuit of movie theaters owned by his uncle. These compilations ended up being called, " The Underground Cinema 12, " and played in 22 different cities across the country. This gave underground film more exposure then ever before.
7. How do Hoberman and Rosenbaum characterize Warhol’s post-1967 films?
He never again created anything that caused much of a buzz, but he did remain as a great influence over the sexual content in experimental films of the following era.
Cinema 16, Fashion Industries Auditorium, Living Theater, the Charles Theater, Thalia, New Yorker, the Bleeker Street Cinema
The Charles Theater had very diverse programing, everything from Astaire-Rogers musicals to Italian neorealist dramas, cheap B movies (Ulmer), the Marx Brothers, to Orson Welles's Touch of Evil screened there. The theater would also show case local art on the walls of its lobby, held jazz shows weekly, showed Ukrainian films, held special events like a late nigh screening of Kubrick's Fear and Desire followed by a discussion, and devoted day time shows to silent movies. Basically the theater worked to tailor to a very wide variety of people from all sectors of the arts community. Mekas later held midnight screenings on the weekends, creating a buzz/ atmosphere of "cultish exoticism." He also inniciated the experimental film screenings that allowed for many new directors to debut their work; these screenings became very popular. Jack's Smith's controversial "Flaming Creatures" screened there and the theater also hosted the Filmmakers Festival.
2. Which filmmakers did Jonas Mekas associate with the “Baudelairean Cinema”? Why did Mekas use that term, and what were the distinguishing characteristics of the films?
Smith, Rice, Jacobs were associated with the "Baudelairean Cinema" The term come from the name of the writer Baudelaire. The films confronted the audience with an array of concepts and visual images that included tabooed subjects, violence, sexuality, etc.
3. Why did underground films run into legal trouble in New York City in 1964? What film encountered legal problems in Los Angeles almost on the same day as Mekas’s second arrest in New York City?
New York City was preparing for the 1964 World's Fair by cleaning up the city's "image" and shut down many of the theaters that screened underground films.
4. What were some of the defining characteristics of Andy Warhol’s collaboration with Ronald Tavel? What were some of the unique characteristics of Vinyl? How does Edie Sedgewick end up "stealing" the scene in Vinyl?
Tavel helped document how Warhol's factory was ran, he also rewrote "A Clockwork Orange" to suite Warhol's film making style, by stripping down to its basic structure. Vinyl was shot in real time, with one stationary camera, and showed the bare minimum of the story. Sedgewick plainly sat on a truck and flicked her cigarette, but her eyes were so intense that they stole the focus of the scene.
5. In what ways did the underground film begin to "crossover" into the mainstream in 1965-1966? What films and venues were associated with the crossover? How were the films received by the mainstream New York press?
Underground film first gained attention in the mainstream in the magazine circuit. After Warhol's series, "The Chelsea Girls" was released, it gained wide spread popularity, partly due to an impressive review in "Newsweek," and also because the people who saw it were so ecstatic about it that they encouraged others to see it as well. It was the first underground film to screen at a major theater where it played for seven weeks. Then the film spread throughout other major theaters, including the York, St. Marks, the Cinema Theater (LA), and eventually all across the country. The mainstream press in New York received this film in a very negative light.
6. Why was John Getz an important figure in the crossover of the underground?
He decided to create compilations of underground films and send them out to midnight screenings on a circuit of movie theaters owned by his uncle. These compilations ended up being called, " The Underground Cinema 12, " and played in 22 different cities across the country. This gave underground film more exposure then ever before.
7. How do Hoberman and Rosenbaum characterize Warhol’s post-1967 films?
He never again created anything that caused much of a buzz, but he did remain as a great influence over the sexual content in experimental films of the following era.
Friday, February 12, 2010
1. Briefly respond to one of the following Fluxfilms.
Joe Johnes- Smocking - This film played with my perceptions and expectations. The first part with the white numbers against the black background was strange because the numbers were not directly centered on the screen, and they were going up instead of down, as they do at the start of most films. The "ft" after the ten was also unexpected. The sequence of the white numbers against the gray must have been entertaining to make, it allowed me to think of the process behind it, since there wasn't much else to think about.
2. Look up “Fluxus” and any of the Fluxus artists in the index of Visionary Film. Why are they not there? Are the Fluxfilms compatible with Sitney’s central argument about the American avant-garde?
Sitney defined avant-garde as films created by people trying to recreate the experiences of the mind, imagination, and perception. Fluxus films, on the other hand, focused more on the process of creating the film itself. Their works, although original, were not difficult to make and did not attempt to visually represent what goes on in out heads.
3. Chapter 4. What are some of the reasons suggested for Smith’s obsession with Maria Montez? What are some of your responses to the clips from the Montez films (especially Cobra Woman)?
fond childhood memories of watching her films, her diva image, she often played suppressed characters
4. Chapter 5. What were some attributes of the New York art community in the 1960s, and what was the relationship between the economics of the time and the materials that Smith incorporated in to his work and films? [How could Smith survive and make art if he was so poor in the city so big they named it twice?]
everybody knew each other, a strong sense of community, unconventional artists, he would grab supplies out of dumpsters such as costumes, mannequins, etc.
5. Chapter 6. What problems emerged after the obscenity charges against Flaming Creatures in the relationship between Jack Smith and Jonas Mekas? What metaphor emerged from the conflict between Smith and Mekas?
Mekas used the controversy that surrounded this film as a way to further his own image in the artistic community and make money, as a result he screened it too much, upsetting Smith; Lobsterism?
6. Chapter 7. What is John Zorn’s argument about Normal Love? How does his argument relate to some of the changes in the New York art world in the 1960s that we discussed in class? What are some arguments made about the influence of Jack Smith on other filmmakers (including Warhol)?
He argues that the real art of Normal Love was the process of Smith creating the film. This is similar to the Fluxus film makers of the 1960s and their focus on the importance of the act of making films. He created a sense of competition, jack originated the style of film that warhol later worked with, Fellini used a lot of Jack's imagery, Warholes Factory is said to be based on Jack's work, Warhole used some of Jack's actors
7. Chapter 9 and 10: In what ways did Jack Smith become “uncommercial film personified”? What is meant by the slogan, “no more masterpieces” and how did Smith resist commodification (or the production of art products)?
He would never have a finished work, he would edit at screenings and play his own records. He decided never again to make a complete "masterpiece" because then his work could never be exploited and no one could take it and "suck the travel" out of it. He resisted commodification by never creating copies of his films for distribution, created a group experience through his work, resisted ownership of property, played his films for free for two years.
8. How does Angell characterize the first major period of Warhol’s filmmaking career? What are some of the films from this period, and what formal qualities did they share? What are some significant differences between Sleep and Empire?
They were extremely long and had very little to no action at all. Films from this period were Sleep, Kiss, Haircut, Blow Job, Eat, Empire, and Henry Geldzahler. Sleep and Empire were both extremely long in comparison to most films, and they both focused on a single subject. Sleep was different from Empire because it recorded a person in a completely natural state without any inhibitions of consciousness, the film also had many edits and variations on shot sizes, as well as movement of the subject, while Empire focused on a man made object, was one continuous shot, and the subject remained stationary.
9. What role did the Screen Tests play in the routines at the Factory and in Warhol’s filmmaking?
Screen Tests were shot on the spot at the Factory. They included many visitors, actors, some of whom he would later hire, and other professionals who would drop in to audition, or just to say hello. They serve as documentation of the Factory from 1964-66 since they included most of the people involved in Warlhol's productions. Since the subjects of the screen tests were asked to move as little as possible, these tests had a resemblance to still photos. The tests also taught Warhol about the "posing, framing and lighting of his subjects," and helped him develop a "serial mode of production." The tests were at times included in his larger projects, or played side by side by themselves or along with other performances, such as music.
10. How does Angell characterize the first period of sound films in Warhol’s filmmaking career? Who was Warhol’s key collaborator for the early sound films? What are some of the films from this period and what formal properties did they share?
Just like in his silent films, Warhol still did not move the camera or make edits after he started working with sound. He used the space in front of the camera as a stage on which a performance would occur, chance happenings and screw ups of the actors would be included in such films. Warhol's key collaborator during this time was Ronald Tavel. Some films from this period are Vinyl, The Poor Little Rich Girl Saga, Lupe, and Hedy.
Joe Johnes- Smocking - This film played with my perceptions and expectations. The first part with the white numbers against the black background was strange because the numbers were not directly centered on the screen, and they were going up instead of down, as they do at the start of most films. The "ft" after the ten was also unexpected. The sequence of the white numbers against the gray must have been entertaining to make, it allowed me to think of the process behind it, since there wasn't much else to think about.
2. Look up “Fluxus” and any of the Fluxus artists in the index of Visionary Film. Why are they not there? Are the Fluxfilms compatible with Sitney’s central argument about the American avant-garde?
Sitney defined avant-garde as films created by people trying to recreate the experiences of the mind, imagination, and perception. Fluxus films, on the other hand, focused more on the process of creating the film itself. Their works, although original, were not difficult to make and did not attempt to visually represent what goes on in out heads.
3. Chapter 4. What are some of the reasons suggested for Smith’s obsession with Maria Montez? What are some of your responses to the clips from the Montez films (especially Cobra Woman)?
fond childhood memories of watching her films, her diva image, she often played suppressed characters
4. Chapter 5. What were some attributes of the New York art community in the 1960s, and what was the relationship between the economics of the time and the materials that Smith incorporated in to his work and films? [How could Smith survive and make art if he was so poor in the city so big they named it twice?]
everybody knew each other, a strong sense of community, unconventional artists, he would grab supplies out of dumpsters such as costumes, mannequins, etc.
5. Chapter 6. What problems emerged after the obscenity charges against Flaming Creatures in the relationship between Jack Smith and Jonas Mekas? What metaphor emerged from the conflict between Smith and Mekas?
Mekas used the controversy that surrounded this film as a way to further his own image in the artistic community and make money, as a result he screened it too much, upsetting Smith; Lobsterism?
6. Chapter 7. What is John Zorn’s argument about Normal Love? How does his argument relate to some of the changes in the New York art world in the 1960s that we discussed in class? What are some arguments made about the influence of Jack Smith on other filmmakers (including Warhol)?
He argues that the real art of Normal Love was the process of Smith creating the film. This is similar to the Fluxus film makers of the 1960s and their focus on the importance of the act of making films. He created a sense of competition, jack originated the style of film that warhol later worked with, Fellini used a lot of Jack's imagery, Warholes Factory is said to be based on Jack's work, Warhole used some of Jack's actors
7. Chapter 9 and 10: In what ways did Jack Smith become “uncommercial film personified”? What is meant by the slogan, “no more masterpieces” and how did Smith resist commodification (or the production of art products)?
He would never have a finished work, he would edit at screenings and play his own records. He decided never again to make a complete "masterpiece" because then his work could never be exploited and no one could take it and "suck the travel" out of it. He resisted commodification by never creating copies of his films for distribution, created a group experience through his work, resisted ownership of property, played his films for free for two years.
8. How does Angell characterize the first major period of Warhol’s filmmaking career? What are some of the films from this period, and what formal qualities did they share? What are some significant differences between Sleep and Empire?
They were extremely long and had very little to no action at all. Films from this period were Sleep, Kiss, Haircut, Blow Job, Eat, Empire, and Henry Geldzahler. Sleep and Empire were both extremely long in comparison to most films, and they both focused on a single subject. Sleep was different from Empire because it recorded a person in a completely natural state without any inhibitions of consciousness, the film also had many edits and variations on shot sizes, as well as movement of the subject, while Empire focused on a man made object, was one continuous shot, and the subject remained stationary.
9. What role did the Screen Tests play in the routines at the Factory and in Warhol’s filmmaking?
Screen Tests were shot on the spot at the Factory. They included many visitors, actors, some of whom he would later hire, and other professionals who would drop in to audition, or just to say hello. They serve as documentation of the Factory from 1964-66 since they included most of the people involved in Warlhol's productions. Since the subjects of the screen tests were asked to move as little as possible, these tests had a resemblance to still photos. The tests also taught Warhol about the "posing, framing and lighting of his subjects," and helped him develop a "serial mode of production." The tests were at times included in his larger projects, or played side by side by themselves or along with other performances, such as music.
10. How does Angell characterize the first period of sound films in Warhol’s filmmaking career? Who was Warhol’s key collaborator for the early sound films? What are some of the films from this period and what formal properties did they share?
Just like in his silent films, Warhol still did not move the camera or make edits after he started working with sound. He used the space in front of the camera as a stage on which a performance would occur, chance happenings and screw ups of the actors would be included in such films. Warhol's key collaborator during this time was Ronald Tavel. Some films from this period are Vinyl, The Poor Little Rich Girl Saga, Lupe, and Hedy.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Week 3
1. The PRologue was a little lengthy in my opinion, but non the less it was gorgeous to look at. Watching it I felt as if Brakhage was trying to visually represent his fascination with the human body and how it fits in together with nature as a whole. There were many close up shots of different parts of the body juxtaposed with shots of nature, in these something was always there to tie the two shots together. Sometimes the shapes were similar, and other times it felt as if the first shot was a puzzle piece included in the second one and vice versa. Although there didn't' seem to be any sort of narrative to this prologue, it did seem to hint at the rest of Dogstar man, if only slightly. Some images reminded me of what I had read about the piece. The use of colors was awesome.
2. To represent the suicide of john, Maclaine shows the viewer close up of people, like the head of the bum, the hands of the piano player, and Joh's legs. These are smaller parts of a whole concept. This film anticipates Brakhages work through its use of both black and white as well as color film stock, the foreshadowing use of metaphors, the themes of doom and redemption, as well as the attempt to use direct address and indirect narration.
3. Both filmmakers partly relied on looping and metaphors to get their visions across. MacLaine developed the sense of hopelessness over the course of his film, while Conner played the emotions of his viewers, switching his film's tone from humorous, to erotic, to violent. Conners films also brought attention to the medium of film itself, while MacLaine's did not.
4. I'm not too familiar with the concepts behind the beatnik movement, but from what I understood while reading this chapter the two films are resemblance of Beat sensibility because the heroes are often mediators who exist in the real world and the allegoric one. The films were created very minimally, the editing was sparce, the music seemed random, and the lighting was uneven. The films didn't submit to any particular standards. As far as picaresque form, the stories resembled and followed a semi narrative structure of an adventure story. There is a hero in both who discovers and explores his environment.
5. Through the use of direct film manipulation, juxtaposition of images, and sometimes no images at all in a response to the avant garde cinema, these artists rebelled against the previous model.
6. That people collaborated on each others films. Even though having many artist work on one movie created less of a personal effect, this method allowed for the films to be better and communicate more to their viewers.
7. Zen For Film fixed the material and aesthetic terms of production by managing to avoid the standard forms of production and editing, as well as the focus on images themselves. His work brought the medium of film to attention on an extreme level. When the audience is presented with nothing on the screen except a few dust particles and scratches, they have no choice but to think about the film medium, there's nothing else to do.
2. To represent the suicide of john, Maclaine shows the viewer close up of people, like the head of the bum, the hands of the piano player, and Joh's legs. These are smaller parts of a whole concept. This film anticipates Brakhages work through its use of both black and white as well as color film stock, the foreshadowing use of metaphors, the themes of doom and redemption, as well as the attempt to use direct address and indirect narration.
3. Both filmmakers partly relied on looping and metaphors to get their visions across. MacLaine developed the sense of hopelessness over the course of his film, while Conner played the emotions of his viewers, switching his film's tone from humorous, to erotic, to violent. Conners films also brought attention to the medium of film itself, while MacLaine's did not.
4. I'm not too familiar with the concepts behind the beatnik movement, but from what I understood while reading this chapter the two films are resemblance of Beat sensibility because the heroes are often mediators who exist in the real world and the allegoric one. The films were created very minimally, the editing was sparce, the music seemed random, and the lighting was uneven. The films didn't submit to any particular standards. As far as picaresque form, the stories resembled and followed a semi narrative structure of an adventure story. There is a hero in both who discovers and explores his environment.
5. Through the use of direct film manipulation, juxtaposition of images, and sometimes no images at all in a response to the avant garde cinema, these artists rebelled against the previous model.
6. That people collaborated on each others films. Even though having many artist work on one movie created less of a personal effect, this method allowed for the films to be better and communicate more to their viewers.
7. Zen For Film fixed the material and aesthetic terms of production by managing to avoid the standard forms of production and editing, as well as the focus on images themselves. His work brought the medium of film to attention on an extreme level. When the audience is presented with nothing on the screen except a few dust particles and scratches, they have no choice but to think about the film medium, there's nothing else to do.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Reading Response 2
1. Sitney argues this because in Reflections of Black we see the film through one man's "eyes" and or mind. Brakhage works to represent both the images existing before the man and the images the man imagines, simultaneously. Brakhage also "affirms" the physical nature of the film by directly manipulating it.
2. The filmmaker plays the role of the protagonist and the audience is prespented with what he or she sees as well as their reactions. The camera movements resemble the movement of the eyes of a person as they look around. These films bring attention to their "flatness" as well as the whiteness of the screen, which make the viewers recognize that they are watching a movie, thus moving them away from illusion.
3. Marie Menken's film style was mixing the world she saw before her, which she would lightly manipulate to suite her purpose, with stylized camera movements and technical manipulations of the equipment, to express this world on film.
4. I'm confused on this one. Is soft montage when a super imposed image is slightly seen in a shot and works as a preview to the next shot in the montage?
5. He believes that people do not consciously realize everything they see and everything involved in the act of seeing. Vision is a collective experience of everything one's actual eyes see, the movements of the inner parts of those eyes, and the shifts in focus, added with what the "mind's" eye see in memories and dreams and the moving colorful shapes behind the eyelids and on the eye's surface.
6. Because of his use of fast camera movements, quick editing, and direct film manipulation and his use of depth of focus as a tool of expression, at times almost eliminating the "deep space," (z-axis?)
7. The archetypes of innocence, experience, rationalism, and imagination are significant motifs in "Dog Star Man" and are associated with writers such as Blake and Northdrop of the Romantics movement.
8. The filmmaker distorted his lenses, used circular and other creative camera movements, and inter cutting; through these techniques he would often distort space. He managed to create a relationship between space and perspective, this was a new concept for "subjectivist" filmmakers and inspired others after him.
9. Some similarities between the two films are the use of camera tricks and the chase sequence. The films differ since Entr'acte was more focused on comedy, mocking the audience, and playing on taboos, while The Cage had a more aesthetic focus, did not use comedic relief, and did not make fun of its audience.
10. His students wrote a thesis that argued that the meaning of ballads over time becomes distorted and irrational. Peterson used this idea in the film by combining and interlacing two old ballads. He also used the props his students gave him, the scuba suite and the hamsters. In one of the ballads he replaced the knights armor with the scuba suite.
11. I understood the mother son relationship and the symbolic death of the son. I didn't comprehend the concept of the mother having to divide her love equally between two sons, and am still confused on where this is represented in the film, aside from the hopscotch game. The knife and bread sequence which Parker describes as a symbol of the castration rite, i interpreted as other people benefiting from the protagonists death. I was also convinced that the score to this piece was carefully thought out, while in the book it states that it might have been created subconsciously.
2. The filmmaker plays the role of the protagonist and the audience is prespented with what he or she sees as well as their reactions. The camera movements resemble the movement of the eyes of a person as they look around. These films bring attention to their "flatness" as well as the whiteness of the screen, which make the viewers recognize that they are watching a movie, thus moving them away from illusion.
3. Marie Menken's film style was mixing the world she saw before her, which she would lightly manipulate to suite her purpose, with stylized camera movements and technical manipulations of the equipment, to express this world on film.
4. I'm confused on this one. Is soft montage when a super imposed image is slightly seen in a shot and works as a preview to the next shot in the montage?
5. He believes that people do not consciously realize everything they see and everything involved in the act of seeing. Vision is a collective experience of everything one's actual eyes see, the movements of the inner parts of those eyes, and the shifts in focus, added with what the "mind's" eye see in memories and dreams and the moving colorful shapes behind the eyelids and on the eye's surface.
6. Because of his use of fast camera movements, quick editing, and direct film manipulation and his use of depth of focus as a tool of expression, at times almost eliminating the "deep space," (z-axis?)
7. The archetypes of innocence, experience, rationalism, and imagination are significant motifs in "Dog Star Man" and are associated with writers such as Blake and Northdrop of the Romantics movement.
8. The filmmaker distorted his lenses, used circular and other creative camera movements, and inter cutting; through these techniques he would often distort space. He managed to create a relationship between space and perspective, this was a new concept for "subjectivist" filmmakers and inspired others after him.
9. Some similarities between the two films are the use of camera tricks and the chase sequence. The films differ since Entr'acte was more focused on comedy, mocking the audience, and playing on taboos, while The Cage had a more aesthetic focus, did not use comedic relief, and did not make fun of its audience.
10. His students wrote a thesis that argued that the meaning of ballads over time becomes distorted and irrational. Peterson used this idea in the film by combining and interlacing two old ballads. He also used the props his students gave him, the scuba suite and the hamsters. In one of the ballads he replaced the knights armor with the scuba suite.
11. I understood the mother son relationship and the symbolic death of the son. I didn't comprehend the concept of the mother having to divide her love equally between two sons, and am still confused on where this is represented in the film, aside from the hopscotch game. The knife and bread sequence which Parker describes as a symbol of the castration rite, i interpreted as other people benefiting from the protagonists death. I was also convinced that the score to this piece was carefully thought out, while in the book it states that it might have been created subconsciously.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Lead Shoes
This film was jarring. There were intriguing lens effects throughout it that made me wonder how to recreate them. I also enjoyed watching the varying ways in which the artist presented space. The score helped me form an idea of what the concept behind the movie was. The song was hard to understand at times but certain words stuck with me, especially "mother." At times I could hear marching drums in the background which reminded me of war. To me this film was about a man going off to war, represented by the giant scuba guy, and then returning to his mother either dead or in really bad shape. The sequence where the black stuff is spreading on many people's feet I think could have represented the concept of how a lot of people were affected by this loss and what had caused it. The scuba guy was so large in the beginning maybe because he was leaving home as a hero, but his grandness diminished upon his tragic return.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Reading Response 1
1. Some of the characteristics of the psychodrama in the 40s are, the theme of the quest for sexual identity and that the two filmmakers of the film are the characters who are on this quest.
2. This film had less focus on narrative and themes, but concentrated on single actions to which more and more visual elements were added every time, this brought attention to the images as images.
3. architectonic film
4. Sitney's ability to describe the three interchanging roles/ identities of the three women really helped me find a pseudo-structure to the film. I had speculated that the "the invoker" character was symbolically relieving the "the widow" of her sadness, represented by the weaving of the wool. The "guide" figure Sidney writes about was compatible to my understanding. Her role was the most clear out of the three. I was confused by the ending, Sitney's interpretation makes more sense of it. After reading this I started to wonder if the three characters could be three different manifestations of one woman's subconscious.
5. The model for Fireworks and many other avant garde films in the 40s is as follows. The camera attempts to recreate what the character's mind sees and how it perceives those images, through the use of the frame and depth of field. Such dream sequences allow the filmmaker to work as an actor in front of the camera, and as a director, behind it. In this way the films are self-reflective. Adding photos and objects of significant meaning show this as well.
6.According to Sitney, the result at the end of the film is that Shiva completes the semi circular hand gesture he had been making throughout the climax, all the main deities are reunited and all the actors are subdued to Shivas power and glory.
7. One of the main goals of Cinema 16s programming was variety. Along with the avant garde and documentary films the theatre played educational and scientific films. This cinema made films available to the public that established theaters would not play. Premieres were held as often as possible. Many screenings were organized so that the arrangement of each individual film into a specific order created new ideas and inspired thoughts about film as a medium as well as about the social and political issues associated with its creation.
8.Universities, Colleges, Theaters, Society for Cinema arts, the U.S. Naval Hospital...
9. Cinema 16 became a major part of the NYC cultural life. The theatre created a sense of community of artists. This inspired filmmakers to create more unconventional film, i.e. avant garde, because they had a place where they could showcase their work. The films played at Cinema 16 educated many about film and world in general; Voyel theorized that around 2 million people had seen films at his venue. This cinema also created a "canon of independent cinema," a model for other venues to learn from in the future.
10. The terrible conditions of post war Europe, unrest and lack of any financial future created and ground and or tolerance for new ideas. The trend of filmmakers to try and get away from the "norm" of film production. Cine clubs, which later came to known as Playhouses were created to show films. The strong influence of Abstract Art and Cubism, styles which were prevalent in Europe during this time. The receptiveness of new art and new styles of creating it, by the public.
11. Nature dissected into individual pieces and then re conceptualized as whole.
2. This film had less focus on narrative and themes, but concentrated on single actions to which more and more visual elements were added every time, this brought attention to the images as images.
3. architectonic film
4. Sitney's ability to describe the three interchanging roles/ identities of the three women really helped me find a pseudo-structure to the film. I had speculated that the "the invoker" character was symbolically relieving the "the widow" of her sadness, represented by the weaving of the wool. The "guide" figure Sidney writes about was compatible to my understanding. Her role was the most clear out of the three. I was confused by the ending, Sitney's interpretation makes more sense of it. After reading this I started to wonder if the three characters could be three different manifestations of one woman's subconscious.
5. The model for Fireworks and many other avant garde films in the 40s is as follows. The camera attempts to recreate what the character's mind sees and how it perceives those images, through the use of the frame and depth of field. Such dream sequences allow the filmmaker to work as an actor in front of the camera, and as a director, behind it. In this way the films are self-reflective. Adding photos and objects of significant meaning show this as well.
6.According to Sitney, the result at the end of the film is that Shiva completes the semi circular hand gesture he had been making throughout the climax, all the main deities are reunited and all the actors are subdued to Shivas power and glory.
7. One of the main goals of Cinema 16s programming was variety. Along with the avant garde and documentary films the theatre played educational and scientific films. This cinema made films available to the public that established theaters would not play. Premieres were held as often as possible. Many screenings were organized so that the arrangement of each individual film into a specific order created new ideas and inspired thoughts about film as a medium as well as about the social and political issues associated with its creation.
8.Universities, Colleges, Theaters, Society for Cinema arts, the U.S. Naval Hospital...
9. Cinema 16 became a major part of the NYC cultural life. The theatre created a sense of community of artists. This inspired filmmakers to create more unconventional film, i.e. avant garde, because they had a place where they could showcase their work. The films played at Cinema 16 educated many about film and world in general; Voyel theorized that around 2 million people had seen films at his venue. This cinema also created a "canon of independent cinema," a model for other venues to learn from in the future.
10. The terrible conditions of post war Europe, unrest and lack of any financial future created and ground and or tolerance for new ideas. The trend of filmmakers to try and get away from the "norm" of film production. Cine clubs, which later came to known as Playhouses were created to show films. The strong influence of Abstract Art and Cubism, styles which were prevalent in Europe during this time. The receptiveness of new art and new styles of creating it, by the public.
11. Nature dissected into individual pieces and then re conceptualized as whole.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome
Anastasia Dubenko
I must say right off hand that I was very impressed with this film. I have been a make up artist for a few years now and the elaborate and beautiful work that was done on the actors in this film was amazing. There really was no need for a solid narrative because the movie was so visually stimulating that it kept my attention for its entire duration. Along with the make up the costume and set designs were also spectacular. I could only hope to be able to create something that elaborate in my personal work. While watching this I noticed that the film was very detailed. In the first scene, in the bedroom, there are so many different trinkets and decorations lying around, but i had a feeling that each and every one of those items had a specific meaning in the movie. Another thing I enjoyed was the sporadic use of superimposition. One image that stuck with me was the lady in the white dress burning on fire. A theme that stood out for me while watching this was androgyny, it felt as if gender identification at times disappeared completely, to the point where I couldn't even tell if I was looking at a male or female character. The progression seemed to be vertical and horizontal, the action was progressing towards some sort of finale, but the loops and repeats of actions created a vertical progression as well.
I must say right off hand that I was very impressed with this film. I have been a make up artist for a few years now and the elaborate and beautiful work that was done on the actors in this film was amazing. There really was no need for a solid narrative because the movie was so visually stimulating that it kept my attention for its entire duration. Along with the make up the costume and set designs were also spectacular. I could only hope to be able to create something that elaborate in my personal work. While watching this I noticed that the film was very detailed. In the first scene, in the bedroom, there are so many different trinkets and decorations lying around, but i had a feeling that each and every one of those items had a specific meaning in the movie. Another thing I enjoyed was the sporadic use of superimposition. One image that stuck with me was the lady in the white dress burning on fire. A theme that stood out for me while watching this was androgyny, it felt as if gender identification at times disappeared completely, to the point where I couldn't even tell if I was looking at a male or female character. The progression seemed to be vertical and horizontal, the action was progressing towards some sort of finale, but the loops and repeats of actions created a vertical progression as well.
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