Last session

Today was the last session and probably the shortest. We spent the first half of the session looking through peoples challenges and what they managed to come up with. One of the challenges that seemed most popular was the 'What if' challenge. The challenge was to think of only 'what if' questions, not to have the answer, but just questions. Im guessing the purpose of this was to stretch the imagination of the person, it was encouraged that the what if questions could be anything they wanted. It seemed enjoyable and stimulating so I want to have a crack at it myself.

• What if I had the opportunity to transport to any country I wanted by pressing my finger on a map?
• What if Adventure time was real and we were the fictional characters?
• What if I lost all my socks?
• What if this list never gets read?
• What if fruit and vegetables were bad for you?
• What if my curtains were yellow? 
• What if I lived alone?
• What if my boiler worked properly?
• What if I faked my death?
• What if the internet went for good?
• What if all the money I owned became useless? 
• What if clothes never existed?
• What if the only means of transport was horse and carriage?
• What if death never existed? 
• What if I had sandy feet constantly?
• What if I had a pet cow? 
• What if I never felt hungry?
• What if my girlfriend was a dinosaur? 
• What if I could control time?
• What if we had the memory of a goldfish? 
• What if we could see in the dark? What if there were 25 letters in the alphabet? 
• What if classical music was the youths favourite genre?
• What if I was to leave the country right now and never return? 

That took me a lot longer than I thought. The reason being after each 'what if' question I was thinking how they could be turned into a short film, something I will most definitely be trying again. 

I wrote very little in my little brown book but I suppose now I have an idea I should develop it and research as much as I can. 

Sound I Hear

Today I went to visit my Great Grandmother and I noted down all the noises I heard in my little brown book. Below is everything I wrote in my little brown book as I heard it.

• The buzz of the door as I let myself in 
• The elevator as it makes its way down to me 
• The distant murmurs of resident's televisions
• As I walk past the living room area I hear cups and mugs clinking and being drank out of
• As I enter my nan's room I hear her voice "Oh come here, Darling"
• I took the old visitors chair and took a seat - the creaking of the chair shows its age. 
• One of the more louder residents is marching up and down the corridor screaming at the top of her lungs - this is a normal thing here
• A carer walks past whistling and singing
• The sound of the biscuit tin 
• Slurps of tea from myself and my nan 
• Knock at the door and  voice saying 'Time for dinner, Elizabeth"
• As I leave I walk past the loud resident who is now p[laying with the xylophone that is placed upon the corridor wall. 

This activity really enhanced my listening abilities, although I was there to visit my nan, I never realised how much actually went on. I believe this activity has helped me in realising that I must create a sound map for when wishing to record atmosphere tracks, it allows me to get a deeper understanding of the place I am wishing to create.

Experimental Found Footage

In todays session manipulating and playing around with already existing footage was the subject.

The first film we watched was created by artist/ director Christian Marclay. The Clock is like something I have never seen before, it is a montage that indicates the passage of time. We didn't watch the whole 24 hours but only 3 minutes of it. With regards to giving me inspiration for my film it did not help in slightest, I just don't have the time.

Qaeda Quality Question Quickly Quickly Quiet, directed by Lenka Clayton is another film that I have no interest in making. I don't have a strong opinion on politics, I know who I like and I dislike and that's as far as it goes. The idea is interesting it allows everyone to break apart George Bush's speech for what it really is. 

The next film we watched sparked an idea for my own film. RIP - Remix Manifesto is a documentary that looks at the work of GirlTalk. The music GirlTalk produces is not his own but is a montage of existing pieces. When I came home from University I decided to have a look at this work and from it I found other artists who mash up existing found footage into something entertaining. cassetteboy a Youtuber mashes up everything contemporary into something enjoyable.













Instead of copying these artists, I wish to create a song with everyday noises, birds tweeting, a microwave, anything that mashed together that could make a piece of music. I understand that there are many existing versions of this out there but I would just like to give it a go and challenge myself. 

The final film we watched, Talk To Me was directed/ created by Mark Craig. In 1985 Mark Craig bought an answering machine. He then kept every message it recorded for 20 years. If I had the archive material I would definitely experiment with something like this. However, to my knowledge, my family have not kept something so unique that others would find interesting in a film.

At the end of the session we were asked to pick a task that helped develop creative flow. I picked up several sheets. One was a capturing sounds, bus as I kind of do that already I have decided to challenge myself with the 'Sounds I hear' task. What I must do is go into a significant place and list down all the sounds that I can hear. I'm not too sure where I will do it yet but I will post it up here when I have completed the task.

Potential idea: Interview

I have been thinking about the idea I posted on Monday to do with interviews but I have decided to go against it now for quite a few reasons.

I started off the process by talking to my cousin in Germany and asking whether or not she would be up for being apart of my film. She agreed but it was then the problem of how would I interview her. I visit them often and so I could do it on my next visit, but money and time will come in the way. So I have decided that if I was to conduct the interview then it would be through Skype, and in some ways this is better. It would reflect how the world has become so small and reachable that it is so easy to connect with distant family.

With my Great Grandmother it may be a little more difficult, she is 92 years old and her conditions is not the best at the moment so it may be best to leave her until she recovers a bit more.

I may have to take a different direction all together as if I were to make a film like this then I would want it to be with these people, if not then I have no interest in making it.

The Personal Camera

How to film my project? I have no idea but todays session gave me more options and more ideas on how to capture my film. One of the most personal items to someone of the western world could own is their mobile phone. The camera on a mobile phone has upgraded incredibly in the last few years and as it continues to get better more and more people are uploading, sharing, vlogging everything and anything all at a click of a button. For that reason I will not a make a film on my mobile, I have nothing to say, I have nothing to share and so I will find something that means much more to me. Webcams and archive footage/photos are also good ways of bringing immediate personal experiences/ themes into a project but once again I don't feel that this style of filmmaking will benefit me.

Anyway, today we watched a couple of personal pieces. The first was created by Saddie Benning, at the time was a young teenage girl. A New Year, 6 minutes, 1989. The entire film was shot on PixelVision, which was a camera that had only 2 functions, off and on. For a young girl, she had a very strong opinion on greed and money, however I felt the film was something of its time. The issue she brings up is something that crops up every now and again. If I were to see the film before other similar content then it would be shocking. In my opinion I did not enjoy the piece of work, It was all a bit confusing and disengaging, I understood the point it was trying to make, but like I said it was something of its time.

The other film we watched in todays session was piece from American comedian/ director Annie Griffin. Out of Reach focused on her family answering a numerous of unknown and sometimes slightly uncomfortable questions. I do not know this family, I will never know them, but for a brief time in this film I understood and learnt many aspects of the family. It was very interesting to see the dynamic of her family, a pleasant one I must say. It was lighthearted, the use of younger family members enabled a comic relief to come from a potentially serious piece. I say 'serious piece' it was pretty much lighthearted throughout.


Towards the end of the session we were asked to create a family tree, anything we wanted. I decided to do the conventional family tree but only included the people who mean the greatest to me. While writing it I discovered that the people I am most closest to in my family are those who are most far away. My cousin who lives in Germany and my Great Grandmother who comes from Romania are the two most important people in my family. Annie Griffin's film was very interesting on how her immediate family are so close but they all live so far away from each other. The same goes with my distant family, if it wasn't for the Internet I would have little contact with my family from Germany. I would like to discover how my family views me and why they believe it is so important to keep in contact with me.  I have a few small ideas on how I would execute this idea, but I would need to plan the logistics and more importantly, if the film is interesting or not. My immediate thoughts is that I could use Skype and interview them in that way. I shall describe a stronger plan in my next post.

The Essay Film

In todays session 'Essay Film' was the pinpoint of the discussions. The film forms definition is its name, it's an essay but in todays session we discussed the five qualities of an essay film.

1) Must have words in the form of text

2) The text must represent a single voice. There is nothing wrong with quotes, so long as a unified perspective is asserted around them.

3) An 'attempt' to work something out. Success or not.

4) Not just information but a strong point of view is established.

5) Must be eloquent, well-written and interesting.

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During the session we where shown a couple of existing materials that can be associated as essay films. 

Sherman's March

Dir: Ross McElwee

1986, 16mm, 155 minutes

After the session I decided to watch the rest of the film. I discovered that throughout the film I wanted McElwee to succeed in his pursuit but towards then end of the film it just became repetitive. It was an essay that had only one arguing point, will I be able to find a girl; and for a 155 minute film it was far too long. 

Communions

Penny Siopis 

2011

The film was made of found footage and text on the screen. In my honest opinion I did not like this piece, I felt like it was more like poetry than film. Cinema should be shown through visuals and sound, not through text. 

I hope in next weeks session I find something that sparks my interests a bit more. If not I fear that I may struggle in this unit! Also we have been asked to write diaries entries everyday, I am unsure if I will find this task rewarding and benefiting but I will still give it a go. Starting today! 

Welcome

Hello there.

Welcome to my blog I decided to create for my university project titled, The Other Cinema. This blog works coincide with a little brown book I write all my notes in whilst in lectures. I will try to scan every page in after each day but it may not happen so be patient! 

"This unit allows you to explore alternative modes of short filmmaking through the 

translation of personal experience to the screen. You will investigate inventive forms 

of distribution, mobile cinemas, experimental film clubs and Internet sited projects. In 

addition you will be given a historical insight into Underground filmmaking collectives, 

filmmaking co-operatives, arts labs and the workshop movement."

I am intrigued by what this unit will consist of. How bizarre do these alternative modes go? Will there still be a sense of story? Finally, will I enjoy the unit? I am keen to try new things and regardless of enjoyment I will try my hardest to create an interesting project. I may not understand completely, I may not tackle mainstream films but I will create my own creative expression of issues of which you have direct experience into personal project work.