6x1 awards

So here are the ratings for the 6x1 assignments and why...

#1. Assignment 1: Cameraless film making-I really liked this one, I felt like a cross between Sergei Eisenstein   and Jackson Pollack. I liked using the splicer...it was like a return to old-school editing,without the bugginess of final cut pro. I was able to destroy and create at the same time.

#2. Assignment 4: Crowdsourcing- I didn't think this one was going to end up looking good. But I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the finished product. I thought it turned out really well. Also, it was pretty exciting to watch everybody's work come together to create an impressive little film.

#3. Assignment 6: Rhythmic Editing- I really liked editing this, it was like composing a song. I don't know how I feel about the second sensory element yet...since I haven't performed it yet. We will see...

#4. Assignment 5: Bolex longtake-A pretty basic assignment. However, the joy of this assignment was learning to use the bolex and developing film.

#5. Assignment 3: Stop-motion animation- fun, but everybody has dabbled in it at some point or another. The multi-plane shooting was a nice touch though.

#6. Assignment 2: Crowdsourcing longtake- Pretty much a mini-assignment. Almost reminiscent of the avant-garde exercise of 201...I felt this was a staple of the bigger crowdsourcing project.

Rough Theatre

 I have several rough theatre venues....Well, I believe they're rough theatres....they're definitely not refined theatres. Personally, the rough theatre that I participate in on a daily, if not every second, is humor. In many situations of day to day interaction I try to input a little humor in every situation, and many times it relies on the participation of "audience members", in this case the friends, strangers, and hungry, hungry, hobos I meet everyday. The rough humor relies on the ability to take mundane conversation and transform it into something resembling a joke.

Also, musically I have a rough theatre. Sometimes I take part in ragtag guitar jam sessions. It's a spur of the moment musical improvisation, and it thrives on not only my own playing abilities, but also on the idiosyncrasies and abilities of the other musicians playing as well. In these scenarios, being able to take what someone else is playing, whether it be perfect or laden with mistakes, and contort it into something else is essential. It's building on other people, and at the same time, you become a foundation for someone else's creation.

And of course there is film. Film thrives (I believe more than any art form, except for theatre itself) on rough theatre tactics. Film is essentially an art created by a community of artists (cast and crew). Everyone in the making of any film is responsible for inputting their souls into the project, and also utilizing, or cleverly fixing any problem that occurs on the set,in order to create a work of art.

I don't believe that everything is art, but I believe that there is an art to everything. And I believe that the art of (insert your choice here) is a rough theatre. Any artistic ideal or expression is a rough theatre in the end, no matter how high class or low class it may be.

Crowdsourcing reflections, experience, and other things

I've probably already typed out my views and feelings about crowdsourcing in an earlier blog, but we'll do it again...you know, for the crowdsourcing crowd...y'know

Anyway, I believe that currently, due to the internet and sites like facebook, crowdsourcing is more common than ever before, and will only continue to grow. With a massive connection, crowdsourcing becomes easier for individuals to participate and contribute to. Crowdsourcing thrives on interaction, and in the end, a community is formed that improves or creates something grand.

However, participation is integral in the crowdsourcing arena. If nobody, or the wrong type of people join into a crowdsourcing project the results could be ruined. For example, internet trolls, or as I call them, people who should be shot. People such as this usurp and throw a large fucking monkey wrench in projects that thrive on crowdsourcing. Wikipedia has been somewhat successful at combating these jerkoffs by constantly scanning and editing their article.

I love the participation aspect of crowdsourcing it is essentially blending millions of ideas to make a unique smoothie, or ideas being hammered together to make an ornate mansion....whatever analogy you wish to use. It's true...crowdsourcing does kind of defeat the lone artist...which is sad...but an acceptable casualty...an evolution of art. Now art is for the people by the people. When you actually look at it, the film industry has always been a crowdsourcing medium, it's always thrived off many ideas to create a work of art.
Anyway, that's all I've got right now...pretty tired...to bad we can't crowdsourcing hyperactive energy...I could use it right now.

The Magical Mystery Saturday Shoot

 Overall, the long take Saturday was very fun, it was basically a giant class bonding project. I really enjoyed coming up with a long take on the fly and then shooting it with the Bolex. The only thing that I hated about that, was the fact that in order to operate the Bolex pretty well, you had to be an octopus, or a multi-armed rejected X-men mutant. It was very difficult to focus, shoot, hold, and maneuver the camera at the same time. However, we pulled through.

Being as this was an on the fly assignment of course we ran into the dreaded problem of running late. It got a little hectic at one point...but nothing that the super leaguers of 6x1 couldn't handle. In the end everything got done on schedule.

I am also very proud of myself for the fact that I successfully developed film without it becoming a bastardized film strip, splotched up by light. We were quite fearful in the blackbox that a sliver of light would come in a murder our film strip.

I was very pleased with our film....although I don't quite know what it's about....come to think of it....I don't really know what any body's film was really about....maybe it's meaning on a level I don't understand...maybe not. But one thing about the films....they were pretty hilarious...a lot of fun....a barrel of laughs. I believe every body's project turned out great, and I can't wait to watch them.

It did suck however that it rained while our groups shot....we covered our Bolex with a plastic bag which was annoying. But hey, you gotta do what ya gotta do (as one New Yorker wise man said). I kept thinking that A) I looked like a homeless man making out with a bag, B)That I would be accidentally strangled by this bag, and C) that this bag was a pain in the ass to operate with the camera.

Anyway I'm ready to view the final project and hope it turns out superb.

Second Response

After participating in the construction of a cameraless film, I feel I have a better understanding of the craftsmanship and concepts that go into the formulation of a cameraless. This is my "Second" first response to two cameraless films that were viewed in class. 

These were the initial responses I had in class:

1st one looked completely drawn/painted, inks, pastels and whatnot. Brighter orange, citrusy taste, flavor, warm. Shapes morphing back and forth. If it is drawn, I'm curious about the amount of time spent drawing/ painting it. Shapes interacting. I can't tell if they are using oils and acrylics. Summer. Did like one part where a large square moves from bottom right and changes into a small square at the top left. Shapes performing extraordinary feats.

2nd one used actual footage with drawing/painting added to the image as well. Don't know if it counts as a "found footage film". Tape/magazine transfer done to the extreme. Darker, cooler, from the deep recesses of space. Abstract shapes adding together to form something else (one segment looked like a cigarette being lit) . Particularly like the part where an amorphous black blob that takes over an image of a human figure, then moves out. Very unique use of puncturing throughout. Preferred this short over the last.

Theory of Animation

I really like this one a lot.

I believe it really bridges the gap between orthodox and experimental animation. On one hand you have the narrative continuity, and dialogue, yet at the same time there is a degree of abstract choices that punctuate the scene. (e.g. colors altering with emotion, the artist experimenting with different forms of art.

Anyway, Wells' article pretty much details both sides of the same coin, in this case the coin is animation. Orthodox animation and Abstract animation are the two sides.

When it gets down to it, orthodox animation subscribes to many of the same principles of classic narrative forms. However, there is definitely a suspension of belief that goes with animated stories. The example given in the article is Wile E. Coyote/ Road Runner cartoons where the boulder that saves the Road Runner spontaneously generates over Coyote.

Abstract animation is essentially an interpretive exercise that comes from the personal realm of the artist. Essentially Abstract animation (let's have an A. A. meeting...sorry) is more rhythmic and musical than orthodox. It is more of a chore to the inexperienced viewer. This is pretty much the same as the avant garde/experimental arm of cinema.

It's really fascinating how every mode of film has two camps: the traditionalist narrative, and the challenging experimental. Animation, though it already strays from the traditional mode of film making, still has an area that branches from the norms.

I do like abstract animation though. It's something a little more visceral and instinctively emotive. For me it ties into the earlier readings of synesthesia.

Anyway I leave you with an interesting little find. Donald Duck during his bigot stage:

Soooooo politically incorrect.

Crowd Sourcing

 All I'm saying is I'm using crowd funding for everything now whether it be film making, buying an apartment, surgery, or giant pandas encrusted with diamonds. Anyway on to the more serious stuff.

I really like the concept of crowd sourcing; however, there are a few issues I dislike about it...but I mean that  's everything.

The overall idea of crowd sourcing is quite fascinating, its understandable that this ideaovation really took off with the internet/media fed generation. I believe this is the case simply because crowd sourcing is a child dependent on the importance of participation and community. Its kind of like communism, y'know only the good things, y'know without Stalin, and the KGB.

Crowd sourcing allows for everyone to tack on a significant piece to a larger idea, allowing everyone to feel they have contributed to something important. Now you can just sit at a computer screen and achieve, as Andy Warhol put it, "five minutes of fame".

Now every obscure idea or thought can be documented and compiled, allow more intelligence to be accessed with ease more than ever before.

However, there are two things that I dislike about the whole crowd sourcing secret society.

Although its a pro that people can get a forum to state their ideals and ethics, some will abuse that right. (e.g. hate groups, bigots, trolls and whatnot). Also, now some crowd sourcers (or sorcerers) will unintentionally undermine crowd sourcing projects due to failure to check facts. Relying on old wives tales and rumors.

And of course, there is the fear of the dreaded information overload. Basically way too much info bombarding viewers and basically driving human senses crazy.

But in the end, crowd sourcing is pretty much the way of the world today. Individual creation is even stronger when it thrives off of togetherness.

acoustic ecology

Acoustic Ecology is the relation between the living and the sonic environment surrounding them. The human body and the sound environment, whether natural or manufactured, are tightly correlated. This is obvious in several examples: how alpha brainwaves become hypnotized by repetitive, percussive beats; how loud sounds can lead to health problems, including heart disease; how listening to certain types of music can increase the listener's ability to concentrate and emotion.

Essentially the human body runs off of rhythm and frequencies. So it makes sense that the sound environment can affect the body.

I find it interesting that some areas are actually trying to protect the acoustic environment by banning certain sounds from areas in order to allow the relaxing ambient tones of nature flourish. This is beneficial to both the humans and animals in the area. I think acoustic ecology is overlooked by many people. Sound is usually taken for granted and naively ignored. Because we're so immersed in sound we tend to forget we're around it, much like breathing, we do it but we forget that we're going through the process. Just stop for a few minutes a day and listen to the natural sounds and relax.

Reading about the concept on synesthesia made me utterly jealous that couldn't color coat numbers, or taste the alphabet and whatnot. The concept is very intriguing. The whole idea of the neurological stapling of sensation and emotion to numbers, letters, and sounds opens up a whole new creative doorway. Two things really caught my eye in the materials: 

        1. Synesthesia being laden with affect- Emotion, creativity, and the mundane all rolled into one. It's taking a perspective on something trite in life transforming it into pure feeling. Sand being transmuted into gold in you will.

        2. During the TED video the speaker mentions synesthesia allowing him to "feel" if something was out of place in a work, and to just "feel" what would fit the part right. Surgery with intuition. 

Duke Ellington had a nice quote about his synesthesia , 

"I hear a note by one of the fellows in the band and it’s one color. I hear the same note played by someone else and it’s a different color. When I hear sustained musical tones, I see just about the same colors that you do, but I see them in textures. If Harry Carney is playing, D is dark blue burlap. If Johnny Hodges is playing, G becomes light blue satin."

He was able to just "feel" what  would go well with these notes. Again, I'm jealous. But there's hope, true believers! Head trauma and psychedelics can cause synesthesia to occur. So let's all go do a pound of peyote and lay our heads down in the road so we can see some purple sevens.

Cymatics is pretty cool too. The physical form of sound. Sound is vibration. And the different vibrations of certain notes creates some unique patterns. It makes me think of string theory, the theory of how vibrations play an integral in the formation of everything. Are sound and form interrelated? 

I feel the both the topics of synesthesia (had to do it one more time) and cymatics both deal with the connecting of small links that we overlook. Maybe everything is one under the sun.

"Pull a thread here and you'll find it's attached to the rest of the world".

--Nadeem Aslam

"The Earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the Earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself".

--Chief Seattle

1st post and the 1st response

So here it goes. The first blog post for 6x1. I'm a little anxious about expressing my thoughts on a blog, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet.

I don't recall either the name of the filmmaker or the title of the film itself that we viewed on the first day of class. However, it was a very interesting short...it was a sort of visual jazz, a heroine induced Fantasia. My first response that I scribbled down in class was stream of consciousness; therefore, much apologies to the fragmentary opaqueness of that you may or may not run into when reading the first response.

Manic heartbeat, with a tinge of supernova. Silkworms with neon threads. Glow worms in a cavern. Fantasiaesc. Vibrancy of Jazz. Tension and classing of warm, autumnal colors. Grandma's quilt stitched together with red, yellow, and orange leaves; laid over your face. Pollock's and Picasso's illegitimate child taking its first steps on celluloid. Raw energy and power glimmering at breakneck pace, on a winter's night.7 minutes of unrelenting color expenditure. The crayons fell and melted onto an ethereal canvas. Jagged. Clashing together, chaotic energy directed onto a frame. Hiroshima x 20, with a Charlie Bird Parker soundtrack. Mothlight with paint.

(I was NOT on crystal meth when I wrote this)