This is a Reflection of This Class

Loved it.


I have learned a lot in this class. From seeing new experimental filmmakers to how to use After Effects. I am gonna steal Martha Colburn's technique at some point because I think it is so amazing and it is something I think I will enjoy doing by myself. I learned how to work under pressure without having a complete mental breakdown like I did this summer. I know more about the inner workings of Cucalorus, which made me realize I never want to work for them again as much as I love their festival. I think the biggest thing I learned is that I can make films on my own, and I really don't need or want anyone's help. 

I am always the proudest when my work is done by myself and for myself. My self-portrait compared to the one I made over the summer feels a lot more authentic and raw to me even though I feel like the topic of the earlier one was more compelling. I feel more confident in my work now, enough to maybe even let others see it outside of the class. I have a huge desire to create and I just need to find the time to do it. I'm going to set deadlines for myself, and I'm going to enjoy it. 

I loved everything about this class, even the extreme amounts of stress that came from it. I met new friends and feel closer to ones I knew before. I am inspired by the filmmakers we saw and the filmmakers that I have seen my classmates become, especially Lily. She is amazing and I love her passion and wish I had even a fraction of it. She has taught me to work hard for the sake of yourself, and not necessarily because you have to. She's my hero. 

I can't wait to create more.

This is a Reflection on Aaron Koblin

I loved Aaron Koblin!!! I didn't know what crowdsourcing was before this and now that I know I am super into it. The Johnny Cash Project reminded me of Loving Vincent. I want to play with the VR website, Within, some more. I feel like Aaron Koblin would be perceived as the future of experimental, which I don't necessarily agree with. I hope to see more work like his, but also see things that are like Maya Deren, being made.

This is a Reflection on Guy Madden

I could totally see how Guy Madden was influenced by David Lynch before it was mentioned. I really wanted to see more of his work, because I was very intrigued. The ways he played tribute to the earlier German Expressionist and Surrealist artists was amazing, while still making them his.

This is a Reflection on Marlon Riggs

So I love Marlon Riggs. I saw Tongues Untied last summer and it was so amazing. I loved being able to learn more about him in this presentation. I think his background at Harvard was interesting and insightful about how his work functioned. I loved his notion on people, that they are all "like gumbo."

This is a Reflection on My Self-Portrait

I went into this assignment thinking I would make something happy. Something that shows how thrilled I am to have the love of my life back in my life.
Then it changed to me being sad that I would have to leave him when I graduate.
And then it changed to him leaving me again, and very soon at that. January 15th is the latest he can move to NYC.
Filmmaking for me has truly become an avenue for me to work out the pain in my life. It started with the self-portrait of me when he was gone, then I made 2 short films about my anxiety surrounding Hurricane Florence, and now I've made this piece that highlights how truly sad I am that he is leaving me again.
I showed the film to him, and he was very taken aback. He wasn't expecting it, especially since he was there when I shot the film. He told me that it really hit him hard too, and honestly, that's exactly what I wanted him to say.

This is what I am doing for my self-portrait - revised

So of course in the process of making this film, I have been informed that my boyfriend is moving because of work... AGAIN.

The overall idea is still the same, how much we've grown, but now my initial idea of being content is shifting to being uneasy but also excited. I also never got still photos, because my camera ate the film, so I'm just using more archive and personal footage to replace it. There's gonna be three acts: when we're together, knowing he's leaving and being hopeful for our reunion.

I'm honestly really sad about it, but I want to make something that is deeper than that.

This is what I'm doing for the art installation

I'm directing, which is scary, but we all have an active role in the creation of our piece. Since we are a group of modern females, we have decided to make our piece represent something that is representative of women in our society (it's so cliche I know). We are going to have a lot going on, from pads outlining the screen of our projector, to a drum circle, to an active chant/protest complete with signs. The projection is basically going to be a collage of men talking about women, which we will overwhelm as the piece goes on. as director, I am responsible for the cohesiveness and overall vision. I will also be in charge of getting the equipment. I'm very excited.

This is a response to the presentation on OK GO

So these guys are really cool! I love seeing music video artist that are considered to be influential like these guys are. The way they developed as artists over time was really cool to watch. My favorite piece of theirs was definitely The Writings on the Wall because it was I think the most impressive one.

This is a response to Cucalorus

First, I don't want to volunteer again next year. I did not have the time or the energy to do much else and that really pissed me off. I accomplished all of my goals, but I didn't have as much fun as I could have.

One thing I learned as a filmmaker is that I really just need to submit something. I want to have my own film in a festival, and be able to really engage with an audience.

My favorite experience was the Fiddlehead Shorts. Maybe it's because that was the last screening I volunteered for or maybe it was seeing Shoot the Duck for the first time that made it so great.

One thing that surprised me, and I should've known better, was that they were very unorganized. A lot of blame was pushed around when something didn't go right and I was not a fan of that. The emcees were all super nice, but they never listened to me when I said there was a short filmmaker that wanted to have a Q&A. I think they need to change their format a little to be more accommodating to volunteers and filmmakers.

Photos and Videos:

In order: Screen Coordinating In Reality and then Lez Bomb, 

Me and Katarina at Dead in the Water, 

Thalian Hall before Dr. Jekyll, 

Me Connor, Lily and Andrea after Dr. Jekyll, 

Anya's art after the Fiddlehead Shorts

 

This is what I'm doing for my Self-Portrait

The basic idea behind my self-portrait is that I want it to show how I have grown, and continue to grow since my boyfriend returned from deployment. It's kind of going to be a collaboration between the two of us, which was obviously not possible before.

After shooting on film for the first time, I want to experiment more with it! I am going to shoot some stills of Tj, and have him take some of me. They'll be used rhythmically in the film. I plan to use a clip of a song for some of the film, and I will create a sound design for the rest that uses natural sounds and words from our mouths. I'm also going to use a lot of close-ups. I want to write out statements as well, sort of like in "Jumpa Jumpa" or I will just add text and edit it so it looks cool.

I'm contemplating cutting my hair on camera, but that's probably not gonna happen.

Edit wise, I will be pulling inspiration from a few music videos. I want this film to be simple, but elegant and dynamic.

Inspo Videos:

Music:

This is a Response to Assignment 1

So I had never thought that I would ever be good at, or enjoy, a group assignment like this. There was so much work involved in everyone's part and I am so proud of what we accomplished.

When it comes to sound, I feel wayyyyy more confident in my abilities to record and assemble a soundscape. I'm actually looking forward to doing so for the next assignment and I already have ideas! I think that having this ability is going to make me a better filmmaker. I feel a need to create my own soundscapes now instead of just using music for a concept.

This is what I am going to be doing at Cucalorus

Intentions:

I am trying to network the crap out of Cucalorus. I want to break out of my shell and talk to people that I find interesting. I'm going to learn about a new role in film festivals, screen coordination, and I am going to have the opportunity to see films that I know I will find interesting. 

Plan of Action:

You know I've already made a schedule in my bullet journal! 

Challenges

1. Talk to my favorite filmmaker (not one I am screen coordinating for)
2. Introduce myself to Dan Brawley
3. Ask a question in a Q&A

This is a Response to Shooting on Film for the First Time

Shooting on film was not like I had expected it would be. I have discovered that while you don't really know how your shot is going to turn out, the true thrill is in the unknown. It was also weird to see my shots come out in black and white since color was what I was seeing initially. I had no idea that there was so much that needed to go into the shots as well. Like using the light meter, adjusting the ISO and so on. Shooting on auto makes photography seem easy, and shooting on film has made me appreciate the art form even more. I intend to shoot again, alone, so my true vision can hopefully be seen.

This is a Reflection on Maya Deren

I feel like every film enthusiast knows who Maya Deren is and is aware of her influence in experimental cinema. I will say, I was not an initial fan of her work, but after this presentation I have come to appreciate it a lot more. I didn't know she had done films as beautiful as The Very Eye of Night, which I think is my favorite piece of hers. While I haven't always liked her work, I feel like I can now cite her as a influencer in mine simply because we are both women who like to make films simply because we can. She and I do not care about how famous our work gets, and I think more people need to be like that.

This is a Reflection on Harry Everett Smith

Harry seems like a cool dude to smoke a bowl with. I found it super interesting that he has an interest in Native American Ethnography and is respected by them. The story about him collecting folk records and then being involved in creating the Anthology of American Folk Music was super badass. His films are gorgeous. I think the combining of weed, painting, music, and his overall quirkiness is what makes his work so revolutionary. I wish we could have seen more of his work.

This is a Reflection on Jonas Mekas

I had been hearing Jonas Mekas's name in classes prior to this one not realizing how truly influential he was for independent/experimental filmmaking. I found it interesting that he had initially started making narrative films with his brother. The organizations he had a hand in creating, like The New American Cinema Group and the Filmmakers Co-Op, seem very far ahead of his time, and yet he did so while continuing to create his own films! He's truly an icon living.

This is a Response to "From Arthouse to Microcinema"

Reading this article has given me a desire to go back in time to experience these art house and microcinema experiences! I feel like people, especially some film students, tend to forget that smaller films as well as those created by an individual need to be showcased somehow, for they would never be considered in the bigger multiplexes of today. I won't lie, it had never occurred to me before taking this course that one could organize a screening like these on your own, and that one can play a film basically anywhere and have it be called microcinema. I hate that most cinema-goers are unaware of the opportunity to see great works that the microcinema offers, but I suppose the whole point is that not everyone has the chance to see them, which makes it that much more special to the viewer. I know that whenever I get the chance to see a smaller, less-known film, either in class or at film festivals, I get a sense of not just joy in their work, but pride that I got the opportunity to see it at all and have it as a part of me.

This is a Light Observation of Duck Donuts

One definitely expects a donut shop to be bright and full of light, which is exactly how the one I work at is. The bright florescent lights cascade over the entire building and leave sharp shadows over what is below, which is often the donut I am drizzling icing onto. While florescent lights are often associated with cleanliness, there are also smaller LED lamps that cast beams onto some of the walls and the menu, which give a sense of friendliness to an otherwise sterile environment. The front of the store is primarily windows, which are my favorite aspect of the place. The light shines through onto the ground in sharp beams and provide warmth to those who enter and exit the store. The light comes in at a diagonal and illuminates the wood pattern on the floor, and oftentimes the crumbs that are left by a child and their sprinkled donut.

This is a Light Observation of the Ferris Wheel at the NC State Fair

When I think about a fair, the first thing that comes to mind is the ferris wheel. The colorful, alternating lights cover almost every inch of the beams that support the ride and illuminate the grounds where people wait to ride this staple of the event. The lights reflect onto the faces of some of my favorite people, who are all in line with me. Sometimes the colors alternate so quickly that it feel like we are in a nightclub instead of outside at a fair. The vibrant reds, blues, greens, purples and basically every color of the rainbow are vibrant enough to show on my boyfriends dark skin and bounce off of my pale arm like I am a blank canvas being filled. The light also reflects off of his eyes and I find that I can't look away from them because they reflect not just the colors, but the beauty behind them.

This is a Response to Assignment 1B

Before this assignment, I was not very good at sound design. I knew some of the basic aspects of creating one, but had never successfully attempted one on my own. I learned that the sounds that are made available to you don't always have to sound the same in your finished product. I had a lot of fun playing with the sounds provided, and I realized that I really like slowing down sounds. Working with Ashley was fun because we had similar ideas and worked well together. We both worked on some together and then did our own halves of the project on our own while combing them and making it work well together.  I definitely realized that less can be more when it comes to these things.

This is a Reflection on Theory of the Film: Sound by Bela Balazs

It seems to me like the writer is attempting to convey the idea that silence is not simply a lack of sound, but an abundance of sound where there once was none. I can see their point, and I am especially fond of their description of silence and space where they speak of being able to hear things you wouldn't normally is what silence is. Being able to hear the faintest of sounds brings a good feeling of silence rather than a bad feeling that I get in an environment with a complete lack of sound. Silence is therefore a lack of sound in your immediate vicinity. The sound silence of film should be enhanced with picture and vice versa with the silence of a picture being enhanced by sound. The two go so well together in film, so not having a good quality of one or the other is detrimental.

This is a sound observation of CAB

It is mostly silent in the Cultural Arts Building this early in the morning. One does not expect to hear too much while everyone is in class, but there is always activity even if we can't initially hear it. In the initial silence, I hear the screaming bugs and buzzing of the outdoors from my seat in the lobby. The air conditioning provides a consistently dull hum in the background. In the distance, I hear a door open and then thud closed with a slam and the snap of the latch after. As people begin to populate the space, I hear a woman and a man converse about her sandwich, their voices faint as to not disturb the others in the room. My roommate pages through her play with a rhythmic, dull snap at each page turn. The elevator arrives across the hall with a ding and a whoosh of the doors opening. Student's footsteps populate that hallway with a barrage of hard claps, until they reach the carpeted floors where they all seem to drag across lightly with little sound but the airy, fuzzy friction of their shoes agains the carpet.

This is a sound observation of my bedroom

It is always quiet in my room until I focus really hard on the atmosphere around me. The two most obvious sounds that fill the room are the shrilly hum of the bugs outside and the dull, muted humming of the air conditioning. The AC cuts off with a click and a fading hum, and I am able to hear almost the whole building. I can hear the whirring of my roommate's sheets in the dryer, with the occasional clang of the loose screw we have yet to fix. My downstairs neighbor must like rap music, for I can hear the loud bass of the speakers from beneath my feet. The ringing of the bugs song fades in and out, and I hear a dog's sharp bark from outside my window. Later that night, the roar of the insects is slowly overtaken by the rhythmic clanging of the train making its nightly trip by my bedroom window. The grinding and slicing metal is a steady reminder of its presence, even as the sharp roar of the horn fades into the distance and the night. The train fades into a dull hum and the insects overtake the night once again as with their rhythmic, shrill song.

This is a Reflection on EDIT MEDIA’s The Student 7

This article is a Big Mood. While it seems like this piece is targeted more towards mainstream film production, the 7 "tips" listed seem relevant to smaller amateur productions as well. It very much encompasses what I have learned so far in my 2 years as a film student. I think the most relevant thing that they listed is that you need to "Create Dangerously" and do things outside of the box. Like they say, this is the time to experiment and most importantly to fail. It seems like UNCW adopted this model when they designed the Film Studies major. I'll definitely utilize these tips in my last year.

This is a Reflection on Maya Deren’s Amateur Vs. Professional

"...one who does something for the love of the thing rather than for economic reasons or necessity." 

As an amateur filmmaker, I of course have read this article before. This mode is my favorite because I am able to do what I want for the sake of art as opposed to having to follow others' artistic or monetary goals. This is a form of filmmaking that is produced solely as art, which I believe is what film should be.  The emphasis on movement it so important to the film medium, and the modern blockbusters lack that sorely. Shot-reverse shot is my enemy. Working to a schedule , designed by someone else, is my enemy. I really think that the best filmmaking is that done by the individual, when their creativity is there in every aspect of the process. 

This is a Reflection on Fred Camper’s Naming, and Defining, Avant-Garde Film

There has to be some way to name films that fall into the category of avant-garde or experimental, because how else could we talk about them? This idea of straying away from European terminology is a little much, but I can see what he means. With all that being said, Camper makes a great point in how these phrases fail to define all of these works correctly. Maybe there is more than one category needed? I think that films that make use of mode like are very different from films like Stan Brakhage's Window Water Baby Moving. I probably am just not aware of the sub-categories yet.

The list of qualities that Camper provided seems accurate to me. I have never personally understood the acceptance of rejecting linear storied films from the experimental category. I think that as long as the story is not "mainstream" that it could be considered experimental and different from the typical film. I'd love to discuss this further if we can.

This is a Manifesto

I like movies. I like watching them, talking about them, and of course making them. I especially appreciate films that aren't like what most people think of. I've been struggling to find what separates me from other filmmakers out there, but I have discovered that I don't really care what people think about my work. I'm one of those artists that creates as I find the inspiration. I do it for myself, and for no one else. With that being said, I want more desperately than anything to be able to create music videos for artists that I can relate to. I want to collaborate on something that we can both appreciate. I just want to create, because it always makes me feel better.