.. .these are only letters, that only happen to combine to be words...

everything is made up of something and something is made up of another, but is that to say that nothing can be original?

well not necessarily. it is true however, that most, if not every thing, concrete and abstract is born through rearrangement or reinterpretation. Paintings, illustrations, film, culture, language, poetry, and even these very words written, i have reorganized so that i may express an idea that perhaps may not be original, yet what is, is the method in which i specifically have chosen to articulate it.

Robert Breer's "Fist Fight," i feel echos my thinking. Apparently using over 13,000 photographs in this work, Breer creates a somewhat bizarre spectacle of colors, imagery and most importantly sound. I say bizarre because rarely did any of the random images seem to connect to one another and in any case "flipped" much too quickly to absorb them individually. Exactly the experience Breer, I'm sure was hoping for.

but his use of ambient sound was probably the most interestingly aspect of "Fist Fight." the real time experience of listening to the chatter of the audience layered over stage music really adds credibility to the atmosphere that is created. Chaotic until a pace is found within the music and animation, the event can be quite overwhelming.

The frame is the building block of film, just as these letters are the building blocks of sentences and experience is that of life. Constructed, arranged and molded alike, these processes will always yield a different and unconventional product. That is this film's purpose, to reveal a process, the art that is creation.

this short is raw and uncut and demands envisagement anew with every viewing.

this is one person's "way of seeing" (as John Berger might say) reiteration of "Fist Fight."
enjoy :o)
david



From evank9: This is an Animation Movie of Random drawings, influenced by animator Robert Breer; Blazes (1961). I made this video like he did, I shuffled the cards and then put them in the video in the random order that they came out in. Everything in this video I either drew or painted, I put a lot of time into this. It's too bad YouTube downgrades the video's because the colors are HD res. and they certainly don't show on this site.

row, row, row your boat.. ."Gently down the stream"

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is (indeed) but a dream.

Su Friedrich, Su Friedrich, Su Friedrich, what an interesting film you have created. Appropriately titled, "Gently down the stream" Friedrich composes imagery uncannily similar to the subconscious mind. Randomness, eeriness, both chaotic and peaceful states, first and third person perspective - these are some elements when combined in confusion can define a dream experience.

I record my dreams on a daily bases in a hope to gain greater insight of myself and so far it has been a very rewarding devotion of time. I study my dreams. i break them down.. .search for specific meanings found through color, emotion, location and various objects don't necessary denote their surface value, but usually play of a pun or is symbolic of a much more meaningful idea.

Take Friedrich's dream for instance, emotionally i sense sadness, displacement and lucidity. This film is heavily dominated by several bodies of water and rightly so, since this image is indicative of the conscious mind. To see oneself surrounded by water can suggest any number of meanings, however observing from within the context of the dream, i believe it to imply a feeling of contentment. She may not know where exactly she is, how she got there, the reason for her presence, why she may feel or appear lost, but she isn't fighting it.

She is certain of uncertainty and lucid of her new found realization.

Another interesting point to mention was the composition of this piece. It felt organic, as if at some points almost breathing for a short duration. I thought this was illustrated through her use of dark and light blank stills and more so as the etched words seem to verbalized through passive and violent cycles of motion. This film wasn't so much a film about an inner struggle as it was a meditation.

Slowing breathing in .. . and out. .. in and. . . out, to bring oneself inner peace, understanding. To feel free, released from burden, weightless - as tranquil as in a body of water. But there in lies the paradox. Water is still and undisturbed, but to be in it, even as still as one can be, ripples will still be formed, expand and ultimately recede, in repetition. This is the nature of our lives.

in and out, back and forth, positive and negative - these are not opposing forces, they are complementary, creating harmony. i think she has realized this old age philosophy; that is my interpretation, my experience through hers.

until tomorrow dear readers,
enjoy this rendition of Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Claudia Anderson, Girl Scout Junior Troop 690, Goodyear, Arizona

Propel, Propel, Propel your craft
Placidly down the liquid solution
Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically,
Existence is but an illusion.

see think share
david

a daily practice

hmm, i never would have ever thought that filming practically anything can be considered practice well at least to Jonas Menkas that is. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist and i cant just start a project without, i don't know-making it real big by involving some crazy deep thoughts, politics and this, that and the other. I've always found value in little things or ideas that to most people could care less about for in their all so busy lives. I mean, why would anyone want to watch a short about trying to fall asleep or daydreaming of a beautiful girl i have a crush on or even more simply (or perhaps a bit more complicated for some) just enjoying nothing .. . and everything?

But it isn't for them or you or anyone, now is it? Now i know-its for me, only me. It's my video journal. I've just been so intimidated by all the thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands or even more amateur filmmakers out there, everywhere. How can i ever reach their level, their skill and creativity? How can i set myself apart? Everyday i truly do learn something new and grow slightly more confident in calling myself a filmmaker because all that i am now is a student, an apprentice, an observer of my future. I have learned that endlessly questioning myself on how to do this or why i am not that, will not achieve anything. I am sure that several if not all of these artists have placed their ability into question, but have surely reached my conclusion, at some point, some just sooner than others.

You get better through practice. You practice through creating, it makes sense. Unlike a musician who can perfect a musical composition and his talent by playing the tune over and over and over again, we as film-artists perfect our skill through experience, yet never the same one. If we had to be compared to a musical artist it should be a jazz musician, for alike one we improvise vision as they sound. Through the years of "practice" they learn what sounds right as we learn what appears right. but in any case it all boils down to self criticism and taste because isn't it not so much creating as it is simply recording or expressing one's emotions, thoughts, and ultimately vision?

I commend Menkas. I respect him for his commitment, style and originality. I have really been inspired by his "365 films" project and hope as a promise to myself, continue this simple form of practice for my own artistic growth and experience.

Hopefully, not already being off topic i would like to say a few words on the short "A Letter to Jonas." I'm not sure if it should be referred to as a short film or more appropriately a video letter, but in any case i loved it.

Peaceful, beautiful, innocent, refreshing, are only some of the words that come to mind as i recall this piece. The best line, hands down was "Monday morning, everythings waking up and shouting." It was like he couldn't sleep because if he had he would had miss this once in a lifetime zen-ful event that may have very well moved him, Jonas, any one of us, and definitely myself. Another quick point to mention was how on occasion the lens would unfocus, almost as if the viewer, sharing this very moment had too just been awakened.

an enlightenment, if you will.
david

a lil' apology

ok well, first off i would like to apologize for my negligence to my fellow bloggers. I'm completely new to this style of communicating, as i myself prefer conversing and expressing such ideas through a much more lively interaction. I like to read people's body language and i guess one can say, have a dormant addiction with real time experiences. But in any case, i think having the opportunity to further develop, record and share our thoughts globally is somewhat of a phenomena and privilege that our generation should embrace and treasure and so i shall. I look forward and am very excited to be learning and working with such clever, open-minded and creative artists as you all seem to be.

and so all that being said, bring in the thinking caps - actually lets not. I've always thought that understanding and interpreting art required nothing more but a heightened sense to emotion.
s o O o
maybe for this course since it does seem to be heavily experimental and perhaps a bit disorienting, instead of trying to watch the films, feel them.

its been fun chatting dudes and dudettes, take care
david