#7 6X1: Variations on the One-Minute Film

The direct film manipulation assignment sounded complicated at first, but shortly afterwards was a no brainer after it was taught through a hands-on learning session. I like how we were given the opportunity to create a film by implementing a vast variety of images, thus authoring a very unique texture to the clear liter by performing a photogram (or commonly known as a rayogram) directly on the film itself. This process showed how anyone could be able to print any sort of image onto clear liter, by keeping all of the film strips in the black box; at this point, we had to lay down our strips with the only light being that of a red bulb that shone in the room. I would give this project a high rating because I think it basically defines the basis of film manipulation, and is the foundation for all of the other projects that were related to performing hands-on techniques. #3
The second assignment consisted of having someone record their partner doing some sort of activity, and then chopping it up in post-production via Premiere Pro editing to generate an effect of fast moving, at times meaningful images that penetrated the mind into thinking a specific way (only if the project that was shown was shot and edited correctly). #5
The third assignment was my absolute favorite because we were able to fully concoct an animation through stop motion that dealt with whatever the group wanted. We had a giant snake (or wormlike thing) that crawled all over the screen and destroyed everything in it's path. #1
Crowdsourcing. This was probably the most strenuous and interactive assignment because we the students had to become fully involved every stage of production. It was a fun assignment because there were moments when the situation was overwhelmed with humor caused by our misinterpretations of several vignettes. #4
The Bolex long take was a pretty interesting assignment, but in the end I had completely forgotten about the location of the file that we created in class. But overall, the slow motion effect implemented on the water was very nice, and did a good job displaying a partial still of life. #2
Creating a 3D film seemed to be a good idea at the time, but after realizing the amount of time we ad, in ended up being a complete disaster. I was, again, displeased with the amount of time given to us, but also frustrated with After Effects. #6

#6 Rough Theater

Theatre can be described as an art in it's own way, without the incorporation of other "forms" of art; it is like a unique entity that surfaces above most other types of entertainment, as it does exaggerate the exploitation of actors upon a live audience. Now how exactly does this relate to any of the assignments completed for variations of film manipulation, in other words six by one? Well there were moments when our projects required us to act in front the camera (which isn't the same as theater), but it still reflected on the concept that it performing live in front of anything at all. One example of this is whenever we were shooting the vignettes for the segmented crowdsourcing project. We were (if we didn't have anyone to volunteer and come in to perform for the shootings) required to act in front of the camera while filming ourselves for the vignettes. It almost felt like performing in front of an audience, although invisible, because there were moments when it felt extremely awkward to move at all; at one point one of our actors was completely static, and could not replicate anything that defines rhetoric of the theatre at any time whatsoever. Other than that, the experience of performing for any of the projects was extremely enjoyable as there were hilarious at times. Some of actors spewed talent, while others naturally performed in whatever manner they perceived was right; there was nothing wrong with this, other than the fact that most of our actors sometimes sort fell off topic with their performances. Overall, I think all of the acting that had to be done for the projects was hilarious, as it did relate in part to the art of the theatre. Another example of that particularly similar yet distant relationship was the usage of props for the shoots. This is also a major factor in any theatre production because what play can go right without a setting or background to help display the show's emotional value? Absolutely none.

In case you missed it, here is one spectacular storyboard!

#5 Film Manipulation

The sound of film manipulation to me is intriguing (just from hearing it), as it reminded me at first about the multitude of things and aspects we as filmmakers are expected to draw upon, and use to concoct our own products of "the mind" through the exploitation of film. The first (true to the phrase) assignment that pushed us to manipulate a variety of celluloid was "assignment one", also titled camera-less filmmaking. This involved taking several artifacts, after instilling whatever damage the person wanted to deliver, and grouping these objects together for two separate strips of clear liter; this was just after everyone painted their film strips with different colors, each that represent all four distinct elements. These elements included fire, water, air, and earth; with all of the painting finished, the objects that were picked ended up being the primary design (and final creative product) of each of the four or five groups' clear liter. The process that involved printing the objects on the film strip was called contact printing; this process, along with rayograms, was created by taping the two strips of film on the floor of the black box. in which the only light that was (and allowed to be) lit was a red light bulb. After the objects each group member picked were placed on the film strip, someone would have to rapidly turn the regular black box's light on for an instant, that way the image could be stamped on the strips in an instant. What followed was the dunking of the strips into a "fix" solution, as well as two more dunks in separate containers of water; after drying the strips, if desired, the group could stain their clear liters with bleach to obtain whatever effect they wanted. In the end, the process which is film manipulation involves a lot of creative input from the filmmaker, which personally is something I'm more than willing and capable of doing enjoyably.

#4 Acoustic Ecology

We must be quite loud if there's a study that defines such rowdiness. Defining it would be condensing it as the relationship between living organisms, and the sounds that are around them within the moment. Sometimes, this sound isn't even noticeable unless that person concentrates hard enough (or realistically, pays close attention to that particular object or area) and listens to the sound emitting from wherever. These "acoustics" are also implemented in film, as they are mingled with through a wide variety of audio editing techniques. One particular aspect of this is the creation and use of soundscapes; they have a lot in common, the terms acoustic ecology & soundscape, especially whenever filmmakers piece together sounds that share familiarity with whatever shot is being edited at any time. Our minds can either decide to create a connection towards an object or area, specific place etc when we concentrate on that particular sound by closing our eyes, and focusing exactly on that "entity". This is the same way most filmmakers (if needed) create whole soundscapes from scratch while using their imagination to construct a compatible audio track. Through this unique process, it can be said that the non-existence of imagery itself, separate from the audio, isn't mandatory as whatever the viewer hears can picture the scene in his or her mind. Some theories have mentioned the individuality of a person's psychological characteristics have an opulent number of effects on the mind, which ultimately describes a part of (in certain ways) how the sound is manipulated, and then interpreted in whichever way the person sees it to be. An example of that is how anyone hiking can only be concentrating the sound emitted from someone else, or simply thoughts from the mind, that clouds the person's current condition; this leads to the environment itself being completely ignored, as somewhat defined by the term coined as "acoustic ecology".

#3 Crowd-sourcing readings

Its interesting to be able to manipulate a series of clips (specified as a single idea) from various sources into one whole film; this creates a whole new way of viewing the vastness of social media and interplanetary connectivity. On top of it all is that crowd-souring isn't the only form of it's kind, but there are others such as crowd-source design and crowd-funding that each have their own productive traits. Crowd-source design is receiving "feedback" from a wide variety of people who are just as committed to find and create the perfect design for your business or company, personal use etc. Now crowd-funding is (in brief terms) kind of like a polite way to beg for money, and this money would be used for budgets like kick-starters for movies, or even impending projects you may want to start receiving money for. That would be in case you wanted to prepare yourself for anything, in my opinion. Probably the more relevant task our class will be performing is the crowd-sourcing type that is 'design'; we're creating a numerically symbolized section of a short film that revolves around the number four. In doing so, each group is contributing their portions of film to this experimental short film by shooting something (filmed as planned) that relates to that particular number, and that's not at all copyrighted. Each group has chosen mainly different topics so that the variety of shots vary; the point of each scene is to have the meaning of that shot noticeable. Overall, this project is an example of a portion that defines the term crowd-sourcing.

#2 Synesthesia & Cymatics

Synesthesia is kind of like a cognitive response the brain delivers; an example of that experiencing a flashback of a memory through contact with anything, whether it's a song for a smell etc. That scent or sound delivers a signal to the brain, and as experienced firsthand, somehow triggers a response that reminds the subject (or myself) of an event that happened or an object, place, movie, and many other things. There are probably a multitude of ways to relate synesthesia to film, and more importantly through minuscule fragments that can determine an emotion; this is done by exhibiting a certain portion of a film that reminds the viewer of anything other than the movie itself. But it isn't defined only by the recurrence of a memory, but by several other ways like a set of patterned numbers; this is more of a minor representation of synesthesia seeing that it isn't a priority of need for myself, only that it happens when I'm either aligning or calculating an equation that has a given amount of numbers. Cymatics as a whole involves the idea of "painting with sound", which is concretely impossible, but as an abstraction through sound within film can be done (excluding the vibration of an object or substance to create sound). Sounds can also be picked up and emitted by animals, and these patterns can be seen through machines that cymatically recreate these noises by displaying exactly how looks. Contradicting is the second sentence only because the former was a typical outlook on what the topic means to several who determine this particular topic that way only. A way that can relate to what I've done recently is absolutely nothing as it hasn't been performed at all (I think) for any of the assignments so far. Quite possibly will it be needed for assignment two; this will involve the creation of a soundtrack from scratch that does not duplicate anything that was ever prerecorded.

Media Fasting Vlog

Well I can honestly say that was quite an experience. One that I will never partake in ever again.

#1 Hand-painting response

If I could compare it to anything that's relative with the source material (that being the abstraction of images), a director known as Brakhage took this concept, and became one of the pioneers of this particular "experimental" form of filmmaking. The important trait about this short film whilst comparing it to this director's work is the fact that the film lacked in being annoying. It instead attracted my attention to the relation of images to the music that was playing in the background; the piece that was embedded to the strip was appeasing. More importantly, the film's images tended to "dance" with the sound. It was very rhythmic, balanced, and it maintained a similar pattern throughout the entire screening. The abstraction within the images were probably gibberish, but there could have been some meaning behind the rhythm every set of images created; this is why I would've wanted to know how and exactly why this film was made (disregarding the purpose for which that it art). Was it to demonstrate the use of it's supportive mechanism? Maybe it was to show how influential the mind can be on sporadic creativity. Nevertheless, this "hand-painting" (compared to more recent films of it's kind I viewed on YouTube) is nothing more than primitive and classical. It has this spark of liveliness that makes it unique and sophisticated, not only because of the usage of film scratches and dents, or even sanding, but also the film's intuitiveness that brings the both the moving images and the music to life.