Signing Off ...for now.

This is my second to last post on this blog. It is several days late. This week has thrown several challenges my way, and I am not necessarily proud of how I have handled them. My programming and management co-member, Tristan, helped me out quite a bit in communicating with all students to make sure they submitted their found footage projects on time. I felt that I checked up on the other committees quite frequently, but gave them enough freedom to work to their fullest potential. If I have learned anything, it is to know the right balance between tightening up the reigns and letting them go completely. I think I may have let my grandmother's passing effect my performance in that I kind of let them operate too independently because I was focused on spending time with my family, helping us all heal. But these things happen. I need to learn to compartmentalize if I am going to be a successful producer. Ideally, I would have checked over Knox's ingredient list more thoroughly so that we had ingredients like cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.and that he made sure all categories were taken care of, with small surpluses (because we ran out of drinks almost immediately). When I talked to Maura, it seemed as though the decorations/art committee had everything taken care of and were all on the same page. However, when I spoke to Kyndall, she seemed to be left in the dark about her duties and what her partner was allowing her to do. This was disappointing to hear, but I asked probably too late in the game anyways. I ended up having to delegate decorations, and catering the moment I arrived. I wish we had more time, but I enjoyed the thrill of this kind of flash cinema. It was definitely a learning experience. Here is exactly what I would have done differently and will keep in mind for future projects:

Set up a meeting, early on, with all committees to make sure they have cohesive plans for catering, AV, locations, etc.
Make sure locations has established a back-up location in case of adverse weather
Make sure AV has enough time to render the sequence-- this is solved by having all of the footage ON TIME and in order before the day of the program
Double check with the catering committee to make sure all food bases are covered and that they actually know how to work a charcoal grill
Set an earlier arrival time for set up.
Forget the programs.
Do a mini q&a moderated by the MC


I basically would have just liked everyone-- including myself-- to have arrived earlier so that people didn't show up while we were still running around with our heads cut off.
It just wasn't organized. I tried to delegate the best I could considering my circumstances, but I may have not been the right person in charge of orchestrating this event. Well, no, that's not correct. I'm the only person I trust to do this kind of thing. And I'm honestly surprised at how not-angry I got during the whole process. I will just do better next time. I am not at all upset with how it turned out. It was actually really fun and I am glad we had this experience. I definitely want to do something like this again. Creating film festivals is something I could definitely see myself doing whenever I decide to grow up and start being a responsible adult.

Microcinema

When I think about "microcinema", I don't think about people dressed in formal evening attire sitting on velvet love seats, biting the ends of long, plastic cigarette filters saying things like "indubitably" or "enigma." Instead I recall a very fond memory of my early high school experience. My freshman and sophomore year, I had a best friend named British Aab. She was the first quintessential hipster I had ever encountered. Falling under her mentorship, I found myself hanging out downtown late at night, listening to local musicians scream above the drone of washing machines in the Soapbox Lounge, drinking fancy coffee drinks, reading "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and pretending like I understood whatever Milan Kundera was talking about at the time. A few key lines regarding sexual odors still linger in my mind. One of the influential individuals Bri introduced me to was Fred Champion, former owner of CD Alley. Every Thursday night he hosted a regular movie night in which he would invite all of the other long-haired, thick-framed, downtown intellectuals over to his apartment above what used to be Mugsy's Pub. It smelled of stale marijuana and patchouli. His viewing room was separate from his living quarters, which made it feel a lot more formal, yet still exclusive-- there was an array of old couches, movie theater seats, park benches, etc. This was the first place I ever saw someone carve a bowl out of an apple. It was quite impressive. I would lie to my parents every Thursday night so I could see the b or c-list movies with Bri at Fred's place, trying to pass off as too mature for our own good. I remember the only rule was that no one could enter or talk after the film began-- we all had a universal understanding of respect for the ridiculous artform we were about to witness. I hope to recreate this feeling or experience on Thursday.

Bropac

I adore my group. I seriously could not have asked for a better group dynamic. Even when we started rehearsal and shooting a few minutes late, we still managed to end up ahead of schedule. Natalie and Kyndall worked together to fix the issue with the XLR cable,-- apparently there was some humming in the audio--Tristan communicated his 'vision' very effectively, James churned out some great footage, and I ordered the pizza. Rehearsal with the boys on Friday went smoothly, as did the final shoot on Saturday. I felt everyone pulled their own weight, making my job incredibly easy. I am satisfied with how our project turned out. I only wish we had more time because I feel my group could have created something huge. Ideally we would have filmed this in a locker room, but everyone was very flexible about the location. Virtue from necessity, I suppose-- which, ultimately, is the best work method in this field of study when you are a very poor college student. I thoroughly enjoyed working with and hanging out with my group. I scheduled a long lunch break on Saturday to give us a chance to cool down, recharge, and get to know each other better-- you know, team bonding. I got a chance to preview our next-to-final cut and I was very impressed with Natalie, James, and Tristan's audio work. They created a very relevant and believable soundscape. I am excited to show the class what we were able to come up with. My group is also encouraging Tristan to continue the script, which would be a hilarious summer side project for us if we made this into a short film, or even feature film. Absolutely ridiculous. I definitely look forward to working with these guys in the future.  We all meshed really well.

Kai is a mad man

Well Kai is one of my favorite people. He is a maniac. Let me babysit him sometime.

Our group met today at school. We watched the scene from the Graduate so that Tristan and James could come up with overheads and storyboards. Kyndall, Natalie, and I worked out a budget for props and costuming. We have a budget set for catering as well since we are using two outside actors ("outside" meaning they are not in our group, but there are within the film studies program: Viet and Paul Sitler), I figured free food would be a good incentive. We developed a rehearsal and filming schedule for the weekend. Whitfield still hasn't responded about the facilities use request-- luckily we secured a back-up location in case we weren't able to use the locker rooms in the Student Recreation Center. We are also in the process of tweaking our script so that it makes more sense for the characters to be in our new location, while still managing to fit the theme. I feel confident that our project will go as smoothly as possible. Tomorrow we are meeting at the location to set up the lights, the camera, go over the script with the crew and rehearse the blocking choreography. That's what this project is, it's a dance. A well-crafted dance of lights, crew, and camera. I am excited to get started on this. especially since we will be rehearsing before shooting with a night of respite in between. Aside from the other two projects we have, I am pretty sure this one is going to be smooth sailing. I have everyone's forms signed, we have a shared google doc of the schedule, shooting schedule, catering suggestions, props and costume list, and script. This truly is a group effort, which is why I don't feel as stressed as I normally would-- I am working with people who are equally willing and capable of pulling their own weight. This is reassuring. I am most excited to see Tristan in action. I've worked with him before as my director, but I couldn't help but over-step my position's boundaries to get things done. This time I am practicing some self control. Plus, Tristan is one of the most level-headed people I know and I trust his decision-making skills fully. This should be fun. I MUST LET THIS BE FUN.

Yesterday's Blog A little Late

I apologize for posting this so late. Last night I felt a little overwhelmed, so I drank half a bottle of wine and watched Pretty Little Liars for several...hours...it is just so terrible, so addictive. It was a nice distraction but didn't make me feel better about the three projects I have due next week.

My group met up during class yesterday and we all immediately jumped to work. Natalie and Tristan came over to my place to discuss the script and secure the location. Unfortunately, our homeboy Vice Chancellor Whitfield hasn't responded to email about using the locker room as our film set. None of us seem to be worried or stressed about this project at all, which is nice. I am extremely grateful that all of our schedules are relatively open this weekend. This is great news for someone who is creating a film schedule. We are all working together, yet separately in our own positions. I am not entirely concerned about having enough time to complete all of these projects, but it is simply just a natural response for me to be stressed, constantly thinking about something at all times. Last night I texted Tristan around two in the morning with a comment about the script. It seemed stagnant and we would need a motivation for the camera to move, as it did in The Graduate. My brain might explode. I need more wine. Or to go for a run. I just need to learn how to breathe deeply.

Dave Grohlling my eyes over here

I have listened to every single fucking Foo Fighters' song trying to get inspired to do this project. I am not at all satisfied with what I just exported. It was most definitely a learning experience. I should have done more planning, more pre-production, even some storyboards. To create the perfect one-minute portrait of someone requires just as much research and effort as writing a lengthy biography. I wish I had more time to get to know James, but unfortunately I will be finding the nearest bridge and promptly jumping off of it after I post this blog. I'm sure he is a great boy. Full of promise and aspirations. I can only hope that he is not disturbed by the arhythmic monstrosity I have created in his image. Dearest James, I do hope you see that I was trying to find similarities in your movements but then realized I hadn't blinked in nearly 7 hours so I may have digressed...a little...eventually I started trying to tell a fictional story about how you might be haunted by that statue of a boy with that still, dead look in his eyes. And then I made you sort of walk into the game...like....the guitar was your gun...I'm going to be the only person who can draw those similarities. Everyone else will most definitely mention how repetitive it is. But here's the thing, Planet Earth. People are repetitive. We follow the same boring old routine every day so that this repugnant society can function-- feasting on the lives of middle and lower class heroes. What the hell am I saying. Go to bed, Corinne. Anyways, I discovered that this assignment required more preparation than I anticipated. I will vow, from this day forward, to never proceed into a project (at least one that has a deadline that somehow catches up to you like Michael Meyers in all of those Halloween movies. I mean those girls are running at a full sprint and he is casually strolling. How long are his strides?!) without having some kind of visualization in mind beforehand. Thank you. Goodnight and good luck.

Bring the Beet in

Editing to music/rhythm is something I seem to do instinctively, however this assignment presents a new challenge in that I must create a rhythm to which I must edit the footage I have collected on my own. While we are given a pattern, I think feel that the rhythm will come from the content of the footage itself. I am excited to work with James, although he claims he is rather boring. There is something peculiar, something extraordinary about every person and I am determined to crack him! I have a way of being so abrasively open with people that they have no choice but to reciprocate some amount of weirdness. I look forward to getting to know James. He seems like a cool dude who just doesn't understand how unique his mundane routine is yet. I'm sure it wont be that difficult to find the rhythm. My main concern is not to make it too repetitive or try to rely too much on music. So I am currently pondering the process: should I edit the footage first, then find music that fits well? Should I go off of his music suggestions to get a rhythm in my head before editing? Should I include any "nondiegetic" music at all even if it is a song that he believes perfectly defines him? Should I simply make music out of the assigned frame pattern and video I shoot? This is what I will be deliberating until we film tomorrow during class time. My other main concern is that he will be filming me in my element: on a couch, watching Netflix, painting, and drinking inexpensive wines I like to pretend I know something about-- the wine being the biggest concern. I don't want to get too comfortable on the couch, too invested in an episode of whatever show I am shamelessly binge-watching, too buzzed off of a few glasses of wine (I'm assuming he'll need some retakes and...well...I don't want to waste anything). I am not, however, concerned at all about the portrait it may paint of me. I am what I am, not a helpless drunk, but a confused, twenty-two year old who is in love with her boyfriend's apartment because it is currently not occupied by him or anyone. I take solace in being alone, independent, and I hope that is what ultimately translates through his footage. I suppose that is something I will have to communicate to him, though. Yikes.

Titles and Loglines

Film 3: Image-less Film

        Bright 

        -- The symphony of warmth and light embark on a journey from the shore into the mysterious, ominous depths of the ocean. Turning over to face the sun through the kaleidoscope of ultra-violet rays as they reflect on the surface above, light radiates and consumes the soul in an ethereal chorus of under-water sirens. 

Film 4: Under-the-Camera Animation

        Mr. Samsa's Big Day Off

        -- (Inspired by the seminal novella of Franz Kafka) A lonely man contemplates the dreary, urban landscape from his windowsill as he suddenly transforms into a repulsive insect and must now adjust to his new life as a faceless, nameless invertebrate. 

My weekend with Mr. Samsa

Working with Paul and Viet was a refreshing experience. They are both creative, calm, and can put up with my obnoxiously meticulous attention to detail while making sure I am focused on the tasks at hand. I am truly proud of the animation we created. It is easy to get excited about a project when all of the members are on the same page about the concept, are equally enthusiastic about said concept, and have similar, yet unique creative visions that compliment each other well. This weekend went by so smoothly when we finally got to work. I can attribute this to our ability to communicate effectively both before and during the animation process. If it weren't for developing a coherent plan during preproduction, we may have been a little flustered by all of the work we had ahead of us. However, we developed more detailed storyboards, plans for transitions, and efficient work spaces for all of us to contribute equally and effectively to each scene. I feel so fortunate to have worked with these two men, especially on a project that is (aside from the story-inspiration and the 8mm projector sound) entirely our own, right down to the faintest noises of our soundscape. I am still taken aback by our work flow-- the animation and sound took less than a day to complete and I don't feel as though any of the quality or creativity was compromised. Due to some limitations with our equipment, we did have to change somethings: we didn't end up using gauche paints on glass, nor did we under-light the sand or charcoal. However, I do applaud our ability to think outside the box-- it just may have been a little too far out to accomplish in such a short time frame, but it is not something I wouldn't like to try in the future. This process was tedious, but fun. I am insanely gratified by the end result. This is definitely a kind of filmmaking I can see myself getting into as a hobby, or even a profession-- even if it is kind of old-school, I appreciate the intimacy and immediacy of this kind of creation. It allowed for so much more of ourselves-- our energy and personalities-- to be embedded within the animation, reflecting our cohesiveness in the final product. I am so excited to show this to the class. And to anyone, really. I haven't stopped talking about it all weekend!

The Trifecta

Two heads are better than one; three is a party. I am extremely excited to dive into this project after my group met to set up our materials. We have decided to try all of the art forms of this assignment and layer them. We discussed how to effectively create our own manual video transitions as well. I believe each of us will be playing to our strengths so that this animation-- although it is a pseudo-literary adaptation-- will be representative of us as a team and how we function as a unit, as well as how our individual personalities and skills. When Paul, Viet, and I sat on Viet's couch, The Mind of a Chef playing in the background, we became completely immersed in the creation. The excitement was palpable. I almost began feeling frustrated because we weren't working on it already. Usually, when someone is trying to talk to me and a TV is on in the background, the light emitted by the moving images dances in my peripheral vision, and my mind will wander away from the repetitive, self-indulgent words of the person directly in front of me-- like a moth drawn to a flame in order to escape the mundane bleakness of its own dark life. Rather, I was fully engrossed and I felt that was the general consensus among my fellow group members. While we are all excited to see how our animation will come to life, I will try to keep us from getting too attached to the end result-- too preoccupied with how perfect the image is and how well it illustrates the writings of Kafka (mostly because this isn't intended to be a direct interpretation of The Metamorphosis of Mr. Samsa, just what I remember imagining as I read it several years ago). We can not stray from the mystery and growth that is found in the process of creating an animation-- creating anything, really. I also must be wary of letting this excitement overwhelm us and persuade us to bite off way more than we can chew, as that can be incredibly stressful the closer we move toward the project deadline. I have decided to assume the position of moderator so that we will not become disheartened by all of the possibilities of animation, in order to work more cohesively and efficiently while still creating something to be proud of.

I wanted so badly to manipulate the sand with my hands but felt like Rock Biter with my large fingers clumsily moving too many grains at a time. Sand is elegant, yet even the small nail of my pinky finger can not perform such a minute task, thereby distracting from the grace of the art form. Gauche paint and vegetable oil, what a wonderful combination. Tiny bubbles trapped in time, smeared to create the illusion of motion across the glass, frozen, still, but not lacking in potential. Yesterday was enlightening in that I realized I have all of the resources to make an animation film, it is just a matter of setting aside time to actually create. I have been so transfixed by perfecting still images on canvas; I have forgotten the most important part of creation-- the process! Animation is merely documenting the process of motion: the fleeting moments in a batt of an eyelash, the quiver of a lip, the slow bend of a finger at the knuckle as it taps anxiously on one's knee-- these instances and voluntary movements we all take for granted, we all perform without noticing. Animation allows us to methodically and strategically create film while thwarting our own tendency to ignore the details. In this way, studying the microcosms of action also enhances our ability and desire to create sound from that motion-- the displacement of the airwaves we will no longer overlook.