From Arthouse to Microcinema

The conclusion of this article summed up my thoughts while reading the article: that what is one the "fringe" will eventually become mainstream. Though I was thinking a bit further into the notion that people value the arts. And art, or at least an artist, can become popular in the mainstream. But being in the mainstream makes it seem like it's somehow less valuable of an art. At what point does something stop being art? It could be argued that even mainstream cinema produced with the intention of making a profit is art. So why distinguish a theater by whether or not they show "art"? Having said that, I think it is important that independent filmmakers have places for their work to be shown and that there is value in having smaller crowds. To have a place to discuss what you just watched with a small group, complete strangers or not, can be such a valuable experience. It gives you a chance to hear other's perspectives and think more critically about what you just saw beyond whether you thought it was "good". That's my favorite part of my classes here at UNCW, but that experience shouldn't be limited to a classroom.

Presentations: Harry Smith and Maya Deren

Harry Smith:

He seems like a fascinating character. His painted film is absolutely incredible. To have that much detail on such a small canvas is truly impressive. I've always wanted to try painting on a film strip. I've always enjoyed the tactile sensation of painting, and I want the opportunity to use more celluloid. It certainly wouldn't be as detailed as Smith's work, but it's such a beautiful blend of artistic mediums.

Maya Deren:

I loved her focus on the movement of the human body. I've studied anatomy and a minuscule amount of kinesiology, and it is fascinating to see what the human body is capable of. Exploring that in an artistic and surreal way led to some truly beautiful films. Consequently this work exemplifies what film is capable of doing that other mediums are not - capturing movement - which goes to show how much she really utilized the medium.

Light Observations

1: Sharky's

The light source is fluorescent bulbs on the ceiling. The nook with the video game televisions has shadow on the top half of the wall with a soft boundary between the shadow and light. The shadow behind the television sets has crisper edges. The side of the room with the pool tables is brighter than the nook. The only shadows I can see are below the pool and ping-pong tables, and around the televisions on that side of the room. This shadows are softer with blurry edges. The hanging lamps above the pool tables have stripes of bright reflections from the lights above.

2: Living Room at Night

The light sources are orange fairy lights and the glow of the television. The warmth of the the fairy lights contrasts with the cool light of the television screen. The orange light leaves a slight reflection on the leather couch. The television's glow bounces off if the Halloween garland around the TV stand. The shadows are quite faint due to the lack of brightness from the lights. I can see soft shadows of the couch and a box under the coffee table, as well as the TV on the wall behind it. The space enclosed by the desk and the wall is nebulously shadowed with no specific shapes. Looking through the window shades I can see hints of the street lights shining through.

Soundscape 1B

This assignment gave me a whole new appreciation for sound. I know that sound communicates different important messages in film, but I haven't tried to tell a story or communicate a mood with just sound. I was concerned about the soundscape sounding like it had a narrative arc. I think we successfully avoided that but I'm honestly not sure. I had also never really played around with effects for sound in Premiere. It was fun to play around sounds in a way I hadn't before. It got me excited for the possibilities for future projects.