Final Reflection

Through the duration of this class I have learned more about the history of experimental films and about experimental filmmakers. I have also learned to "loosen up" and experiment more with my work. This class has gone along well with the 332 Interactive Media class and with my ART 111 class. My drawing class has helped me to loosen my grip on being a perfectionist and has helped me to incorporate that into my films for 302. While Interactive Media has helped me to understand more of the aspects talked about in our 302 class and I was able to relate things to another. I think that I've grown as a filmmaker in a couple of ways. One obviously being how I am experimenting with new ideas and ways of creating my work. During my self portrait I used different methods I had not used before and I think they turned out really well. I know I will be using some of the techniques again in future projects. I have also grown in the aspect of deciding what I want to do once in the business. When I first started the film major I wasn't quite sure where I wanted to end up. I thought maybe cinematography or editing for television shows. As I learned more about sound I became interested in that as well. Recently however, I have thought more about working with music videos. From a young age I have loved watching them. I have also been thinking about how I love watching edited clips from television shows I watch and how artists create rhythmic edits. I know that I would love to work with television but I could also see myself venture into the music industry working on music videos. In previous courses I was not able to experience other crew positions but being able to do so in this class has also helped me grow and to realize the potential I have in other positions.

Self Portrait Reflection

I started out with an idea for my self portrait that I thought could really express who I am. However I came across some challenges that made it that my idea wouldn't come to completion. I found some songs that I thought would fit me but I couldn't get them to fit the time window we were given so I was looking for a while on something that fit two minutes and also fit me. I wanted to be able to do a rhythmic edit in which the images would occasionally change where the beat of the music did. I did complete this in parts of my portrait which I am pretty happy with. Although there are small areas if given the time I would like to fix. Another problem I encountered was not having a tripod. A decent amount of the shots were not stable. The tripod would have also helped me in filming more of my art work and processes. This also would have helped when filming myself. The person I used to help film me never uses cameras and is not technically advanced, which made the process very difficult. I did however take some footage Natalie filmed of me over the summer with my camera. This was not my original plan but seeing as how I didn't have the time to film more and I needed the footage to edit, I combined the two and I think it worked. One particular instance I enjoyed how it turned out would be the moment where the waves are crashing and turns into me diving into the pool with the water splashing. Overall, with the time I had I think it turned out alright. If I did have more time I think I could have gone more with my original plan and it would have expressed myself better and I would personally enjoy it more.

Cucalorus Experience

The first event I attended was Dance-a-lorus. This particular event was an interesting way to start my experience at Cucalorus. This was my first year attending this festival and I was not sure what to expect. Dance-a-lorus started out by reminding me of my days as a dancer and having my recitals at similar stages. I even got to see one of my old school friends perform in one of the dances. Some of the dances I felt could have used more emotion but the rest provoked tons of emotion. For example, Pulse. When I saw the name in the flyer I just assumed it meant a heart pulse. I was reminded of the Pulse Room of which I did my Media Analysis on in Interactive Media. However, when the particular dance started you heard and saw the news reporting of the Pulse Nightclub. The dance provided viewers with a sense of being there during the shooting and the aftermath. Pulse ended the night in a strong, thought provoking way, leaving me speechless. As this was my first event that I attended, I was ready to explore more of what Cucalorus had to offer. Unfortunately, Cucalorus and my swim meet happened to be scheduled on the same weekend so I was rushing to get my events in so that I would make my meet on Saturday and Sunday. I decided to go to some of the feature screenings in Thalian Hall. One of my favorites that I saw was, Women Who Kill. I got to see this film with Lauren and being with a fellow student and filmmaker added to my experience. Unlike Dance-a-lorus, where I went alone, I was able to express my thoughts with Lauren about the film. We were also able to meet up with some other people like Mike, Brian, and Stan to see the following film: She's Allergic to Cats. This film reminded all of us of Holy Motors, leaving all of us confused and slightly disturbed. Each event I went to were all different and had a particular impression on me. I definitely want to go to Cucalorus again next year and hopefully I will be able to attend for more days and for more events.

Photo: Mini-Assignment

Self portrait ideas

Just like I am about some things in life, I'm still a little bit unsure about what I want for my self portrait. I went around and ask some family and friends about what they thought when they think of me. Some of them didn't quite grasp the concept but they still gave me some words that I could use in a different manner.

Here are some of the words that came up:
Organized
Money
Travel
Culturally Immersed
Beautiful
Respectful
Considerate
Patient
Kind
Creative
Artistic
Gentle touch
Swimming
Photography
Television
Individual

One thing that I was hoping to do was a double exposure. This would be interesting to do for me one, being as I have never done it before but I love the way that it looks in other people's work. I also think it would be a good thing for me to do because of who I am. I will show one side of me to everyone but very few people know the real me. In one of the exposures I would have myself in the shot and in the other I would have things that portrayed me. I really like the idea of doing something with my art supplies and having ink flowing or even having my GoPro under the water and looking up as one of the background exposures. Another thing I would love to do is have the exposure of me start out either darker or out of focus and then as the film goes on it gradually gets lighter and more in focus. This would be representing the past couple of years for me, seeing as how I went through a really rough patch and I was unsure about practically everything but now I'm finding my way and I'm seeing things I haven't seen in a long time.

Cucalorus Plan

The five events I'm planning on attending are:

Dance-A-Lorus
Fare
Women Who Kill
She's Allergic to Cats
Dark Night

There are other events I would love to attend but because I have a swim meet the 12th and 13th of November I have to plan ahead and work around my schedule.

Music Video Producer/Costumes/Makeup

For the music video assignment I have been assigned the roles of producer, costume designer, and makeup artist. As far as being a costume designer and makeup artist I am not surprised people recommended me for the job seeing as how I have a background in studio art and how I have done the roles before on other projects. However I have never done the role of producer. As I have heard, producers are the ones that secure the shooting location, determine the budget, helps set up the shoot schedule, and overall talks to the crew to decide what works best for everyone. It seems to be a very logistical position, one of which I believe I will feel comfortable in once I get the hang of it. Personally, I like to follow things by a guide and get everything completed on time. Timing to me is extremely important and I can't stand for something to be late. Most of the time I am usually well organized with multiple calendars filled with events. As producer, I will be able to set up a schedule that will accommodate most everyones needs. A problem that has occurred too often among my previous projects. I would also like to make sure that we have everything we need in terms of props, costumes, and other equipment. This will deal quite a bit with budgeting and seeing how we are all broke college students, the budget will have to be on the lower side. This however, does not mean we can't be creative and come up with a better solution.

Art House

One thing that I have always loved is experiencing a film with a small group of friends. It is something I value, similar to how the author says that there is a cultural value to microcinema. Microcinema, is in my mind similar to tradition because sure you may not get to see or experience them all the time but it is something to keep alive and to share with other people. It's kind of like saying that every film student has seen Citizen Kane due to the fact that it is a classic. Microcinema is a classic tradition that I think should stay alive.

Assignment 1c

While I have shot on film before, this was a different experience. I'm use to working with my mother's Minolta Maxxum and neither of us had use for a light meter. I have also taken a photography course a couple of summers ago through Hoggard High School where we got to process our own film in their darkroom. The class was a great way for me to further my abilities but yet again we did not work with light meters. I think that if the course would have been over a longer period of time then we could have explored the idea of light meters rather than just the film itself. I loved working with the Pentax once I got a feel for the camera and for the light meter. I believe that I have a Pentax somewhere at home that I was given as a gift from a teacher and have been wanting to use that and the Holga she gave me for some time. After working on this project I have had the inspiration to want to go buy some film and once the weather has let up go and explore with those cameras. I think that I feel the same way about film that my mother did. Where film is a unique process and it gives you a surreal experience. The only thing I hope to work with one day is shooting a film on film stock. I have worked on destroying film stock in the 6x1 class but I feel that if your actually shooting something on that camera there will be another feeling or experience that is different to everything else that I have mentioned above. Overall, working on this project and shooting with the film was a great way to explore and expand my creativity and has given me more ideas for the future.

Light observation #3

One of the final things I noticed while shooting light was that we had to constantly rework the light meter to make sure we had the right numbers. Some of the shots were in direct sunlight and the light meter had a more difficult time getting the right numbers for these shots. It was a constant thing due to the fact that the clouds kept covering and uncovering the sun. We also had to adjust the light meter in cases where there was not enough light in the shot. We had to make sure there was a certain amount of light that fit into the frame and helped the light meter.

Light observation #2

Another thing I noticed while shooting was the difference between indoor and outdoor lighting. We were constantly changing locations and you could tell not only from the change of air conditioning but the color of the lighting. When outside the light was warmer and brighter. Whereas when we were inside the lighting had more of a green or blue tint to it and was much cooler than outside. This makes a difference on the object we are shooting and a difference on the how we have to set the camera up. Each environment has a different effect on the light meter.

Light observation #1

One of the first things I noticed was the weather. At first it seemed like it was going to rain because of the overcast, but the day turned out nice. Our outside lighting, however was constantly changing. For one of my final photos we had to adjust the light meter and camera accordingly seeing as the object I was shooting was being directly hit by the sun. Whereas one of my other photos was seemingly more in the shadows. The clouds over head were constantly changing and hiding the sun which made the lighting a tad more difficult. You ended up having to wait for the sun to come back out and take the shot before it disappeared again.

Assignment 1b

For this assignment, I went in thinking it could not be any worse than another project I had to do over summer that was fairly similar. Both my partner and I had no experience in sound design with no clue what to do. The project took a turn south when my partner would not listen to me and rejected the fact that we weren't meeting the requirements for the project. I ended up having to make changes on it myself and hearing ours with the rest of the soundscapes I was worried for my grade and how people would see how I worked. However, this project turned out a lot better. I thought that to do this project we would have to warp or change the sound itself in some sort of way. As I have never taken a sound design course I have limited ability regarding sound so I was hoping to gain some experience. I also had a much better group of people to work with, who also happened to have experience and sound design. At the beginning of summer I didn't realize what all was put into the sound aspect of a film. Now, however I see how important is in aspects to the whole and how many layers of sounds can make a difference. For our soundscape most of it consisted of layers of different sounds. The main thing we changed was the speed and the breaks of silence. This made me realize you don't have to alter much for the sounds to make you see an image. It was really cool when we were working on it because I kept imagining this man marching through the snow at night, in the rain going towards a cabin. Like the Poe feel we talked about in class but I was also brought back to wilderness films such as the Revenant and White Fang.

The Absolute Film

Absolute film exists for the sake of the art. There is no particular story that is being told. However, to get the achieved look filmmakers wanted many had to paint on the frames themselves. They had to physically change the film stock to their liking with a variety of methods. It is extremely similar to the 6x1 class I took over the summer which reminded me of animation and how they have to draw the story frame by frame. The article also talks about how the filmmakers used music and live performance to engage their audience in their film. Reminding me once again of how important sound really is in regards to a film.

Jonas Meekas

Natalie did an excellent job talking about Jonas Meekas. I liked learning that once he arrived in New York he was "handed" a camera and from there he began experimenting with a Bolex 16mm. My mom was a photographer so from a young age I was handed a camera and I got to learn different ways of shooting things I liked so it was interesting to see how he experimented. I loved the idea that his films were "snapshots" of life. It was a great perspective to see and looking back I can see that ideal in some of my own work. Whether that be photography, studio art, or film. The film clips really allowed us to see what kind of things he was was really about. For example how used a handheld camera and used mellow colors. For me post editing is something to do, so when she said that he did his editing on the camera I was a little taken back. However, every artist has their own methods. What surprised me the most was probably the fact that Meekas influenced Andy Warhol. As a long time art student I mostly studied his pop art paintings. So it was a different side of him that I was exposed to do that I had not been exposed to otherwise.

Synesthesia and Cymatics

Recently I have seen/heard about synesthesia a lot. I saw a video online of a girl who paints music and they turn out really good. (Video below) I have also been learning about it as an art minor. I find it really cool when my classes intermix and what I'm learning goes together. Just the other day I go to mention synesthesia in my physical anthropology class, allowing it mix in even more with my studies. As an artist I love to see how people see things differently than I do and what different styles come out of it. Watching Melissa's video made me want to see what the other synesthete are doing with this condition. Talking about how much I've seen of synesthesia lately, I have also recently seen a video going around about an artist using cymatics and the result are just as beautiful. It also made me want to find more examples involving music. Another interesting video I found shows different kinds of materials used for cymatics. It is also posted below. Possibly one of my favorites was the use of light around 3:34. You are able to see the levels of the audio almost clearly , while looking visually stunning and appealing to the eye.

Recording Experience

For project 1a I worked with Ashley and Danet. We started out at Wrightsville beach to get a couple of ambient sounds and sound effects. Since I was holding the shotgun mike without the boom pole some people gave us some weird looks. For obvious reasons though, who carries around a thing that looks like a dead cat? While walking down the beach we even had a guy seem to follow us with his phone. Not quite sure on that one. After getting some pretty decent sounds at the beach we headed towards Mayfaire and spent most of our time recording in Barnes and Noble and Michaels. We had a pretty fun time finding noises in Michaels while trying not to get too distracted. Lastly we stopped by Coldstone where we got a pretty awesome human voice from one of the workers as well as some ambient noise.

Bela Balazs

I was recently told that sound was as important as image was in a film. At first I found this difficult to believe but after recording sound and learning more about it, my perspective has changed. I've learned to focus my hearing while watching a film and have noted the different layers of sound added. The lack of sound was particularly important in tense scenes as stated by Balazs;"then suddenly cuts out all sound and brings it up to us in isolated close­up, then the physiognomy of that object takes on a significance and tension that seems to provoke and invite the event which is to follow." I never would have realized before the importance of these scenes and why the filmmakers make the decision to remove sound but now I see the impact that it has on one's audience. What an impact sound has in general on an audience.

Sound Observation #2

The cars rush by. Sometimes I think they don’t see this place. The water drains through the pipes leading to someplace else. The geese honk as they waddle by in their groups. Have I mentioned that they can be evil? Well they can and so can swans. The crickets start to chirp the longer I’m out here. I don’t hear the cars as much any more seeing as the sun has disappeared. A plane roars overhead as it approaches the airport. Security lights hum as they start to flicker on. Cars and doors are locking as people head inside for the night. Maybe it’s time I should head back.

Sound Observation #1

The wind is making the grass whistle allowing the leaves to blow away. The rustle of the leaves is followed by the high-pitched barks of the dog. Bark after bark after bark. Once it calms down I’m able to hear the birds chirping and the squirrels rummaging through the birdseed. Thieves. They think they’re slick when they hop from tree to tree but I see you. I hear you. The kids next door are laughing as they chase each other around in their yard. Screaming in joy as they play in their tree house. It makes me reminisce my childhood. I miss those carefree days. 

Fred Camper

According to Fred Caper there are six things that categorize experimental film. He talks about how experimental film is usually created by a small amount of people with a minimal budget that is done with a great amount of passion. How it doesn't usually have a linear story and makes use of materials such as scratching, painting, or cutting. One of the first experimental films I saw was Meshes of the Afternoon and Un Chien Andalou. With no prior knowledge of experimental I assumed that there was no particular meaning of what was placed in an experimental, that they were constantly changing. However, after taking the 6x1 film class I learned how so much is put into making an experimental. I got to experience scratching film and the longing to finish painting a series of images on the film. It was then I realized how much is really put into these works and that they aren't just some images thrown together.

Maya Deren

Maya Deren characterizes amateur filmmaking from the Latin meaning of "lover." Meaning that an amateur is someone who does something because they love doing it and for no other reason. While a professionals work is to explain plots or to display a specific person on screen. I think her view on the amateur and the professional are quite reliable and come from the truth. I think both have their pros and cons, while it is incredible to pursue creating your vision by your own rule sometimes it is nice to be rewarded (paid) for your work. When working amateur you are able to control what is seen by viewers and make it as accurate to your vision as you wish. Professional however, can be changed from the vision and many people would comment on this. Although professionally you could gain experiences in fields that could help you on your own work and could help you with a career. Both amateur and professional are important in the field of filmmaking and one would not be the way it is without the other.

Artist Bio

I'm Kyndall Green and I've been living in Wilmington since 2007 when my family moved from the D.C. area. Along with a film major I am pursuing a studio art minor. You could say I've always been around cameras and art supplies. My mom had a strong passion for photography and I can't remember a time she was without her camera. She would also always be doing some kind of painting or arts and crafts. When I was old enough she gave me a cheap camera for trips I would go on and I soon saw why she loved it so much. After she passed in 2010 photography helped me in multiple ways. In eleventh grade I had an English teacher who had a love for film, he and my yearbook advisor (who was also a photography lover) inspired me to look into more opportunities in a career with a camera. Hence the film major. Unlike most of the majors I meet I prefer watching television shows. Some of which made me say that this is the thing I want to do with the rest of my life.