Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Stan Brackage Response

This weeks reading was fairly interesting. I felt Stan's writing is sometimes to fluffy and abstract, and it often took me away from the reading and turned me to try and interpret his thoughts. His insight is very interesting. The information here helped present me with new ways of making films. Although I am not one to be the most comfortable with experimental techniques, I am always fascinated by the processing of capture pictures on photosensitive material. Therefore, the reading was very good because Stan was able to present new ways of using old techniques. I felt some of the information was redundant. This was a beginner's guide for someone who hasn't worked with film, I've worked a lot with film, but I still read it and thought he put it eloquently. I am really excited to do this in-camera exposure of small objects. I had never thought that I could do it this way. I also want to work more with salts and getting them to crystalize on film. Film is organic, so why shouldn't organic things be placed on them. Again, I like the readings but Stan Brackhage was too airy in his writing, it seemed self conscious, but ultimately, I think his films are self-conscious so they do reflect the artist. I want to further these experiments and see what new things we can do with these techniques. 

Friday, January 9, 2009

Scratch Film Junkies Response

Verbatim: "I really liked this. I liked how the image played in tandum with the sound, and the inclusion of found footage with the painted film was great. The music was hypnotic, and because the image was working with the sound, not against, it immersed me. I most enjoyed the veritcal lines that appeared in the middle of the piece. The lines would multiply as they were introduced from the sides. That was creative. The titles, with the film perforations, is a creative approach. Finally, I liked the end that reminds the viewer, "This doesn't mean a thing."