This is no problem. Most of my projects are started 48 hours from the deadline anyway. This class isn't special. I'm talking papers, groupwork. Everything. Horrible idea most of the time. I just can't help it yet.
ANYWAYS, I think this will be really fun, I'm glad its right after everything else I have to do is due so I won't have to worry about anything. I plan on using Wayne Moss in mine since he used me in his.
Capture methods. I think I'll combine. I like the scanner idea. I don't know if anyone is going to let me borrow and play around with theirs though. Can I borrow yours? Anyone? Andre? I would like to see what kind of abstract image I can get, or at least less representational, less a image with a unique texture but more a unique form all together. maybe? Something to do with the scanning light going across slowly. Blurring and whatnot.
But I don't want to do just that. I'll probably use some cellphone or still camera (w/ video) footage for more straightforward sequences. I have no idea what this will be yet though. How can I without the mystery prop eh?
The zoetrope idea is fun, but I don't know how I would do it for a whole minute unless it was huge. I could possibly incorporate it into the vid and just tape it, perhaps a zoom in from the spinning thing to the moving image in the slits. Might be too much to do though.
I'm interested in doing everything with this. The scanner is appealing because of its novelty obviously, and the lack of a forseeable event/assignment in my future where I'll be able to try that again. Same for the zoetrope. But if any of that falls through this will be a fun event just to make any kind of video I want without the constraints of an assignment or a group assignment. The fact that we can use stil cameras with video is nice because it encourages experimentation, but we can pretty much do anything. It's less of a constraint than a licence for us not to have to check out cameras or have it look clean or "good" or whatever. Low budget, makeshift and fun.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Hell Yes Men
These guys. THESE GUYS. I can't believe how silly their pranks were. The gold suit in particular. Such an epic burn by such silly boys. I can't believe all the time and effort that went into such a silly affair. What a debacle? I mean, was the WTO embarrassed? I wish they'd have shown reactions of the organization, press releases and whatnot. The gold suit was hilarious looking. Did they believe that the WTO was being serious? I remember they looked kind of blank. Surprised, but not outraged, excited or anything. I can't believe (nor would I have believed) that that was a legitimate proposal by legitimate (not fraudulent representatives). But maybe they did. Their lack of boos, the peremptory attention paid the presentation, the Jadedness? How could that insanity not been more stimulating if not in approval than anger. That kind of acceptance, the detached, emotionless ennui, the shy perception of a norm? That's the sad fact. The joke is less on the WTO in some ways as it is on the people who would listen to them. Presumably respectably, powerful, their opinions are probably more valuable than most, but their presence is pliant, flaccid complicit. Maybe the yes men were being ridiculous, I think they looked like obvious impostors. Blank demeanors were an unsettling reaction. Not the comic anger or wholehearted ironic approval. Just "whelp, uh huh. Hm." Weird. Creepy. Unsettling.
It is inspiring to know what these people do, because it is so alternative to traditional paths that are so marked by precedent and connotation and whatnot. These people work in a truly rare field, and they live off of it right? Thats daunting and inspiring. They really are out on the slimmest limb, out for that hard to reach acorn. The more I hear about idiosyncratic careers and lifestyles I feel less alone, less compelled to take the prescribed routes of success. So many voices will try to direct, but ultimately I think I'm the one that will know what to do because what to do is what I want to do. It's hard to completely detach expectations of others from your behaviour. It's hard to detach it even in little bits. But in a lot of ways being true to yourself, "following your heart" all these cliches make sense. How to be happy? Go where you want to go, do what you want to do? These make sense. What doesn't is an expectation to be a type or to be a certain idol. Even the filmmaker label is a deceiver. The lines may cross other fields and in drawing them you know what you are doing, but having the label is having an imposing boundary, a confusing boundary.
I wish that I had learned to think about the future in terms of what next and what would you like to do later, instead of do this now and what do you want to be later. Being is not something that just happens. You have to do. By wishing on a "be" I have ignored the process of getting there. I have ignored the do. I just assume based on intellect, on pride, that I'll "be" the image of myself that is best. And then when I can't see how that will happen, my image of me is that of a hollow slouch, not an imposter but a daydreamer, incapable of output. Only input. But that's negative thinking. But negative thinking to me is really a process of finding a positive stream of behavior. You can't avoid conflict caused by misunderstanding, and understanding comes from yourself, and I am young with plenty of time, and It serves no goal to fear failure. Good things come to those who do. Passion Passion Passion. I need some time, infinite unstressed time, to get passionate.
It is inspiring to know what these people do, because it is so alternative to traditional paths that are so marked by precedent and connotation and whatnot. These people work in a truly rare field, and they live off of it right? Thats daunting and inspiring. They really are out on the slimmest limb, out for that hard to reach acorn. The more I hear about idiosyncratic careers and lifestyles I feel less alone, less compelled to take the prescribed routes of success. So many voices will try to direct, but ultimately I think I'm the one that will know what to do because what to do is what I want to do. It's hard to completely detach expectations of others from your behaviour. It's hard to detach it even in little bits. But in a lot of ways being true to yourself, "following your heart" all these cliches make sense. How to be happy? Go where you want to go, do what you want to do? These make sense. What doesn't is an expectation to be a type or to be a certain idol. Even the filmmaker label is a deceiver. The lines may cross other fields and in drawing them you know what you are doing, but having the label is having an imposing boundary, a confusing boundary.
I wish that I had learned to think about the future in terms of what next and what would you like to do later, instead of do this now and what do you want to be later. Being is not something that just happens. You have to do. By wishing on a "be" I have ignored the process of getting there. I have ignored the do. I just assume based on intellect, on pride, that I'll "be" the image of myself that is best. And then when I can't see how that will happen, my image of me is that of a hollow slouch, not an imposter but a daydreamer, incapable of output. Only input. But that's negative thinking. But negative thinking to me is really a process of finding a positive stream of behavior. You can't avoid conflict caused by misunderstanding, and understanding comes from yourself, and I am young with plenty of time, and It serves no goal to fear failure. Good things come to those who do. Passion Passion Passion. I need some time, infinite unstressed time, to get passionate.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Molotov Man
I read a book called Accelerando in a science fiction class with nick laudadio a few semesters ago. From a literary standpoint I can't say that it was that great. But the ideas were amazing. It was such good sci fi. The shock was in the revelation of the future, but it was special from other sci fi because it seemed just around the corner. It started in the 2010s with very realistic advancements: headset computer's that followed eye movement as input etc. Then it started getting exponentially more intense yet it merely followed our current rate of computer advancement based on more's law. It was mind blowing how different things could become as computers gain the bandwidth and power to replicate minds. The point of all this is that at the rate of change that we are all so used to I think it is completely plausible that copyright is going to completely change or go away. Well, that wasn't such a big point. Maybe I can connect this better in the next paragraph.
Copyright is designed to protect creative endeavor, but it merely protects creative endeavor as a means to make money.(?) The wording needs to be changed in the law because it's clear that there are examples on both sides of the fence that are convincing. No, noone should be able to claim your work as their own and noone should be able to make money from it without restitution, but then again appropriation is necessary to take account of. A conundrum. There are caveats about artistic appropriation education etc, but it doesn't seem to stick. Lawsuits still seem to happen over infuriating things. The molotov man for instance....
I started this thinking I was just going to rant against copyright but now I'm seeing both sides. I guess Susan M@%(^(*&^ has some good points. But... I don't know, my original idea was that if it isn't enforceable, if things are changing more and more and you can just have music vs. paying for it (yay piracy), then old ideas about ownership can just be left behind. But thats very utopian and naive and whatnot. Anybody SHOULD be able to do anything they want and anything they find and anybody can, but then there is an imaginary public sphere with imaginary laws that paper and lawyers define and give the right to cops and whatnot to use force to enforce. Duh, silly rant subject, I'm not enlightenment philosopher with a wig. But that's were my personal take on politics stems from, utopian ideas from reading a lot of orwell and huxley and whatnot, therefore my ideas arent very practical. But I can still download illegally. I am the change I want to see in the world.
thepiratebay.org is a great website where you can download illegally. The great thing is it's not illegal in Sweden, where the website's creators live. They don't care! Sweden is a wierd bastion of freedom. I don't know how they get away with being so awesome. On thepiratebay.org they have letters between them and american (and other) companies trying to sue for copyright infringement. The responses are hilarious for the insolent, arrogant, outright rudeness, the complete disregard for the corporate lawyer's perceived authority, their fatuous expectation of fear and powerlessness. They don't realize the boundaries of their imaginary laws. You can do whatever you want. Hail Satan.
I think I used to write more coherently. I haven't had to write a paper in a while and I think I might fail the upcoming one I have to do. Fuck.
Copyright is designed to protect creative endeavor, but it merely protects creative endeavor as a means to make money.(?) The wording needs to be changed in the law because it's clear that there are examples on both sides of the fence that are convincing. No, noone should be able to claim your work as their own and noone should be able to make money from it without restitution, but then again appropriation is necessary to take account of. A conundrum. There are caveats about artistic appropriation education etc, but it doesn't seem to stick. Lawsuits still seem to happen over infuriating things. The molotov man for instance....
I started this thinking I was just going to rant against copyright but now I'm seeing both sides. I guess Susan M@%(^(*&^ has some good points. But... I don't know, my original idea was that if it isn't enforceable, if things are changing more and more and you can just have music vs. paying for it (yay piracy), then old ideas about ownership can just be left behind. But thats very utopian and naive and whatnot. Anybody SHOULD be able to do anything they want and anything they find and anybody can, but then there is an imaginary public sphere with imaginary laws that paper and lawyers define and give the right to cops and whatnot to use force to enforce. Duh, silly rant subject, I'm not enlightenment philosopher with a wig. But that's were my personal take on politics stems from, utopian ideas from reading a lot of orwell and huxley and whatnot, therefore my ideas arent very practical. But I can still download illegally. I am the change I want to see in the world.
thepiratebay.org is a great website where you can download illegally. The great thing is it's not illegal in Sweden, where the website's creators live. They don't care! Sweden is a wierd bastion of freedom. I don't know how they get away with being so awesome. On thepiratebay.org they have letters between them and american (and other) companies trying to sue for copyright infringement. The responses are hilarious for the insolent, arrogant, outright rudeness, the complete disregard for the corporate lawyer's perceived authority, their fatuous expectation of fear and powerlessness. They don't realize the boundaries of their imaginary laws. You can do whatever you want. Hail Satan.
I think I used to write more coherently. I haven't had to write a paper in a while and I think I might fail the upcoming one I have to do. Fuck.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The part about the damn germans making everysong perfect; but it wasn't. They thought their form was precise, but they had no steez. They were a bunch of chumps in reality. Form is nothing, style is everything. I mean, that applies to everything right? right? right? right? yes. I like this article because it presents my central assertion that bullshit like "how you do something" really doesn't matter. The content isn't the planning or the architecture etcetera and whatnot. It's the subject, the costume, the mise en scene, the drunk guy being ridiculous. Technicality schmecnicality. That's why jackass was successful. Cinematography is great, but an out of focus picture of a celebrity titty will still sell for $200,000. A celebrity titty on film is literally probably worth it's weight in finely cut daimonds (speculative guess only).
All this jazz about theater is very anarcho-punk which is a great genre, if universally dismissed. I mean, yeah, the revolution would be brilliant. I'm not revolutionary enough to be constantly mad at capitalism, but just imagine how sweet would non capitalism be. Meritocracy? Artocracy? Youtube, the internet, torrents, myspace. fossils of a prefree age. We are in the dark ages as far as I'm concerned; I believe in a free future, creation being currency. When I say believe in I don't necessarily mean a literal certainty of a specific future, but a positive thinking hope, a best case scenario, better than reality and whatnot. (six hundred words is too much. Nah it's alright.) Anyways, I completely relate to this guy. He get's to the root of things. Pressure and money tell you to focus on the right angles, the specific measurements, the technicalities. And to me they are technicalities. It's arrogant, but I mean, like, might as well right? I always want to be the guy with the ideas, the guy in the denim jumpsuit, grossing people out, shaking his massive junk, calling the shots. That's my life. This is: Jamie Bibo.
All this jazz about theater is very anarcho-punk which is a great genre, if universally dismissed. I mean, yeah, the revolution would be brilliant. I'm not revolutionary enough to be constantly mad at capitalism, but just imagine how sweet would non capitalism be. Meritocracy? Artocracy? Youtube, the internet, torrents, myspace. fossils of a prefree age. We are in the dark ages as far as I'm concerned; I believe in a free future, creation being currency. When I say believe in I don't necessarily mean a literal certainty of a specific future, but a positive thinking hope, a best case scenario, better than reality and whatnot. (six hundred words is too much. Nah it's alright.) Anyways, I completely relate to this guy. He get's to the root of things. Pressure and money tell you to focus on the right angles, the specific measurements, the technicalities. And to me they are technicalities. It's arrogant, but I mean, like, might as well right? I always want to be the guy with the ideas, the guy in the denim jumpsuit, grossing people out, shaking his massive junk, calling the shots. That's my life. This is: Jamie Bibo.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
One Shot
I found this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zRy7PWfcGw&feature=related) video and was inspired for the one shot some what. Well, this vid relies heavily on editing, but I really liked the slow motion run, and the girl in the rain. It was very simple, but it looked great.
I'm not sure exactly what I want to do for the one shot though. I think setting is important. I know of a good series of dirt hills on campus, how far can we go? Setting and costuming can make any cheap venture look so much better. If you have a great camera, great lighting etc anywhere can look good, but a good place and a good character, with interesting color, gesture, framing etc, can make up for the shittiest of equipment technically. I think that format is not nearly as significant as content, and that's why youtube is so beautiful.
I think that crystal castles, the aforementioned band, is great in a lot of ways because of the synthesis of their image and their sound. They use recycled sounds from video games, and have an aesthetic of cheap microsoft paint cutting. Their image is of techno ease, a child clumsily using windows 95 to create what his peers use crayons for.
Anyways, that was just building up to the conclusion that even a "low grade" format like youtube (and super 8) or has its charms. Not even that relevant to the one shot. I do hope we can do slo mo tho.
Also important to the one shot is motion obviously. I hope we spend a significant amount of time on choreography, and I hope that the camera motions will be good. More specifically, I hope there is motion on all planes, and all/a lot of angles explored in one shot.
I think a motion study, like muybridge or lumiere shorts, would be interesting. That would be a good reason to have all sorts of angles. Skateboarding and running would be good, or gymnastics. Or dancing. Everyone can dance. I think there should be a focal figure, but maybe the focus changes as partners move around.. I really want to do slow motion. There could be background figures that come in and out of frame. I could wear my denim jumpsuit. I have hats for everyone.
We need to be sure of the camera movements, that the framing stays engaging, that the composition is dynamic and fluid, etc, and that it doesn’t just look silly. I love silly, but you have to take it seriously.
If it’s black and white…. Color isn’t important? But we could still play with the CHIAROSCURO. That’s a noun right?
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, in conclusion:
Slow motion is the best thing ever,
Rain would be cool.
Costumes make all the difference (and I am the costume king)
Gestural performance makes all the difference
Rehearsed and planned framing in a moving shot makes all the difference (i. e. Fear and loathing)
Crystal Castles are a rad band
Format Sh’moremat
I think we should use as many one pieces as possible, get a kind of unity. I can borrow a blue one from OLIVERMELLAN.COM and maybe those gold rollerskates as well.
A narrative line might also be nice as well. I’m in this class experimental and animation, and a narrative here or there would be a willing change. Sometimes I feel a bit disoriented with a complete lack of form or shape for so long. Abstract is great, but I can’t handle it exclusively. Some sort of relay would be a simple thing to play with without dialog. Wouldn’t be too complicated, could be interesting.
I'm not sure exactly what I want to do for the one shot though. I think setting is important. I know of a good series of dirt hills on campus, how far can we go? Setting and costuming can make any cheap venture look so much better. If you have a great camera, great lighting etc anywhere can look good, but a good place and a good character, with interesting color, gesture, framing etc, can make up for the shittiest of equipment technically. I think that format is not nearly as significant as content, and that's why youtube is so beautiful.
I think that crystal castles, the aforementioned band, is great in a lot of ways because of the synthesis of their image and their sound. They use recycled sounds from video games, and have an aesthetic of cheap microsoft paint cutting. Their image is of techno ease, a child clumsily using windows 95 to create what his peers use crayons for.
Anyways, that was just building up to the conclusion that even a "low grade" format like youtube (and super 8) or has its charms. Not even that relevant to the one shot. I do hope we can do slo mo tho.
Also important to the one shot is motion obviously. I hope we spend a significant amount of time on choreography, and I hope that the camera motions will be good. More specifically, I hope there is motion on all planes, and all/a lot of angles explored in one shot.
I think a motion study, like muybridge or lumiere shorts, would be interesting. That would be a good reason to have all sorts of angles. Skateboarding and running would be good, or gymnastics. Or dancing. Everyone can dance. I think there should be a focal figure, but maybe the focus changes as partners move around.. I really want to do slow motion. There could be background figures that come in and out of frame. I could wear my denim jumpsuit. I have hats for everyone.
We need to be sure of the camera movements, that the framing stays engaging, that the composition is dynamic and fluid, etc, and that it doesn’t just look silly. I love silly, but you have to take it seriously.
If it’s black and white…. Color isn’t important? But we could still play with the CHIAROSCURO. That’s a noun right?
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, in conclusion:
Slow motion is the best thing ever,
Rain would be cool.
Costumes make all the difference (and I am the costume king)
Gestural performance makes all the difference
Rehearsed and planned framing in a moving shot makes all the difference (i. e. Fear and loathing)
Crystal Castles are a rad band
Format Sh’moremat
I think we should use as many one pieces as possible, get a kind of unity. I can borrow a blue one from OLIVERMELLAN.COM and maybe those gold rollerskates as well.
A narrative line might also be nice as well. I’m in this class experimental and animation, and a narrative here or there would be a willing change. Sometimes I feel a bit disoriented with a complete lack of form or shape for so long. Abstract is great, but I can’t handle it exclusively. Some sort of relay would be a simple thing to play with without dialog. Wouldn’t be too complicated, could be interesting.
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