Cornell [ref] Movie

Discuss Walk Movie. Process? Assumptions? Considerations? Approach?

posted by Tony Brock on February 16, 2007 | comments: 6 | post a comment

Things that I'm considering right now:

Don't limit yourself to the computer. See what real lights do. Look at the richness and subtleties of filters, movement, light, form that you can find around you. They are often much more complex, interesting, and unpredictable. If you need to, you can always try to emulate that afterward.

For the assignment in relation to Cornell, I became interested in the the static image in space, set building, play with visual planes staged in depth, and three-dimensional elements organized to be viewed from a frontal or two dimensional composition.

I started originally making a box in maya to explore set building, visual planes and the illustrated image, but it was taking too long to actually build it in order to explore any further than it's design. I think it was still helpful though and I'll probably continue to work on it.



Posted by keyframe on February 16, 2007 07:57 AM

1) process: none - no steps, just standing still, waiting for light to change and look around

2) assumptions: many - doesn't the way we look at things an assumption of how we should look at that thing in the first place?

3) considerations: i enjoyed the freedom in this project. it was easy after i started looking for compositions within defined areas... very broad.

i could literally just stay in my studio space and find millions of things to look at.
light is everywhere, did you ever notice that?
everything is beautiful, never noticed until i took the time to look.

that is what i got interested in... all of the patterns light can create. and how these patterns change and create sublte complexities.
the sun light that hits the blue carpet in my studio - that hits that wooden door and transforms it into something close to gold - reflections of reflections of reflections of reflections... - the beauty in old rusty heaters - shadows of trees over my posters on the wall, my mac, my markers, architectural drawings...

this class from now on could just be about time+space+light

4) approach: to be honest, i don't know what i did. i just filmed a whole bunch of stuff i liked and played around with it. dare i say experiment? ;)

it's helpful to have your camera with you at all times!



Posted by 123 on February 16, 2007 06:20 PM

I started this assignment with more of the appreciation for the still image in Cornell's work. The first thing I wanted to do was to create my own world that was based on a collection of still images that had a forced juxtaposition on a surface, but begged for comparison.

This then took me to interpret how this would translate to film. My original idea was to think about how these still images change in a 30 second time span...with only subtle changes in camera movement, light, environment. I then began to think about what if I filmed the still object for an extended period to time and compressed the footage to show changes faster. Then seeing how these very different studies compare.



Posted by matte.black on February 20, 2007 04:06 PM

I think I turned a corner.

I spent a lot of time thinking about the thing itself. What to make?

I drew out designs. I explained them to friends. They looked puzzled. Back to the drawing board. If I can't tell the story, then what is the story?

I had to shoot movies to go with it. Not having a proper video camera, I used my iSight. I shot video. I played it back on the computer, and then shot video of the computer screen. It was pixelated so I went back and shot it again, this time with a piece of plastic wrap stretched over the lens, and smeared with Vaseline (this is an old trick). Now, I am getting peaceful, abstract shapes.

At some point on Sunday I realized that I think I may have it. I don't even need to make the thing itself now. The pieces themselves are enough.

I am the cowardly lion, in the dark forest -- "I DO believe in form, I DO believe in form".

--hal

ps today: The flowing plastic lava (with sound effects) - wonderful. The transcendentally deliciousness of simple time, light, travel. It took me there.



Posted by general malarky on February 20, 2007 08:07 PM

Shadows and Light

What we see here What we see here
Light dims through time but we can feel
The elemental traces of what was
and our mind fills in the gaps
The camera only works because of us
We complete the circuit
Shadows and Light exist without us
Which is why they are beautiful



Posted by general malarky on February 21, 2007 08:19 AM

it has been hard for me to think about this cornell thing without thinking of stop motion animation. he appropriated imagery to create a new construction, so i keep thinking that is the thing to do. but since that was my first impulse i am also tending to shy away from it.
also this constructed image thing. i don't know how to work with that. my process with video has been to avoid contruct. or to just shoot at things i like and then edit to construct. maybe that's what i'll have to do.
i have thought of something other than stop motion animation to do finally, thanks to another influence, michel gondry. i hope all of you will see his work sometime. he does music videos for bjork and the white stripes. he did that lego video for fell in love with a girl.



Posted by dptrentl on February 22, 2007 07:57 PM