Woa-hu-hoaw... long time no speak.
Now, it has indeed been a while since I last had one of those intense sessions of life evaluation. And you know what? I like that.
Reason why however, whether good or bad to the minds of yourself, is that I've made a neccessary mental cage, where my mind locked and my thoughts are my own. Sometimes my torture chamber, but most of the time my haven, as I can finally make those calm remarks upon myself.
With a Gap Year underway, it truly is an Express Rail to independence, and so it should be. I'm 19 now, and I trace back my years of 'adolescent development' finding the missing blank - me. I tried alot to make the great impression of others, going through the school years in battle, fighting over what personality should rule me:
The, "I'm ___ ________ , and what?"
Or the, "Your own, personal Jesus."
And in the end, I realised that a great sense of independence was lost, with a dollop of drama on top. Following to what sounded best to the rest, rather than sprinting down my own alley of ambition.
Right now, I feel confident. I feel stronger, faster, wiser, but most importantly, human. I liked by the stone-cold robotic for the benefit of the "Mess with him, you're dead" attitude everyone got, but my, oh my, did it leave me feeling emotionally troubled.
Hell, I was! But good thing now I can look at that old self and say:
"Don't you worry my young.. You've travelled far and hard, walked the line and sailed that ship, and you're 3 years closer to that island, that cloud, that castle. And I'm gonna take your weight for a while, and keep running hard until we meet again, just to say I'm proud, and it's been an honour to be your future."
I guess what I'm tying to say, is that this is a time for change. For all. To some degree, to some dramatic. But just remember, all that horror, and pain, and misery, that you carry at the back of your head will be nothing by a piece of ice, a piece of ice to your statue. And since it's already melting; why not make the water drip sweet instead?
This is a time to make yourself proud, and sometimes you may need to be a tad selfish to leap that dark, empty hole; but aslong as you haven't dropped anyone down there, you can't go wrong.
It's wise to be selfish with responsibility; that's independence.
It's sad to be selfish at other's expense; that's self-centered.
To sway blame on the world to excuse yourself; that's foolish.
Get on with whatever you wanted to do, and make it your own. Take the reigns and charge your horses to glory to claim the prize, but share your pride with them. As for if they didn't run for you, you'd still be in the barn.
Tuesday 17 November 2009
Saturday 22 August 2009
A Truce of True Words
"I'm sorry, my King, but it seems I must leave. My grace has fallen and I must travel on my path to seek it. I plan on a return but the paths are twisted and I do not know how much time will pass. My liege, I give you my dagger, for while I'm away I need someone to protect my back. You are the only one I trust with that. With my life."
These words are what matter most to me right now in life. Words have never pierced me so strong before. Origional or not, the words' love burnt to the deepest of my heart, scarred in blood and locked with warmth; these are words that I shall never forget, as they're more a part of me than any hair, any freckle, any scar, and any bone. A tattoo to my heart; an ink to my tear.
No Shakespeare play, nor no nightmare, will have me so embraced in both romance and fear. I stand here, breaching tears, swearing ever no harder that the night with my friend, together on a street step, had me more overthrown than any fairy tale, any poem, any song, or any love story; and that if Romeo and Juliet were to have seen us, they two would have gripped tight in sweet sorrow.
"I can wait for you, My Queen. As I hold the words of thy lover and friend, to the darkest part of my heart, that you will come running back to one's Kingdom - Our Kingdom. Our castle, land, sea and sky. For now I promise you trust, trust in that you will fly, high or low, and soar until you find your lost crown. I will still be holding one's dagger. I'll still be holding your heart. I can wait for you, My Queen."
Sunday 26 April 2009
They Call Me Beast
And here's why, baby...
This examination project began with the decision upon brief question ‘Fictional Film Character’, with the interest of being able to participate and contribute to the industry of creative design within film and advertisement. Working directly from the brief proved difficult, as my exact understanding of how I could interpret and respond through a work path was vague. I found that trying to work by the brief’s exact words was uncomfortable and doubting in producing a strong body of work. Therefore, I analysed the question’s description, and broke it down to it’s most fundamental elements: Fiction, Film, and Characters. From this I made observation of what methods have been used to combine the three successfully, looking at promotional film material like posters, websites, and DVD content. Studying there designs, it came apparent (just like the brief’s description stated) that it is the characters/subject/objects in a film that promote it best, and the way in which audiences can recognize and com accustomed to specific/particular fragments of a motion picture. I came across the Watchmen website, which is dedicated to the movie, including trailers, images, character profiles, and additional exclusive information - all things that make the audience feel like they know they film a little better, like they are further in touch with it; a part of it even. Being a Watchmen fan, I couldn’t help but take notice and study the visual aspects of both the website and the film (which I had watched not 2 weeks before the project’s start), and comparing them to the likes of the 1980’s comics and graphic novels. I was interested in the shift and transaction of character representations between the paper and screen works, as the characters of the story were true icons in their own right - but this is 20 years ago, so wondered about how they will be depicted, portrayed and embodied.
From this, it was clear that my heart and mind lied in the exploration of Watchmen and it’s aesthetic values, with two eras over 20 years about, hoping to be able to improve my understanding of these things:
- The historic development of illustration and imaging within the realms of comics and films
- The importance and effectiveness of both the graphic novel and film’s visually constructed forms
- The ways in which anyone can create the jump/development of communication within the chosen area
I set myself brief, adapted to my chosen subject, which still compliments the Exam question’s information. I chose to try and create my own material for Watchman, to attempt and bridge the gap between the book and film - a pre-movie/post-novel design style. This would be a webpage design, one which brings the two audiences together, a form of equilibrium for fans of both the literal and cinematic kinds.
My journey begun with a brief look into promotional material to help promote a film, all in the website scene. Websites that were effective in creating anticipation and awareness for all to follow, a form of tease to the eyes of film-goers and the general public. My first ever find was the campaign-associated I Believe In Harvey Dent, a website dedicated to the character, with a cynical twist. Illustration and typography work of a sinister nature covered parts of the pages, where a seemingly legitimate profile on Batman character Harvey Dent has been created, tying in to the (at the time) upcoming movie The Dark Knight, where Dent runs as leader for Gotham City. All of the unfit, over laying scribbles of “HA” and smiley faces are constructed to have been in the style of classic Batman villain The Joker, creating ultimate suspense and attention from audiences as mystery lied within the website’s connection with the film. The fact that it was a more vintage style of illustration work motivated me to work in similar lines with my dedication to Watchmen, and bring visuals of the past to the modern world and study it’s effectiveness in complimenting the film (of course, it’s the comic that started it all, so the film must follow the story’s initial themes and elements, both in narrative and cinematography).
I began with making a brief study of the film’s visuals, from both movie trailers and the website’s promotional material. From here, I then made an intense and thorough observation of the two decade old graphic novel, and how the imaging and character depiction has developed/change for a more cinematic-appeal era; the jump from then to now. My practical work begun with taking particular pictures and scenes from the book, and investigate the variation and range of modification the illustrations could take via Photoshop (a tool which is highly credited for it’s power in the film industry for CGI and Special Effects).
My fixed intention was to try and bring the comic illustrations to a more appealing fashion for a more modern time - drag it up through the years and see how well it could fit in the pool of comics and animation from the later years of 1990 onwards. After various styles, experimenting with the power of colour and lighting (two key things in the comic book world, ultimate tools in character association), I came to the conclusion that in order to create mystery towards such a recognizable graphic work, it would be that the removal of colour would encourage the hidden identities of the characters - working in an exact opposite manner to how the makers of the Watchmen movie, website and even the book’s illustrator Dave Gibbons and colourist John Higgins, who have all used colour to their advantage in making each character as visually iconic and memorable as possible. Working in contrast to this, I favoured the likes of Film Noir, with the conventional use of silhouettes, darkness and greyscale/black & white nature to emphasize mystery within stories of crime investigations, murders and other dark/tragic events - all things that are in the Watchmen story, the focus drive even.
After much work on reviving the illustrations, I applied the use of image fragmentation and distortion to play with the clarity of characters and scenes, as it was in my best interest to only tease the viewer, the give away the story. This was all part of the exploration and discovering in ‘how much is too much’ in the world of hysteria in revival advertising.
Taking all of this into great consideration, and collecting all my pieces of work together, I then moved onto the designing of what my final piece was intended to be from the start: A teaser-page that does not show any answers or immediate information, leaving audiences dazed, questioned and unfulfilled - they are the ones who are wanting more from me, even without certainty to what they have initially found and viewed.
In order to keep in both reference and relation to the actual/official Watchmen website, it was needed for there to be colour, but of course this first came as a confliction with the greyscale illustration work, and so options were made and considered, to prevent there being a problem with the combination of a Film Noir/comic illustration hybrid and a colour coded webpage. Reflecting back on the beginning of the project, I was reminded and assured that there is a colour code to Watchmen, which isn’t exactly unique. With Edward Blake’s smiley face badge as (if there is one) an iconic figure, character and symbol to the story, it is the yellow and black combination that has been repetitively used in picture scenes, the comic and film’s title typography, and even characters Sally and Laurie Jupiter, also know as Silk Spectre’s I and II. And with this, it was made certain that if anything, this was the colour code, and one that would not give away the work like a red and yellow ‘S’ would for Superman (this is where the research points of Superman: The Complete History and Frank Miller’s Sin City books The Hard Goodbye and Hell And Back came I into play, studying their generic uses and independent rules of colour association) . I wanted to make sure that there was no (seemingly) significant jump from my webpage design (speaking in the sense that mine is intended to have existed first, to be deleted and followed by the official website later on and closer to the release of other promotional material such as posters and movie trailers) and the real website, so I made great observations on the existing designs, with professional experimentation on the elements of layout; and from here I worked closer towards my design.
The piece itself is intended to be in the style of a mysterious, slightly dark setting, with a fairly intruding feel, like the viewers are peeving in on something, with that ‘something’ being a pile of fragmented pieces of the historic comic, collected together like how a classic detective would pile up evidence and clues in a case or study (which is what both the project and Watchmen is - the revealing of events, all noted in drive-character Rorschach’s journal). The layered style was heavily influenced by www.IBelieveInHarveyDent.com’s overlaying illustration work as it hides particular words and important parts to Harvey Dent’s campaign in Gotham City, to help oppose the likes of The Joker. And so by having the collected and worked images piled on top of each other, with dimmed and slightly sleazy lighting making a dirty shine on some of the cuttings, it boarders impossible for audiences to see all and make definite of what lies on the page, bordered and held back (in reference to the context of Watchmen’s long sitting as a book alone, urged to have come closer to life through cinematic medium) by the same bold yellow strip that is used in the actual website.
Both my final piece and entire project are intense, progressive and coherent. If there were any future intentions, it would be to further expand the project, working on a greater time scale and more web designs, to fulfil my thought of having multiple WebPages that arrive and replace each other time; so just like what I done here with filling the gap between the comic and film, I would make developed designs to help smoothen the transaction made between my final piece design here and the website, gradually revealing more Watchmen material for further audience tease, greater awareness and stronger anticipation.
_____________________________
Final Piece goes here WeHey! http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmo-ydargo/3471150948/in/photostream/
Now have a good day people, 'cause mine's bangin'! The Magical Legend of the Leprachauns, film!
...in the intellectual sense. Cor, talk about frustrated!
A Level Graphic Design : Exam Project : Evaluation
This examination project began with the decision upon brief question ‘Fictional Film Character’, with the interest of being able to participate and contribute to the industry of creative design within film and advertisement. Working directly from the brief proved difficult, as my exact understanding of how I could interpret and respond through a work path was vague. I found that trying to work by the brief’s exact words was uncomfortable and doubting in producing a strong body of work. Therefore, I analysed the question’s description, and broke it down to it’s most fundamental elements: Fiction, Film, and Characters. From this I made observation of what methods have been used to combine the three successfully, looking at promotional film material like posters, websites, and DVD content. Studying there designs, it came apparent (just like the brief’s description stated) that it is the characters/subject/objects in a film that promote it best, and the way in which audiences can recognize and com accustomed to specific/particular fragments of a motion picture. I came across the Watchmen website, which is dedicated to the movie, including trailers, images, character profiles, and additional exclusive information - all things that make the audience feel like they know they film a little better, like they are further in touch with it; a part of it even. Being a Watchmen fan, I couldn’t help but take notice and study the visual aspects of both the website and the film (which I had watched not 2 weeks before the project’s start), and comparing them to the likes of the 1980’s comics and graphic novels. I was interested in the shift and transaction of character representations between the paper and screen works, as the characters of the story were true icons in their own right - but this is 20 years ago, so wondered about how they will be depicted, portrayed and embodied.
From this, it was clear that my heart and mind lied in the exploration of Watchmen and it’s aesthetic values, with two eras over 20 years about, hoping to be able to improve my understanding of these things:
- The historic development of illustration and imaging within the realms of comics and films
- The importance and effectiveness of both the graphic novel and film’s visually constructed forms
- The ways in which anyone can create the jump/development of communication within the chosen area
I set myself brief, adapted to my chosen subject, which still compliments the Exam question’s information. I chose to try and create my own material for Watchman, to attempt and bridge the gap between the book and film - a pre-movie/post-novel design style. This would be a webpage design, one which brings the two audiences together, a form of equilibrium for fans of both the literal and cinematic kinds.
My journey begun with a brief look into promotional material to help promote a film, all in the website scene. Websites that were effective in creating anticipation and awareness for all to follow, a form of tease to the eyes of film-goers and the general public. My first ever find was the campaign-associated I Believe In Harvey Dent, a website dedicated to the character, with a cynical twist. Illustration and typography work of a sinister nature covered parts of the pages, where a seemingly legitimate profile on Batman character Harvey Dent has been created, tying in to the (at the time) upcoming movie The Dark Knight, where Dent runs as leader for Gotham City. All of the unfit, over laying scribbles of “HA” and smiley faces are constructed to have been in the style of classic Batman villain The Joker, creating ultimate suspense and attention from audiences as mystery lied within the website’s connection with the film. The fact that it was a more vintage style of illustration work motivated me to work in similar lines with my dedication to Watchmen, and bring visuals of the past to the modern world and study it’s effectiveness in complimenting the film (of course, it’s the comic that started it all, so the film must follow the story’s initial themes and elements, both in narrative and cinematography).
I began with making a brief study of the film’s visuals, from both movie trailers and the website’s promotional material. From here, I then made an intense and thorough observation of the two decade old graphic novel, and how the imaging and character depiction has developed/change for a more cinematic-appeal era; the jump from then to now. My practical work begun with taking particular pictures and scenes from the book, and investigate the variation and range of modification the illustrations could take via Photoshop (a tool which is highly credited for it’s power in the film industry for CGI and Special Effects).
My fixed intention was to try and bring the comic illustrations to a more appealing fashion for a more modern time - drag it up through the years and see how well it could fit in the pool of comics and animation from the later years of 1990 onwards. After various styles, experimenting with the power of colour and lighting (two key things in the comic book world, ultimate tools in character association), I came to the conclusion that in order to create mystery towards such a recognizable graphic work, it would be that the removal of colour would encourage the hidden identities of the characters - working in an exact opposite manner to how the makers of the Watchmen movie, website and even the book’s illustrator Dave Gibbons and colourist John Higgins, who have all used colour to their advantage in making each character as visually iconic and memorable as possible. Working in contrast to this, I favoured the likes of Film Noir, with the conventional use of silhouettes, darkness and greyscale/black & white nature to emphasize mystery within stories of crime investigations, murders and other dark/tragic events - all things that are in the Watchmen story, the focus drive even.
After much work on reviving the illustrations, I applied the use of image fragmentation and distortion to play with the clarity of characters and scenes, as it was in my best interest to only tease the viewer, the give away the story. This was all part of the exploration and discovering in ‘how much is too much’ in the world of hysteria in revival advertising.
Taking all of this into great consideration, and collecting all my pieces of work together, I then moved onto the designing of what my final piece was intended to be from the start: A teaser-page that does not show any answers or immediate information, leaving audiences dazed, questioned and unfulfilled - they are the ones who are wanting more from me, even without certainty to what they have initially found and viewed.
In order to keep in both reference and relation to the actual/official Watchmen website, it was needed for there to be colour, but of course this first came as a confliction with the greyscale illustration work, and so options were made and considered, to prevent there being a problem with the combination of a Film Noir/comic illustration hybrid and a colour coded webpage. Reflecting back on the beginning of the project, I was reminded and assured that there is a colour code to Watchmen, which isn’t exactly unique. With Edward Blake’s smiley face badge as (if there is one) an iconic figure, character and symbol to the story, it is the yellow and black combination that has been repetitively used in picture scenes, the comic and film’s title typography, and even characters Sally and Laurie Jupiter, also know as Silk Spectre’s I and II. And with this, it was made certain that if anything, this was the colour code, and one that would not give away the work like a red and yellow ‘S’ would for Superman (this is where the research points of Superman: The Complete History and Frank Miller’s Sin City books The Hard Goodbye and Hell And Back came I into play, studying their generic uses and independent rules of colour association) . I wanted to make sure that there was no (seemingly) significant jump from my webpage design (speaking in the sense that mine is intended to have existed first, to be deleted and followed by the official website later on and closer to the release of other promotional material such as posters and movie trailers) and the real website, so I made great observations on the existing designs, with professional experimentation on the elements of layout; and from here I worked closer towards my design.
The piece itself is intended to be in the style of a mysterious, slightly dark setting, with a fairly intruding feel, like the viewers are peeving in on something, with that ‘something’ being a pile of fragmented pieces of the historic comic, collected together like how a classic detective would pile up evidence and clues in a case or study (which is what both the project and Watchmen is - the revealing of events, all noted in drive-character Rorschach’s journal). The layered style was heavily influenced by www.IBelieveInHarveyDent.com’s overlaying illustration work as it hides particular words and important parts to Harvey Dent’s campaign in Gotham City, to help oppose the likes of The Joker. And so by having the collected and worked images piled on top of each other, with dimmed and slightly sleazy lighting making a dirty shine on some of the cuttings, it boarders impossible for audiences to see all and make definite of what lies on the page, bordered and held back (in reference to the context of Watchmen’s long sitting as a book alone, urged to have come closer to life through cinematic medium) by the same bold yellow strip that is used in the actual website.
Both my final piece and entire project are intense, progressive and coherent. If there were any future intentions, it would be to further expand the project, working on a greater time scale and more web designs, to fulfil my thought of having multiple WebPages that arrive and replace each other time; so just like what I done here with filling the gap between the comic and film, I would make developed designs to help smoothen the transaction made between my final piece design here and the website, gradually revealing more Watchmen material for further audience tease, greater awareness and stronger anticipation.
_____________________________
Final Piece goes here WeHey! http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmo-ydargo/3471150948/in/photostream/
Now have a good day people, 'cause mine's bangin'! The Magical Legend of the Leprachauns, film!
Hope you like BANGIN'! too.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Evaluate Everyone, Appreciate All
This is an evaluation for the short film Double Vision, from the AntiCount crew (That's JMOG and JM to you). Youtube accessability will be soon, within the year... pssht!
Andddd read.
"The entire production of this short film was thoroughly enjoyable. From the narrative structure to the cinematography, the experience of bringing a script to life has been extremely rewarding and valuable, as my understanding of film production has been further tested and further broadened. There were no major setbacks throughout, thanks to regular discussions on the film’s planning, in particular the shooting day’s schedule. The predominant intention with the filming was to shoot in order of appearance, in order to hold and show an authentic understanding of time, both in the film and it’s making. With this, shooting began at dawn and went on throughout until the afternoon, in attempt to respect and stick to reality as much as possible. Being influenced by personal experiences, my goal was to ensure that although digital editing and flash cinematography was the definitive technique, the story and message did not come across to audiences in a fictional manner, and so repetitive reflections on the work helped stay on track with effectively conveying a true yet peculiar issue. This is what governed the careful use of editing, as there was forever a desire to keep the film’s message and methods simple, making it as accessible and as understanding to viewers as possible. Of course, I wanted to show my fascination with visual irregularities like Forth Nerve Palsy and how they can affect with the mind, causing false perceptions (similar to hallucinations), which in turn resulted in the seemingly strange, but (more importantly) surreal use of various shots being layered, mixed and integrated, allowing viewers to experience the slightly confusing shots of inconclusive and non-self-explanatory visions - a realistic reflection of people who experience these daunting and troubling happenings.
The storyboard was never fixed, only the beginning and ending shots. However, the end result is not far off at all of the initial shot ideas, with only a variety of shot lengths and angles playing to any change. It could be said that there was a lack of professionalism due to the lack of equipment (only having a camera at hand), but this actually played to both mine and the editor’s advantage in creating a slightly disorientating view, with the juxtaposition of layered shots help defining the unclear nature of my previous visual default on screen. Difficulties did lie within shooting though, predominantly with the location’s public use. Pedestrians and car drivers were regularly passing by, which (when shooting) diverted attention, creating distraction, and killing the scenes’ atmosphere. This meant that persistent retakes were required in order to get shots that both excluded any visual/physical obstructions, unwanted sounds too.
This issue of public use caused great concern and difficulty for the beginning and ending shots, as there was no control of road traffic, proving very small time slots to successfully execute the driving shots. The lack of a car proved a great setback also, but this was countered with some camera work on a skateboard, with retakes to try and get the straightest boom shots, ultimately passing off the realistic views of cars. All acting participants were brilliant, as little dialogue was needed, only enough to establish the potential nature and reasoning of the central character’s condition (after all, this is about sight and perception. Sound here is more of a secondary tool to literally inform audiences, simplifying the film’s aesthetic complexities so that narrative remains clear and coherent).
The final piece pleased me truly, with there being no play with the script needed to have the film an intriguing experience for both myself and my audience. It depicts my visions and experiences with cinematic appeal, conveying perceptual understanding and social consequences."
_________________________________
Reflection on the world? Sure.
Monday 6th - Building. Manual Labour. Ace. Shoveled and lugged four tons of concrete and sand from the truck to the back garden of a house still in progress. Owners were architects, and they had some style. But for Plumstead, haha, BEAUTY! Garden work too, fence setting and patio making. Payed well for a day's workout and per-lenty of drinks and sausage rolls. Ace.
Can't remember much else... woops.
Tell much (some) more of the Easter activity soon.
15 hour Graphics exam, beginning in 12 hours...
Andddd read.
"The entire production of this short film was thoroughly enjoyable. From the narrative structure to the cinematography, the experience of bringing a script to life has been extremely rewarding and valuable, as my understanding of film production has been further tested and further broadened. There were no major setbacks throughout, thanks to regular discussions on the film’s planning, in particular the shooting day’s schedule. The predominant intention with the filming was to shoot in order of appearance, in order to hold and show an authentic understanding of time, both in the film and it’s making. With this, shooting began at dawn and went on throughout until the afternoon, in attempt to respect and stick to reality as much as possible. Being influenced by personal experiences, my goal was to ensure that although digital editing and flash cinematography was the definitive technique, the story and message did not come across to audiences in a fictional manner, and so repetitive reflections on the work helped stay on track with effectively conveying a true yet peculiar issue. This is what governed the careful use of editing, as there was forever a desire to keep the film’s message and methods simple, making it as accessible and as understanding to viewers as possible. Of course, I wanted to show my fascination with visual irregularities like Forth Nerve Palsy and how they can affect with the mind, causing false perceptions (similar to hallucinations), which in turn resulted in the seemingly strange, but (more importantly) surreal use of various shots being layered, mixed and integrated, allowing viewers to experience the slightly confusing shots of inconclusive and non-self-explanatory visions - a realistic reflection of people who experience these daunting and troubling happenings.
The storyboard was never fixed, only the beginning and ending shots. However, the end result is not far off at all of the initial shot ideas, with only a variety of shot lengths and angles playing to any change. It could be said that there was a lack of professionalism due to the lack of equipment (only having a camera at hand), but this actually played to both mine and the editor’s advantage in creating a slightly disorientating view, with the juxtaposition of layered shots help defining the unclear nature of my previous visual default on screen. Difficulties did lie within shooting though, predominantly with the location’s public use. Pedestrians and car drivers were regularly passing by, which (when shooting) diverted attention, creating distraction, and killing the scenes’ atmosphere. This meant that persistent retakes were required in order to get shots that both excluded any visual/physical obstructions, unwanted sounds too.
This issue of public use caused great concern and difficulty for the beginning and ending shots, as there was no control of road traffic, proving very small time slots to successfully execute the driving shots. The lack of a car proved a great setback also, but this was countered with some camera work on a skateboard, with retakes to try and get the straightest boom shots, ultimately passing off the realistic views of cars. All acting participants were brilliant, as little dialogue was needed, only enough to establish the potential nature and reasoning of the central character’s condition (after all, this is about sight and perception. Sound here is more of a secondary tool to literally inform audiences, simplifying the film’s aesthetic complexities so that narrative remains clear and coherent).
The final piece pleased me truly, with there being no play with the script needed to have the film an intriguing experience for both myself and my audience. It depicts my visions and experiences with cinematic appeal, conveying perceptual understanding and social consequences."
_________________________________
Reflection on the world? Sure.
Monday 6th - Building. Manual Labour. Ace. Shoveled and lugged four tons of concrete and sand from the truck to the back garden of a house still in progress. Owners were architects, and they had some style. But for Plumstead, haha, BEAUTY! Garden work too, fence setting and patio making. Payed well for a day's workout and per-lenty of drinks and sausage rolls. Ace.
Can't remember much else... woops.
Tell much (some) more of the Easter activity soon.
15 hour Graphics exam, beginning in 12 hours...
WOAH.
Wednesday 8 April 2009
Friday 3 April 2009
Without Regret - Aims, Plans, Accomplishments
- Double Vision: Cinematic Aims
Double Vision is a fiction-based surrealist piece, inspired and in reflection to a past factual personal experience of Forth Nerve Palsy. The film is fixed around the conventions and understandings of perception, with eye sight playing as the key issue, allowing audiences to engage and increase the awareness of serious, everyday visual-recognition disabilities/distractions like hallucinations and alternate sight, where the mind’s justification of reality and imagination can be left unresolved. The film piece is targeted for audiences of all ages, with both comic and serious attitudes made accessible to a variety of ages. However, this is a morally-influenced story, where in which any who suffer from some sort of sight blemish can recognize the film’s nature, with the use of 1st person views and emotionally engaged acting playing as a pair of shoes for the unaware to step into. An aspect of campaigning lies here too, so presentable purposes such as adverts or documentaries could compliment the video, and vice versa.
The film’s predominant use of image and audio layering is in direct response to avant garde short Outer Space (Peter Tscherkassky, 1999), which includes the most aesthetically perfected use of handwork. With celluloid as the key subject material, well-tamed combinations of multiple film sheets convey the exploration of “theories of subjectivity, memory and perception, as well as the aesthetic limits of the cinematographic image. Tscherkassky sculpts with time and space, rhythms and arrhythmia in a way that feels like an entirely new film space, a new language altogether” (Rhys Graham – Senses of Cinema, 2001). The way in which the visual juxtapositions of various material/imagery cause a sense of complimentary collaboration between seemingly incompatible narratives and scenes, ultimately creating a rare sight surreal-realistic living. Visuals explode into multiple directions, often simultaneously from start to finish.
The character’s possessed nature is reflected in the sheer physicality of violent flashing and image shaking, accompanied by rather dated horror-styled, optical soundtrack, overlaying the segments of silent diegetics. This all together creates a story portraying the sinister and unsettling nature of an individual lost between the realms of the natural and supernatural, demonstrated through a combination of performance art and cinematography. Micro elements like lighting and camera angles from Outer Space will be incorporated, but with a fairytale twist aspect added also. This accompanied by a small cast will help create the personally difficult and isolated nature that has been conveyed through not only Outer Space’s character, but my upbringing of distorted vision, which I hope audiences will be able to acknowledge through my short film.
Ultimately, my intention with Double Vision is to recapture, almost mimic (just like what Peter Tscherkassky done, working from Sidney J. Furie’s The Entity [1981]) Tscherkassky’s creation, but adapt it to a more modern, socially-recognized fashion. Working with both the interior and exterior settings of my house, I will be creating a contextual equilibrium between the contrasting time settings of Outer Space and Double Vision.
_________________________________
Much else?
Breaking records, losing trust at the same time.
Quad Curls: 70kg, 30r
Bench Press: 90kg, 20r
Chin-ups: (And I way...) 72kg, 27r
Tri-dips: " " ", 30r
Proud. But honestly intrigued, almost scared. I've pretty much doubled everything I could do not two weeks ago
Double Vision is a fiction-based surrealist piece, inspired and in reflection to a past factual personal experience of Forth Nerve Palsy. The film is fixed around the conventions and understandings of perception, with eye sight playing as the key issue, allowing audiences to engage and increase the awareness of serious, everyday visual-recognition disabilities/distractions like hallucinations and alternate sight, where the mind’s justification of reality and imagination can be left unresolved. The film piece is targeted for audiences of all ages, with both comic and serious attitudes made accessible to a variety of ages. However, this is a morally-influenced story, where in which any who suffer from some sort of sight blemish can recognize the film’s nature, with the use of 1st person views and emotionally engaged acting playing as a pair of shoes for the unaware to step into. An aspect of campaigning lies here too, so presentable purposes such as adverts or documentaries could compliment the video, and vice versa.
The film’s predominant use of image and audio layering is in direct response to avant garde short Outer Space (Peter Tscherkassky, 1999), which includes the most aesthetically perfected use of handwork. With celluloid as the key subject material, well-tamed combinations of multiple film sheets convey the exploration of “theories of subjectivity, memory and perception, as well as the aesthetic limits of the cinematographic image. Tscherkassky sculpts with time and space, rhythms and arrhythmia in a way that feels like an entirely new film space, a new language altogether” (Rhys Graham – Senses of Cinema, 2001). The way in which the visual juxtapositions of various material/imagery cause a sense of complimentary collaboration between seemingly incompatible narratives and scenes, ultimately creating a rare sight surreal-realistic living. Visuals explode into multiple directions, often simultaneously from start to finish.
The character’s possessed nature is reflected in the sheer physicality of violent flashing and image shaking, accompanied by rather dated horror-styled, optical soundtrack, overlaying the segments of silent diegetics. This all together creates a story portraying the sinister and unsettling nature of an individual lost between the realms of the natural and supernatural, demonstrated through a combination of performance art and cinematography. Micro elements like lighting and camera angles from Outer Space will be incorporated, but with a fairytale twist aspect added also. This accompanied by a small cast will help create the personally difficult and isolated nature that has been conveyed through not only Outer Space’s character, but my upbringing of distorted vision, which I hope audiences will be able to acknowledge through my short film.
Ultimately, my intention with Double Vision is to recapture, almost mimic (just like what Peter Tscherkassky done, working from Sidney J. Furie’s The Entity [1981]) Tscherkassky’s creation, but adapt it to a more modern, socially-recognized fashion. Working with both the interior and exterior settings of my house, I will be creating a contextual equilibrium between the contrasting time settings of Outer Space and Double Vision.
_________________________________
Much else?
Breaking records, losing trust at the same time.
Quad Curls: 70kg, 30r
Bench Press: 90kg, 20r
Chin-ups: (And I way...) 72kg, 27r
Tri-dips: " " ", 30r
Proud. But honestly intrigued, almost scared. I've pretty much doubled everything I could do not two weeks ago
- Courtesy of BKFusions...!?!
Wednesday: ICA Intro special. A public crit with fellow art students from Welling ('A Specialist Arts College', pshhht!). Soon as I get the photos and video records from the institute, I'll show you all!
Yes
Term Over
Thank Youuu
Oh, and it is now proven that my fellow bloggers are pure Singstar sillies. Dea - ry - me.
Friday 27 March 2009
5 Days, 500 Nights
- That's what it feels like trying to sleep now. Silent, dead, but splintering.
Anywho, here's the week:
- Monday:
Look over Si and Bobbie's video piece
Take Si's Graphic chair, pick her up too (with some recalls of Bobbie's mother, dearest)
Shed refurbishment - Personalised Organized Style
Modelling - Because shed floors are the way-to-go if you want a stoned back, bloody torso too.
Fragmented photography - Payback
- Tuesday:
History of Art - Keep the smart thoughts to yourself, man
Gym
A-Level Drama - Amazing
- Wednesday:
?
Late appearance to V_ ... Andee C's. "Joe, don't bother. You'd make a shit actor."
Gym - New record: Quad Curls - 70kg, 22r.
- Thursday:
Slow start...
The Piano, close study, musical influental
Gym - Relatively pointless. Made certain to lay off, courtesy of left-pec'-defeat.
Filming - Don't be a fool, be a clown. Becky's cool, and that's without the Woopass she gave Jell's.
- Friday/Today:
Back and forth between School and 'home', neither place I have much pleasure for.
King's LSFF - Shortbus (Really good, surprisingly. Worth a re-view, and a review - Neither happening soon, suckers.)
Newly Discovered Short Film/Motion Comic Phenominon - John O'Grady, Joe Murphy, and Matthew Hammond bring you - DEEE!
Anywho, here's the week:
- Monday:
Look over Si and Bobbie's video piece
Take Si's Graphic chair, pick her up too (with some recalls of Bobbie's mother, dearest)
Shed refurbishment - Personalised Organized Style
Modelling - Because shed floors are the way-to-go if you want a stoned back, bloody torso too.
Fragmented photography - Payback
- Tuesday:
History of Art - Keep the smart thoughts to yourself, man
Gym
A-Level Drama - Amazing
- Wednesday:
?
Late appearance to V_ ... Andee C's. "Joe, don't bother. You'd make a shit actor."
Gym - New record: Quad Curls - 70kg, 22r.
- Thursday:
Slow start...
The Piano, close study, musical influental
Gym - Relatively pointless. Made certain to lay off, courtesy of left-pec'-defeat.
Filming - Don't be a fool, be a clown. Becky's cool, and that's without the Woopass she gave Jell's.
- Friday/Today:
Back and forth between School and 'home', neither place I have much pleasure for.
King's LSFF - Shortbus (Really good, surprisingly. Worth a re-view, and a review - Neither happening soon, suckers.)
Newly Discovered Short Film/Motion Comic Phenominon - John O'Grady, Joe Murphy, and Matthew Hammond bring you - DEEE!
- Told you I'd do it.
YOU
GOT
DONE
!
Sunday 22 March 2009
Thank You, Always
No card is here,
no flowers either,
They’re not enough,
not one, not neither,
My love for you is too strong, too great.
The times we’ve shared,
the things we’ve done,
The times we’ve laughed,
they compare to none,
All human emotion, no fault, no hate.
the things we’ve done,
The times we’ve laughed,
they compare to none,
All human emotion, no fault, no hate.
You are the one,
you’ve kept me so high,
For every time I fell,
you gave me the sky
My guardian angel, my cherished saviour.
you’ve kept me so high,
For every time I fell,
you gave me the sky
My guardian angel, my cherished saviour.
So sweet, so generous,
Only you, I could depend on,
Pure heart, gold blood,
Without you, all lost, none won,
Best friend, my Mum, the one I do favour,
Only you, I could depend on,
Pure heart, gold blood,
Without you, all lost, none won,
Best friend, my Mum, the one I do favour,
Mother
- She cried.
Tears, dripping off her eyes lashes, falling down her face.
But I wasn't sad, I saw it was okay.
She was smiling, with tears of joy.
All my pain has washed away, as I know I made her happy.
Monday 16 March 2009
Nina-Noo's Nincumpoops
FS4 - SSR: Evaluation
"Since the beginning of this project, my initial intention was to study the likes of someone who is not that frequently used by past/present students, primarily for an ‘Auteur’ or ‘Performance’ study. I summoned Morgan Freeman; at first for an ‘Auteur’ study, although it shortly proved difficult to obtain external studies/secondary research, resulting into an adaptation better suited for the likes of ‘Performance’ studies, with ambition to understand the subject’s developed status and audience impact.
With the subject matter decided, I moved onto my focus texts - films. Starting from the intense filmography provided, I made brief observations on the pieces I am already aware and knowledgeable of, films that I felt confident in both generally talking about with personal input, and which (by fact) show the greatest qualities of my subject for a strong-studied argument. Sticking to the films I knew best of, I chose The Shawshank Redemption, Se7en, and Bruce Almighty. They each include the most recognisable and strongest traits of Freeman, in both the obvious and critical senses - his presence, power, and wisdom (all constructed and portrayed through both visual and aural practices). Having DVD access to all of these films corroborated great support in my studies, with available insights to special features and extras on Freeman’s appearances and contributions, including personally-justified statements from befriended actors and directors.
It is evident that the Internet played a strong role in my researching valuable information on Freeman, as well as performance, star, and audience studies. Beginning with biographies, the likes of www.wikipedia.com, www.imdb.com and www.rottentomatoes.com supported detailed overviews of the actor’s life and filmography. However these resources lacked specified studies on Freeman, accompanied by the occasionally unreliable and poorly justified extract from public users, disabling me from collecting vital evidence on the much finer properties of the subject. Therefore, I expanded my searches to more open queries, varying in publication date and manner. Predominantly articles found, my online searches provided me with critically coherent notes of Freeman, with brilliantly presented collaborations between personal input and facts - in turn giving me both audience responses and pre-studied arguments.
The duration of the researching was undoubtedly difficult, as the items found were incredibly rare and inadequately promoted. And from this, I moved to other materials and mediums in order to gather further information. To my dismay, there was a grave insufficiency of academic literature related to Morgan Freeman. Besides two magazine strips, which became my first rejected items, my only (but definitely appreciated) finding was Richard Dyer’s “BFI Modern Classics: Seven”, thanks to the passionate words included of Freeman himself, on his and Brad Pitt’s acting, with wise observations on performance acting as a profession - key elements, accompanied by the relationship between actor and script, actor and stage and actor and camera/audience ;thanks to his earlier works on Broadway. With all this as an inspiration point, I then moved onto recording/creating scripts from The Shawshank Redemption’s DVD extras, giving me the most marvellous remarks on Freeman, both from himself and the cast, all who thought incredibly highly of him, on and off screen. All of this researching accompanied by a Focus Group of critically-minded Freeman fans provided further supportive information in regards to Freeman’s acting abilities, with personal input towards the influential values Freeman has on the ideological aspects of his fans and audiences. In turn, my entire project became a successful investigation of my subjects key qualities, resulting in a non-biased yet well argued understanding of my subject matter, with the disciplines used and required also."
Hope that is along the lines of okay, please?
Sunday 15 March 2009
Thank You, Chansey
This is Matthew Hammond's evaluation script from back in the day for his FS4 SSR project. Nina and I confidently agreed that Matt was worth being mugged for the likes of this year (and many to come!), as for any of you writer-blocked critters may need an influentual-resource before handing your piece in for tomorrow's deadline - yikes. I am sending the script to Nina as we speak/you read, to ensure you all get your share of my man- no, our man.
"When I began my Small Scale research, I originally decided to explore Alfred Hitchcock. However, I quickly decided to look at David Fincher instead because I am an avid fan of Fincher’s work, and I wanted to discover more about Fincher as an auteur, deconstructing the style he has developed throughout his career.
After choosing David Fincher as the focus of my presentation and developing my question, I picked the films by Fincher I wanted to use. As soon as I decided on David Fincher, I knew Se7en would be my focus film; in my opinion it encapsulates Fincher’s distinctly dark visual style, and the narrative has the key themes of Fincher’s work running through it: death, the “American nightmare,” decay as art and moral turmoil. Due to Fincher’s limited filmography, I did not have a wide range of films to choose from; however, the quality of his films and the strength of his auteur signature within them made it easy to select two other films: Fight Club and Panic Room. I already had these films on DVD, which was very useful because the special features on the DVDs gave me an insight into what Fincher wanted to create and the production process of each film from his perspective.
The Internet was a very valuable tool as it provided me with a wide range of articles and critical essays on Fincher’s career, analysing his films. However, the negative side of this was the unreliability of some of these sources; because of this I restricted my focus to established, credible websites such as http://www.empireonline.com, http://www.imdb.com and http://film.guardian.co.uk which all provided me with essential information that was beneficial in constructing my presentation as they gave me background to Fincher’s career and a critical response to his films. I also was able to post a question on the Imdb forum, to gauge a response from film fans around the world. Unfortunately, I only received a few responses of varying quality, which was less than I had hoped for.
I was surprised to find a serious lack of academic books about David Fincher and his films. I only found two books: “Dark Eye: The Films of David Fincher” by James Swallow, and “BFI Modern Classics: Seven” by Richard Dyer. Unfortunately “Dark Eye…” was unavailable which was a problem; However I was able to purchase “BFI Modern Classics: Seven,” which became one of, if not my key text, because it deconstructed and analysed all the elements of Seven, from the themes to Fincher’s cinematography, especially the look of Seven which was crucial to my investigation, and it was written by Richard Dyer, a respected academic, providing me with an academic insight into the film which was reliable and incredibly informative. I managed to find many magazine articles of varying significance: the most valuable articles came from Sight and Sound magazine, especially “The Allure of Decay” article. However, the rest were less detailed and academic, but still provided me with a critical view of Fincher.
If I were able to undertake this research again, I would definitely create a questionnaire to discover what my fellow film studies students and peers thought about David Fincher’s ability to create American nightmares, and if they believe he deserves auteur status. I think that this would have been an extremely beneficial avenue of research. Apart from a questionnaire, I was very happy with the research, and most importantly the results I discovered; I have definitely learnt more about Fincher’s early years (working at ILM) and also the recurring theme of decay as art, which I was fascinated with.
David Fincher is a rare breed: an independent artist who has flourished in the Hollywood system. His name truly belongs among the great directors: Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Howard Hawks etc. He is a true “auteur” and deserves much academic and popular acclaim. "
_______
Quite much from the man, isn't it? Well why not relax a bit and admire the likes of another genius, but from from the world of Art: Richard Gray.
His illustration work is impeccable, showing the ability to present sinister and in some cases disturbing scenes through a portrayal of elegant lines and beautiful colour pallets.
No he's definately my man.
Evaluation
"When I began my Small Scale research, I originally decided to explore Alfred Hitchcock. However, I quickly decided to look at David Fincher instead because I am an avid fan of Fincher’s work, and I wanted to discover more about Fincher as an auteur, deconstructing the style he has developed throughout his career.
After choosing David Fincher as the focus of my presentation and developing my question, I picked the films by Fincher I wanted to use. As soon as I decided on David Fincher, I knew Se7en would be my focus film; in my opinion it encapsulates Fincher’s distinctly dark visual style, and the narrative has the key themes of Fincher’s work running through it: death, the “American nightmare,” decay as art and moral turmoil. Due to Fincher’s limited filmography, I did not have a wide range of films to choose from; however, the quality of his films and the strength of his auteur signature within them made it easy to select two other films: Fight Club and Panic Room. I already had these films on DVD, which was very useful because the special features on the DVDs gave me an insight into what Fincher wanted to create and the production process of each film from his perspective.
The Internet was a very valuable tool as it provided me with a wide range of articles and critical essays on Fincher’s career, analysing his films. However, the negative side of this was the unreliability of some of these sources; because of this I restricted my focus to established, credible websites such as http://www.empireonline.com, http://www.imdb.com and http://film.guardian.co.uk which all provided me with essential information that was beneficial in constructing my presentation as they gave me background to Fincher’s career and a critical response to his films. I also was able to post a question on the Imdb forum, to gauge a response from film fans around the world. Unfortunately, I only received a few responses of varying quality, which was less than I had hoped for.
I was surprised to find a serious lack of academic books about David Fincher and his films. I only found two books: “Dark Eye: The Films of David Fincher” by James Swallow, and “BFI Modern Classics: Seven” by Richard Dyer. Unfortunately “Dark Eye…” was unavailable which was a problem; However I was able to purchase “BFI Modern Classics: Seven,” which became one of, if not my key text, because it deconstructed and analysed all the elements of Seven, from the themes to Fincher’s cinematography, especially the look of Seven which was crucial to my investigation, and it was written by Richard Dyer, a respected academic, providing me with an academic insight into the film which was reliable and incredibly informative. I managed to find many magazine articles of varying significance: the most valuable articles came from Sight and Sound magazine, especially “The Allure of Decay” article. However, the rest were less detailed and academic, but still provided me with a critical view of Fincher.
If I were able to undertake this research again, I would definitely create a questionnaire to discover what my fellow film studies students and peers thought about David Fincher’s ability to create American nightmares, and if they believe he deserves auteur status. I think that this would have been an extremely beneficial avenue of research. Apart from a questionnaire, I was very happy with the research, and most importantly the results I discovered; I have definitely learnt more about Fincher’s early years (working at ILM) and also the recurring theme of decay as art, which I was fascinated with.
David Fincher is a rare breed: an independent artist who has flourished in the Hollywood system. His name truly belongs among the great directors: Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Howard Hawks etc. He is a true “auteur” and deserves much academic and popular acclaim. "
_______
Quite much from the man, isn't it? Well why not relax a bit and admire the likes of another genius, but from from the world of Art: Richard Gray.
His illustration work is impeccable, showing the ability to present sinister and in some cases disturbing scenes through a portrayal of elegant lines and beautiful colour pallets.
Wednesday 11 March 2009
I Sould Be So Lucky
Welling School is getting places, watch out-duck out.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/mar/10/homophobia-pupil-behaviour
Ian Elmslie - My tutor!
All them students - My mates!
Oh I'm hardcore.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/mar/10/homophobia-pupil-behaviour
Ian Elmslie - My tutor!
All them students - My mates!
Oh I'm hardcore.
PURE - CORE.
On a sadder note however, this year's Art&Design examination question sheets are utterly, brutally, appauling.
In the words of Graphic Desinger-come teacher Tamzin Wildey: "This is just shit."
Sunday 1 March 2009
Done&Damned
Short Film Narratives: Guesses and Potentials
--
Well there's 3 out of 5, just like I said not 6 days ago. However, it was not at the Wrong Un, Turnpike or Club Sushi that these ideas were brought to play. Not even Burger King brought the best out of me.
It's those pesty but gorgeous indulgancies you see, take years to conquer their obese ways...
This week? International Pokemon Day. Was nice. Myself and a fellow Gensanist shared my Gameboy, as we roamed through the battles of Misty, Gary, and the Golden Bridge. And don't forget, Charizard made a special appearance at the Turn' (Blastoise has hibernated, he seizes to exist...). All of this accompanied by an iscolated watch of the first ever episode, Volcanic Panic and Mewtwo's debut prescence - All. Damn. Good.
Yesterday - work. I officially want to be made redundant, believe me.
Well isn't it a good thing that the dearest made a beautiful demonstration of alcohol abuse then?
Holding Hands
This is about a man who struggles to win the losing battle of keeping in time with the world. Just like The Butterfly Effect, this about someone who desperately tries to take hold of what has caused great misfortune - the hands of time. As time constantly jumps backwards, Jake tries to fit himself back into normality. However, no matter how hard he tries to catch up with the world, it is only a matter of time that he can break the chain of eternal drag and finish the chase of horror.
-It’s all about time jumping. The story could change. But it’s all about time jumping.
Double Vision
Set in the realms of a secondary school, this film explores the juxtapositions of reality and fantasy. With an avant garde Outer Space inspired film-layering effect, we follow the lives of half a dozen people who get a form of double vision - a split between two sights, one which is of their existing surroundings, and another which is a veil, where their imagination dictates their sight. With the two (contrasting) perspectives, the layers present viewers with both a surreal and intriguing insight to what the chosen few see - both through their eyes and through their minds.Draw!
A witty and playful story. In a casual class of the norm, a bored but creative student sets the trend of bringing his illustrations of objects to life. Beginning with a picture of a pound coin, which is then screwed up into a ball and reopened, the doodle becomes reality, creating a whole new way of living for the fortunate. The film progresses through time with the gifted, following his day-to-day routines become an utter play, not too long before we discover the downfall to his trickery, with outsiders joining in turning life into a curse - of both normality and artistry.
--
Well there's 3 out of 5, just like I said not 6 days ago. However, it was not at the Wrong Un, Turnpike or Club Sushi that these ideas were brought to play. Not even Burger King brought the best out of me.
It's those pesty but gorgeous indulgancies you see, take years to conquer their obese ways...
This week? International Pokemon Day. Was nice. Myself and a fellow Gensanist shared my Gameboy, as we roamed through the battles of Misty, Gary, and the Golden Bridge. And don't forget, Charizard made a special appearance at the Turn' (Blastoise has hibernated, he seizes to exist...). All of this accompanied by an iscolated watch of the first ever episode, Volcanic Panic and Mewtwo's debut prescence - All. Damn. Good.
Yesterday - work. I officially want to be made redundant, believe me.
Well isn't it a good thing that the dearest made a beautiful demonstration of alcohol abuse then?
She fought the law.
The law won.
Memo: Animatrix was an amazing buy! £2!? Overly worth it. The visuals are nothing short of astonishing, varying in tones, colours and textures. World Record is a beautiful short, it has such an honest portrayal of the experience and feeling of sprinting.
Me wants to go running.
Me go run out window.
Me go crying for mummy.
Me wants running to hurt less.
A new commitment today... writing. Making a second attempt, the first retry in over a few years. Once there's some managed material, I'll let you nosey buggers know.
Deal? I bloody thought so.
Monday 23 February 2009
It's All About Logic
Back in the classroom makes your mind clock back into the critical thinking - questioning everything you think, what others say, and back on your own questions.
It has come to the time where the ways of short films are coming back into our lives.
OMGawd. Has it really needed to take that long for some cinematographic action to rule the time table!?
Independant study-task include:
-Bring back 5 ideas/narratives for a short film production.
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL EDUCATION.
Keeping it Hippie with some lazing around in a coffee store or pub to blabber in some potentially unworthy ideas. Perhaps Thursday evening in The Wrong Un? The place where my uncle managed come half a dozen years ago, to be made unemployed due to drinking - That's ma boy. And all of this to be followed by a celebrative session in Club Sushi with the Beloved to show a soon to be 18 a nice time. Let's make sure it's nice. Well with it being a 1940's swinging special, what could go wrong...
broken backs and sexual exploitation, as these folk oh-so brilliantly demonstrate.
[Video goes heyarh!]
And the second task?
Kicking it back in the Graphics class has allowed the few of us to get back in mental shape with the tiring, tormenting ways of sketchbook filling. Hardcore, mate.
And here's what Joey showed me, which we have (yet again) collaboratively destroyed, in our home ground of 'PC desk onlooked by teacher'.
WTFFF is that!?!
It has come to the time where the ways of short films are coming back into our lives.
OMGawd. Has it really needed to take that long for some cinematographic action to rule the time table!?
Independant study-task include:
-Bring back 5 ideas/narratives for a short film production.
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL EDUCATION.
Keeping it Hippie with some lazing around in a coffee store or pub to blabber in some potentially unworthy ideas. Perhaps Thursday evening in The Wrong Un? The place where my uncle managed come half a dozen years ago, to be made unemployed due to drinking - That's ma boy. And all of this to be followed by a celebrative session in Club Sushi with the Beloved to show a soon to be 18 a nice time. Let's make sure it's nice. Well with it being a 1940's swinging special, what could go wrong...
broken backs and sexual exploitation, as these folk oh-so brilliantly demonstrate.
[Video goes heyarh!]
And the second task?
-ESSAY. Boo you.
Kicking it back in the Graphics class has allowed the few of us to get back in mental shape with the tiring, tormenting ways of sketchbook filling. Hardcore, mate.
And here's what Joey showed me, which we have (yet again) collaboratively destroyed, in our home ground of 'PC desk onlooked by teacher'.
IRENAM versus 2012 Olympic Emblem
WTFFF is that!?!
Goes against all logic of visual communication, Graphic Design.
My optomistic thought of it trying to be the construction's site plan was utterly demolished thanks to Mr. Yellow's persistant insult-loaded machine gun. But man has he got a good point.
Still got time on your hands to chuck in the bin and continue glaring at your PC screen?
Still in Awake/Asleep mode?
Hmm?
Have a look at DEXIGNER's post. Thoughts and research on the past and present logo designs snd their effects in both the creative and corporate industries. Rather critical at first thought, but all readable nonetheless (you slothers have no excuse, "HAH."
http://www.dexigner.com/design_news/what_does_the_london_2012_olympic_logo_prove.html
Oh, and I woke up late Today. Arghhhhh.
Sunday 22 February 2009
It's All About Passion
And dam have I lost that here.
It's been well over a month, bordering two. This is what happens when your love life with the T-mobile web'n'walk drips down the drain. The world of MSN, Facebook, Blogger, Flickr - all of it, has been lost in my household thanks to horrendous horrors of the modern day service.
"Shame" do I hear you say?
And come this comes the lack of personal pickings. The day-to-day activities have almost been lost forever, as there's such little track of it all. But for the sake of mankind, let's try and check out what's gone down.
(So far in no date-dictated order...)
Saatchi Gallery - LOVE IT. I want to go to every exhibition they have, their online site is enough for utter inspiration. Free entry.
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL KICKASS
Eye Surgery - Figure the 4th Nerve Palsy. Hard work dealing with it, forcing me to pull off the work load (both at school and Wilkins'). I took my Graphics book with me to the hospital, trying to work in it the moment I woke up after the surgery, although the anaesthetic kept pushing me back to the subconcious world time and time again. A long day, a 3 hour waiting session in an iscolate sitting area, passing the time by seeing how long I could hold my breath (record at 01:50, nice). The surgeoun stated "it was successful", but that's not to my own thought. It's an improvement if anything, but never a perfection. It was an additional challenge to the current world of coursework - Film presentations, Fine Art crits, Graphic Design investigations, they all kept me very busy. Very.
ICA - Sean Snyder. Went with teachers and friends. It wasn't the greatest of exhibitions, but it certainly followed the ways of the Cost/Satisfaction ratio (entry was free, thanks to a personal invitation from one of the institute's workers), accompanied by free Budweiser. And man free Budweiser doesn't do the justice. Anywho, the exhibition, it was okay. Snyder focuses on the presentation of information through the media, predominantly on the war&terror aspects. Photographys and documentaries, it's all rather intreaging, with critical but simple deconstruction of Photo Journalism, breaking it down to all the essential "must haves" for a successful portfolio. This was all followed by a fairly cool train journey home with the beloved and the Gensaned.
...
Oh, and Ravensbourne. Have been accepted by the Foundation course, but the degree is still up for grabs. Who knows what'll happen. Either way, it has all been a harsh time with the inconclusive options of Colleges/Universities. But it's confirmed, I want Ravensbourne. Their Greenwich penninsular looks ace. I want to be a part of it. The fact their indipendant also plays extremely well, as the likes of the UAL feels all a bit too "corporate", dare I say it, like a mass organization. Time will tell, but when you have a Graphics tutor interview you on a Wednesday morning, it all feels so cool.
News Update - The Tate Britain is brilliant. Their collection of drawings is enough to knock me clockwise, no doubt. Trying to take it all in within an hour however, makes it a tad strenuous sadly. A revisit will sort that out, no problem.
Bolt 3D and Push are good, in their own ways, but share a knack for making me want to have it all. A dog and superpowers, both things that the beloved pokes me about (and visa-versa of course!).
Future intention: Get back to this. Chuck in photos when willing, and ensure atleast a weekly update.
In the world of blogging, the SKALLYWAGs shall rise again after their fall.
Why not check out our Art&Design based stuff, hmm?
www.flickr.com/jmo-ydargo <-[Myself]
www.flickr.com/lara-dee <-[Herself]
I can't deny it, she's got potential. I love working with her, sharing ideas and blabbering away - regardless of how ineffective it is in getting actual work done. In the words of us, the team, the partnership, the lovers, and the enemies: Bless your little cotton socks/heart/tart/cheeks/ears/beanie... we have alot of time on our hands; don't diss.
It's been well over a month, bordering two. This is what happens when your love life with the T-mobile web'n'walk drips down the drain. The world of MSN, Facebook, Blogger, Flickr - all of it, has been lost in my household thanks to horrendous horrors of the modern day service.
"Shame" do I hear you say?
And come this comes the lack of personal pickings. The day-to-day activities have almost been lost forever, as there's such little track of it all. But for the sake of mankind, let's try and check out what's gone down.
(So far in no date-dictated order...)
Saatchi Gallery - LOVE IT. I want to go to every exhibition they have, their online site is enough for utter inspiration. Free entry.
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL KICKASS
Eye Surgery - Figure the 4th Nerve Palsy. Hard work dealing with it, forcing me to pull off the work load (both at school and Wilkins'). I took my Graphics book with me to the hospital, trying to work in it the moment I woke up after the surgery, although the anaesthetic kept pushing me back to the subconcious world time and time again. A long day, a 3 hour waiting session in an iscolate sitting area, passing the time by seeing how long I could hold my breath (record at 01:50, nice). The surgeoun stated "it was successful", but that's not to my own thought. It's an improvement if anything, but never a perfection. It was an additional challenge to the current world of coursework - Film presentations, Fine Art crits, Graphic Design investigations, they all kept me very busy. Very.
ICA - Sean Snyder. Went with teachers and friends. It wasn't the greatest of exhibitions, but it certainly followed the ways of the Cost/Satisfaction ratio (entry was free, thanks to a personal invitation from one of the institute's workers), accompanied by free Budweiser. And man free Budweiser doesn't do the justice. Anywho, the exhibition, it was okay. Snyder focuses on the presentation of information through the media, predominantly on the war&terror aspects. Photographys and documentaries, it's all rather intreaging, with critical but simple deconstruction of Photo Journalism, breaking it down to all the essential "must haves" for a successful portfolio. This was all followed by a fairly cool train journey home with the beloved and the Gensaned.
...
Oh, and Ravensbourne. Have been accepted by the Foundation course, but the degree is still up for grabs. Who knows what'll happen. Either way, it has all been a harsh time with the inconclusive options of Colleges/Universities. But it's confirmed, I want Ravensbourne. Their Greenwich penninsular looks ace. I want to be a part of it. The fact their indipendant also plays extremely well, as the likes of the UAL feels all a bit too "corporate", dare I say it, like a mass organization. Time will tell, but when you have a Graphics tutor interview you on a Wednesday morning, it all feels so cool.
News Update - The Tate Britain is brilliant. Their collection of drawings is enough to knock me clockwise, no doubt. Trying to take it all in within an hour however, makes it a tad strenuous sadly. A revisit will sort that out, no problem.
Bolt 3D and Push are good, in their own ways, but share a knack for making me want to have it all. A dog and superpowers, both things that the beloved pokes me about (and visa-versa of course!).
Future intention: Get back to this. Chuck in photos when willing, and ensure atleast a weekly update.
In the world of blogging, the SKALLYWAGs shall rise again after their fall.
Why not check out our Art&Design based stuff, hmm?
www.flickr.com/jmo-ydargo <-[Myself]
www.flickr.com/lara-dee <-[Herself]
I can't deny it, she's got potential. I love working with her, sharing ideas and blabbering away - regardless of how ineffective it is in getting actual work done. In the words of us, the team, the partnership, the lovers, and the enemies: Bless your little cotton socks/heart/tart/cheeks/ears/beanie... we have alot of time on our hands; don't diss.
Sunday 11 January 2009
For The Oblivious
This Darren Brown Special aims to prove the efficiency of subliminal persuasion in advertising. The program follows an expriment of Brownds, as his participating subjects (both who are professionals in the advertising industry) are drove through the streets of London to a meeting point, where they are set a brief by the magician to create a brand title, subsidiary title and promotional poster for a “dead animal” shop.
Given just 30 minutes for the task, Darren instructs the subjects to work from their initial ideas
- the very first thing that comes to mind, regardless of what it is, assuring that its intended for the brief. Darren also informs that they must be open minded and to not filter whatever they come up from being included in their work.
What the subjects are oblivious to however, is that Darren has set up the task to be part of a much more valuable investigation: can Darren’s own understanding of subliminal persuasion be used to influence the guys who live by it as a career - Can a member of the audience beat the professionals at their own game?
As the program concludes with a fairly expectable, yet fascinating moral, yes.
PROGOTOWNED!
Friday 9 January 2009
For The Inspired
Beautiful quotations that I got off a fellow blogger; an amazing one at that.
You must check out her world.
It takes my soul out of my body and away from the pain.
Please, for her.
And here are the quotes. All chosen for a reason.
They help sum me up as a being,
They help me walk further in this path.
They help push me along the road,
They help me live as me.
"All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible."
-T.E. Lawrence
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall."
-Confucius
"it's the sense of touch. in any real city you walk, you know? you brush past people, people bump into you. in LA, nobody touches you. we're always behind this metal and glass. i think we miss that touch so much that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something."
-crash
Have a good weekend, and live like its your last.
Sunday 4 January 2009
For Brain And The Shock That Follows
Dis. Iz. Fo'. Fiyelm.
Word?
Shocking Cinema - Life of Brian
The representation of religion in film has been an uncertain one, with the most controversial and peculiar messages displayed on screen since the dawn of cinema. Film has been a medium that has defined religion to many, for better and worse. Cultural presentations are often presented with a biased perception, where the audience allow producers to battered their heads with argumentative plots and persuasive morals. Cultural conflict is at the heart of most religious films, with narratives that explain (in most cases) the difficulties and torment that religious commitment brings.
Life of Brian is one to be remembered as the circus show of religious presentation. Made in 1979, by comedy production team Monty Python, audiences around the world have been forever presented with one of the most successful comedy pieces to exist in film history (as stated on numerous occasions by the likes of Total Film magazine, Channel 4, The Guardian and Rotten Tomatoes); winning the “Best comedy movie of all time” award, as voted by the participants in a poll conduction in 2006, by UK’s television network Channel 4.
Life of Brian unravels the tale of young Brian Cohen (performed by Graham Chapman; one of the 6 members of the Monty Python crew), a male Jewish who is brought up in the same age and destination of Jesus Christ’s, who is mistakenly accused by others to be the Messiah. The film follows the journey that he protagonist must take, as religious followers grow in numbers after him, disillusioned to the belief that Brian is the one. Audiences endure his agonising yet unbearably funny life up until his end, as numerous gags from the Monty Python team throw every religious mock they can think of. It is a film that to many has been a monumental laugh, but for the rest has been a disgraceful blow to the Christian society; with members of all religions brought to attention also.
The film’s extreme blasphemy (as perceived by religious protesters) caused great upset since its initial debut. Banned by numerous town councils in the UK, and discriminated by the vast majority of Christian groups, Life of Brian was a movie that shocked the world into tears of laughter and pain. Even in 2008 was it that Toblay council had approved of the film’s screening, which was thanks to a 1st place win in the English Riviera International Comedy Film Festival’s online poll.
What has caused such a colossal up rise in social conflict is the film’s presentation of organized religions and politically revolutionized groups, and their portrayal as ridiculously over rated and exaggerated forms of living with the masses. Its attention to freedom of speech resulted in never ending arguments between Catholic churches and The Pythons, with the government joining not soon after the beginning. One scene shows Brian’s enraged desperation to stop his followers in their tracks and convince them otherwise to live independently and not in the shadows of others. The Python’s presented the world with a light-hearted, but still argumentative depiction on the construction and deliverance of religious awareness:
(As extracted from Wikipedia’s quotation of Life of Brian)
Brian: Look, you've got it all wrong! You don't need to follow me, you don't need to follow anybody! You've got to think for yourselves! You're all individuals!
The Crowd (in unison): Yes! We're all individuals!
Brian: You're all different!
The Crowd (in unison): Yes, we are all different!
Man in Crowd: I'm not... The Crowd: Shhh!
Viewers of the film have taken note of its vigorous cheap-shot sketches, with performers (mainly of Monty Python) humorously emphasizing religion’s demands and control of followers, and its seemingly hypnotic charm to making forever growing theories out of the most logical of scenarios.
To me, the film is of fair shock, but with mixed opinions. For some of the time I become very biased against Monty Python and the undeniably childish micky-take of such long existing and highly respected authorities, but I can not help to reassure myself with the words that are “ its just a film”, one which some have unexpectedly and understandably taken great offence to; whether that is unfortunate or not. Many could throw rage at Monty Python, but I am one to say that it is down to the audience whether a film is good or bad, and it is the viewer who has taken that chance- that risk, to go into a dark room for an hour or two and let what ever the screen plays hit them. If it were to have been released at a more modern date, then my thoughts would be fairly neutral and I would have no bother in placing an argument (even if I were to be on neither side), but with knowledge of the historical context and social relations at the time of Life of Brian’s release makes a much more distinctive impression on me. It’s obsessively executed remarks and seemingly witty accusations make it a viewing of mixed emotions, as I laugh at Brian’s innocent rage whilst I turn my back on The Pythons’ arrogance that is at the heart of the political tension that the film expectedly gave attention to. Undoubtedly a fascinating view and experience.
WATCH IT YOU SLAGS.
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