Week 1

Wednesday, 3.20.2019

Initial Writing

1. What are some of the films/videos I've really liked or been inspired by in the past? Do I notice any patterns, anything they have in common? e.g., they are all films about survival in the wilderness, or they are all really quiet and slow, or they all are historical documentaries, etc.

1. I like films about ordinary people. I like stories about lives that are both normal and unique--stores about humanity. I like films that are simple but compelling. I like films with people who arena daren't like me. I like directors like Barry Jenkins, Wes Anderson, Damien Chazelle, Yulin Kuang, and the one who made The Florida Project (what's his name??) (Sean Baker!!). I like stories about the human condition, ones that teach me about my life, the lives of others, and how our lives affect each other.

2. Are there any particular directions I would like to expand my horizons? For instance, maybe you want to make sure to see more films by women filmmakers, or more films from the 1970s, or more silent films, or more films with non-traditional narrative structures...

2. I would like to watch more from the classical canon. Films like The Godfather, Reservoir Dogs, Gone With the Wind, The Shining. Films from before I was born (stuff that is old). And international films?

3. Do I have any ideas for my project so far? Are there any films that would directly help me figure out my approach? For instance, if you want to make a documentary about your school, then it might make sense to seek out other documentaries about school.

3. A little bit, but no. Something unlike what I've made before. Something LONGER, not trying to make another short film (have made too many of those!!), something with enough time and substance to really tell a story, not just a fragment of a story.

Thursday, 3.21.2019

Notes on Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) dir. by Jim Jarmusch

Coffee and Cigarettes was recommended to me by Mr. Kelman after I expressed my desire to make an eight-piece senior portfolio for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

1. "Strange to Meet You"

Lots of unmoving scenes, stills
Introduces premise of the "coffee and cigarettes" theme

2. "Twins"

8:13-8:34, PERFECT SCENE
9:04-9:07, aesthetically very clever, action without action
Costuming goes black-white-black
11:12-11:28, preach
Interesting portrayal of defense of racism
Use of twin dynamic to compare with dynamic of people who meet twins vs. people who meet people of color

3. "Somewhere in California"

14:10-14:36, great setup
Use of wide angle to convey awkward tension
Close-up for extreme discomfort/breath-catch moments
"Now that I've quit, I can have one [cigarette]", lol
Progress of coffee/cigarette as a measure of time passage

4. "Those Things'll Kill Ya"

Effort to hide smoking habits, commentary on addiction?
27:12-27:23, racist pigs

5. "Renée"

Caricature of the glamorous, thin, pretty, smoking woman?
30:58, TWIST

6. "No Problem"

Use of language to withhold information from audience
41:30-41:39, how many takes did that take?
Was a little confused by this one

7. "Cousins"

She [Cate Blanchett] plays both women, such clever camera work!
Commentary on fame and success

8. "Jack Shows Meg His Tesla Coil"

First use of a major prop besides coffee or cigarettes
Reversal! She knows what she's talking about, contrary to the setup

9. "Cousins?"

Difference in posture very indicative of character
Twist! Commentary on arrogance/opportunism?

10. "Delirium"

4th wall break, kinda--they all know each other as real people

11. "Champagne"

Reference to #8, Tesla quote
1:30:28, flips pinky up in a "posh" manner, funny details

Overall:

Motif of "Is that [coffee and cigarettes] all you're having for lunch? Not very healthy" and "Already ate lunch"
Black and white makes it seem older than it actually is, only 2003 but feels much older
Very few women. Does not pass Bechdel test.
Premise is always simple
Scenes are very similar, one setting
Almost always two or three characters interacting
Actors use their real identities

Saturday, 3.23.2019

Journal Entry

I decided I wanted to embark on a senior portfolio for Scholastic last term when the awards were announced. I didn't know about the portfolios before, but I was scrolling through the award lists and I kept seeing the category of "Portfolio", so I looked into it. I actually discovered that one of the 2018 National Gold Art Portfolios was made by someone that I knew! He was a filmmaker from Portland and I had met him at a film festival in 2016, so I had kept up with his work. After watching part of his ~incredible~ portfolio, I realized this was a project I wanted to try, no matter the final success. This week was the beginning of a process that is going to be very, very long. I'm really glad Mr. Kelman recommended Coffee and Cigarettes to me because after watching it, I can see how aspects of that film are exactly what I've been wanting to make. It was a great example of how to execute a work in this format and how something so simple can still be an hour and a half (11 unique stories!!) worth of interesting content. I would like to emulate the use of a single theme that is represented strongly in each installation. I was actually kind of worried about how I would make a portfolio with a unifying idea that wasn't too abstract before this week, so I really liked watching Coffee and Cigarettes. This weekend, I want to watch Advantageous (2015) by Jennifer Phang because it's sci-fi, more abstract than Coffee and Cigarettes, and discusses more deeply themes of identity. I would like to incorporate more personal aspects or topics in my portfolio (a portfolio is representative of the maker, right?), so it hope this might inspire me. I am anxious to start the writing process because I want to write the best film I have ever written as this will be such a large and important project for me, but I also don't really have any concrete ideas yet. I want to start writing ASAP. Am eagerly awaiting a lightbulb moment!

Home

Google Sites

Report abuse