I didnt understand a word.

Sharon Lockhart defiantly made me think in a different manner with her use of photography and film. Ive often loved the production photos from films and the way they catch a beautiful moment of people whose jobs it is to create stories that touch our hearts. But the idea of using photos to expand on film and piggy back each other in a 1-2 combo, thats brilliant.
As fare as the film we watched in class, I enjoyed the use of rhythm in her piece. From the basketballs being thrown and bounced in time to the chanting, it really seemed to glue every player on the screen together and create a unit as opposed to individual players. I feel like that was the point of her film, aside from just wonderful ascetics.
This short post brought to you by the fact that we all have 20 other things to worry about getting done in the next 3 weeks.

"Hamilton"

One thing that stands out in my minds eye regarding "Hamilton" is that I
was reminded how much I hate idle talk. This is not to say that I hated the
film. The new twist on this idea is that sometimes the lack of idle talk
only leads to idle time. Its the whole idea of time that is shaping this
thought I believe.
Sure sometimes the acting may lead us out of the moment, but it may just be
the extended time without verbal communication that gives our minds time to
scrutinize said acting? All these people walking around with ipods, thinking
about talking or talking without thinking. Who could ask every walking
Holster billboard to pay attention to the people not saying anything on
screen instead of their hair? Not me. But Ive had this wicked pain in neck
for two weeks now so I may just be short on a nerve.
In moments like in this film, I remember what some actor (cant remember
who) said was one of the most over looked concepts in acting. He said
something about how he tries to retrace the mental thoughts that would lead
a character to the next line of dialogue. Kind of reliving the scene from in
the brain out. That idea may be best used in extended time scenes like the
ones in "Hamilton". But something tells me people were not doing that here.
The use of time is done well for the most part, but I think Im with Dan on
this one. The tempo of the masses must be controlled! (just kidding) Some
scenes could have used something more or just ran for less.

Graphic? Hell yes it was graphic. So hell yes!

Jennifer Montgomery was awesome. Her films really got to some people in a "what do you think of....... THIS!" kind of way. I heard one guy say " Oh my God!" during what appeared to be a women rubbing her menstruation on some over exposed film.
The part I was the most intrigued in was the urine scenes. Which I had to ask a question that I thought I heard some snickers to. But it dawned on me while I was thinking of how to word my question, "I went through a peeing in public phase." I dont know why I did it at the time, but I did go through a phase about 7 years ago where I peed where ever I felt like it. Once I even peed on a bon fire surrounded by people. Thank god we were all drinking or people may have been kind of angry.
But I liked her answer. She said it was part sexual and part liberating. The fact that she said it was part sexual, hell yes. I love people who refuse to be ashamed of them selves and their art. Sure some people can take anything you throw at them, but throw it at their art and its a whole different story. Hell I know a bunch of people that get all hot under the collar when I tell them that their favorite band sucks.
As far as the liberating side goes, I agree. Look at the Vagina Monologues. There is a problem with people feeling comfortable with their bodies. I guess peeing all over the place (never on the floor in a house or anything like that) was a way to be o.k. with me. Weird?

But how do you feel?

I liked "More than Meets the Eye: Remaking Jane Fonda", a lot. Maybe to much. I cant help it. The obscure and ridiculous just draw me in. I dont know how much I can talk about how it made me feel because it made me think more than feel.
One thing that I have always loved to think about is why film directors put the things in the movies. By things I mean everything. Why that type of phone? why those clothes? Why did the main character order that kind of sandwich? The way I see it, if there is no answer to any of these questions, then someone didn't do their job and I hate them. But I digest. (thats a joke)
I asked myself a bunch of questions. This is what I have come up with. Jane Fonda may be one of the worlds biggest former hippy/activist turned yuppie that has ever walked the earth. Who else could you choose to show how a life can spin a 180 because you cant live up to your own expectations. Its like Jello Biafra says in regards vegetarians and protesters and anti big business folk, "Dont walk around being a holier than tho type. Keep it simple and manageable. Or you can crack and become one of them."
Which is exactly what happened to Miss Fonda. Some of the things she said in her life helped make a difference. I commend her on that. But she dug a hole to deep to climb out of.
Any who, I think Mr. Stark used his back drops well. To me they represented the places where missis Fonda message finally came to rest. In the living room where women worked out to her tape. At the grocery store where people talked about her and read about her in tabloids. Outside in the rain where her activist ways washed away. And on and on like that with sarcasm.
What Mr. Stark did was take what and who Jane Fonda was and showed us all where she went. Kudos.

We watched a Communist work on Monday?

"Just a play on her name. Great work though. I personally took the most delight in the fact that she was the only one she knew of doing that type of work. If the world would flood and Noah picked up different kinds of artist two by two, she would die alone. Then millions of years later, we would find her and her art and say it disproved the word of god him/her self. Thats whats wrong with this country." Now heres Daniel Johnston with the weather. "Its sad outside with a chance of satan." Thanks Johnston, "Not enough people think outside the box. I guess maybe the box got bigger? Any who, The Public Life of Jeremiah Barnes stole the show for me. The whole story was just so sweet. The way every one tried to figure out why the machines were there and then this guy pops out and it was just great. I think that kind of story line would be her bread and butter. Go get em Vlad!"

Q) How many A.D.D. kids does it take to change a light bulb? A) Wanna ride bikes!

I have a hard time with reading. Not that I cant read, it just that my mind wonders. Thats why film works out for me so well. I can be engaged while having enough room in my head and time in the viewing to wonder and ponder through thought. When I get into a really good book this happens a small bit also, but thats only with a really good book.
This lack of controlled ability has plagued me and would explain why I took so many years off of the structured learning circuit. This also translates directly to a poor paper writing ability. I hate writing papers. One may ask, "But Dave, if you want to write films and make films you are going to have to write a lot. Isn't that going to be a problem?" Id say, "No, leave me alone and bother someone else you nosy bastard!" I say this because I have many many note books and word files full of single scenes. These scenes are going to be the structure of my film career (Or so I hope).
Long story short, I am bad at writing papers and am hating writing this paper that I am so eloquently avoiding right now. I shouldn't say that, Im not "bad" at writing papers, Its just a struggle to do it for me. I know Im not the only one.

In Loving Memory of February 5th 2007.

One amazing thing about this class is that I can never seem to get a grip on what is coming next. That being said, the films we saw today were weird. "Third Eye Butterfly" was quit beautiful. Though I saw no recognizable images in the film, aside from the swirl with the eye in the middle, I was stunned by the beauty and delicateness of the images projected. The cutting, spreading, over lapping and multiplying of colors seemed to be more of a product of the music as opposed to the other way around. That being said, I haven't heard to much of that style of music, but what I have heard I loved. I don't even know what category of music it is. I like it. On a down side, it didn't seem to me that the film was cut to match in tempo or dance along with the soundtrack. My big thing as of late has been confessing to take 80% of the blame in not understanding the meaning behind the art I have been exposed to. From film to poetry, if I dont get it, Im blaming myself and not the artist. So as far as the not matching with the music thing, Ill take my 80 in that regard. I think there was a tempo set by the music that was kept in tact through the film, but I would have liked to seen it more on a "on beat" style. But Im a skateboarder and enjoy the way skateboard videos have evolved to sync a song with the skateboarder. So im sort of programed in that way.

"Available light" didn't have enough going on to keep my attention. I like the idea behind the film, but that wasn't enough to keep my mind on track with it. Given my attention span, Im not sure it ever had a chance. Im quick people. Ill even take 90% on this one.

"Night Flight Transmission" was scary as hell. This film was really loud. It seemed as though the timing behind all the cuts were linked directly to my brain and made to freak the s**t out of me. Id show this film to a dog who behaved badly. I kept waiting for blood to start pouring down the screen and for people to start screaming and other really dark thoughts. I think that may have been a part of the point. Did anyone ever see "Altered States"? This film reminded me of the peyote scene in that movie. If you haven't seen it check it out, Its top 10 on my list easy.

"Luminous" is another film that didn't really hold my attention to well. Im sure people with a projectionist back round would love it. I do not have a projectionist back round. I did not love it.

"The Darkroom" had some amazing angles and motion in it. I have no idea how they did it, but I want to know. This film got me on a film makers level more than a strictly art viewing level. The way the waves would come in and out at the same time and curled just made me want to pick Jang's brain on the production side of it. I came to a strange realization in this one to. I realized that the sight of waves is as calming as the sound of waves. Im sure my psychology professor would remind me that sight and sound have some brain wave similarities and that while viewing silent waves my brain would fill in sound on its own or something like that. I was so inthralled with the image while my brain was telling me to take a nap. I fought my way through this one. Now I feel like I was a guinea pig in an experiment. "Mr. Biesel, try to stay awake while we use science to lull you to sleep. Oh, and if you do fall asleep, we will know it from your brain wave read out. Then you will receive and electric shock to help stimulate alertness in the brain." I dont know why I added the "shock" part. Peace!

Miss Lippy is sick today.

Our substitute teacher brought up some great questions today. The one that caught my ear the most was why would some one be so angry from watching D'Est that he would make a comment like that to a professor? Im going to stop myself from thinking about that question. Mainly because I fear that it will affect my grade if I dont make some sort of effort to not tangent off about weird topics that can be loosely connected to class. Anyone can bull shit there way through these types of classes if they really want to. I want more from this class.
So the question I will go after is "What would be the best way to show D'Est?"

Im really letting this one go so give me some room here.

My concept for showing D'Est consist of a screen about 10 feet by 10 feet (the screen size should make the people in the film 1.5 scale, based on the street panning shots). This screen will be mounted on a circular track with a radius of about 15 feet. The viewers, only about 10 at a time will stand in the middle of the track in a group standing manner. As the film starts the screen will be made to run along the track only when the shot in the film is tracking or panning. When a scene is still, the screen will stand still. The screen will move at a pace that matches perfectly the pace of the pan. This movement will give the viewer a sense of seeing through a 10x10 square, out to a world where they have no control over the corse of sight. Almost a "Being John Malkovich" kind of view.
I think by using this way of viewing you can evoke a crowded feeling and also keep the attention of the viewer by involving their motor skills and what not. Though I think it may be advantageous to shortening the viewing times from the full two hours to about half an hour. Not really sure about that I guess. But this is my perfect idea and in that little world no one says peep about showing separate shorter clips of D'Est.

Day four, I met my first film major (expletive deleted) today!

I feel bad. I know I am supposed to be thinking about film things for this and thinking about D'Est. Every time I think of the scenes from D'Est I hear the words of Jello Biafra! Im really happy about that because I think they fit, its like a link in my brain that helps me remember both experiences. Maybe they will help me remember them both more completely? Or maybe Im going to fail out of class and fight the man? Who knows?

Oh my me, its day three.

Wow. What to say about D'Est. Lets get the bad out of the way first. The sound once again was either recorded to loud or the speakers in that room cant handle what they are asked to put out. That is basically my only complaint about the film.
Suffice to say, I really did like this film. The images were definitely strong enough to not constitute a narrative. I dont quite understand the "documentary bordering on fiction" idea though. I blame myself for this.
The main idea or feeling I got from D'Est was that the tempo of life is vastly different there than it is here. The film helps this feeling along not only by it imagery but by how long the images are shown and at what pace the camera is panned along. The pan shots were great, only being trumped by a couple "key" shots. These key shots for me include the ladies picking what to me appear to be potatoes, the men walking in the cold, the ladies trying to catch a ride and the man quietly destroying a plate of food. Kudos to the man for showing me how a man really eats. I have been emasculated at the diner table.
The ladies working was something I could only compare to the old guy at Wal-Mart who greets you (I know in Wausau they always have them). But these are people grandmother, I cant think of anyones Grandmother that I know who works in a field like that. Let alone sticking their thumbs out for a lift. The cultures clashed and I am humbled.
Oddly enough I had to walk to school this morning. This wouldnt have been a big deal to me had I not went skateboarding last night, stayed up to late doing home work (almost a lie) and not affording myself enough time for the walk this morning. It sucked, it wasnt cold, but my legs were killing me by the time I walked into the theater. Now that I think about it my legs still arent feeling so good. Any who, watching the men walk in the cold made me think about all of the people who will not go anywhere unless they can get a ride. Rubbish I say! I have a bunch of buddies back home who bike around all the time and see their cars as a burden thrust upon them only in the cold cold winter months. Myself, I have been known to walk a fare distance or just skate if I want to get somewhere. But these men dont have a choice I would presume. They do it and that is life to them.
I think this film could be used as a tool to help teach Americans to suck it up and stop being so prissy. I love that about it.



p.s. I posting this after mid night because I went a saw Jello Biafra speak on campus. Those who werent there missed out.

Day two of five!

Day two on this lonely island of a five day blog. The food has ran out, I used my last flare to light my last cigarette and the leaves I use are starting to make my butt itch. I fear I may not last the night let alone four more days. The good news is while I may die, this island has an internet connection. I havent been much able to think of film, though when I have I put it on my youtube account. Please, if and when I die, let it live on in my name. Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Biesus

Day one, and I feel fine.

O.k. Starting the 5 day journey a little late, but I can get this done. Since I missed class Monday Ill just go to talking about my most resent thoughts on school and class in general.
My friend, Josh Dirks (also a film major), and I went to see the "So You Want to be a Film Maker" presentation on thursday. I was shocked at how few people were in the room. Including Josh and I there were less than ten people in the room. How many film majors are in this school. Granted Im sure some people would not need the type of information that was spoken about in the lecture. And Im sure some people have heard it before. But that still, in my mind, doesn't add up to how few people attended. How serious are you? I don't want to evoke any "holier than tho" attitude here, but I just really expected more people in the room.
The good thing is after the second lecture I attended, on grant writing, I met up with my girlfriend in the main hall of the building and we listened to the orchestra for a good ten minutes. Thats when this feeling came over me of happiness. My own personal journey to get to this school was a hell of a lot bumpier than my experience enrolling for school up in Wausau at the UWMC. But Im here now, surrounded by like minded people just like I hoped to be. I see past it some times because Im human. The new feeling that came over me was the fact that not only am I surrounded by fellow film makers, but by people perusing a passion of music, painting, dance and a bunch of other forms of beauty. Im a big believer in a collective consciousness. With this energy (vibe or feeling) around me I feel I can be pushed to do things with more meaning and effort. Im just stoked.

Lasse Gjertsen

I went and checked out the video dump (is that right?) web site that was brought up in class. Before I had a chance I thought, if something by Lasse Gjertsen is not on there, something is wrong. I ran across some of his work not so long ago and was blown away. All the lonely anime girl stuff is just not for me. High school ended a long time ago and I dont want to hear about it from some stranger. But Lasse Gjertsen's work makes up for all the crap (im sorry but it is) thats on youtube. Youtube has everything from fights filmed with cell phones to Japanese girls looking for tips on her golf swing. Gjertsen is what I go to look for. I have found a couple other good peoples work to (cant remember them right now). Maybe there should be a separate section for people who actually create art on the youtube site? I know Id be stoked on it. Also did anyone else see the preview for the show "The Lot"? Its a reality tv show about aspiring film makers. Im looking forward to that.

If that question was a turkey sandwich I would eat it with mustard and mayo.

What if Bill Gates gave Vito Acconci a million dollars to do his next film?
(For starters Ill take the most realistic approach that I can think of.)
The notice that the world would take on Gates giving Acconci a million dollars would be in direct proportion to the notice of a million dollars missing from Gates's bank account. What does that guy have now, like enough money to buy the stock market? If Bush were smart he would ask Gates to fund his war instead of us. The guy is so rich he should clone himself and will himself his own fortune. If he doesnt will himself his own fortune it would take him from now until he died to make a will. This way he just says, "I will my Scrooge McDuck sized bank account to me." Done.
(Now a different view.)
I dont know what would be considered a big budget for an experimental film but Ill just assume that one million would be real big. Remember when Green Day signed the first big corporate deal for a "punk rock" band? Green Day got called sell outs and there was a big media hub bub about it. When you look back, it was a double pay off for the band. They got a bucket of money and more free advertisement than they could wish for. They would have to make an album of just farts to not sell 10 million records. I think the same thing would happen if Gates gave Acconci a million. He would be called a sell out, shunned by his peers, the media would have him on Entertainment Tonight and Oprah the next day, he would go make his movie and the public would buy in to whatever he did.
On a side note, I never liked Green Day and I dont see why the punk rock community even responded. I think they proved that they sold out so many years ago by the type of music they make today.
(and now, a completely different view)
Vito gets the million, starts a high definition streaming web sight thats free to the public and spends the rest of his life on a floor in front of a couch smoking cigarettes listening to great records begging for someone to be inside of him. A week after the sight goes up the world has its first live in HD streaming death because you cant live on cigarettes, begging and good tunes.

Where was the split pea soup and head spinning

Beneath the Skin by Cecelia Condit
I may be the only one but the volume bothered me a little in this video. I seamed kind of loud. It took away from the video a little for me. I really liked the over lapping of projector over live action. I always have liked that affect. Ive seen it in a couple of movies that didnt have a huge budget or where before technology had a ton of influence and options. It works great and I hope people never stop using it. It served its purpose well here. The song also stuck in my mind, which isnt surprising because Im driven by audio. Or so im realizing every time I write one of these friggen blogs! The song just had such a nice flow. It changed almost randomly and kept me on edge. "Where is this song going next!" I said in my head, "G.I. Joe, Thats fucking great, whats next!" This one ran a little long for me but I assume its just preference. The OCD crowd should love it.

(Brave Heart) FREEDUMB!!!!

The Amateurist by Miranda July
I got over tones of obsession in this video. Like it was a film that would touch and comfort someone with an obsessive compulsive disorder. A person, it would seem, with OCD could really fall head first into this piece. I think that speaks volumes for the way Miranda July Performs for her piece. She uses experimental video to amplify her performances wonderfully.

I thought they all did have diaries.

If Every Girl had a Diary by Sadie Benning
This video made me feel claustrophobic. The one room, by different angles, gave an inclosed touch to the piece. If I were to try and describe this video in one word it would be isolated. It shows so much range in a small time yet slowly and kind of intense.

Addressing no clothes

Birthday Suit - with scars and defects by Lisa Steele
This film surprised me. When I first heard the word nude, I thought, "sweet, nude girl." Im not some kind of pervert who hangs out in strip clubs. I just think women are beautiful. I was delighted to see how intense and engaging the video was. In being nude she created a more personal video. Each scar was drawn out and held almost to a point of discomfort. But never to long. The audio gave a feeling of an autopsy as did the video format. The honest quality of video helped to create an -intimate feel. There was just something in the way she rubbed her scars that made me feel them myself.

Who thinks Vito shot first (star wars reference, kind of)

Theme Song by Vito Acconci
Ive long believed that making a mix tape is an art form. More so than mix CD's because the listener can simply skip a track with the touch of a button. Compilations require composition. The songs that you use say everything about how you feel about the person you are making them for. Theme Song seamed like a video version of a mix audio tape. I think the idea of filling the 1/3 of the screen with his face was a good idea I think a better place than the floor could have been used. I would imagine that filling the screen with his face anymore than 1/3 would be to invasive and anything under 1/3 wouldnt have been enough to keep attention. Still in my view a mix tape could have done the same job that the video did.

p.s. I couldnt get the word "stalker" out of my head.

The quality in video.

Video as a format, for me, comes off in a vary honest way. The quality in black and white and the quality in color seems almost surreal. There is something about the way motion is captured in video that lingers in my mind. Video congers memories of seeing old cheap soap operas, public access shows and the first pornography I ever saw. This all goes back to the realization at the time that you can do anything with a movie. The extremes of emotions and stories to tell are covered and explored. This was the time period in my life that doors opened in the way I thought about movies and film. I also started skateboarding for the first time around this period in my life (I stopped for no reason and picked it up around 8 years later). Skateboard videos made at that time I saw were more of a raw documentary of the skateboards life and had heavy tones of experimental film in them. Much unlike the straight to the point feel of most modern skateboard videos. The motion and quality that video presents is nostalgic to me.

If poop comes nicely wrapped, is it nice poop?

I recently watched the movie Art School Confidential. It Looked good and featured supporting rolls by John Malkovich, Anjelica Huston and Steve Buscemi. Thats a beefy supporting role for any film. The main roles where filled by actors and actresses that I had never heard of aside from Ethan Suplee. I figured why not, Im in art school, this could be a funny movie made for people like me. now, getting to the point, it sucked. Im not one to throw the suck label down on just any movie. In case you would like a reference point other movies that fall in to "suck" are Pool hall jumkies (aside from Christopher Walken's cameo), Speed (Sandra Bullock's acting can stop a speeding bus) and Starship Troopers.
I hate the word but contrived is the only one that really fits the bill here. I think that this movie should be shown in class for the same reason business students study Crystal Pepsi. The reason being when you have enough money and enough time to offer something to the world you should make it good and not suck. I could go into so many things about why this movie was 102 continuos minutes of suckage. I could even offer some suggestions as to how easily this movie could have been made way better. Im exhausting myself just thinking about it.
I would like to close this blog by saying, watch it yourself. Thats right, go rent a movie that Im saying sucks. The fact of the matter is none of you know me. My opinion holds no weight. It shouldnt. Im just some guy in your class. Thats why Im saying, go out and rent it. If you like it then Im just some ranting bitching guy at school who hated a movie you liked or didnt mind. Thats fine with me. But if you think it sucked to, then lets talk about it. One of the perks I jumped at by choosing to go to school here is to be around like minded people. Sure some of my friends will talk movies with me but most of them get to drunk to make any sense after a couple of hours. I cringe at the thought that people could view this place as a contest, pitting them self against the other students.
Im getting off subject, watch it and lets talk.

What? I cant hear anything!

I have a gripe. It is in the form of silence. In my view the silent film ended when sound came along. I can only think of a hand full of reasons to not include sound in a modern film. One would be if the film were intended for the deaf. Another would be if the person making said film had not possible way to get a sound recording done and can not borrow the help of any one who could help them out in adding sound to their film.
Other than that, you negate life in a film with only silence. Silence is not the opposite of sound, a void is the opposite of sound. From the moment a baby cries to its last breath, it fills our world with sound. Mr. Bogner said something along the lines of seeing our whole lives and the importance of sight. But why do we look around? Because we hear things that cause us to look and observe. I believe sound plays as big, if not a bigger role in film.

This not the end

Welcome to my blogger. Soon, things will be writen.