This was a hard week with BVA203. I struggled to understand the paper and with how I should anchor my idea conceptually. The entire idea of practically exploring doesn't make sense to me without doing so technically. How are we supposed to make something without an answer already in our heads? At least conceptually it doesn't make sense to me, if it was technical like my original idea then practice based research would work, but we're not supposed to approach it that way. Examples of how it has been successful or more clear guidelines would have been useful to me, everything just seems so vague.
Every other class has criteria that we have to meet, and they make sense within the fields that they are based - like how we film something for cinematography or write something in screenwriting. Even the other half of this class where we write essays makes way more sense to me - you do research, record your findings, break down other people's opinions, and eventually come to a conclusion yourself. At the end of the day you have a cohesive piece of writing. Here we are supposed to have theoretical examples, but also have to explore it practically. The two seem to cancel each other out, if you've already done the research then practically executing it seems like retreading someone else's steps.
The idea of "do whatever you like" is extremely enticing, but last time what I wanted to do seemed to be wrong, so I would have liked to know how to fix it. Class feedback was mostly criticisms of where I went wrong, with very few solutions being presented. The ones that were came from a completely different line of thought.
It's a paper I am having trouble understanding and I have talked a lot of people, none of who could really convince me the purpose behind why we're doing it. I don't think I have the right mindset, and trying to change the way I think is very difficult, especially just for one class.
I have come to the conclusion that my head isn't geared correctly for it, I keep going in circles trying to figure it our and even with external insight I find myself lost. It's like walking in circles except the circle keeps getting bigger. There is so much to keep in mind (like how we need theoretical and practical texts, how we shouldn't know the answer at the beginning but are expected to produce something for exhibition by the end of the paper, how we're supposed to choose a medium and methodology but aren't able to predict what the answer will be, how we need context, concept and technical all of which should be explored simultaneously, how we're supposed to answer a question with art, the list just keeps going) and yet I can't see the connections. The worst part is how undefined it is, anyone can do anything so the paper caters to everything, so we end up with no clear direction. The marking schedule is also very obtuse, everything is a blanket statement so I don't know where to put my attention and at times I don't even know what the criteria means (e.g. Practice based visual/screen media investigation of a specific question/focus developed and resolved in a focused and critical manner - I have to sit down with a dictionary to figure out what I'm supposed to do to meet this requirement).
Worst part is that most people in class seem to understand it perfectly, but I can't see how their ideas are that different to what mine was. I wanted to talk to Ruth after class, but decided against it because I was embarrassed by how little I understood of the paper even after something like five different individuals attempted to explain it to me and a whole year of already having done it.
It's like how I don't think mathematically, it's just not natural to me. I'm dumb at art, who knew. Maybe that's why I didn't study it, hmm...
I'm not the only student who's become frustrated with this half of the paper, this year and last people have been unable to completely grasp it. People think in different ways, some are naturally technical. Film is very technical and practical, animation is very inventive and industrious, Art is neither of those and I can't tell what it is or why it's important towards the completion of our bachelor. Either the students don't voice their confusion or me and a few others are the odd ones out, but it's causing me a lot of stress to think about.
Once I figure it our it will seem silly that I ever fretted over it, or how I could misunderstand. At the moment I can't see a solution in sight though.
Enough venting, the fact is that my idea was too technical and that everything will work out much better if I choose to change it, below are what I brainstormed this week, the final solution is something I'm happy with, we'll see how the feedback sesh goes next week.
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OTHER PRESENTATIONS:
Here are some of the other people's presentations that stood out to me and that I thought were genuinely quite effective, I can take cues from what they are doing right in formulating a new question for myself.
Luke
Luke's idea was probably my favourite in the class. It's simple but leaves space for plenty of experimentation and creativeness. His idea was "How do you hype an audience in only a minute", using cartoon opening sequences as his inspiration. These work well to engage the audience and get them excited for the episode to follow.
I don't know how I can come up with a question similar to his, it's so concise and intriguing that it feels like catching lightning in a bottle.
Tyler
Tyler's idea is much more in line with something that I would want to do. His is "What is the director's instinct?", where he wants to explore how to be a good director and how directors know things so instantaneously on a film that they can answer almost without thinking - e.g. knowing how characters would interact even if it isn't in the script or being able to effortlessly make a decision about production design.
What I like about his idea is that it's obviously something that he thinks about quite a lot, and when he talks about it I become genuinely interested because it is real and it feels personal to him. We can have a real conversation about it because there is so little documentation on the subject and yet it is such an integral part of film-making.
I'll take inspiration from him by making my own idea something I think about a lot, something that I can have a discussion about with my peers.
I think this is something that was lacking in the third year presentations in week 1, they seemed superficial, as if the presenters didn't have confidence in their own ideas. Tyler's type of idea is real and you can talk about it passionately. It sure as hell translated in his presentation this week.
Izaiah
Izaiah's idea stood out because he is working on his own personal development and being very practical about the question he's choosing. Izaiah wants to explore how he can improve his style concerning bike videos.
What I like about his idea is that it'd going to work back into his real life, he's using the paper as a way to strengthen his own skills and answering a question that will bear fruit for him in the future. I would like to do something similar, because I think it will provide better drive for seeing it through. Knowing that the skills learned here can be used in my real life is a great motivator and it ensures I'm not wasting my time.
De la Rey
My brother's idea is to explore sequence in graphic novel, how a story is told visually and how what the audience sees informs their understanding of the story. Very akin to Eisenstein and Soviet Montage. The practical example he provided is what really stood out to me, it immediately demonstrated what he is talking about, which has a lot to do with the audience filling the gaps and even how perspective can be used.
I definitely need to provide a good practical example with my presentation, explaining the idea with visual support is a great way to make the class understand.
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I have decided to stay positive and just do what I want, even if I fail I'll have learnt something. That's why my final idea is something that I actually care about and want to do, if it's too technical then that's just the way it is. Art is about personal expression, well this is me:
"How can you make a short film feel complete?" / Concept
There is a big problem that I personally have with making short films, I faced this particularly last year when I had to produce a short film script for my first year screenwriting paper. Some people think in short films, some in long form storytelling - like TV or video games - I think in features. It's very difficult for me not to end up spinning a short film idea into a feature, I think the reason why is because features are more complete and cohesive to me. A short feels so limiting and it's rare to see one where it felt like a complete piece.
This question is of personal interest and something I think of when I have time off. At the workshop Ash and James held for the first years this week James said you have to incorporate the things that keep you up at night into your films. While he was talking about story, to me this can be applied to anything, so I'm incorporating something I think of often into my work.
This also happens to be something I genuinely want an answer to, even more specifically than my perspective question, so hopefully that will help drive me to not lose faith in this one. Like Tyler and Izaiah's ideas this is as much about personal development as answering the question, it's something that can have an effect in my own life.
My question will explore this idea, and I will experiment until I find a way to make a short film feel complete to me.
The first step is to define what a complete film means to me:
DEFINE COMPLETE
- Short films serve as a showcase for the filmmakers, more so than a complete product
- Thematically consistent
- Full experience
- Everything is there for a reason
STEPS TOWARD RESEARCH
I've thought about it and decided what research I am going to do, I don't have the time this week but I can do it next:
I can look at some good short film examples, the ones that come to mind are:
- Miracle Fish (2009)
- Pitch Black Heist (2012)
I should find some bad examples too and look at why they don't work, I can't think of any off the top of my head though.
A surprising format that has achieved what I am looking for are movie trailers. I think they have found a way to tell a story in a very time efficient manner and they can still feel cohesive.
A playlist of some good trailers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saHzng8fxLs&list=PLgstXlPRW6LxB8rxO5uhC_cdZ-FOTa897
I could look at films that are structured episodically, where it is made up of a clear selection of scenes or short stories (e.g. Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting). Some of the scenes in these films - like the end of Pulp Fiction - would work just as well separate from the rest of the film.
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