MDA2300 - Film & Innovation - Initial thoughts and First Assignment Brief

After looking forwards to starting the Film & Innovation module, (as I've long since had an interest in the more experimental and abstract side to film, and was looking forwards to learning about this and how different creative and technological developments have influenced film-making,) I was very interested in the first seminars.

We looked at early experimental and abstract films, created by scratching or painting onto celluloid film.
I found it interesting how the first major abstract films were created by trying to emulate the visual experimentation of paintings and 'fine' art, and presenting them through the medium of film.

After looking at many films like this, we moved onto different types of abstract film, such as John Smith's 'Om', in which audience expectations are subverted, due to the visuals of the film; (an apparent Buddhist Monk appears to be meditating, until it is revealed that he is a 'Skinhead' having his head shaved). The film uses similar sounding sound, and almost-similar imagery, to trick the audiences, and then make them rethink what they believe they see or are seeing in films).

We have also been given a selection of creative briefs to choose from, such as making an abstract film, using colours/shapes with no recorded footage, and making a film which subverts audience expectations.

Reflective Analysis!

Assessment 04

MDA1700 - Assessment 03 - Final - American Avant-Garde

For our final assessment for this module I decided to analyse the characteristics of the American Avant-Garde Film Movement, in relation to two films: Maya Deren's 'Meshes of the Afternoon' and Stan Brakhage's 'The Way to Shadow Garden'.

MDA1700 Assessment 03

MDA1800 - Final Assessment - Film Treatment and Critique

This is the final assessment, and critique/commentary on writing/development process for MDA1800:
1800Assessment 04

MDA1700 - Weeks 19-24 - Theoretical Excursions

Out of all of the parts of the module so far, I have found the content of the final six weeks the most interesting and engaging.

I personally have always been interested in the more experimental side to film-making; interested in art and experimental and more unconventional film-makers, so I found the content covered in this part of the module more interesting in the fact that it included and allowed to think about and look more in-depth in at the more experimental sides to different films.

The first example of this was when we were looking at Feminist cinema. As something I never had studied in-depth before I found the lecture and seminar interesting, especially when we learned more in-depth about the 'male gaze' and the implications it holds, and how certain male-oriented aspects of cinema can be subverted and the message changed.

I found the two Sally Potter films we'd watched very interesting; 'The Gold Diggers', and Orlando.

I especially like the toying around with Gender and gender identity in orlando, from the male actor Quentin Crisp playing Queen Elizabeth 1st, to the Androgynous protagonist and his-then-her own change in gender identity, and relationships with people who were both male and female. The idea of MAgic Realism (a term I had come across while studying Mexican Cinema) was also prominent in this film, mainly in Orlando's agelessness, and the fact that people didn't react to it in a surprised way (as we would expect) so it was seen as the norm in this world.

I really enjoyed the study of American Avant-Garde, and looking at the work of Maya Deren and Stan Brakhage. As these films are more artistic in their meaningful approach, and their execution of stylistics, I really feel they connected more with my own personal interests. The two we looked at i class (Deren's 'Meshes of the Afternoon' and Brakhage's 'The Way to Shadow Garden' I felt were very interesting to watch, and I really enjoyed seeing two very different examples of the movement.

While I initially found the two films hard to understand, while viewing them in preparation for the final formative assessment I feel that I have found deeper meaning and a deeper understand of the movement and the main messages trying to be put across by the directors, coming across different personal interpretations for the messages in the film.

One of the main parts of this module I feel I have enjoyed the most is how I, in my studies, have delved into the histories and developments of such a wide array of different film movements and different aspects of how films communicate different meanings to us as audiences.

MDA1400 - Final Project

MDA1800 - Final Assessment Development

I have decided to base the 2,000 word treatment we need to complete for the final 1800 assessment on a story I made for a previous assessment, which asked us to re-invent the play of MacBeth in a contemporary setting.
Here is my original idea:
MacBeth - reinvention

In preparation for the research for turning this idea into a full film treatment, I have ordered and am going to read and analyse the play MacBeth and the novel 'The Devil Wears Prada'.
I will also watch the film versions of these, and will try to find a modern version of MacBeth, so that I can get more ideas on how to transfer aspects of the story to a modern setting.
I am awaiting feedback on this assignment, so I will also consider the feedback when writing up the final assessment.