Steve's Workshop: Day 2

We went over a bunch more scripts. I guess it comes from experience and education, but it's amazing how Steve can take any script and say "fix this, this, and this" and it's automatically better. Even a few scripts where I thought to myself, "this is a little bit of a cliched student film," Steve was able to give the exact right advice to make it better. In Jack's script, he actually called for a bus blowing up, and obviously that's unfilmable, so Steve suggested that he illustrate the character's hostility in a different way, so he would be able to film it. And I suppose that's what a professional artist of any discipline should be able to do: point out what doesn't work and suggest ways to fix it in order to make the art better. I can't wait till I'm able to do that with songwriting, or improvising.

I only have one session left, since I won't be here on Tuesday, so hopefully we'll have time to go over the script for Children's Theatre. Then we can get a jump on it as soon as possible, since the play is over.

Steve's Workshop

Workshop day 2. We did cold reads of four people's scripts, which were, for the most part, successful. Steve wanted the scripts to have that sense of not directly saying or illustrating what you are trying to say...just letting the audience figure it out. Nearly all of the scripts we hashed through succeeded in this.

In my humble experience, it seems to be a recurrent theme of student films to try too hard to be overly clever or make a joke just for the sake of doing so. It was so refreshing to hear dialogue that was necessary and legitimately whimsical. Once again, to make a connection to other disciplines of art, I find this to be true in songwriting. I heard a song today called "Butterly" by Jason Mraz...ugh...that was just uninteresting and cliched because, rather than writing lyrics that were suggestive but still left room for the listener to figure things out, he wrote foolish, trying-too-hard-to-be-clever lines like "I'm taking a moment, just imagining that I'm dancing with you. You're the pole and all you're wearing is your shoes"...why don't you just sing, "I want to have sex with you. I really want to have sex with you"..it would fulfill the same level of interest. The same goes for a film; we never see much violence in Kontroll, but we know it has happened. We never see Laci slit a man's throat, but we know he did, and that's what's important. Even take Psycho-supposedly one of the scariest movie scenes in history, but we never even see the girl in the shower get stabbed. Brilliant.

I am fortunate to be in STAC, in a group of more advanced artists who won't make generic student films. I am also fortunate that we have the limitations of time, location, budget, cast, resources, etc. because limitations are what makes art good. If you can have everything you want, then you can make episodes 1, 2 and 3, of Star Wars instead of episodes 4, 5, and 6...which ones are better?

On a sidenote: I hoped to be working on the children's theatre script with Steve. Will that be possible at all in this workshop or should Cassie and I just talk to him outside of it?

Kontroll...again

Luke, you were right; the more I learn about Kontroll, the harder it is for me to talk about it. After seeing it a second time, I'm finding it harder to wrap my mind around it. The setting of Kontroll is a world that combines and crosses boundaries between reality and fantasy, and it is hard for any human being to just go ahead and accept the fact that this movie is a blur; not everything is real, but not everything is an imaginary impossibility. And rightfully so; we live in a world where we, for the most part, know what is possible and what is not, so giving that up and living in an ambiguous fucked up "reality" for 105 minutes isn't easy at first.

Maybe Kontroll is so hard to talk about because Nimrod Antal has exposed a side of us that we don't really like to think about: the darker side, the troubled side, the side that maybe pushes innocent people in front of trains. I like that Bulcsú can both be the killer and not be the killer. If he is, then that shows just what a negative environment or a negative situation can do to a humans; it can break them. If he isn't, then there's the hope we're looking for, that there's some good in all of us, even though there's some evil too. We all have this moral conflict. We just don't want to admit it because it makes us look "bad" or "vulnerable." Should I do the right thing or the thing that makes me happy and gives me catharsis? Should I look out for others or take my needs as the most important?

Bulcsú isn't your typical underdog hero. He is more like the ancient Greek definition of a tragic hero. He is flawed, seemingly doomed to an unavoidable fate, forced to suffer, and is faced with a serious decision. He is not entirely a tragic hero because he doesn't die in the end, but perhaps the bitter, evil part of him does when he finally ascends out of the metro and into the next phase of his life.

Kontroll

I have not been able to stop thinking about Kontroll since I saw it. It's been built up in my mind for the four years I've been in STAC, and it was certainly worth the wait. Why is Kontroll such an incredible film? Sure, it won 17 awards, the cast is fantastic, the cinematography is stunning, the subject matter is unique, and the whole thing in general is funny, sad, and dark all at the same time. But it must be the combination of every amazing element that makes Kontroll one of those movies that just won't leave you alone. I've done a bit of research and read plenty of interviews with Nimrod Antal since I saw the film, and it's interesting how the more I find out, the more questions I have.

I can't even settle on whether or not I think Bulcsú is the killer. On one hand, I think it would make complete sense that the killer is a dark part of Bulcsú deep in his subconscious that hates his job so much that he ends up killing innocent passengers who never give him the respect he deserves. On the other hand, I think that conclusion might be too obvious, too predictable, too generic, and I don't think Nimrod Antal is the kind of director who would go for the obvious choice. In fact, he most probably wants us to tear our minds apart over whether or not Bulcsú is the pusher, only to never give us a definite answer. In one interview, Antal said he doesn't necessarily consider himself an artist, but for all intents and purposes, I'll consider him one. Like most artists, perhaps he wants us to wonder if there is a little bit of evil in ourselves. Roland Barthes once said, "Literature is the question minus the answer." Perhaps film is too.

This movie also has a killer soundtrack. Music can make or break a movie. For example, Watchmen was a mediocre movie, made even worse by a terrible soundtrack, full of songs that were neither good individually nor as a whole. The movie could have been made better if the soundtrack included music appropriate to the time it was set in, and especially music appropriate to the moods of individual scenes (No one should ever use "Hallelujah" for a sex scene). But I digress. The distinct sound of the band "Neo" perfectly suited chase scenes, murder scenes, comical scenes, and love scenes with their ominous, ambiguous, and one-of-a-kind style.

Now that I've seen Kontroll, all I want to do is watch Kontroll and talk about Kontroll. Basically, I want to live, breath, sleep, and eat Kontroll. I can't wait to watch it again and unravel more of the mystery. I dread the day any American tries to do a remake of it!

Making Movies the 'Be Kind Rewind' Way

I know I'm being shallow and redundant when I say it was really fun, but it definitely was. Now that that's out of the way, on to the deeper stuff!

Working in Groups:
I have always been a fan of group work and it has always been my instinct to take the lead and direct the group; that's just the kind of person I am. However, this time, Jessica was the camera-woman, so she was the automatic leader. At first it was a challenge for me to sit back, just go with the flow, and not try to lead, but eventually I got used to it. It's good to take a different role in a group every now and then.
I'm so grateful for the group I worked with. We all seem to have a great artistic chemistry in that we build off of each others ideas in order to develop a finished product. It was a curse and a blessing that we are also all fun-loving, chatty, silly people, because at times, we did let joking around get the better of us. Still, when it came time to shoot the film, we utilized the time to the best of our abilities. I don't think our film would have been as successful as it was had our group been different.

The Time Constraint:
On filming day, the time limit became very stressful, especially because 15 minutes were wasted on a fire drill. We even had to cut a scene because we wouldn't have had time to go from the basement to my car and back to the basement again. The whole time, I kept glancing at my watch, thinking about how little time we had left. But in the end, we got the job done without any petty fights or arguments between the group members, which always wastes time.

The Film Itself:
I think we approached shooting pretty well. We always rehearsed the scene we were about to film a few times before actually shooting it, which was nerve-wracking. There was a lot of pressure not to mess up. Like Ed Wood, we always accepted the first take and moved on. We almost made it through the entire film without any glitches or mess-ups until Nick came in as the blind prophet and made Doug and Cassie crack up.

I would love to make another movie like this, perhaps with different limitations and requirements. It's certainly a valuable experience for artistic, technical, and every-day life situational purposes.

Henri Matisse

"If my story were ever to be written truthfully from start to finish, it would amaze everyone."
-Henri Matisse-

Henri Matisse, born Henri-Émile-Benoît Matisse, was a French artist who lived from December 31, 1869 to November 3, 1954. He grew up in Bohain-en-Vermandois, Picardie, France. At age 18, he went to Paris to study law and worked as court administrator in Le Cateau-Cambrésis. He first began painting in 1889, following an attack of appendicitis, when his mother brough him art supplies. He fell in love with painting and decided to become a painter, deeply disappointing his father. In 1891, Matisse returned to Paris to study art at the Académie Julian and became a student of William-Adolphe Bouguereau. He left in disgust of the overly perfectionist style of teaching there. He then trained with Gustave Moreau, a more progressive artist. In both studios, he drew figure studies from life. At first, he failed his drawing exam for admission to the École des Beaux-Arts, but persisted and was finally accepted. Matisse began painting still-lives and landscapes in the traditional Flemish style. Chardin was one of his most admired painters. In 1869, he exhibited 5 paintings in the salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, and the state bought two of his paintings. From 1897 to 1898, he visited the painter John Peter Russell, who introduced him to impressionism and the work of van Gogh. Matisse's style changed completely, and he later said that Russell was the teacher from whom he learned color theory. The Dinner Table (1897) was Matisse's first masterpiece:
Caroline Joblaud was Matisse's lover for four years during his initial struggles to affirm his artistic direction and professional career. They had a daughter named Marguerite in 1894. In 1898 he married Amélie Noellie Parayre. They raised Marguerite together and had two sons, Jean, born in 1899, and Pierre, born in 1900. Marguerite often served as a model for Matisse. His first solo exposition at Vollard's in 1904 was not very successful. His fondness for bright and excessive color became more pronounced when he moved south and spent time on the French Riviera.
In 1905, Matisse and a group of artists known as the "Fauves" exhibited together at the Salon d'Automne.Gertrude and Leo Stein bought Matisse's Woman With a Hat. Matisse was recognized as a leader of the group, along with Andre Derain. Still, his work encountered vehement criticism. His controversial 1907 painting, Nu bleu, was burned in effigy at the Armory Show in Chicago in 1913. The decline of the Fauvist movement after 1906 did not affect the rise of Matisse. In 1904, he met painter Pablo Picasso. The two became life-long friends and rivals. The key difference between their work is that Matisse drew and painted from nature, whereas Picasso worked from imagination. Both artists frequently painted women and still life. Gertrude, Leo, Michael, and Sarah Stein were important collectors and supporters of Matisse's paintings. Matisse's friends organized and financed the Académie Matisse in Paris, a private and non-commercial school in which Matisse instructed young artists. It operated from 1907 until 1911.
In 1917, Matisse moved to Cimiez on the French Riviera. His work here shows a relaxation and softening of his approach. After 1930, a new vigor and bolder simplification appear in his work. In 1932, he completed The Dance II, a large mural for the Barnes Foundation.
In 1939, he seperated from his wife of 41 years. In 1941, he underwent surgery and started using a wheelchair. With the help of assistants, he created large paper collages, called gouaches découpés. In 1947, he published Jazz, a limited-edition book containing of these colorful paper cut collages, accompanied by his written thoughts. He also worked as a graphic artist in the 1940s, producing black-and-white illustrations for several books and lithographs at the famous Mourlot Stuidos in Paris. In 1951, he completed a four-year project of designing the interior, glass windows, and decorations of the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence. He established a museum dedicated to his work in 1952, in the city where he was born. Henri Matisse died of a heart attack at age 84 in 1954. He is known for his vivid use of color and his fluid draughtsmanship.

More Paintings:The Dessert Harmony in Red (1908)


Open Window (1905)

Friday's Activities

Running around blindfolded-this is the third time I've done this in STAC, and of course it's a different experience each time. It's a trust exercise and a getting-to-know-each-other exercise and a "what would it be like if I were blind?" exercise, and it's just plain fun, but surely, it's something more...When I put on a blindfold for 15 minutes, I let go of the aesthetic world for at 15 minutes. Sure, I also let go of the aesthetic world when I close my eyes and go to sleep, but this is different, because I'm doing something; I'm being led around a building without sight. Suddenly, I care more about my other senses: I want to touch everything possible so I know where I am...a soda machine, a pine cone, a few piano keys, a high-five from a child at daycare, the railing of a flight of stairs. I can smell when we're in the women's bathroom or the wings on the sides of the stage or the musky dance studios. Even though I can't see them, I can hear and feel the custodial staff and the other Community Center workers giving me strange looks as Jill leads me past them.

I have experienced this building so many times, in so many different ways. Once when I was a little girl in Girl Scouts, we had a square dance in the gym. Many times in my first year of STAC for dance, music, photography, and acting workshops in various dance studios. Three times in my first year of STAC to see a production of "Urinetown: The Musical" in the auditorium. Several times in my second and third years of STAC as well, for workshops. Many hours spent working on Children's Theatre productions on that same stage. Many hours spent rehearsing the one-act plays and frantically fixing costumes for "Into the Woods." Experiencing this building blind is like a whole other world. It's new to me, as if I've never been here before. Maybe that's part of why it's so scary at first. Although I adapt to it, comfortable with the silence, trusting the person holding my hand, there is still a little glimmer of fear in the back of my mind. Sure, I know that no one in their right mind would lead me into a wall, but it's still hard to let go when you're so used to having control.


After taking off the blindfold, I felt as if I appreciated the aesthetic world much more. I understoond the space around me in a completely new, different way. It was bigger, more detailed, and full of new options and heightened senses.

I feel like the repetition exercise and the blindfolded exercise connect with each other. Both are about letting go and just letting whatever happens happen. I had a really good moment with Luke when he and I were partners for the repetition exercise. At one point I said "anxious" and we repeated that for a bit, and then he said "college" and we repeated that and I started to feel the connection, and then he said "it's gonna be okay" and we repeated that, and then he started tearing up and gave me a hug. It was so reassuring! I actually felt for once that everything is going to be okay! As with the blinfolded exercise, you just have to let go, stop thinking, and let yourself open up.

Rilke Rewrite-Piano Practice

The summer sighs. The night dreams.
Her white dress breathes into her fingertips,
reaching onto the keys that play that sharply etched etude.

Distracted, she waits through her playing
For what could come tomorrow, this evening,
At this door or the next-

And suddenly
With a glimmer-a gaze-she broke
An angered pace away
The sweet jasmine scent sickened her.

Keren on the Cob

Ingredients:
salt
pepper
anime drawings
white chocolate
watermelon
a grill

Preparation:
Sprinkle Karen with 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper. Roll her in an anime drawing and tie off the ends. With tongs, place her on the grill. Cook until golden brown. Melt a block of white chocolate and pour desired amount over Karen on the Cob. Serve with water melon at your next barbecue!

Best Photos

He looks like an elf.
Her smile is lovely and not at all forced.
She's not afraid to look silly and have fun!
I feel like he's looking right at me. His eyes are captivating!
She's shrugging in a cute, nonchalant way.
She looks really excited about something.
She has a very expressive face. This picture is full of attitude.
It's candid. Mid-laugh pictures are so much better than posed, stiff smiles.
It looks like one of those generic movie scenes where he'd be on his knees shouting "NOOOOOOOOO!" It's funny and expressive!
Her hair and eyes look great! She has a sweet, innocent look on her face.
She looks elated, like she just received great news!
She looks like a blowfish! It's cute, silly, and fearless.
She looks like she's thinking hard about something.
She looks absolutely beautiful. Her casual look makes her seem at peace with everything.
Great smile. I love how her face is all scrunched up, but it doesn't diminish the expressiveness of her features.
Even though she was sort of doing a pose, it still looks candid and fun.
I love his hand gestures and his smile lights up the whole picture.
This is the happiest I've ever seen Jack. He has a lovely, genuine smile!
I like how she's looking directly into the viewer's eyes.
The look on his face is serious, but seductive.
I like the 3-quarter view..the way her head is cocked to the side.
Her huge smile and the way her hair falls in her face make her look like she's having a great time.
She's caught mid-sentence, but it doesn't look awkward. Her hair looks great too!
He's caught mid-laugh, so his smile looks real.
I love her hand gestures. They're so eccentric, like what she's explaining is exciting and important! It looks like her hands are about to come out of the picture.
She has a great smile and her facial features compliment each other nicely.
He looks genuine and relaxed.
Her eyes are amazing!
There are no distractions. Her face is the only thing in this picture.
She looks a little shy, but in a cute way.