Experimental Film Research and Inspiration

We looked into some of the history of experimental film and where it began. We then viewed work which helped give us more of an idea of what we can create and how we can do it. Firstly we began looking into Dadaists and how they weren't linked through genre but only through the fact that they were rebelling against order therefore they did not follow any conventions when making films hence why they are very experimental. we watched Rhythmus 21 by Hans Richter (1921):

I think with this piece it was all about the way he made it creating a new kind of video where by he would animate shapes. Even though this seems very simplistic to us in terms of process and subject back then it hadn't ever been done because they didn't have the technology we do. It also has no narrative so it breaks conventions in that sense.

Next I looked at a piece called The Return to Reason by Man Ray (1923):

This piece again defied conventions because it didn't have a story it was again all about process. This piece was made by placing objects onto the film to create these unique and unusual shapes which are actually quite mesmerising.

Then I looked at a piece called Man with a Movie Camera by Dziga Vertov (1929):

With this piece it is focusing on the real world however it still defies conventions because instead of having a linear narrative to base the images upon instead it focuses on the actual imagery itself. I really like the way tempo and rhythm play such a part because the pictures have a certain flow to them and this works along side the music really well.

Then I looked at the Surrealist movement and how they were inolved in experimental film. There priciple when it came to their films was to simply shock the audience through any means possible. I looked at Un Chien Andalou by Dali & Bunuel (1929):
I really feel like this does fulfil it purposes of shocking the audience because it uses some very strong and uncomfortable imagery such as the slicing of the eye at the beginning. I feel like this was put together so strangely by having such random event happen that it comes across like its a dream which could have been their inspiration for this piece.

Next I looked at a piece called La Jetee by Chris Marker (1962):
"La jetée" by Chris Marker from minneapolis on Vimeo.
I felt like this piece used a really interesting process to tell the story. I like the way we only had still images because it allowed us to focus on the story a lot more and also allowed us to link up the pictures ourselves to form the imagery. I like how the piece is based on memory and uses photos because photos are a way in which we hold on to memories so this is a very interesting concept.

Then I looked at Mothlight by Stan Brakhage (1963):

This is another piece which is based more on the process of actually making it because again it is very different. It was done by places things like moth wings and leafs onto film frames. I find it really interesting how we manage to take in all the information even though the frames move so fast. I like the idea of this process and how it is very organic and hands on.

Next I looked at a piece by Sam Taylor Wood called A Little Death:

I feel like this piece is much more about the actually meaning behind the imagery. To me it is a representation of nature VS man. Man is represented by the dead Hare where as nature is represented by the peach. The hare rots away whilst the peach deliberately doesn't so I think it is saying that ultimately nature will always win. I liked the way it was composed as well because it look rather like a painting and then being captured as a time lapse made it seem like the painting was coming to life.

Finally I looked at a piece by Shirin Neshat called Turbulent:

I again really think this piece is all about the meaning behind it. I think it is showing the difference between how women in that country get treated compared to men. For example she doesn't get an audience where as he does even though her voice was so much better. I also really like the way this piece has been made because it uses split screen where one side is related to the other and one with out the other wouldn't make sense.