Intro to Film

Hello...

I'm Tom Powers, a film major from Glen Ellyn, Illinois. I have been an avid movie watcher for many years, and I have increased my film consumption during quarantine, for better or for worse. I would like to make my own films but have never made a real attempt to do so.

To briefly address our discussion from class, regarding whether technology is helpful or harmful to filmmaking... I failed to mention the Wachowski sisters, particularly Speed Racer (2008) and the Matrix trilogy as examples of film aided by advances in technology. In particular, their color grading, rapid editing and the constantly moving camera create a modern ambience that I have never felt in older films. Certain montages and effects in these films could simply never be achieved in prior decades. Reportedly, they are developing new types of dollies for the upcoming fourth Matrix.

Still from Speed Racer

However, I think that Eisenstein is probably the best editor I've ever come across despite working with some of the earliest film technology. Orson Welles began making features in the 1940s and I don't think that a better filmmaker exists today. In short, advances in technology can absolutely push the boundaries of filmmaking, but unfortunately forward-thinking uses of technology are few and far between today. The fundamentals are generally executed just as well, if not better in older work, and in some cases the "attraction" of technology feels like a crutch in recent films (like Avatar). 


Comments

  1. astra medeirosApril 2, 2021 at 11:22 AM

    I definitely agree that tech pushes the boundaries, and it makes me think about how they were first used. Earlier films had better use of the tech. Nowadays, it is overdone with the effects, creating distractions more than developments. It is most definitely a crutch.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cultural Hybridity

What motivates us to consume art from other regions or cultures? There are a myriad of different reasons depending on the consumer. First, the textbook cultural hybridity; a mixture of familiar, "universal" tropes with the novelty of a different culture. For example, my grandparents watch detective dramas from other countries because they like to learn about other cultures within the framework of a familiar narrative structure (along the lines of shows like Perry Mason which they have watched for years).  For me, consumption of art from other cultures can be attributed, at least in part, to the internet. Hollywood films are generally more available to me in America, but practically anything that I want to watch is just a few clicks away. As a result, we are able to consume a variety of film grammar, and by now I am at the point where I am no longer looking to evoke any of my Hollywood expectations when I watch a foreign film.  You must tread carefully when evaluating art from
Read more

K-pop and the Youthful Image

I cannot call myself a fan of K-pop, but I have no good reason to denounce it, either. In the same way that I have very little interest in Selena Gomez or Ed Sheeran records, I would never go out of my way to listen to K-pop. I think it's pretty formulaic but admittedly a little catchy and, although I don't find it worse than a lot of American pop, I am not generally interested in the bubble gum sound. To me, though, what I respect about K-pop as an industry is how they have played on the formulas of American pop. As noted by Yoon, “Media studies scholars have recently defined the phenomenal rise of K-pop as ‘a way to counter the threat of the Western-dominated media market’” (374). In this respect, K-pop is extremely successful, and I'm sure they would not care to hear my opinion given that they have massive, dedicated fanbases that run up streams and make them millions of dollars. An assertion from Yoon that I am interested in exploring is about the abusive, or at least b
Read more

Finding Humor from Melancholia

Pen15 deflects pain into humor. We all remember the awkward stage of middle school; it lacks the childlike bliss of elementary and the relative adulthood of high school. I doubt anyone has fond memories of middle school. While I can’t draw conclusions about the show as a whole having only seen 3 episodes, the tone of Pen15 fits my memories of middle school. In fact, I remember learning the joke “pen15” being taught to me around this age by a friend of my older brother. A detail I appreciated was the way they cussed, sounding like they had just learned these foul words and were still working out how to put them in context. At this age, misconceptions about sex, drugs and other “adult” topics are perpetuated endlessly. Unfortunately, the juvenile humor is not always innocent. Maya is bullied ruthlessly, probably due to her race in part. While it seems like mere joking, this sort of bullying can lead to alienation and melancholia.  Is humor the best way to deal with racial melancholia?
Read more