Cucalorus!!

This year for Cucalorus, I participated in 10x10 and volunteered to bartend. In retrospect, I shouldn't have signed up for so much. I didn't get to enjoy it as much as i would have liked. However, I did get to see some awesome things.

I went to the opening party at Bellamy Mansion. That was super fun. I got to meet a lot of interesting people and learn about a lot of films in the festival. I also went to Dancealorus. I was underwhelmed by it this year to be honest. My favorite was definitely the group of girls who started out wearing animal masks. That was awesome. I also went to the Black Silkie Shorts (Excellent Shorts) and Orpington Shorts. The Orpington Shorts were super solid. My favorite one was about a finger that lingered in a family's house. It was hilarious but kind of creepy at the same time. Their budget was roughly $500. I love it.

I also went to a 45 minute film called Ellie Lumme. It played at TheaterNow. I went specifically because it was 45 minutes. I guess you're "not supposed to do that". Whatever. The film was really well done and, what i thought, the perfect duration. It was described as "a ghost story with no ghost". I think that's kind of pushing it, but I still really enjoyed it. I would love to make a 45 minute film. That sounds really fun. The short that opened for it was called Peepers. That was probably my favorite short out of the whole festival. This couple is eating dinner when they realized there's a "peeper" outside of their window; however, it's completely NOT what you think. You never see the peeper, but the film insinuated that the peeper judges you about your life. It was super well done. The couple starts freaking out about their fake decorations and fake lives. So great.

I spent the majority of my time in the filmmakers lounge either working or networking. I made a lot of great contacts and friends. I can't wait for next year... hopefully i'll have a film in it. Hopefully i'll at least submit a damn film. I say that every year... fml

Media Fast

The media fast took place over fall break. I went to Charlotte for a few days. On the way to Charlotte, my phone died. And i didn't charge it until the end of fall break. It was really nice. I already hate my phone. And i think that facebook is the devil. I think that most social media is the devil. So being required to do a media fast was actually a breath of fresh air. The only parts that were hard were the no watching movies/TV and no listening to music. That was difficult. However, because i was on vacation and running around and exploring, it wasn't the worst.

Even without a media fast, it's really interesting to watch people with their phones. I was waiting for some friends at a show by myself. There were a couple of other people either by themselves or in groups of two that were obviously waiting for people as well. But, i was the only one to not be on my phone. Even the people that were groups were on their phone. What could be so important? It's just a huge alter-reality where people can create and fix their lives. They can be whoever they want and affect others in any way they want without any repercussions. It's crazy. And you have to ask... which life is the real life? I'd like to say the one that we're actually living in... but that statement isn't even validated if you think about it. If someone spends more time in the day on social media than in real life, then does that mean that social media is their real life? And if it is their real life, then does that mean that they are becoming, in some ways, immortal through social media? Does that mean that I should jump on this band wagon to have some sort of comfort that i'm leaving behind my "legacy" or fabricated slices of "life"? That is not comforting. It's not real. It's just another avenue to put yourself above other people.

Back to the media fast, it's really interesting to have only the sounds around you to listen to rather than preferred music. I'd pay more attention to conversations around me and actually have more coherent thoughts. It was really nice. And it was actually really nice not to hear my phone's notifications either. Also, riding in the car with no music is kind of cool. Each time you stop for gas, you're bombarded with new sounds. Each place has it's own specific sounds and smells and feel. They're all linked together but is there one that's more important? What would the place feel like if you couldn't hear it? What would it sound like if you couldn't smell it? What would it smell like if you couldn't see it? Sure, if you broke down the senses one by one, each one would be more powerful standing on its own. But that's just because you're focusing in on one at a time. Which senses have more effect on one another than others? Or are they all the same? Can you only really hear a sound purely without any other sense? Or do other senses help create the essence of what you're hearing? If you couldn't see a train coming, but heard its whistle as it passed in front of you, would it be even louder because you weren't expecting it? Or would it be louder because you weren't able to watch it approach and anticipate the sound? Or would it be louder at all when measured in decibels? Would it just seem louder or quieter?

I keep getting off track of the media fast. Overall, i liked the media fast. And i think that it's super beneficial for students especially to have to do a media fast. The world feels calm for a brief second.

Week 4- Response 3

Ok WHATTTTT... why didn't i know there were symphonies where the instruments and singers are miles away? I want and need to go to this place. That is amazing.

One of my favorite lines is "music needs air to breathe". It needs to move and bounce and slowly fall apart. Taking the time to be able to breathe in sound is a pretty powerful experience. I love going to the mountains because you can feel isolated and more understanding of yourself. I think a big part of that feeling is being able to hear your own thoughts. And not just be able to hear them, but able to walk yourself through them. My mind will get completely jumbled. It's a knot that I have a very hard time unraveling. A lot of times, I'll lose it and need complete silence. I get so pissed at any type of sound, even music, when i'm overwhelmed.

The last guy mentioned the most reported complaint was about noise/sound. I'm completely on board with that fact, but that's so obvious. I don't think using that in his defense really worked all that well. If you think about it, of course sound will be reported more than crime or prostitution. With crime and prostitution, the person reporting will have to get involved in some type or way even if it's just a statement. When reporting a noise complaint, that's anonymous. You call the police, bitch about someone, maybe it escalates for the cop, maybe it doesn't, regardless, at the end of the day, the sound is shut down. I just don't think this was a good point.

Week 3- Response 2

Honestly, I don't know how I feel about crowdfunding. Once again, Portlandia explains my feelings on something better than I do.

Can'ts Film Festival


Anyways, the whole wikipedia video was super interesting to me. I had no idea that's how it worked. I always heard like "don't trust wikipedia" and what not, and I'm not saying that i'd bank on everything, but it is super interesting to think that a group of people are actually watching and correcting it. It's basically a huge "honor system" with information. I like it.

I'm really interested in crowdsourcing films and art. I don't know if i'd like to do it myself. It kind of gets old to me because in it, everyone pushes connectivity and equality, which you definitely see that... for a brief second. Nothing in the grand scheme of things. Sure, promote it, but how about believe it too. I'm sure that the majority of people sending it videos and reading out your declaration don't actually practice equality. Other than taking the time to make that video and send it in (which might just land them in the public eye), what else are they doing to fix our shitty world?

Week 2- Response 1

Synesthesia and Cymatics

First off, I'm sorry these are so late. Secondly, I have always thought these topics were super interesting.

I got my bottom lip tattooed a couple years ago. That night, my roommate asked me what the surface of the skin inside my mouth felt like when I ran my tongue over it. My response was, "chicken scratch". I was being absolutely serious. I couldn't come up with a different or better way to describe it. She had no idea what I was trying to get at, so I explained, "Think about someone writing the words chicken scratch with a mechanical pencil. That image is exactly what my mouth feels like."
To me, that was the perfect description, but most likely to anyone else, it made no sense. I'm not sure if this is pure synesthesia, but it seems close.

After these readings and videos, I got really inspired to do experiments.
Maybe I'll change my Freestyle; Maybe I wont.

Here are my ideas:

Synesthesia:

have everyone write down the color they see when told a certain word.

-most common of color from each word

-how to arrange the colors?

.pick words to tell a story?...then ask them to tell me what they saw in their heads?

They should be as specific in their color selection as possible

Flash the colors in order. 

What would be the difference between writing down colors with a black pen on a white sheet of paper and having a huge selection of crayons to pick from and color a spot on paper?

What words?

interesting to pick a really common word and see the differences?

OR

interesting (aesthetically) to have with precise words?

I like both.

Maybe we just do both and see what happens

What about just letters?

Then spell a word with the colors, play it and see what they write down?

A feeling or word?

A color for each letter of the alphabet. Put together the colors for the letters A-P-P-L-E

Play it back and see if the audience has feelings or images associated with apples

Do it with numbers and write out their phone numbers. 

See if  they have feelings of nostalgia? Or what emotion?

Would siblings have similar feelings from watching the same "color" phone number?

Cymatics-

 Record audio of an unknowing couple’s conversation. 

Separate the two voices.

One person can be represented by one substance or color or both. 

The other person, another. 

Play them separately and edit together.

Thought Processes

Did that just say "slut" at the end? 

Red and blue. Red and blue. Everything is red and blue. Visually appealing? It's a hit with the most appeasing equation known in the color world. It doesn't even matter the substance as long as your synapses are firing grateful bursts of needed visual brilliance. Red and blue. The best way to solidify your film in the art film genre. 

Music needs to breathe. These paintings are trying so hard to not be a part of this film. They want air. They are reaching for a way to jump off this screen and reside in the audio waves that have filled the room. There's no more separation between mediums. We can now predict the next movements and spasms without previously knowing a single note. Guessing the next bombardment of color poses a new problem but is still solvable.