Len Lye was a New Zealand artist who became widely known for his experimental animation work in the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s as well as his work with kinetic sculptures. Len started to experiment with animation, more specifically stop-motion in the early 1930’s. One of his first works is a short music video called The Peanut Vendor (1933), in which a monkey-esque hominid sings, moves and dances to the peanut song. What is so remarkable about this short is the actual puppet itself. In the early days of stop-motion animation, the puppet’s themselves were mostly asinine and not the most appealing, but Len Lye managed to construct an armature that was able to pose in complicated ways. Rainbow Dance (1936) is a short five-minute animation that experiments with colour in various degrees. What sticks out to me is the blending between live-action and 2D colour animation, especially given the time period in which coloured film was quite rare. In this short, Len composites coloured imagery onto a dancing man, which is very reminiscent to Disney’s later film, Fantasia. The Birth of a Robot (1935) is perhaps my favourite short by Len Lye. It is another one of his early stop-motion animations. The short itself focuses on the God’s casting oil upon planet Earth, in which cars, machines and a robot are created and working with upmost high functionality. What is so interesting about this film is not only is it presented in colour, but also the intricate set and character design. The robot itself, while reminiscent of science-fiction machinery from that era, is merely a wooden art mannequin painted silver. Even though it’s very basic, it’s serves its purpose. I am very keen on Lye’s work, as I have thought about focusing my experimental film on animation and colour. Whilst I have done many animations in the past, I would like to further hone my skills at blending 2D animation with live-action footage just like Lye had done for Rainbow Dance.
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3/31/2019 Dingle Do Dah (A Pseudo Social Comprehensive report of the 13th Dingle Film Festival)Read NowDingle Festival Report DRAFT (*tips fedora) As apart of the module, we were tasked to attend a film festival and experience what is was like being there as an attendee. This year, a portion of our class went to the 13th Dingle International Film Festival, which was held between the 21st to the 24th March 2019. ‘About Dingle IFF’ The Dingle International Film Festival is an annual film festival held annually in Dingle, Co. Kerry in the Republic of Ireland. The festival was set up by Maurice Galway, a documentarian filmmaker, with the first rendition of the festival occurring in 2007. The festival is known to attract a wide variety of films and filmakers from around the world, with notable contributors to the festival coming from the American and German film sectors. What stood out to me about the Dingle IFF was its setting; a small, coastal town. The whole area has great vibes, the perfect setting. The locals are for the most part, pleasant, and the community present in Dingle. ‘The Dingle Films’ During my escapade at the Dingle Film Festival, I witnessed a grand total of four films, each from different corners of the globe. These films have all been released between 2017 to 2019, with some being more independent than others in terms of budget and storytelling style. My opinions on them range from ‘mediocre‘ to ‘pleasantly entertained’ ‘The Over Side of Everything’ The first film I seen at the festival was a Serbian language documentary film titled The Over Side of Everything, directed by Mila Turajlić. The story centres upon Serbian academic and activist Srbijanka Turajlić; the director’s mother. The film is told by Srbijanka, detailing the evolution of Super-Communist Yugoslavia to Serbia under the authoritarian-esque Milošević regime, to the now modern-day neo-democratic government, and her views on the concurrent political climate. My main reason for viewing this film is my interest in history, and as I am writing a script set in the Bosnian War, I thought it would at least be interesting to hear, even a little, about what it was like living in the neighbouring countries during this conflict. Before heading into the screening of this film, I needed to do a little more research into the director, Mila, who is renowned for her documentarian style of filmmaking. There is relatively few information on the budget of this documentary, however, it is worth to note that it was the first Serbian film to be funded by HBO Europe, so it was not low budget, especially with the filming locations and the various interviews with guests. ‘Styx’ The second film I went to see at the festival was a German drama film titled ‘Styx’ by Wolfgang Fischer. The film focuses on a doctor who decides to take a vacation on her sail-boat to the Darwin Islands, when, out of nowhere she encounters fishing boat filled with refugees, where she must make the moral decision on what to do in this situation. One of the primary reasons as to why I went to see Styx was out of curiosity as to what a modern German language film would be like, as it’s normally a type of film I would neglect (the last known German film I seen was Fritz Lang’s M) I also wanted to see how storytelling through sound, visuals and dialogue differed from mainstream or English language films, and oh boy, is it different. Styx is by no means a low-budget indie film; it is shot very well, and the use of major paramedical props and supplies in the first twenty minutes of the film indicate high budget usage (*There is no information online regarding the budget of Styx) Personally, I am not a fan of Styx, and at times was quite annoyed with it. What the film does multiple times repeatedly is long, uninterrupted shots, where nothing happens that furthers the stories progression. We shots that last twenty or more seconds where the protagonist is walking around her cabin or her staring into the camera which only supplement the film as ‘filler’. Sure, there are many long takes in the film that do serve the story’s purpose, such as when the main characters sail boat suffers an onboard problem, and we see the main character hurryingly try to fix it. The long takes in these instances served well in allowing us, the audience, to feel a sense of tension build up in a dangerous situation. The first seven minutes of the film focuses on two monkeys. Yes, two monkeys, as they jump around the German city in which we are later introduced to the main character. This segment of the film annoys me the most, as it is pointless and again, filler. It doesn’t serve as a full title intro sequence, as the title credits only last thirty seconds into this segment. It first gives the impression of a surrealist vibe, as the monkeys dance on the roof top in slow motion (2001 anybody?) but this expectation is slowly shot down over the course of the film. ‘Dark Lies the Island’ The third film I seen at the Dingle Film Festival was an Irish film titled ‘Dark Lies the Island’ directed by Ian Fitzgibbon. The film focuses on members of a dysfunctional family known as the ‘Mannion’ family, and how the characters interact with their wealthy, pompous father. I seen this film mainly at the recommendation of someone I met at the festival, who said this film was one of more anticipated films of the festival. I decided to do, as usual, research onto the film, and when I found out it was a dark comedy film with surrealist tones, I reckoned I would give it a viewing. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised, and was easily one of the highlights of the festival for me. The films story is almost universal, you could take the same set of characters, plop them in the Middle East, Asia or wherever, and it will still translate well, but what drives this film as unique, and an Irish indie film, is the dialogue. I expected an abundance of absurd Irish slang words when watching this film, and it is exactly what I got. All the actors are known to Ireland, either as comedian (Pat Shortt, Tommy Tiernan), or television actors (Charlie Murphy, Peter Coonan), and each one represents their character tremendously, with funny quips here and there, but also, when it comes to the deliverance of serious tonal moments in the films, the actors do just that. The balance of both absurdism and seriousness was played very well in this film. Le Sources The Over Side of Everything, Directed by Mila Turajlić, Produced by Carine Chichkowsky, HBO Europe, 2017 STYX, Directed by Wolfgang Fischer, Produced by Marcos Kantis, AMOUR FOU Filmproduktion GmbH, 2018 Dark Lies the Island, Directed by Ian Fitzgibbon, Produced by James Atherton, Grand Pictures, 2019 The Sisters Brothers, Directed by Jacques Audiard, Produced by Pascal Caucheteux, Why Not Productions, 2018
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Adam & Paul: "I don't feel so good..."Adam & Paul is a 2004 Irish Comedy film directed by Lenny Abrahamson. The film is made by Element Pictures, with further funding from the Irish Film Board and RTE. From what I could gather online, the film took no more than €400,000 (£345,000) to make. The story of Adam & Paul is told within a day, and follows two drug addict friends, Adam and Paul, scamper their way through a day in their lives as they try to get their next dopamine fix, as they have various interactions with people throughout Dublin. The story centres around the themes of addiction as well as isolation, and with the use of the dark comedic tones, almost tries to bring it down to a more human level. What makes this film independent you may ask? Well, something I noticed about this film is how it is shot, almost documentary-like. It’s as if the director followed the two main actors scamper around Dublin while filming it, as many of the townsfolk take note of the camera (by looking into it), double taking and making slight human-like interactions. This reminded me a lot of Jean Luc Goddard’s ‘Breathless’, where the real life would look at the camera and make double takes. The film’s tone is quite depressing and dark, almost like the previous film I analysed ‘The Survivalist’, as we the audience don’t feel much hope for the main characters with their struggles and how they will overcome it. This type of film tone I noticed is quite present in Irish indie cinema, and what I also noticed is that the comedic elements (In my opinion are better in this) share a similar execution to that in my first blog, ‘Bad Day for the Cut’. The humour is dry and doesn’t give much impact, but in Adam & Paul it feels more realer and grittier, and with the delicate topic of substance abuse, it works surprisingly well. Another thing I noticed about Adam & Paul, is its very slow, lifelike pacing. This is another thing I noticed is omitted from mainstream cinema and is also quite heavily used in Irish Indie cinema. I imagine the director wanted to use slow, lifelike pacing to simulate to the audience what the main characters were going through. We see events in the film where they are asked a simple question, and moments go by on and on in which neither character answers, showing us the damaging effect of substance abuse. The acting from the main characters is only ever emulated by the other homeless and drug addict people around Dublin, showing us what they share with them. In summary, I really liked Adam & Paul. I am fascinated by the lack of progression from the main characters in their search for the next fix, and how they are outcasted by their peers for their destructive ways. I feel this film might put some people off, from it’s slow pacing as well as dry humour and subject manner, but I feel it does a really good job in tackling and presenting these ideas. The Survivalist: "It ain't easy...dying" The Survivalist is a 2015 Irish Independent Post-Apocalyptic film directed by Stephen Fingleton. The film is made by The Fyzz Facility and distributed by Bulldog Film Distribution and shot in Northern Ireland. Online resources suggest that the film had a budget of £1 million, which is very modest for an independent film. The film follows the character known as ‘The Survivalist’, who lives a very isolated life in the apocalyptic world, when suddenly two strange women appear. A following of events occur, when groups of raiders force ‘The Survivalist’ and the women to leave, threatening his once accustomed way of living. My task with this analysis is to figure out what makes this film independent, through it’s setting, story and characters. One thing to be noted about with The Survivalist is in fact it’s setting; it’s set in a rough, rural landscape. I believe the setting played a huge part in the making of the film as Northern Ireland is filled with many forests and rural locations, and a post-apocalyptic film would almost certainly fit in with the location. Even in terms of the actors and actresses; they are all from Ireland and the rest of the UK which adds a layer of authenticity as to where the film is set. Traditionally, Indie films tends to hire local actors and actresses, and The Survivalist is no different, by casting actor ‘Martin McCann’ (Graham and Boogaloo, Calibre, ’71) who helms from Belfast as the main titular character. The overall tone and vibe from the film is something that I note that mainstream cinema often neglects. Sure, it might be a dark film and at times quite depressing, but the way that is played by the characters development fits well. The use of minimal dialogue is also something that stood out to me, where can go scenes and segments without any real dialogue spoken, with the main character almost being mute-like in essence. This reaffirms this dark idea of isolation in a post-apocalyptic world, and I believe this is something ‘Stephen Fingleton’ wanted to experiment in this film, which works out very well. Another thing I picked up from The Survivalist is it’s pacing; it is very slow in many instances, with some scenes lingering on for a little longer, just to show the audience what this world is really like. I felt the pacing was like another film I analysed; Bad Day for the Cut, but The Survivalist almost makes the pacing of the former film seem quicker. The pacing of The Survivalist in some senses is quite slow, and lifelike; we see our main character spend an abundance of time out in his garden, burying bodies, and making food. What helps to cut up the pacing in these instances is the use of the jump cut, where we go from one time of day to the next. What I found to be very impressive from The Survivalist, despite it being a low budget indie film was its cinematography, which was shot by Northern Irish cinematographer ‘Damien Elliot’. What I liked about the way it was shot, was unlike many mainstream films, The Survivalist had a very realist tone to the camerawork, almost documentary-eqsue in some instances. The use of handheld camera, along with long takes adds to the films serious tone and works well along with the pacing as beforementioned. I feel like The Survivalist is a gritty and dark film with some interesting ideas and concepts proposed, but an enjoyable watch nonetheless. Sure, it’s pacing may at times be long and inconsistent for some audience members, and the lack of spoken dialogue also is something to take note of, but I feel like what the director has managed to achieve with this film is great, and it’s execution is tremendous. New Waterford Girl: "Hit or miss?" New Waterford Girl is a 1999 Canadian comedy-drama film directed by Allan Moyle. The film is about a young awkward girl called Moonie, who is a big dreamer and aspires to move out of her small town when suddenly a family from New York City moves in next door. The film is shot and set in rural Canada and distributed by Odeon Films. My goal with this analysis is to explore what makes this film independent, and if such a film could be made in Northern Ireland, what would I change? The film’s story is that what we have seen in many films before; where the main character is stuck in a dead end town and wants to leave, and has aspirations of bigger dreams, before meeting a new character and facing a total change of personality and drive (Example: Footloose) This type of story isn’t unique, but New Waterford Girl attempts to put a twist to this type of storytelling. What we in New Waterford Girl (present in many indie comedy films such as Napoleon Dynamite and Sideways) is the development of characters. Although not hugely unique to indie comedies but prevalent, is where the main characters are often quite bland, and boring, especially in a sense of their drive and achievement, and New Waterford Girl’s protagonist, Moonie, fits this mold. What the director added to the character was a sense of quirkiness, almost the ability for the audience to grow to like the character as the plot progresses. Moonie’s progression throughout the film after meeting new neighbour Lou shows, in the sense that her confidence rises, and she goes against the status quo that is put in place for her. I think the setting of this film is also something seen in many indie films; it is set in a rural, run-down looking area, that has an old vintage feel to it. On my last blog, I reviewed Bad Day for the Cut, and, even though both are set in different countries, the atmosphere and setting of the environment are very similar. My theory for why indie films is set in rural areas is that there is an endless possibility of stories to be told, as well as the history that goes along with such places. Budgetary reasons are also another factor, as shooting in cities and big towns adds cost to hiring buildings, however in my research for the New Waterford Girl, I could not find the exact budget allocated to the film. A question poised about New Waterford Girl is if such a film can be made in Northern Ireland, and if so, what changes would or wouldn’t be made to it. I believe this film could have been made in Northern Ireland, and the big reason for this is the setting; it’s rural. In the film, it is set in a small, Canadian town, that looks very rough and has a vintage look to it. This type of setting is present hugely throughout Northern Ireland, so the setting issue is not a challenge. In terms of the acting representation and if the same quality can be achieved, I believe so. New Waterford Girl serves as the debut of many actors and actresses, and in Northern Ireland many up and coming actors would take advantage of this and showcase their potential. What would I keep? First, I would keep the main story theme; where Moonie’s character dreams big and wants to leave. Again, a simple story but one that can have an impact and stay with the audience if executed in a certain fashion. A change I would make to this film would be the addition of more dry humour, albeit, almost have the acting ‘drier’ like Peter Sellars acting in films such as Dr Strangelove and the Pink Panther series. I feel this would fit well with the character of Moonie, as she is, for the first two acts, mostly dry and quite honestly boring, and adding more humour to her acting would have fit the tone of the film better and make her stand out even more from the other supporting characters. To summarise, New Waterford Girl is one of those films that is marmite; you either like it or not. Many audience members may find it hard to connect with the main protagonist Moonie, be it through the characters arrogance, or in my opinion in what I would add to the character, a lack of comedic spark to her. However, in saying that, the films ‘quirky’ tone and ‘indie’ feel definitely is a draw for audience members into that sort of type of film. Bad Day for the Cut: "It ain't much, but it's honest work" Bad Day for the Cut is a 2017 Irish Thriller film directed by Chris Baugh. The film is made by Six Mile Productions, with external financing from Northern Ireland Screen. The premise of the film is quite a cookie cutter scenario: a man’s loving mother is murdered, and he goes off on a path to seek revenge. My task with this analysis, is to see what makes Bad Day, an independent film. There are many instances for what makes a film independent, one being that a film is somewhat produced outside of Hollywood/Major Studio System, or is privately financed by investors (For instance, George Lucas with Red Tails). This film takes the former, having been produced by a smaller in-house company “Six Mile”, whilst being given additional funding by N.I Screen. The thing with many indie films is that the stories they tell or what the director wants to showcase are never really shown in mainstream Hollywood, be it due to the severity or tone of the story, and the additional funding by another organisation (in this case N.I Screen) is given because the organisation saw some promise in the story that Chris Baugh wanted to tell, and it shows. Like the last point touched upon, it’s the films story and tone. Although many dark and grim films are made in the Hollywood/Main Stream System, not many would want to place a film set in Northern Ireland with such grimace to it. The films story is quite cookie cutter as beforementioned, however it has a somewhat style to it being that in its very dry humour. The film doesn’t offer much of it, but when it does (albeit the final few minutes) it suits the films atmosphere perfectly, as the film itself is quite a slow, somewhat dragging piece at times, with some scenes lingering on for much longer than they should. I feel that this is something that the director wanted to play with, as it is quite unconventional form of scene progression in films, especially in major feature length films, so praise is needed here for Bad Day. What also stands out about this film for independent, is its authenticity and setting. Many films try to replicate a setting, be it filming in a location like the one is set in or replicating it in the form of a set. In Bad Day, the film is set in Northern Ireland, and is shot in Northern Ireland. Not only is the locations similar to what we see in our day to day lives living here; the pubs, the farms, the vast countryside, but also the actors themselves stem from Ireland, which is great when it comes to boosting the economy of Irish film. Another tendency for indie films is that normally the actors are very obscure or not well known, and that is the case here. Many of these actors and actresses have appeared in few works, which contributes this to the film being indie. A few reasons as for why the cast may be obscure is for budgetary reasons, or, the director intentionally sought out obscure talent so that it would not draw too much attention away from the final film product. Overall, I feel that Bad Day for the Cut displays many components on what makes a film independent, and not just the obvious of it being filmed on a low budget. From it’s acting, to setting, to story and tone, Bad Day is quite refreshing film for Irish cinema, even though it’s another Irish thriller, it is set in the modern times and does well to play upon the genre. |
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October 2019
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