MY FILM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PDP3k8AoQI

At the beginning of the semester, I presented myself as a somewhat vocal opponent of films like Blood of a Poet. My background in story-telling told me that a film should never place sizeable intellectual burden on the viewer - not that it shouldn’t make us think, but that it shouldn’t make us wonder what it was about. I would not say that I had a particularly strong appreciation for experimental film.

Entering into the midterm, even, I did not anticipate or have any interest in creating my own experimental film. Ideally, I wanted to do some work with montage editing, a la Eisenstein, but when actors and inspiration for a story proved hard to come by, this idea fizzled. So, partially at the behest of Prof. Rattner, I decided to give experimental filmmaking a whirl.

My intention, I suppose, was something along the lines of Cocteau’s when he set out to make Blood of a Poet. I wanted to, in one way or another, express my own journey, development and experience as an artist through use of film. It started with my overall understanding of where my artist within fits in a world where, in my opinion, life is too commonly lived on tracks not of our own choosing. (this life mutes creativity.) To make my point, I threw in by the plenty the same obscure symbols that I had damned just a few weeks prior - symbols/representations of my growth as an artist like cartoons, television shows and, most importantly, nature. Though my film feels full of the potentially mundane, I tried to show that, in childhood, even the mundane can ignite passion and wonderment and inspire art.

I tried, too, to show the inevitability of movement; we are always getting older, of course, but the ultimate message of the film is that we can choose the direction of our movement. Even in a life lived on tracks, something like love can remind us of the same wonderment we felt as children and encourage us to take control of our lives and our growth. In this, we rediscover our capacity to create authentic and inspired artwork.

Some of this may not be evident to anybody watching the film, but therein is the most interesting learning experiences of the project. To me, everything here means a great deal. To you, it may not or it may mean something entirely different. I’ve always been a stickler for “artist’s intent” in my analysis and reception of film, but realize suddenly that that’s not the point. Echoing many discussions we’ve had in class, I’m comfortable with the idea that you will have your own artistic experience in the viewing of this film. I hope you will, at least.

I feel almost silly for saying so, but this film really means a lot to me. I appreciate everyone’s responses and criticism in class and look forward to showing you an upgraded and updated version of the film at the semester’s end.

Thanks,

Andy