Gabija

Next-to-last (for this module) research plan draft

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 14:06:45 +0100

Introduction
What actually is independent cinema and what role does it play for nowadays audience? In my research I will focus not so much on the audience, at least not more than it is necessary for the particular purpose, but on depicting the actual independent film situation per se. The first stage of independent film is through 1940s to 1970s, where “independent” meant the opposition to the mainstream media. When and where has the concept of independent cinema emerged? What is the difference of American and European “low budget” films? Independent film has changed since it was introduced; however, there are several questions, which need a more detailed examination: how much, in what direction and to what effect has independent film changed? One of the points that unified the first American independent films was the commitment to the alternative points of view, however, the recent studies on American independent cinema have defined what American independent cinema is not – it is not avant-garde, not experimental and not underground. What then American independent cinema is?
The indies’ most powerful institution is the Sundance Institute. The main criteria for participating in the festival are that films have to be independently produced and their budgets must have at least 50 per cent American financing. What role does the budget play in the new independent cinema? It is interesting to find out the relation between the size of the budgets and how marketing-driven is the independent production. According to Emanuel Levy, now independent cinema is judged by its commercial success, not by its aesthetic daring or narrative quality. So, what kind of production qualifies for the “American independent cinema” term?
Research question
The main research problem the collective research project “Indie Cinema and the Videogame Generation” addresses – Do independent filmmakers have something valuable to say about growing up today? How are those films presented to that audience? How do you bring today’s videogame generation into an independent cinema?
Sub question (for individual analysis – focus of the first stage of research project):
What is independent cinema and how does it differ from mainstream cinema?
For this initial question I’m focusing on I have come up with additional questions, which would be examined during the research:
To what extent do American indies represent a true alternative to mainstream?
Is Hollywood learning from the independents?
Does "independent" mean edgier and more questioning films?
Research strategy
o Investigate the particular topic while organizing the Indie film festival.
o Read relevant literature (starting with Emanuel Levy’s “Cinema of Outsiders”)
o Watch independent films and analyze them (choose recent indie – might be Tarantino, as his films are acknowledged as “commercially entertaining” ones; and compare to a Hollywood product; still haven’t decided if I’ll actually focus on film from a more technical perspective, i.e. production process, however, it is leaning towards that, although I would like to do some more creative analysis as well). The industrial realm is an important definition of independent cinema – that is a presumptive perspective for analysis.
o Reflect on the final product, i.e. film festival
Are indies a challenge to Hollywood? What does it say that formerly independent distributors Miramax and New Line are attached to Hollywood studios now and some prominent directors from the independent sector have been signed up for Hollywood duty? What connotations does “independent” have now (as it has changed throughout the years: in 30s – something less than trash; 60s – more underground experimental; from the mid 80s – more arty and sometimes even politically inflected).
Planning and organization
As I am participating in the collective research project where the final product will be an Independent Film Festival, most of the organizational matters are going to be carried out collectively. We have already chosen some movies to be watched every Tuesday (Adaptation, Being John Malkovich, Elephant, Punch-Drunk Love, Virgin Suicide, Kids, Gummo, City of God, Donnie Darko, Clerks, City of God, and Black&White).
There are several things, which we’ve found essential in the organizational process:
- Theme of the festival
- Funding
- Website, introductory film, flyers, posters, etc. (other promotional necessities)
- Movies that are going to be shown in the festival
- Side events (food, etc.)
Timetable
The timetable I am going to follow starts after the carnival break – March 6th. For the collective project we have scheduled to hold regular meetings and film screenings every Tuesday starting March 7th. Next to the group meetings I am going to follow my own schedule for the individual research on the independent film subject (for the main focus see research question). Timetable for the 16 weeks of the collective project:
1st week (starting March 6th): reading the related literature and formulating a more precise research question.
2nd week: watching independent movies and analyzing them (that will go in parallel with the project but this week I will also focus individually on indie film from different periods).
3rd week: reading additional material for the individual research and analyzing it.
4th week: reading and analyzing the material
5th week: starting to write the report on the research findings
6th week: writing the report
7th week: reading the additional material if necessary and making general adjustments on a report before the festival
8th week: final re-writes of the research findings and preparation for the more intensive organization of the festival
9th week: organizing the film festival
10th week: organizing the film festival
11th week: organizing the film festival
12th week: organizing the film festival
13th week: organizing the film festival
14th week: organizing the film festival
15th week (starting June 19th, no date specified yet): film festival
16th week: writing the reflexive report on the independent film festival
Outline
Preliminary outline for the project report:
I. Introduction
II. American independent cinema
a. History
b. Changes throughout the years
c. Sundance (independent film festival)
III. Independent v/s mainstream cinema
IV. Analysis of the independent film (not yet selected)
V. Reflection on the Independent Film Festival at Lumiere
VI. Conclusions
Sources
So far I haven’t managed to explore all the relevant sources, however, have picked up several which supposedly will be used in my research:
Biskind, Peter. Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film, New York:Simon and Schuster, 2004
Bordwell, David. Narration in the Fiction Film, London:Routledge, 1986
Dale, Martin. The Movie Game: the Film Business in Britain, Europe and America. London: Cassell, 1997
Geoff, Andrew. Stranger than paradise: Maverick Film-Makers in Recent American Cinema. London:Prion Books, 1998
Geoff, King. American Independent Cinema. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2005
Levy, Emanuel. Cinema of Outsiders: The Rise of American Independent Film. New York: University Press, 2001
http://www.sundance.org/
http://www.ifp.org/

Research plan II draft

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:39:16 +0100

Introduction
What actually is independent cinema and what role does it play for nowadays audience?
The first stage of independent film is through 1940s to 1970s, where “independent” meant the opposition to the mainstream media. When and where has the concept of independent cinema emerged? What is the difference of American and European “low budget” films? Independent film has changed since it was introduced; however, there are several questions which need a more detailed examination: how much, in what direction and to what effect has independent film changed? One of the points that unified the first American independent films was the commitment to the alternative points of view, however, the recent studies on American independent cinema have defined what American independent cinema is not – it is not avant-garde, not experimental and not underground. What then American independent cinema is?
The indies’ most powerful institution is the Sundance Institute. The main criteria for participating in the festival are that films have to be independently produced and their budgets must have at least 50 per cent American financing. What role does the budget play in the new independent cinema? According to Emanuel Levy, now independent cinema is judged by its commercial success, not by its aesthetic daring or narrative quality.
Research question
The main research problem the collective research project “Indie Cinema and the Videogame Generation” addresses – Do independent filmmakers have something valuable to say about growing up today? How are those films presented to that audience? How do you bring today’s videogame generation into an independent cinema?
Sub question (for individual analysis – focus of the first stage of research project):
What is independent cinema and how does it differ from mainstream cinema?
For this initial question I’m focusing on I have come up with an additional question which would be examined during the research:
To what extent do American indies represent a true alternative to mainstream?
Research strategy
o Investigate the particular topic while organizing the Indie film festival.
o Read relevant literature (starting with Emanuel Levy’s “Cinema of Outsiders”)
o Watch independent films and analyze them (choose recent indie – might be Tarantino, as his films are acknowledged as “commercially entertaining” ones; and compare to a Hollywood product; still haven’t decided if I’ll actually focus on film from a more technical perspective, i.e. production process, however, it is leaning towards that, although I would like to do some more creative analysis as well)
o Reflect on the final product, i.e. film festival

First interviews arranged

Sun, 11 Dec 2005 16:32:31 +0100

After observing several cafés and pubs in Maastricht we have decided to interview people who are responsible for the Music Systems in their pubs. It appeared that in most cases so far, the owner of the place makes the main decisions on the music, which is played in her/his café or pub. The places we visited and people we talked to with no trouble agreed to be interviewed on the subject of the particular music systems and change of music experience in pubs.
We have arranged the first interviews for our radio documentary in the following order:
Café at Onze Lieve Vrouweplein
18:30, Monday, 12 Dec.
Café at Vrijthof
11:00, Tuesday, 13 Dec.
Café De Belsj
18:00, Tuesday, 13 Dec.

Observation in a café on Vrijthof

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 15:55:17 +0100

From the field notes:
Thursday, 13:30 – 14:15
For the purpose of ethnographic research we initially had to find cafés, which use BCM Music Systems. The second café we entered on Vrijthof had this particular system.
It was lunch time. Guests were mainly older people and families. People were chatting while eating. The music was not too loud, although louder than just a background; however, people were not leaning towards each other too much, therefore it was reasonable to assume that they did not have any problems communicating.
Popular music and well known Christmas songs were playing in a café. The music was mellow and calm. Guests were enjoying their meals and chats, did not look distracted even by the familiar tunes (i.e. were not singing or jiggling along).
There were two bartenders at the bar. They were keeping themselves busy with making coffee and pouring beer for the customers. The bartenders did not seem to be too busy though, as the place was not too crowded regardless of the lunch time. At the beginning of our observation popular music was playing, yet while we were at the café, one of the bartenders rearranged the play list three times. Christmas tunes were taking over. It “smelled” like Christmas.

New technology in pubs – unifying music choices?

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 12:50:30 +0100

We decided to narrow our research on pubs that are using BCM Music Systems (http://www.bcmmusic.nl/, http://www.quebbie.com/ ), Those are music computers which in many pubs replaced CD players. They provide 50 music programs (60's Sensations, Simply The Best,
Sinterklaas, Jazz ,Classical, Happy Hour, Heavy Rock...)
and have capacity for 10.000 songs that are regularly upgraded.
Those music systems are advertised as

“You control all of the other aspects of your business. Why should the musical atmosphere for your customers be any different?”

The question that we are now focused on is “How has technology changed customers’ music experience in pubs, in comparision to previous technologies (e.g. jukebox)?”
For our observation we visited two pubs in Maastricht. First thing that we noticed in our observation was that the latest hits were played in both pubs. The music choice in the pubs using BCM Music Systems did not differ a lot. During our observation we had a feeling that the new technology may lead to diminishing the unique atmosphere in pubs.
In the next phase of our research we are going to interview customers and employees and see how they perceive the use of new technology in pubs. Whether it leads to narrowing the diversity of music alternatives, by providing pre-programmed music lists.

Questioning Metafiction and Self-reflexivity in J.Jarmusch film "Coffee and Cigarettes"

Fri, 25 Nov 2005 00:04:35 +0100

Throughout the course I have tried doing everything "Blade Runner" related: read the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" (Do they?Is Rick an android? What are androids?What is it about science fiction?), watched the movie (which was surprisingly better than I could have expected), even tried playing the game (Why do I still think that computer games are a waste of time and MSN not so much?), however, did not want spending more time contemplating about life on Mars and chose taking a look and trying to apply theory to something which would be interesting to me - which was a film by an independent film director J.Jarmusch "Coffee and Cigarettes".

Reflection on "The Body: an Interface"

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 22:50:07 +0100

The second module of the Media Culture programme was introduced with Bruno Latour’s text on a phenomenon of “circulating reference”. Latour notes that in real life one never goes directly from a referent to a sign, since there is always a transitional way to overhaul. Personal experience, acquired in the “skills training” sessions, helped to understand the substantiality of empirical process in scientific discourse.
The conception of objectivity had been discussed in relation to scientific (anatomical) representations throughout several historical stages. Anatomical depictions in the sixteenth century (“truth to nature” period) had a different characterization of and insight on objectivity (where Vesalius described his practice as “opera manus”) from the one in the nineteenth century (“mechanical objectivity”) where the machine was believed to portray the undeniable “truth”. Although means of depiction of the body might have changed, the chain of reference still stands.
The shift from the scientist as a genius (depicting metaphysical images) to a manufacturer (mechanical illustrations) to a trained expert (interpreting the images) has approached the digital era where scientific objectivity has obtained another (?) embodiment.
Reviewing different periods of scientific illustration and varying perceptions on objectivity it has become obvious that objectivity can be analysed from diverse perspectives subject to each period. Still and all, it is evident that the subjective scientists’ intervention in scientific illustration (or reconstruction) is unavoidable (be it retouching to eliminate the “noise” or adjusting the “readability” of the illustration for the desirable target audience).
If in the era of “mechanical objectivity” it was believed that “photographs speak for themselves”, images in the digital era are not sufficient in themselves – additional explanation is inevitable to understand the uncanny imagery (e.g. CT, MRI, PET images).
“The body: an interface” module was an interesting approach on scientific research conception, which will certainly assist in carrying out the final MA project.

"Manufactured Objectivity"

Sun, 30 Oct 2005 22:50:07 +0100

The current age of digital technologies is a subsequence of a historical course of experiences. Regardless of being a continuation of the preceding centuries, the actual period is a discrete unity, which can be accurately perceived at first hand – in the historical-social framework of the here and now. It is still possible to look back and pass in review the circumstances of how imagery was created and how objectivity was conceptualised. It is fascinating to see the variance of the tangible input of the object of representation in the scientific field. Whether object of depiction has taken a different implication or it has been given an altered conception throughout the years will be scanned thereinafter.

Undergoing the "mechanical objectivity"

Tue, 18 Oct 2005 22:50:07 +0100

With the previous knowledge of depicting my lower arm on paper, the current “mission” induced more deliberation of the whole process. Although the project did not need a thorough examination of the arm as an anatomical median, it had to be observed externally, as the taken photographs had to deliver an objective representation of the specific body part.

Depiction of my lower arm

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 06:14:26 +0100

Drawing is not my strongest part. Same as anatomical drawings never arouse interest in me. Yet, the idea of portraying my own lower arm was intriguing. The progression of turning one part of my body into an understandable sign of it sounded exciting and captivating to follow.
Deciding from which angle I should draw the arm was not difficult as it was related to the lack of drawing skills. Reversed palm seemed to be easier to depict because of the more simple position of the bones; as placing the arm in the more comfortable position to hold – palm down – makes the bones crossed, which accordingly is more difficult to portray.
Getting as much information about the working object before starting the drawing process was essential as the picture should represent not just some random lower arm but particularly mine. Hence, it was important to measure the distances between the elbow and the wrist, length of the fingers, or width of the hand.

What about the "studium" and the "punctum"?

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 18:15:43 +0100

Just as Jean-Luc Godard wrote "It is not a just image, it is just an image"

Reflections on "Real Virtualities"

Fri, 30 Sep 2005 20:28:38 +0100

Time flies! I still haven’t settled in with the new environment and I’ve already realized that the first module is over and that from the next week we have different groups for our PBL sessions. I still haven’t got used to this system…
Going through the notes of the preceding module I see unfinished sentences and thoughts. I guess it’s been just too fast (or maybe it is me being too slow). “Difficult to put information in a coherent text”, I read from the notes taken on the first week and it fits very well in the present context.
Although it was rather difficult to talk against time, the obtained knowledge (in some cases it might still be information) is of a great interest and value. “Is it real or is it unreal” – has been a concept of contemplation since the first lecture (meeting? session?).

"Tempo Liquido" by Fabrizio Plessi

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 10:04:30 +0100

The work "Tempo Liquido" by the Italian artist Fabrizio Plessi is a five-meter water wheel which mixes virtual and real water. A videoinstalation by F.Plessi is located on the ground floor of The Media Art Museum, where the masterpieces of Media Art from the ZKM Collection are presented.
You cannot miss the artwork as you enter the museum. Huge "mill wheel" is placed above a heavy steel tank and a number of monitors placed where you expect to see the natural water draws you to explore the piece in more detail.

Excursion to the ZKM

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 10:01:58 +0100

Already the first week of the studies at UM we had a wonderful opportunity to visit the Media Art Museum in Karlsruhe, Germany. The Media Museum is just one part of the whole Centre for Art and Media (ZKM).
The spectacular installations welcome at the mere entrance of the Museum. The connection between old and new is inevitable, as the ZKM has been established at the factory, which was exploitable during the Word War II. The signs of the spaces being used for completely different purposes are noticeable on the floor- railway tracks are still there.