good stuff

at this point in the class i couldn't be more pleased with it.  i've enjoyed coming to class just to see what cool techniques we are going to learn that week.  it's been a really cool experience so far.  i have seen a lot of experimental films with these types of techniques in them but i never really payed attention.  now that i have more of an understanding of what is going on, i feel that i have a much better appreciation for them.  it's been extremely fun going to a class where we get to try out different art forms and there's no real right or wrong answer. it's all up to the filmmaker and how they want to express themselves.  another thing that has made the class fun is the group of people.  everyone seems to get along well and it definitely makes the class even more enjoyable.  the class seems to be really excited about all that we're doing.  

 

doing cameraless filmmaking is quite different than any other films i've made for other classes.  up until this point, it's been mostly shooting on mini DV.  it has definitely sparked a new sense of enthusiasm about film in me.  i haven't been involved in any filmmaking in awhile because of other responsibilities.  being able to learn cool new things and work on small, fun projects on a weekly basis has been a much needed thing for me.  i hope i will be able to utilize some of these techniques on future projects that i do whether it be narrative, documentary, or experimental.  

of all the different types of cameraless filmmaking that we've learned, i think magazine transfers has been my favorite.  one of my good friends took this class last year and i remember watching him do magazine transfers for his elements projects.  i was pretty amazed by it all.  it's such a cool, original way to make films.  it's pretty cool that someone thought this up.  i know i wouldn't have.  i love how you have the freedom to mix and match whatever images or patterns that you want.  it's cool to see how the whole process works.  

creating rayograms was another real interesting process as well.  when we first turned out the lights to start adding pieces to our film, i thought it was going to be a disaster.  i could barely see what i was doing.  even though i wasn't able to tell what i was doing, it definitely made it more fun.  it was a big mystery what it was going to look like but it added to the excitement.  i was quite surprised as to how well it turned out.  my favorite part was where i put a piece of exposed film with stars punched through it on top of the unexposed film.  it was a real neat effect.  

like i said, i think this class has a been a blast so far and i hope it only keeps getting better.  it's been great being able to go into a new environment with a real cool teacher and peers and being able to learn such interesting modes of filmmaking.  i've told several of my friends about all the things i've learned and created in 6x1 and they seem totally jealous of me.  i'm excited for all the new things we're going to get to do over the rest of the course of the semester.  i spoke to my mom on the phone today about this class and i told her that i'll probably get to bring a copy of my films home during christmas break.  i just hope they'll understand it.  if not, it'll give me a good opportunity to share with them all that i did.