3 Images (Jan 28th, 2017)

This one is a photo of a photo since my scanner is down. I took this while filming Pepe's Childhood Evoked film this weekend. I've always wanted to shoot this film using a black light and I felt like this tells a great story. (I realize this is a slight plagiarism of Pepe's film look, but since this shot isn't in the movie, I think I'm safe) I really liked the blue light behind the head while the rest of the image is red. It gives it a cool effect in terms of separation using color.

This is an example of when you just can't beat your eye in terms of capturing an image. The way the light fell on the mountains compared to the darkness on the street was very striking, until I turned my camera on. You have a little bit of lines of vanishing perspective from the buildings, however the brightness of the mountains overpowers the dark and kinda flattens the image, when in real life the mountains looked completely dominate in the sky when I took this photo.

I took this as another experiment using perspective. I lined up several action figures along the wall and angled it to give the illusion of depth in the photo. I threw up a light on the back, and feel like maybe it had a similar effect to the mountain photo above. I think it would have been more effective had I lit the character in the foreground and had less light fall on the characters in the back. It was just an experiment though, and I feel like I got something out of it. (I also burnt my floor with the light!)

Childhood Evoked Film (Given To Fly)

Director's Plan

NAME: _Matthew Taggart_____

DATE: _Jan 28^th, 2017________

FILM # & TITLE: _Given to Fly____

DP: ___Pepe Callejas________

TMA 285 DIRECTOR’S REFLECTION

Childhood Evoked

Overall response (2-3 paragraphs):

I was very satisfied with the process and completion of this project. The fact that so many of the class connected with images I knew in my brain and heart would evoke a certain feeling made me feel that I had successfully communicated what I had intended. I was also very happy with the collaboration that happened between me and Pepe. As I said in class, there were several moments during filming where I felt like there was a great synergy between us that resulted in some stellar images. I also stressed about which music tracks to use and was glad that everyone in class seemed to dig the music.

All that being said, it was obvious to me that several moments in the film didn’t convey the feeling I was going for. There were certain shots (the flipping off finger playing guitar shot) that not only didn’t convey what I wanted, but distracted from my objective. Along those same lines, I wish I would have planned a few more shots so that I could have had more freedom in editing. I should have allotted even more time to conceptualization when it came to what each shot would convey not only in terms of information but more importantly in terms of feeling. Also, it hammered home to me that there is a big difference between reality, and cinematic reality, and if I would have focused more on finding a way to turn my own feelings and ideas into cinematic reality, I would have found greater success.

Briefly discuss the following:

What, specifically, did you want to communicate? Were you successful? Why? Why not?    

I wanted to communicate the feeling of freedom, fun and a bit of nostalgia. I think I was 2/3rds successful based on the comments from my classmates. I think the fun and nostalgia came across quite well, while the freedom I felt as a child did not. I think it was because it ended up being to disjointed as a whole piece. Every part may have worked to some degree on its own, but as a whole, it became confusing.

How, specifically, did you try to communicate this?       

I tried to communicate this through several of the shots including the hand out the window, the dancing at the rock show, and the party scene. People seemed to connect with the hand out the window, and the dancing (or overall musical aspect) but not the party.

What did you learn about storytelling:   

I think I learned that I need to put more of myself into my work, and really conceptualizing ways to convey the meaning behind an image. The hand out the window is a perfect example. That was the first and strongest image that came to my mind about the freedom of being a kid, and I think it came across the best.

What did you learn about working with actors and getting performance:  

I should have prepared more samples or animatics to show the actors what I was going for. I think they understood based on the samples I did give them and the shot-list explanation, however I should have done more. I also should have created stronger back stories for each of them so they would have a better idea of how to act and respond at the party or in other scenes. I did this to some extent, but not strong enough.

What did you learn about blocking the camera and actors?     

Think twice about filming anything in a car! Also, having a detailed shot list comes in very handy when dealing with a larger group of actors at the same time. The other element, is that sometimes blocking an actor comes off on screen as being forced instead of seeming natural, the shot in the beginning of the young man looking out his window as an example.

What did you learn about visual elements such as lighting, composition, framing, etc.?       

Sometimes fewer lights make a bigger impact than more. The final shot in the film of the young man listening to the record almost didn’t look that way. Originally there were more lights. Pepe turned off one of them and the shot went from okay, to magic.

What did you learn about design and art direction?     

I learned that there is a fine balance between overloading the audience with information, and not giving them enough. I think I did a fair job with the film, however, I know I erred on the side of not doing enough art direction. Having a more solid look and design would have tied the film together better. By adding more details I could have peppered the piece with more of my personality, and when the audience stepped back they would have seen all those little details as a richer viewing experience.

What did you learn about the Production Process such as pre-production, collaborating with crew, securing equipment, etc.?    

I get the feeling that part of the goal of this class is to make us appreciate pre-production much more than we do. This film was barely two and a half minutes long, was 66% successful, and took a great many hours to get to that point. If I wanted to be closer to 90% successful, I should have taken more time. I think we won’t have this time in any of our projects for this class, but that is part of the idea. I had a great time collaborating with my DP, and I guess in this sense I was reminded that it’s smarter to be open to ideas from your DP than to be so stuck in your ways. There were several shots that I had in my mind that Pepe made a million times better because he brought a fresh pair of eyes.     

What was it like to watch your film with an audience? Did they understand it? Miss the point? Why did they respond the way they did?  

It was fun to see my film in class with everyone. As I said, I think people understood what I was going for, even if they didn’t feel the way I wanted them to. I believe the response I got came because I used images that would feel universal to anyone who saw them. Examples of this would be the record player, the guitar player, or the concert being filmed by a friend of the band.

Any other observations or notes:

My worry about that last question is: did the people in the room respond the way they did because they were film people? In other words, (and I don’t mean to make any judgements) since all of us were probably artsy in school instead of being the metaphorical quarterback of our high schools, was it easy for them to decode my meaning and relate? Would someone who grew up farming or playing football have felt the same way? Would my piece have been stronger if I had focused on single images that evoked the feeling of freedom? I don’t know. At what point would doing that start cutting out my own feelings and experience and therefore cut out what makes this piece personal instead of generic?  

3 Images (Jan 21st, 2017)

 1. I've been making music with this guy for a long time now, and actually filmed him for my Childhood Evoked assignment. I should say his hands playing guitar got filmed, this is where I was sitting while we were filming and I knew I should take a picture of it. I've got to give Pepe a lot of credit for the lighting, but the composition here was all me. I really think the way his face on the left side is bright while the wall is dark works great, especially since it's the opposite on the other side. I also just like the way he's sitting with the guitar neck towards the camera.

2. This is another one that might be a little bit of a cheat since it also came from the night we shot my Childhood Evoked piece, but this was during rehearsal, and is different from what you will see in the video, so I think it's okay. For this one, I really like how all three actors have a different expression on their faces, especially the actor on the left whose expression is most extreme, and has the most different lighting. Framing wise I wish I would have shifted a little more to the left, but overall, I think it tells a fun story.

3. I took advantage of the snow to go outside and take some photos of my kids. They each have bright colorful coats, which I thought popped well when contrasted against the snow. I also like that my son's head is framed between two trees. I also think there might be a story here where a kid is trying for the first time to help out, and is intimidated by the amount of work there is to do.

3 Images (Jan 14th, 2017)

 I took advantage of the snow on Thursday to capture this image. I knew I wanted to get someone with an umbrella, so I waited outside till two people passed. In terms of story, first off this reminded me of the Bob Dylan album cover for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, so it had that emotional tie for me, but also I liked that this "friend" wasn't trying to cover both of them with his umbrella. So I think there are a couple things people could read into this image. Overall it was a success, it's not perfect in terms of framing, and maybe it was a little too spontaneous, but I feel it captured a moment.

This was an accident, but I found my kid asleep in the department store under the shoes. I feel like this image conveys a good story where we can all relate to how boring it can be to sit patiently while our parents shop. I also like that the shoes are lit and if we pretend for a moment that it's not my kid, it feels a little like maybe the shoes are more important to the shopping parents than the kid is. Once again not perfect, my framing is a bit off, but I think it tells a story.

My parents visited this weekend, so I took advantage of free models and had them pose outside by a fire lamp. In this case, once again I'm sure there was a better way to frame everything, but I'm pleased with the framing overall, and really I liked their expressions more than anything. I think a good expression might take precedence over perfect framing. The glow from the fire and their smiles hint that they are thinking of good memories or just enjoying a moment of warmth on a cold night.

List of Ten Cool Things

In no particular order, here are ten things I find cool.

1. Ghostbusters (1984)

This is the first movie my parents took me to see as a child and had a huge impression on me. For my wedding we had a Ghostbusters cake, so to say that my family is obsessed with this film is a bit of an understatement. This is my favorite cinematic image of all time, not so much because of composition, lighting or any actual film techniques, but just because it makes me feel good overtime I see it. It is the reason I wanted to become a filmmaker.
 
2. In Search of: D.B. Cooper

This is a two for one since it's one of my favorite tv shows featuring an episode dealing with one of my favorite topics: D.B. Cooper. I love Leonard Nimoy as an actor and as a narrator; and hearing him detailing the exploits of the greatest (and possibly nicest) airplane hijackers of all time is not to be missed. This entire series is worth watching, but this is my favorite episode.

3. Apollo 8 (Earthrise photo)

This is kinda a hat trick of sorts since its's one of my favorite photos of all time, taken using one of my favorite film stocks of all time (Ektachrome), and taken on my favorite space mission of all time (Apollo 8). In 1968, the Apollo 8 mission sent astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and Bill Anders all the way to the moon and back again. They didn't actually land on the moon, just tested the Command Module to make sure an orbit and return would even be possible. They entered orbit of the moon on December 25th, and read from the book of Genesis in a live broadcast back to the earth. This was the first time human eyes saw our planet rise over the surface of another world. You can't make up better stories than this one!

4. Virgil Haynes

My Mother is originally from Michigan, and usually we go back to visit family in the summers. This photo is of the town we visit, and it was taken by a man named Virgil D. Haynes. He's something of a local legend up there, and we have many of his black and white photos hanging in our home. I love his photos because they always remind me of my Mom and spending time in Northern Michigan. The town still looks like this today in many ways, only the cars are different.

5. My Camera Collection

I started collecting cameras a few years ago, after my Dad gave me my Grandpa's old super 8 camera (not pictured). My grandpa was something of a camera nut, and I feel a connection to him whenever I use one of these cameras. I've shot on almost all of them over the years and definitely have my favorites, especially my Canon FTb (way in the back of this photo) which is usually the one I carry with me on trips or special outings. I don't claim that film is better than digital, but I do feel a difference because of the connection I feel with my family members through this medium.

6. Pearl Jam: Nothing As It Seems live in Seattle, Washington. 10/22/01

I've seen Pearl Jam 10(?) times I think, and Eddie Vedder once as a solo act. 4 of those times has been on October 22nd (Pearl Jam's birthday). This was a concert I went to and is probably my favorite version of one of my favorite songs they perform. Mike McCreedy (lead guitarist) is a hero of mine, and this is him in all his guitar shredding glory. Sadly, the guitar peddle he used to create these sounds has been broken beyond repair, so you'll never get a chance to hear them like this anymore!

7. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
(Don't watch the clip unless you don't mind seeing the ending)

This was my favorite movie that I watched last year. Musicals aren't generally my cup of tea, but I think this movie is as near a perfect film as it gets. I selected the last scene of the movie because I think it demonstrates that perfection. If I could craft something that reaches 30% of this I would feel satisfied in my career.

8. George Costanza

Of all tv characters, George is probably my favorite. In fact Seinfeld is quite possibly my favorite television show (besides Star Trek). This scene, based off the legendary Buddy Rich tapes perfectly encapsulates everything that is Costanza. I laugh every time I see it, and I would love to behave this way when people are talking or kicking my chair in a theater.

9. Neil Young

My parents took me to see Crosby, Stills & Nash in San Francisco when I was about two years old. Neil Young wasn't playing with them that night, but he often does play with them and so I'm counting him in that memory. This music was a staple of my childhood, and this is one of my favorite of Neil's songs. It reminds me of my uncle Jeff who passed away a few years ago and I get misty eyed overtime I listen to it.  Overall, Neil's music reminds me not only of my uncle, but all my family and friends as I was growing up.

10. Moby Dick

Ever since I was a kid, I've been trying to read this book from cover to cover. This summer I managed to finally get it off my list of things to do. It is honestly such a great book, and even knowing it was a classic before hand did nothing to prepare me for just how fantastic this book is. The only thing I can compare it to is scripture or Shakespeare, which I know sounds like a grandiose claim, but is the honest truth. I've yet to find something that connects to so many other films and stories as this great novel. Go read it!

Test Post

This is just a posting to test the time and date stamp. Also, check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCg-IqI1NTg

I posted this at 2:02pm on Tuesday, January 10th.