Monday night I went to see Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno in the ICA.
Looking for things to do in London can be such a confusing, over-whelming and risky (there is so much crap around) task.
But when I looked at the little information about this movie somehow it lured me.
The film is a kind of documentary-reconstruction of the filming process of the unfinished movie "Inferno".
"Is a film about a film that was never made" Richard Pena, Film society of Lincoln Centre
Inferno is the story of a man suffering paranoid jealousy over his newly married wife.
Clouzot experimented for a long period on hallucinatory effects in order to transmit the delirium happening in the main character's mind.
At the start of the film in an interview with Clouzot, he talks about his almost sickening interest in representing the different mental illnesses by visual effects and making the audience to feel them.
He says, "you can transmit ten different mental illnesses via visual effects, but you can only tell one in two hours"
He believed that in order to transmit and make the audience feel the specific illness, as a creator he needed to find the visual triggers in everyone's latent illnesses.
That is why he spends such an incredible amount of time and energy investigating and experimenting with ways of expressing those emotions in a cinematic way.
He managed to mix kinetic art and Op art in a cinematographic media, collaborating with visual artists such as Joel Stein and Yvaral, and gathering a creative team composed of the best cinema visual talents of the time.
During the 28 weeks of investigation the images he achieved were astonishing, enigmatic and highly effective when transmitting the paranoid jealousy of the main character.
Clouzot had a pre-production process so detailed that every frame from every shoot was thought and planned to the minimal detail. But it was during the production time when things started to go wrong.
It seems that all that organisation, material and ideas wasn’t enough for Clouzot.
The rest of the creative team thought that he got lost on the way to organize the material, to choose and select what it was need to be screened, and what was just part of the creative process and it was meant not to be part of this film.
Unluckily he had a heart attack so he couldn’t finalize the project. So no one could see what he wanted to do.
What I can take from this film and apply to my practice is:
To keep as one of the foremost priorities the attention to the detail and to the composition. How the effect fits on the moment and to pursuit to achieve the realisation of the concept.
The importance of the investigation and experimentation of new or old but appropriated visual languages and/or strategies according to the needs of the project.
And as the last and the obvious one, to keep a realistic approach to the overall elements of the project.
Saturday, 14 November 2009
Friday and friday and friday.
Life is full of surprises, and not knowing what's going to happen next is one of life's best gifts.
While three Fridays ago we had our first show as a group, just two Fridays ago we had our first fight against the "Man" also as a group, and last Friday what it seems to be the reaction to that fight.
These experiences are equally positive and enriching for us as a collective, although one of them was more enjoyable than the others.
First, I will talk about the shows experience:
Weeks of confusion, of not knowing what was going on, of what we were suppose to do, and how the whole thing was going to be assembled.
But there was also loads of creativity, expectations, hopes, dreams and personal and group motivation. I saw amazing ideas and pieces of work that show me the high level of artistic creativity that my classmates have, and it made me feel honoured to be in this group.
After an intense last push on the last few days before the show, we finally saw the result.
The performance was a confusing experience for me.
The shadow elements were beautiful and very effective, and I could see within it the involvement and creative input of my classmates. They created them.
The projection side was also a beautiful display of visual composition and rhythm and very rich in content of social and political statements.
But what confused me was, that that part of the show, was pretty much completely Douglas' creation.
I completely understand the pressure from the limited time and the fact that we work faster working in our own way (i.e. preference of creative dynamics, choice of content and visual styles)
But I also have to say that in the projections I missed to see my classmates' images that I saw during the creative process, images that surprised me, inspired me and gave me so much to think about this whole climate change issue.
Maybe because I was in the front and got to see the show three times, I was the only one to realise that; or maybe other people had realised it too, but I haven't heard anything about it yet, and I don't expect to hear about it again.
The second one of these Fridays started again with confusion and nerviness.
First time we were presenting individually, not enough time to feel like we have something good, and of course stage fright.
And then, when the first performance just had started, it happened, the unpredictable, the surprise:
We were kicked out of our performing space, not a chance to negotiate, off you go, find somewhere else for your stuff.
The frustration, the anger, the confusion, the frustration coming back at you.
What to do? where to go? should we perform? should we allowed this? what can we do about it?
Let's have a meeting in the Meeting Room, that ironically was our alternative space to perform.
In the meeting, with almost everyone, I felt that everyone was of the same state of mind, we were feed-up with the situation and we needed changes,
What changes we want? What aren't we happy with? How should we achieve these changes?
We found the appropriated solutions, wrote these ones down and planned the next steps, and once we were done organising and planning we went to the pub.
It was just the right way to finish this tumultuous day.
After doing something so "Un-British," such as creating a little revolution we ended up in one of the finest and more welcoming of the British traditions: The Pub
I felt that the group was getting together, that we had gone through some hard experience and now we were enjoying each other company on a pleasant one. And it felt good.
And the last but not the least, last friday.
As a conclusion for what happened the Friday before, we had a meeting with the Dean the vice-Dean, Douglas and Edwina.
I dont think any of the students really knew what was going to happen in this meeting, or even what we were expected to do in it.
We meet before, we organise as good as we could our thoughts, and the key word was "Assertiveness". Let be calm but firm, because we have the right to.
The meeting went extremely well, too well in my opinion, someone called me paranoid, but we'll see.
And now, we are waiting to see what will happen next regarding our needs and queries.
The future is unpredictable and surprises are life's best gifts, and whatever happens it'll happen. But so far I'm glad all this is happening, for two things:
One, is better for these issues to happen the sooner the better, so we know how things work and how to fight back for the next "fights"
Two, the group is communicating and working as a team, without the need of parenting or external help, we still Douglas' pets, but we are growing up.
While three Fridays ago we had our first show as a group, just two Fridays ago we had our first fight against the "Man" also as a group, and last Friday what it seems to be the reaction to that fight.
These experiences are equally positive and enriching for us as a collective, although one of them was more enjoyable than the others.
First, I will talk about the shows experience:
Weeks of confusion, of not knowing what was going on, of what we were suppose to do, and how the whole thing was going to be assembled.
But there was also loads of creativity, expectations, hopes, dreams and personal and group motivation. I saw amazing ideas and pieces of work that show me the high level of artistic creativity that my classmates have, and it made me feel honoured to be in this group.
After an intense last push on the last few days before the show, we finally saw the result.
The performance was a confusing experience for me.
The shadow elements were beautiful and very effective, and I could see within it the involvement and creative input of my classmates. They created them.
The projection side was also a beautiful display of visual composition and rhythm and very rich in content of social and political statements.
But what confused me was, that that part of the show, was pretty much completely Douglas' creation.
I completely understand the pressure from the limited time and the fact that we work faster working in our own way (i.e. preference of creative dynamics, choice of content and visual styles)
But I also have to say that in the projections I missed to see my classmates' images that I saw during the creative process, images that surprised me, inspired me and gave me so much to think about this whole climate change issue.
Maybe because I was in the front and got to see the show three times, I was the only one to realise that; or maybe other people had realised it too, but I haven't heard anything about it yet, and I don't expect to hear about it again.
The second one of these Fridays started again with confusion and nerviness.
First time we were presenting individually, not enough time to feel like we have something good, and of course stage fright.
And then, when the first performance just had started, it happened, the unpredictable, the surprise:
We were kicked out of our performing space, not a chance to negotiate, off you go, find somewhere else for your stuff.
The frustration, the anger, the confusion, the frustration coming back at you.
What to do? where to go? should we perform? should we allowed this? what can we do about it?
Let's have a meeting in the Meeting Room, that ironically was our alternative space to perform.
In the meeting, with almost everyone, I felt that everyone was of the same state of mind, we were feed-up with the situation and we needed changes,
What changes we want? What aren't we happy with? How should we achieve these changes?
We found the appropriated solutions, wrote these ones down and planned the next steps, and once we were done organising and planning we went to the pub.
It was just the right way to finish this tumultuous day.
After doing something so "Un-British," such as creating a little revolution we ended up in one of the finest and more welcoming of the British traditions: The Pub
I felt that the group was getting together, that we had gone through some hard experience and now we were enjoying each other company on a pleasant one. And it felt good.
And the last but not the least, last friday.
As a conclusion for what happened the Friday before, we had a meeting with the Dean the vice-Dean, Douglas and Edwina.
I dont think any of the students really knew what was going to happen in this meeting, or even what we were expected to do in it.
We meet before, we organise as good as we could our thoughts, and the key word was "Assertiveness". Let be calm but firm, because we have the right to.
The meeting went extremely well, too well in my opinion, someone called me paranoid, but we'll see.
And now, we are waiting to see what will happen next regarding our needs and queries.
The future is unpredictable and surprises are life's best gifts, and whatever happens it'll happen. But so far I'm glad all this is happening, for two things:
One, is better for these issues to happen the sooner the better, so we know how things work and how to fight back for the next "fights"
Two, the group is communicating and working as a team, without the need of parenting or external help, we still Douglas' pets, but we are growing up.
Work in progress
My current practice is taking me through an investigation on the performative qualities of projection and lighting in conjunction with flexible and movable scenography.
Following the ideas of Adolphe Appia and Edward Gordon Graig, the emotional response achieved when abstract and objective pieces of scenography combine with music and lighting is the main interest of my research.
Due to the technical limitations, I haven't been able to advance on the practical side of these ideas.
My practical exploration has been so far on scenic visual composition on the field of projection.
The next pictures are taken from a basic model box.
My first project is based on the Hungarian tale called "The Death and the old woman"
This tale narrates the way an old and greedy woman tries to trick Death so she can stay alive forever, and how thanks to fear and luck she achieves it.
These are images from the, still in progress, development of my concept of the visual representation of the tale
The most representative image of what I intend to achieve with this practical experimentation process is "The Glass Mountain"
The mixture of textures and media creates the oniric and surreal visual quality that I intend to achieve for this piece.
Following the ideas of Adolphe Appia and Edward Gordon Graig, the emotional response achieved when abstract and objective pieces of scenography combine with music and lighting is the main interest of my research.
Due to the technical limitations, I haven't been able to advance on the practical side of these ideas.
My practical exploration has been so far on scenic visual composition on the field of projection.
The next pictures are taken from a basic model box.
My first project is based on the Hungarian tale called "The Death and the old woman"
This tale narrates the way an old and greedy woman tries to trick Death so she can stay alive forever, and how thanks to fear and luck she achieves it.
These are images from the, still in progress, development of my concept of the visual representation of the tale
The most representative image of what I intend to achieve with this practical experimentation process is "The Glass Mountain"
The mixture of textures and media creates the oniric and surreal visual quality that I intend to achieve for this piece.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Internet Pirates
While i was at home,(Spain)I had the chance to watch a cultural TV program dedicated to new and up-coming artists.
They show an interview with a new band that gave me something to think about.
This band called Delorean, which organizes Jam Sessions on Internet starts to be internationally recognized and their set is heavily based on electronic instrumentation.
What interested me the most from them was a remark the main singer did while asked about their influences.
He said that most of the music that they had listened and have influenced them, has been "obtained" thanks to the internet.
Internet has been an inspiring and fundamental source of materials for them, and also and I quote: "even the software that we use for our music, comes from the internet, pirate style"
This interview was broadcast on national TV, for me is the first time that anyone recognize so openly and publicly an illegal use of material and a breach of copyright laws.
As a young creator, as many young creators, I use pirate software, music, pictures and other materials. If these illegal materials weren't there, i wouldn't be able to afford them, which it would be a big problem on developing my practice, as i guess it would be for many other young artists.
I don't intend to open a debate about copyright laws, but I think it's important that we realize the social consequences of these actions and even to feel proud of our little pirate attacks.
Arrg, my hearties!!!
They show an interview with a new band that gave me something to think about.
This band called Delorean, which organizes Jam Sessions on Internet starts to be internationally recognized and their set is heavily based on electronic instrumentation.
What interested me the most from them was a remark the main singer did while asked about their influences.
He said that most of the music that they had listened and have influenced them, has been "obtained" thanks to the internet.
Internet has been an inspiring and fundamental source of materials for them, and also and I quote: "even the software that we use for our music, comes from the internet, pirate style"
This interview was broadcast on national TV, for me is the first time that anyone recognize so openly and publicly an illegal use of material and a breach of copyright laws.
As a young creator, as many young creators, I use pirate software, music, pictures and other materials. If these illegal materials weren't there, i wouldn't be able to afford them, which it would be a big problem on developing my practice, as i guess it would be for many other young artists.
I don't intend to open a debate about copyright laws, but I think it's important that we realize the social consequences of these actions and even to feel proud of our little pirate attacks.
Arrg, my hearties!!!
The Pussywarmers
A small venue in Soho, new Rockabilly crew, I felt I wasn't up to their standards of Coolness. The new trend of old American tattoos, new trash folk band with their witty mixture of instruments, and a raw and visceral Mise en scene, but it did connected with the audience creating an intimate experience.
From the whole set of songs, there was one that impressed me:
The drummer howl this song, perhaps the less musical of the whole concert, like a crazy dog howling to the moon.
The drummer introduced the song as a homage to the frogs.
Those same frogs that when they fall in love, they just have to cross the roads regardless of what happens around them, getting squashed and flattered by anything that goes by, but they still have to do it.
The lyrics say "I wanna have nothing, but I guess I still looking for something"
A strange and confusing message, meaningful without making any sense.
I guess it was that deep deep message concealed within the howling from the drummer that create a desperate reverberating cry on the frog inside me, and it made me relate to those little desperate animal.
It made me feel like a frog in love.
Link for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XrnVy8M-dg
From the whole set of songs, there was one that impressed me:
The drummer howl this song, perhaps the less musical of the whole concert, like a crazy dog howling to the moon.
The drummer introduced the song as a homage to the frogs.
Those same frogs that when they fall in love, they just have to cross the roads regardless of what happens around them, getting squashed and flattered by anything that goes by, but they still have to do it.
The lyrics say "I wanna have nothing, but I guess I still looking for something"
A strange and confusing message, meaningful without making any sense.
I guess it was that deep deep message concealed within the howling from the drummer that create a desperate reverberating cry on the frog inside me, and it made me relate to those little desperate animal.
It made me feel like a frog in love.
Link for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XrnVy8M-dg
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