Response to Jova's Video

Wonderful video. I liked how the personal stories were spliced between the protest. I also thought that the voices you chose to speak in your film did so very eloquently. The pace, direction and steady revealing of information made your film very interesting to watch. You did a great job in playing to two different audiences, those at Hampshire who were familiar with the situation and those outside of the college who needed to know more about it. My one suggestion would be that the text was really fast and to slow it down.

Edward Yang- Yi Yi

I am not sure who the intended audience for this film was but I think that it would be people outside of Taiwan as a sort of insiders view. However, there does appear to be many traditions, tid bits and codes that make the movie very confusing at times, at which point the movie seems to be intended for audiences in Taiwan. He is playing to two kinds of people. I enjoyed that the movie kept on switching perspective and which family member it followed because it showed the generational difference. I also thought these approach seemed more personal; that as the viewer I got to know the inner workings of one character at time. I think my favorite character was Yang-Yang because his scenes lacked conversations and had wonderful visuals. The silence put me in his place. My favorite scene was when he was in the bath with all of the balloons, trying to fill one up with water. I could feel his confusion and excitement and then let down when there was only a small amount of water in the balloon. The shots were very simple but aesthetically pleasing and well constructed. A gracefully made film.

Gregg Bordowitz- Fast Trip, Long Drop

Seems in part like satire when the fake newscaster comes on, and the other roles that he plays. I like that the filmmaker takes on different roles instead of telling us the story because it makes our visual connections and own thoughts very important. He is handing us the visual tools to draw a conclusion. The use of found footage and imagery connects to memory and also makes it more playful. Memory also plays a key element when he is talking about his father. This work could also fuction as a memento mori—a reminder that death is always upon us. He has taken this thought and used it to insight social change in himself and others.

Vito Acconci- Theme Song

This film seems so silly to me, especially knowing who he is as an artist and what he is most famous for. However, I do think that Acconci does a really good job at breaking the boundary between the viewer and himself. To me it seems almost Impressionistic to aknoweldge the viewer in such a heavy-handed way; to be aware of their gaze. He makes it very playful though because as creepy and disturbing he makes us feel as viewers, he does the same thing back. I almost feel very flattered while watching it because he really wants me to like him. I think it is a very interesting way to use the medium of video because it is so personalized, yet because of its replicable characteristics, it is so personal.

Maya Dereden- Meshes in the Afternoon

This is a film that has stuck with me for a very long time. The dream sequence (or reality) is so creepy and memorable. Lately I have been having dreams where something just occurs or appears and it is startling. I think that this film was successful in large part to the music in it because it helps to create the suspense of whats next. I also like the use of close up shots because they create a limiting view while at the same time raising questions about the action, place and time. She uses visual deception to create interest in the viewer.

Daughters of the Dust

Daughters of the Dust was an incredibly beautiful movie. The pacing, color, technique and shots all came together in harmony. The movie moved slowly, the shots were long and drawn out however they were interesting and well composed so it was not dull. One of the things that fascinated me most was the use of color. Color provided a great symbol and contrast throughout the movie, dictating elements of culture as well as differentiating between the people on the island. For the most part, the island dwellers are dressed in white, although they occasionally wear blue, and the great-great-grandmother is always in blue. When the character from the mainland comes to the island, she’s wearing yellow, and their commentary about her clothing illustrates a cultural disapproval. In addition the shots are long and tend to give each character plenty of room in the shot. All of these elements contribute to an overall feeling of the film that tends to distance itself from the MTV fast-paced style that our eyes are used too.

Semiotics of the kitchen

This piece was very powerful and sharp. Rosler's movements are very firm and her performance communicates a sense of alienation and anger towards the space she is inhabiting and the objects she is holding. The critique is loud and strong. Those objects evoke the role given to women by the society, the confinement to the space of the house and of the locus of the kitchen. The repetition in her gestures creates a sort of melody that accompanies the piece until the end. Her work is inspiring and very effective. Also, the fact that she is standing in front of a static camera let the viewer to focus on her movements and on the objects. She builds a direct relation with and address to the audience.
~camilla