VISUAL NARRATIVES

Please post to blog by Final Exam / Friday May 17:

Continue reading "Short Film Project Reflection" »

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Coming soon... Widely acclaimed band Low will perform live on Friday, April 12 as part of the 2013 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival...
http://www.mspfilmfest.org/

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Please set up your own vimeo account (free) to share your short digital video project.
Please post a link to your VIMEO site to the comments here.

More info here:
Sign-up
http://vimeo.com/sign_up
Basics
http://vimeo.com/help/basics
Vimeo Help Center / Frequently Asked Questions
http://vimeo.com/help/faq
Vimeo Video School
http://vimeo.com/videoschool
HD Channel
http://vimeo.com/channels/hd

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Exercise 2: Capturing the Light
Using only natural light to illuminate your subject, create a simple narrative using a variety of visual strategies to capture and exploit the available light.

Use this second exercise to expand on what you learned in exercise one. This time push yourself to make the most of natural lighting opportunities. Look for windows, doorways and other ways that light may stream in from the outside. If you need to, experiment with ways to bounce the natural light with reflectors or light materials. You may choose to shoot outside if weather permits. Do not risk damage to cameras in snow or extreme cold. Another option is to explore the use of candlelight or fire light. (Always protect camera from flame or smoke).

Continue to use a variety of shot types and angles. Build a mood using your subject and your setting deliberately. Make every shot count.

Edit to 20-30 seconds / optional simple sound. 10%

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 6:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Please view at least 5 Short Films over the next few weeks and take notes using the format below. I highly recommend viewing the Oscar Nominated Shorts that are showing at Zinema. Or you may use the DVDs of short film collections (like Wholphin, Shorts!, ResFest) that are now on reserve for you at the library front desk. Or view others you find on the web (be selective, avoid youtube). If possible, find works that relate somehow to your own creative work, as inspiration for a technique or look you hope to achieve. Try to use films that are longer than one minute and shorter than 15 minutes (though the definition of a short film may vary).

Take notes while you view, type your reflection and post to the blog once you have viewed 5 shorts. Your blog must note all of this info for each film:

Title:
Year:
Director:
Run time:
Link to the film : (URL of website, dvd, tv or movie theatre)
Story Synopsis:
Location:
Characters:
Visual strengths:
Use of Light / Color:
Digital techniques:
Use of Sound / Music:

See links to Short films.
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/jrock2/viznar/2009/02/short_films_links.html#more

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 5:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Jan 31: Occupy Duluth presents American Autumn - FREE

A year after the birth of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City, writer, director and producer Dennis Trainor, Jr. has made a full-length feature documentary capturing the fervor and passion that spread through the nation in fall 2011, fueled a street revolution and introduced the concept of "the 99%" to define the corporate greed that has crippled the U.S.

American Autumn lets the protestors and organizers tell in their own words why they joined the protests and what they hoped to accomplish. FREE SCREENING on Jan 31 at Zinema in Duluth.

http://www.zeitgeistarts.com/zinema-2/zin-now-playing/jan-31-occupy-duluth-presents-american-autumn-free

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Screen the documentary Visions of Light (1992).

Short Blog Reflection on Visions of Light
In your blog reflection, note the art of cinematography and the role of the "DP" (the director of photography) in crafting a film. Note three films (title of film, director, director of photography) from three different eras in cinema history. What are some of the distinct visual qualities of lighting and camerawork in these films? Note a specific lighting technique or aesthetic choice you would like to try in your own video work.

POST TO BLOG by THURSDAY FEB 7. (~ 150 words)

Siskel & Ebert review of Visions of Light documentary about the art of cinematography

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Opening Feb 1: 2013 Oscar Nominated Shorts

Zinema 2 / Zeitgeist Building
222 E. Superior Street Duluth, MN
Check for Showtimes:
http://www.zeitgeistarts.com/zinema-2

see trailers: http://theoscarshorts.shorts.tv/thefilms.php

Animated Shorts:
Adam and Dog by Minkyu Lee
Fresh Guacamole by PES
Head over Heels by Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare" by David Silverman
Paperman by John Kahrs

Live Action Shorts:
Asad by Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura
Buzkashi Boys by Sam French and Ariel Nasr
Curfew by Shawn Christensen
Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw) by Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele
Henry by Yan England

Zeitgeist Arts validates 3 hours of parking at the Medical Arts ramp, located on First Street and 3rd Ave E (Behind the Sheraton hotel) in Downtown Duluth. Bring your ticket with you! If you arrive at the ramp after 5PM, your parking is FREE.

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Minneapolis Television Network seeks film submissions for upcoming series. Regular deadline April 30th.

MTN is currently accepting submissions for the Thirteen Ways of Looking at Minneapolis
documentary series and contest. All submissions that are deemed suitable will appear on Comcast Cable Channel 17 during a regular series times slot during the calendar year of 2013 and streamed on MTN's new online-only station. Additionally, every Thirteen Ways video/film shown on Channel 17 will be entered in a contest to win one of six categories of award: Best Access Producer Documentary; Best Youth Documentary; Best Independent Artist Documentary; Best Depiction of a Minneapolis Ward; Most Visionary and Unique Documentary; and Best Short (5-minute or less) View of Minneapolis. One film will also be named a Viewer Favorite.

http://mtn.org/Video/community/images/13WaysGuidelines.pdf

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 1:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If this was a story about my life, it would be a ___________________ (genre / style), created by _________________________________ (artist/ director).
The story about my life would be ____________________ ________________________________________ (describe visual qualities and emotional tone). It would be set in _______________ (era) in ___________________ (location). The pace of the story would be _________________, the camera work would be ______________________.
It would be the story of _______________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________
(short synopsis). In the project, my ________________ (family member) would be played by _____________________ (actor) and __________________ (actor) would play the love interest.
In the climax of the story, _________________________ would happen. This scene would feel very ______________(emotion) and be visually _________________ (look). The audience would be most surprised by the ending, when I _________________________________________________________.

Use this story template to reveal something about who you are and what you love in cinema. Bring your story to class on Day 2.

Posted by Joellyn Rock at 11:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)