Blog 4 - Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook

In the scene the characters are shown in their most vulnerable moment. The scene style is a long duration shot in which the characters are shown with a dialogue and a jump cut as a implication of tension. The character Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) is a widow who everyone regards as “slutty and weird.” The character Patrick or Pat (Bradley Cooper) is a divorced man with bipolar disorder. In the scene, both characters have become more acquaintance with each other and could be described as “friendlier.”

The scene starts with a shot of Tiffany seating at a dinner table. Then, Pat moves into the shot, the movement and the angle of the camera creates the illusion of time. The camera is positioned at a 180-degree angle to project the characters without confusing the viewer. The scene is taken by the style of long duration by the characters dialogue. The scene is important to the movie because it is where both character are becoming more comfortable with each other but Pat is a troublesome character that creates tension throughout the movie. The sounds on the scenes are diegetic because the music played inside the dinner is a part of the scene. The part where Tiffany throws the bowl and the utensils to the floor, the music from the dinner gets lower and the sound of silver and breaking of the bowl takes is higher o imply her anger and to match the movement that the character just created. In the dinning room, the lighting is Hard Key and it used to display the character without any shadows and to show the space and the tone of the dialogue between the characters.  
Tiffany storms out of the dinner and is followed by Pat; there is a jump cut in the scene because it has to create the indication of tension between the characters. The sounds outside the dinner are matched by the traffic and the movie theater background noise. In the street, the lighting in the scene is a Low Key; it is used to create a sort of shadow, tension and it is related to the dramatic scene. The scene is the beginning of the portrayals of each character’s real emotions and the start of a connection between the characters.   

Extra Credit - Nam June Paik: Becoming a Robot

Nam June Paik:

Becoming a Robot

   The exhibition was presented in two floors at the Asia Society and Museum. Nam June Paik was a visionary artist and innovator. He was considered the “father of video art.” He used the combination of technology and science. He uses the magnet against a TV to see the outcome as a experiment. The TV was blurry and it looked as bunch of lines (sort of a hypnotizing.) His creations are very interesting in my opinion. As I started on the second floor of the exhibition, I perceived a very interesting history regarding his work. The work that impacted me was the Robot Brain created in 1965; it is two metal boxes with computers, cables, connection, from 1961, on wooden base under glass done (as shown in the exhibition.)

   I encountered a work that was created by Nam June Paik with the collaboration of Howard Weinberg and Charlotte Moorman “Topless Cellist” created in 1995. I founded very interesting at the usage of a technology and art as a representation of a female body. The two small screens used as a “bra” and the cello as a cover and a representation of art. The usage of angles in the small screens to portray the face of Charlotte Moorman was very detailed and carefully planned. The music from the cello and the movement of the instrument was a movement that required precision; it was requirement for the creation of stability in the movement of the screens used as a “bra.” There was a room specifically dedicated to Charlotte Moorman. I saw her work and her clothes. There were precisely 13 pieces of clothing, 7 photos of her career and a poster. Charlotte Moorman is described as a very important contributor to Nam June Paik’s work.

   There were many exhibitions of Nam June Paik’s work but I will be focusing on the Family Robots (1986), three camera participation (1969-2001) and Golden Buddha (2005).

The Family Robots is constructed by The Father, The Mother and The Baby. They were all built in 1986. The Father and The Mother are built by vintage televisions and radio casings and monitors, tuners, liquid crystals; the displays are in color and silent. The Baby is built by thirteen television monitors and aluminum armature color, the display is in color and silent. (The shapes are built to portray a robot with a head, arms, torso and legs.)

   The three camera participation was located on the third floor in its own room. The room was composed of three cameras with three different shades, a TV and addition lights to illuminate the space. As I stood in front of the three cameras, I saw into the TV a shape of my face in three colors as a shadow. The reason for the illusion of colors is given by a closed circuit transmission, it occurs when a  signal from a video camera is delivered to a monitor directly through a cable link and projects onto the monitor screen which projects red, green and blue.

   The Golden Buddha was the last exhibition I stopped by. It was located on the third floor. The Golden Buddha consisted of a Bronze Buddha with permanent oil maker, a 27 inch monitor and a closed circuit video camera.  The exhibition was really attractive with all the colors, cameras, screens and artistic values.         

          

The Final Exam - Continuity Project

• The continuity project , initiated with the idea of a Hunter College student (Alan) trying to reach his final undergrad exam. Throughout the film, the character will be running, in order to make it to his exam. It was the final exam for him to graduate on time. At the end, the final was cancelled.
• The first shot, shows the character in his home studying for his final and realizes that it was already late. The second shot shows his apartment. The third shot shows him walking towards his bike, but it was stolen so he must run. The next part is a sequence of the character running towards his destination (Hunter College.) The next two shots shows him going into the Hunter College building and going up the stairs as fast as he could. The last scene is his realization of the cancellation of the final exam.
• Alan was the actor and we both had the opportunity to shot with the camera. We both directed the scenes when we were shooting. When we were editing, we both had the same ideas to piece together to create the film.
• The .mov file was given in class.

Credits: 

• Filmed and edited by : Yuliana Chu and Alan Marchio.
• Actor: Alan Marchio.

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Extra credit: Codes and Modes The Character of Documentary Culture (Jogo de Cena)

  

"Jogo de Cena" (2007) by Eduardo Coutinho (Master of the Documentary Encounter)          

At the beginning of the screening presentation, Professor Ivone Margulies, began with an introduction and explanation on some films that were created and directed by Eduardo Countinho. Prof. Margulies presented the ideology and representation that were implied in each film.  Prof. Margulies explained that Eduardo Coutinho wanted to represent a day-to-day basis and the reality of civilians in Brazil throughout his films. After 10 minutes of a brief history on Eduardo Coutinho, she played the film "Jogo de Cena."

It started with a first shot of a newspaper announcement, it required only women, who were 18 or older, to tell their stories and experiences for a documentary. Then, there is a shot of a theater and a woman walking to the stage from staircase and she is asked a question from the director (Coutinho) she begins her tale and then there are consecutive shots and sequences of other women telling their “own stories” as well. The stories vary from a mother who lost her child to a woman wanting her own independence. There are constant sequences from a woman who is crying to a woman who is smiling and remembering her past.

The Documentary unfolds with two women telling the same story. At first, I didn’t notice that there was a correlation between the stories up until the middle of the film. I was confused by the similarities of the stories and the words were exactly the same. I watched the end of the film with a question in mind, if it was fiction or a documentary. After the end of the film, Prof. Margulies and Prof. Marty Lucas held a discussion in which Prof. Margulies explained that the women on the film were all Brazilian actresses and playing a role. The announcement on the newspaper was real and real women went into the auditions and told their own stories, the interviews were recorded and then it was given to the actresses to reenact the stories as their own. I believed everything they said as if it was their own story and I even sympathized with each actress. I believed that Mr. Coutinho wanted to show the difference between reality and fiction. The implication of the film was that it doesn’t matter who tells the story, it is why and how it is told to capture an audience and to give empowerment to every women. I was reminded of a class last semester, that reality and fiction can be combined in order to tell a story and to create awareness.   

Museum of the Moving Image

             As I was walking towards the Museum of the Moving Image on a Saturday, I noticed the doors, the structure of the building and the floors. The structure was in my perspective a fine balance between old and new. The windows were noticeable because it had a shade of colors. The door entrance was colorful and was formatted in specific shapes that looked triangular (pyramid) and spelled the name of the museum.  Upon entering there was a floor that gave an illusion of movement. My first perspective was a white wall with moving images.  The image that grabbed my attention was the moving car and the sign that said Astoria. It immediately noticed a line for the entrance fee so it took a few minutes for the line to move. As I waited, I kept looking the white wall and the moving images. Although, there wasn't any music or sound I still enjoyed it. As I paid the entrance fee, I received a ticket, a museum map and a sticker that contained the museum’s name. 

            As I walked up the first flight of stairs, I heard a sound and saw another white wall with moving images. I watched the short film for 7 minutes about a flower and a fan. The images where showed in a perspective of drawings and it didn't have any dialogue. The film portrayed a moving fan and a growing flower, although it was very common and predictable, the sounds kept the film very interesting. I checked out the exhibitions for “behind the scenes” and what struck me the most were the character costumes and makeup stations. It takes ours to create mask or a simple make-up can take hours to perfect.        

            On the third floor of the museum, I saw the exhibitions for cartoons and sound effects. There was a cartoon show playing and it was my first time seeing a cartoon portrayed in lines and sounds. There was no specific character and it was all related to a specific sound as something fell down, the line went down or vice-versa.

The sound isle was very interesting because I saw the different types of microphones such as Western Electric Types and Siemens & Haiske Ribbon Style.

I played with the Foley effects machine; I used a sound of water and a moving image randomly given by the machine and it created a funny clip. I learned that the film projector hasn't changed much since 1920”s.  A still picture changed to a moving image through rapid motion. As shown in a machine displayed in the museum, it was about Chaplin.    

  

Project 2 - Audio Interview

Audio Interview from Yuliana on Vimeo.

Blog 2: "What I hear" (Soundwalk)

As I walked around my neighborhood (Flushing) at night, I realized the sounds of the wind against the trees. The soft sound of the leaves moving from left to right, it reminded me of the sound of the sea. I walked in s circle around my neighborhood and I came across the park that in the morning is filled with children. But as I sat on the benches of the park, I only heard the sound of the wind against the trees. There was a particular sound that caught my attention; it was the sound of the swings moved by the wind. There was a particular distinction between the two swing sets. One was for the babies and the other for all ages. I heard the sound for the babies swing and its hinges were louder than the other set of swings. It was a sound of a rusty hinge moving against a nail. I know that sound because I have a door at home that makes the same sound whenever I move it.

I decided to move around the park, as I came closer to a drinking water fountain, I heard a particular sound of water moving against the water pipes. I decided to take a sip of water so I leaned in and pushed a bottom, as I sipped the water, I closed my eyes and I heard the water suction pump working to provide the water. When the water flowed out I heard the similarity of a river flowing. As I kept walking towards a further corner of the park, I saw an elderly couple walking towards my direction. I heard two canes taping against the pavement and I heard the woman say that the night was chilly; I couldn't hear the answer from the man because a bus passed and stopped with a screeching sound.                                                                                                                                   As I walked back to my apartment, I heard a particular sound of crickets that only comes around when the air is humid and nighttime.

  

Define Space - Gym

Define Space - Gym from Yuliana on Vimeo.

Blog 1 - Artist Statement

My inspiration starts with cultures and the people who surround me. I have grown up by adapting into two cultures (Peruvian and Chinese.) These two cultures have given me the chance to experience the two different sides of an idea. All of my projects are an expression of vibrant colors or as simple as black & white. I have always seen colors as a way of expressing my feeling. A simple ocean blue can calm my senses; a green combined with a hint of yellow will always remind of my childhood and a brown chocolate will indulge my mind. I begin imagining my projects with a simple color and shape in mind. Inspiration from a simple dot with a basic color, gives me the idea to start my work. Colors are a description of my work, a simple picture project of black and white can tell a story in the simplest form. I mostly surround my work in a theme of colors but in all my work, I have questions of what is this describing to others and what will be my next step?

Trying to define my work could be challenging at times because in my perspective a shade of red color is a symbol of power and mystery.  However, another individual might see it as insulting and hurtful.  As an example, the video game Pokémon is an example of a color description of a specific character. Blue for water and red for fire, but, there are complexes of mixed colors that describe a specific character (Pokémon.) Although, others will imply that a certain Pokémon is diabolic and the colors are a mask to appeal to children.  

In my present and future work, I hope I could demonstrate my ideas and emotions through color so others will see and understand the exact meaning behind the project. My purpose is to show that a simple blue line can be a representation of a life journey and one can add many colors along the road.