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.