King Tut(orial)

Yes, well...first week back at uni, still trying to understand what I`ll do this year. Until I figure things out, I`m just trying to go through a few things I`ve heard about today, see if I can get some basic info and a taster/teaser.

So...it seems like I`ll have to invest some serious amount of my time getting my head round ProTools. I`ve found a tutorial series, but of course, it`s going to take more than that.

Also, since I chose Moving Images (previously known as the infamous Audio Visual pathway), I will have to face my greatest fears: working in a team and getting good at communicating my ideas (preferably, in a convincing way)...if that isn`t every (former) Humanities student`s nightmare, I don`t know what is...

Time for a bit of maritime!

Loredana Groza`s Copiii Sirenelor (The Sirens` Children)

After a sea accident, the crew of a ship is lured by a covent of sirens. But after all, it turns out it ain't a bad thing at all.

Copiii sirenelor, sung by Loredana (Romanian singer Loredana Groza) and Loredana (three years old) is featured on Nana Nanino, an album aimed at children between the ages of 1 and 5 years, released by MediaPro Music on September 2007.

The music video, full of delightul animation, has been realized at Romanian studio Videorgy.

(Source: http://dekku.nofatclips.com/2007/12/loredana-copiii-sirenelor.html)

Random fantasy

Yesterday I decided I should break free of the vicious circle of laziness that seemed to overwhelm me and try to mess about with something to make me feel a bit more productive. So, I thought about some of the books I have already mentioned in my earlier posts on film architecture and special effects and thought I should try out something. The main idea was to take some everyday items, like pins, perfume bottles, tin foil, a bottle of wine, a candle, and use their surface, their texture, different angles to give the impression of some sort of a setting. So I took some photos initially, but then I decided I should give videos a go to, and so after an afternoon spent on editing and finding an inspiring score (Arnold Schoenberg`s Pelleas and Melisande), I came up with this:

À la recherche du temps perdu

As I was browsing through some animation videos on Youtube I came across this documentary on Romanian animation, from the beginnings up until 1990. I remember it being shown at TIFF (Transylvania International Film Festival) in 2007, but unfortunately I didn`t get to see it. Nevertheless, here it is now, and I`m looking forward to it, if for no other reason, than to at least have a moment of nostalgia and remember the names of those cartoons I can still recall by their characters` features, yet can`t remember their names to save my life!

Simply put: just a mild case of cartesian anxiety! part 2

Browsing through P. Adams Sitney`s Visionary Film, I came across the title of a 40s American avant-garde movie: Maya Deren`s Meshes of the Afternoon. The author drew several parallels with Dali and Bunuel`s Un chien andalou, and the description of the imagery employed seemed interesting enough to gave it a go. Heil YouTube again!

Using Teiji Ito`s music was a surprising addition, as the review in the book didn`t say much about the sound used. After a quick, it seems that Ito has written the scores of several other productions of Maya Deren, the producer of Meshes of the Afternoon. Seeing that there is a definite theme of repetition and accelaration that leads to the build-up of the dramatic sense, using this sort of music seems just perfect, as the drums seem to express the angst and all the ambivalence of feelings that are not revealed to us through the characters (who often seem expressionless, bedazzled and slightly hypnotic). In terms of visual metaphors, the mirror replacing the face of the nun is really inspiring...for think of all the things you can do with or about a mirror (break, distort, reflect, attract, trick).

Paris(h) the thought!

Not to give in to the image of the decadent French (except, if they insist we do) or to equate jazz, bohemian lifestyles, l`amour, etc etc with Paris but...who would mind this sort of stereotypes being heaped unto them? Sepia....yes, please! And by all means, when you are not filming naked or laced flesh...all cameras on Deneuve...sure winner!

Music to my ears...

Well, while we are at it, I`ve also been looking up some music to use for different parts of my project. Here are some of the lucky nominees:

G. F. Handel - Sarabande



Gyorgy Ligeti - Requiem (Kyrie)



Arnold Schoenberg - Moses und Aron (act II excerpts)



Aleksandr Skryabin - Etude in D sharp minor op. 8/12



Jocelyn Pook - Masked Ball