Rush 10

"Citizen L rush"

 *If you were going to continue with the work you did for Citizen-L this semester, how might you apply either the concept of metaphoric tension or the concept of the gaze to your workflow (either as a means of procedure or a component of your creative output)?  If you worked in multiple functions, focus on the single function of your choice. 
 
I have already been thinking about the concept of Gaze within my art work.  Ive been starting to wonder if my work has a gaze or if it really can?..  In order to understand how Gaze might fit into my work I need to tell you about my work.

Personal Statement: 
My focus for the past two years has been investigating childhood and adulthood, exploring viewing one through the other.  The purpose of my art being that it will act as a catalyst for the adult viewer to see themselves as they are today through the lens of their childhood self.  To achieve this I have juxtaposed content from adulthood and imagery from childhood to create context for my viewers.  Most of the childhood references I make are through ubiquitous childhood symbols that I feel a majority of young adults might know or understand.  The adult references have drifted between sexuality and responsibility.  Responsibility encompasses a few things from the responsibility of ones own actions and their consequences to the responsibility of morality and humanity.  I have always been fascinated with how individuals interact with objects and people in there day to day and what memories and feelings are developed.  When I was young my brother and I would play with k'nex, now as an adult I am still compelled to make gadgets and explore the way things function through the action of deconstructing and rebuilding objects.  This is a small example of the parallels that can be drawn in my personal life from my childhood into adulthood.  My sculptures derive inspiration from my childhood with my need to create objects that the viewer can interact with or relate to.  I invite the viewer to participate and play with my work, both physically and mentally. 

 I can think of one sculpture I've created that could "have a gaze". Last year I made a six foot tall clear inflatable teddy bear. The bear is so large it demands your attention and the absents of color gives it a ghostly appearance. People have said it feels like the bear has a soul or is an old friend in the room with you. This piece is interesting to me but what is more intriguing to me is to explore the idea that all of the art I make could have a Gaze. The way I view my work is like looking into a mirror.. you see the toy and it reminds you of your childhood, so you are now reflecting on the past. You then start to think of all the connotations that come with the adult content, reflecting on past and present. I feel that this is the point when the work of art has a Gaze, when looking at it you gain reflection and knowledge.  I understand this is a vague description of this theory.. at this point I am still rattling this thought in my head and trying to understand it for myself..

Rush 9

The task in this rush is to search our viewings this semester for cultural leitmotifs: repetitions of themes or subject matter across otherwise different series.  

The three series I will be comparing are Homeland, Breaking Bad and The wire. 

In all three of theses series we see a commonality of leitmotif with a reoccurring theme in always wanting to return home or return things to a normal or neutral state. 

In Homeland Brody is always wanting to return back to being held hostage at war or return things back to a neutral state. As well a Jessica wants to forget about the things her husband has done and secretly wants the romantic life she had with Mike prior to Brody's return to be restored.

In Breaking Bad at the end of season two and the start of season three Walt starts to lose his family. His wife finds out about his part in cooking methamphetamine and demands a divorce and that he cannot see the children anymore. Walt starts to feel guilty and wants his family back saying that he "doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore."     

In The Wire the police are always trying to catch the bad guy or restore the city to a place of no drug violence or crime.  As well as the paralleling drug seen is trying to maintain business and get the cops off there tails.    

Rush 8

Your task this week is to make a comparative analysis of the editing styles used in the web series "The Guild" and "Roomie/Lover/Friends," respectively, using Pudovkin's five categories of editing as your guide.  Focus on a single episode from each of the two shows, and point to specific examples of the techniques you're noticing. 

I hit a small speed bump with this assignment.. When I went back to The Guilds website to watch the episodes again to refresh my memory I got an error message saying that the content or videos are missing.. I was going to attempt to find an example of leitmotif in The Guild seeing that I noticed in Roomie Lover Friends in the first episode there is a repetition throughout that states "I'm in control I run the show." This is stated non diegetic a couple of times throughout this episode when the protagonist is in a situation of dealing with her emotions about confronting her roommate. 

To answer the homework question the best I can with only my memories of The Guild, I can make a lose connection between the two series using contrast.  In The Guild there is a contrast between the real world and the game they play. In Roomie Lover Friends it jumps back and forth from the protagonists thoughts or non diegetic comments to what is actually happening, creating another layer or undertone to what actually happening. 

Rush 7

Pudovkin's 5 Editing Techniques.

Buffy episode 22 season 4 "Restless"
 About 10 minutes into the episode in Willows dream she is talking to her friend about what or who is after her. She stops for a moment when she hears something and whispers "Shhhh.. What was that?" just then the camera switches to the play (Death Of a Sales Man) and a long scene with Buffy talking. Im using this short clip as an example of Contrast. We are jumping from a quiet almost scary scene to and in-your-face loud almost funny scene with Buffy acting in the play. When I first watched this part of the episode I jumped a little when it switched to the louder clip.. in a way the contrasting clip kept me on my toes thinking about Willows appending doom.
Bringing this full circle to Breaking Bad Pilot, I would compare this scene to when Walter is in the ambulance after just having passed out suddenly at work. The EMT is checking his vitals and listening to his lunges when he asks Walter if he smoked?. Walter replies with "No, Why do you ask" The next scene is a birds eye view of Walter from inside the CAT Scan machine. The scene opens with Walter coming in from the top of the frame to the bottom where the machine clicks into place and you hear it start up. By ending one scene with Walter saying hes fine and not a smoker and jumping to worried faced Walter in a CAT Scan machine leads us to think "Why yes, somethings wrong with Walter"
   
   

Rush 5

Rush 5

Articulate similar short-circuits between the two episodes of Buffy. 

In season 3 episode 21 (Time Start 30:50) (Time End 32:50)
Opens with Buffy's new mentor explaining to her and her old mentor that he talked to the counsel. He explains that they are not willing to help find a cure for Angel because he is a vampire and it is not in the counsels best interest to be saving him. At this point in the episode Angel has been shot with a poise arrow and will die without a cure. Buffy rebuttals with, try asking again because she doesn't care what the counsel thinks-she dost want her lover to die. Her mentor then says the counsels orders are to focus on the asention. Buffy then pulls rank and say that she will no longer be taking orders from him or anyone else. 
 
In season 4 episode 7 (Time Start 30:00) (Time End 31:05)
Opens with Rylee and his two assistant / friends hunting for Spike. At this point in the series Rylee-who is also a slayer has developed feelings for Buffy and knows nothing about her being a slayer. Buffy, who is also unaware of Rylee's position and feelings, has posted herself as bate-awaiting spike on a park bench. Rylee and his team stumble across Buffy and conclude that she is "compromising the area" and impeding their hunt. Rylee suggests to "clear her out of there" where as another suggests using her as bate. Rylee becomes upset stating "you want to use the girl I have a crush on as bate?! Denied." Pulling rank on the lower solder because he dose not want to put the girl he likes in danger.  

similar short-circuits:

*Both seance have the obvious similarity of lead character taking rank and standing up for the one they care or love.  
*Both characters that pull rank are slayers. 
*Both seance are shot with a debate between 3 characters. Two being primarily arguing and the third more of a middle man. 
*Both are shot in dark or dim spaces. 
*In SO3E21 Angel's life is in danger. In SO4E7 Buffy's live would be put in danger.
*In both episodes the 4th character (the one in danger) does not know they're lover /crush is standing up for them.
*In SO3E21 you hear the fire crackling in the back ground for most of the scene. In SO4E7 you can hear frogs chirping for most of the scene.    

Rush 4

Structural Parallels:   

In the dramatic series Homeland the character of Jessica, having been unexpectedly reunited with her husband at a time when she has already moved on, uses social gatherings, such as a barbecue thrown by the Brody’s in episode four, as an escape from intimacy with her unwanted male counterpart.

Likewise, in episode four of the comedy series The Guild, the character of Codex (Cyd) uses the distinct domain of a social setting for the guild to escape unexpected intimacy with her unwanted male counterpart, Zaboo.

Seriality Rush 3

*Keeping in mind the milk-glass clip in mind the transition we looked at from Robert Altman's Short Cuts), your task is to create a similar transition (using an object of your choice) between two adjoining scenes in either of the Buffy episodes we watched this week (S3E12 and S3E17).

I will be working with Buffy S3E17.
Start time 11:08

Faith has just killed the demon for the Books of Ascention and is left sitting on the apartment floor with bloody hands. The next scene opens with Angel in a red sweater reading a red book as Faith walks in with bloody hands looking to be consoled.

New Scene:
Faith has just killed the demon for the Books of Ascention and is left sitting on the apartment floor with bloody hands. The next scene opens with Angle still in the red shirt but just having finished washing his hand and drinking red wine as Faith walks in with bloody hands looking to be consoled.