The Genius of Moving Image: Part 2

 What is the role of the cinematographer in film making?
The cinematographer is responsible for creating a consistent sense and look for a film. Working alongside the director, their role is to control the lighting, the mood, and creating images that help tell the story. 


Why did director Roman Polanski insist on using hand held camera in the film Chinatown?
Roman Polanski used a hand held camera in 'Chinatown' to create a more intimate feel and to achieve more natural responses from the actors. 

Name two films which use colour in a very symbolic way, and describe what they suggest.

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939). The use of juxtaposition between black and white and colour is used to show two different states of mind. At the start of the film we are introduced to the characters and setting in black and white film, showing reality and normality. It is only when Dorothy turns into a dream-like state that we are introduced to high-saturated colour. This symbolises the fantasy, idolized world in her mind. 

 2. Pleasantville (1998). Again, the use of black and white against colour differentiates two universes. In Pleasantville, it is used to show the separation of morals in 1950's America. The bright, bold colours that the characters are injected into are metaphorically symbolising the rebellious teenagers of the 50's, influenced by sex, rock and roll and jazz.  

In the film Raging Bull why was the fight scene filmed at different speeds?
Using different frame speeds in Raging Bull allowed the director to control the audience's emotions towards
the characters, for example the slow scenes, give a more dramatic feel. 

Who is the cinematographer for the film Apocalypse Now, and what is his philosophy?
Vittorio Storaro was the cinematographer for Apocalypse Now. His philosophy is inspired by Johann Wolfgang's 'theory of colours', in which the theory is that different colours have different effects and influences on people and situations.

The Genius of Photography: Part 6

1. How many photographs are taken per year?
Approximately 80 billion images are taken per year. 


2.What is Gregory Crewdsons modus operandi?
Crewdson's 'modus operandi' or mode of operation is to create a scene, very much like a movie  set, in order to capture one single image. He captures a series of multiple exposures and digital combines them to make his final prints.

3.Which prints command the highest price & what are they called?

The prints that achieve the highest price are the ones processed by the photographer themselves. The closer the process and the capturing of the image, the better.

4.What is a Fake photograph? Give an example and explain how & why it is fake.

 A fake photograph is something that has been constructed, invented or manipulated to give a different perspective and view to the subject matter. Joan Fontcuberta is a well known photographer who examines the truth in photography. The project Sputnik (1997) entailed Fontcuberta creating evidence and belief that an astronaut Ivan Istochnikov had crewed Soyuz 2 when in fact he had disappeared on the mission. 

5.Who is Li Zhensheng and what is he famous for?

Li Zhensheng was a solider turned photojournalist, who in the 1960's and 70's found himself reporting and documenting the Cultural Revolution. 

6.What is the photographers “holy of holies”?

 The agency Magnum was known as photographers "holy of holies". It was one of the most prestigious agencies and was founded by legendary photographers such as Henri Cartier Bresson and Robert Capa. 

7.How does Ben Lewis see Jeff Walls photography?

 Lewis claims that Walls did not create photography, but brought it back into the 19th century where everything in an image was constructed for a reason, much like a painting.

8.Which famous photograph was taken by “Frank Mustard”?

Frank Mustard was a photographer who originally took the photography 'The River France'. Camille Silvy was the artist always credited for creating and manipulating the image. 

The Genius of Photography, Part 4

1.Why did Garry Winogrand take photographs?
 To see what the world looked like photographed.

2.Why did “citizens evolve from blurs to solid flesh”?
At first, photographers could not capture movement in street photography because of the long exposure times. Gradually the technology improved and the previous blurs became solid flesh.

3.What was/is the “much misunderstood theory”?
The much misunderstood theory comes from Henri Carter Bressons theory of 'the decisive moment'.

4.Who was the godfather of street photography in the USA?
 Gary Winogand was somewhat a 'pack leader' for street photographers. People were known to respond to his energy in which gave him revolutionary images.

5.Who was Paul Martin and what did he do?
Paul Martin was an British photographer. In 1896 in Great Yarmouth, he disguised a camera as a brown paper parcel. He captured images showing the other side of Victorian lifestyle, in that somehow the beach was a place they could forget that they were Victorian.

6.Who said “When I was growing up photographers were either nerds or pornographers”?
Edward Ruscha claimed that when he was growing up, photographers were either nerds or poronographers. People with cameras had no social value.

7.Why does William Eggleston photograph in colour?
Eggleston photographed in colour because he felt it gave a different perspective and content to his work.

8.What is William Eggleston about?
Eggleston is a man of few words, quoting that his work was 'at war with th obvious'. His images are 'democratic', and his use of bold, bright colour give a completely different structure to many other photographers work.

The Genius of Photography, Part 3

1.What is described as “One of the most familiar concepts in photography”?
in 1933, Henri Carter Bresson captured a photograph (Behind the Gare-Saint-Lazare) that illuminated photography's potential, which led to the creation of Photojournalism, now one of the most familiar concepts of photography.

2.Should you trust a photograph? (1.38m G3)
People saw iconic images of war as the truth, yet we now question how well the photograph really shown the war and whether it was all myth.

3.What was revolutionary about the Leica in 1925?
The Leica was a quiet, compact and insant camera launched in Germany 1925. It was revolutionary because it allowed a photographer to look through a lens as well as being able to watch the world around it.

4.What did George Bernard Shaw say about all the paintings of Christ?
George Bernard Shaw said he would exchange every painting of Christ for ones snapshot.

5.Why were Tony Vaccaros’ negatives destroyed by the army censors?
They contained images of dead G.I's, something that army censors felt the world wasn't ready for.

6.Who was Henryk Ross and what was his job?
Henryk Ross was a polish Photographe as well as a Jew. In the ghetto he was kept in, he was it's offical photographer, responsible for documenting the production of goods made there.

 7.Which show was a “sticking plaster for the wounds of the war”, how many people saw it and what “cliché” did it end on?
'The Family of Man' was an exhibition in New York 1955, made up of 500 images from 273 photographers. It attracted 9 million visitors by 1964 and ends with the image by W. Euigene's of his children, giving an optimistic cliche for the future.

8.Why did Joel Meyerowitz photograph ground zero in colour?
He captured his imge of Ground Zero in colour because he felt they were in black and white they would remain as a tragedy.

The Genius of Moving Image, Part 3

1. How did Bjork and Chris collaborate on the All is full of love video?
Bjork's role in the making of the video was too mimic the robotic position and sing in order for the two to combine. Whilst doing this, Chris would capture stills of this.

2. What techniques were used on the portishead video to create the unusual slow motion effects.? Research this.
 For the effect of slow motion, the subjects were shot floating in water. This was then also slowed down dramatically.

3. What other music video directors have gone on to direct feature films? Name two and the feature films they have made.
Jonas Akerland is a Swedish film and music video director, most famous for madonna's 'Ray of Light' video. He has since directed The film Horsemen (2009) and the upcoming Small Apartments (2012)
David Fincher is an American music video and film director who was directed for Madonna, The Rolling Stones and Billy Idol. He has since directed feature films such as The Social Network, Alien 3 and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

4. Which famous sci - fi film did Chris Cunningham’s work on before he became a director?
Cunningham first worked on the film Judge Dredd (1995)

5. What makes his work different or original compared to other similar directors?
The way in which he directs his videos are unique, he is not afraid to take risks, try something out of the ordinary and shock people. I think he also challenges himself every time.

The Genius of Photography: Part 5

1.Who said “ The camera gave me the license to strip away what you want people to know about you, to reveal what you can’t help people knowing about you”, and when was it said?
 Diane Arbus

2.Do photographers tend to prey on vulnerable people?
It has been a controversial subject over the decades on whether photographers prey on vulnerable people. The photographer can either feel empathy and compassion for the subject matter, or simply be driven by their story and to expose them socially, culturally and economically.

3.Who is Colin Wood?
Colin Wood is the subject within Arbus's 'Child with toy hand grenade in Central Park' (1962)

4.Why do you think Diane Arbus committed suicide?
 I believe Diane Arbus committed suicide in 1971 because of her lack of self esteem and her insecuries within herself. It was said that whils capturing images of several different people, she was in fact recognising her own insecuries.

5.Why and how did Larry Clark shoot “Tulsa”?
Larry Clark first published the book 'Tulsa' In 1971, in which he gives an insight into his own life involving drugs, sex, violence and gunplay.

6.Try to explain the concept of “confessional photography”, and what is the “impolite genre”?
Confessional photography concerns photographs that show the truth and reality of life, such as intimate scenes people tend to ignore. Impolite genre on the other hand sees such photographs as uncomfortable to look at, casting them as disturbing and shocking.

7.What will Araki not photograph, and why?
Araki captures images of everything around him to help him remember his memories. He said he will only photograph things that he wants to remember.

8.What is the premise of Postmodernism?
The 'premise of postmodernism is that we live in a century that is so filled with media imagery and examples of how people should live their lives that the previous ideas of this has now become a myth.

The Genius of Moving Image: Part 1

List two specific key relationships between Sam Taylor Wood's photography and film work?
One obvious relationship between Taylor Wood's photography and moving image work is the subject matter. Both consist purely of people, their characteristics and their emotions. This then leads on to another link between the two mediums, both have narrative to them.

How does the use of multi-screen installation in her work reflect narrative?
Using multi-screen installation allows an audience to view several different narratives that all have different meanings.

What other photographers use film as an integral part of their work. List two with examples?
Adam Chodzko is an British multi-media artist. As well as being a photographer, Chodzko makes installation films much like Taylor Wood's. Work includes The Pickers (2009) and Pyramid (2008).

Research three other Video artists and explain their working philosophy?
1. Shelly Silver is a New York based artist who uses film and photography. Her video work tends to be documentary and experimental, and she uses funny and ironic techniques to lure a viewer in, then tackles serious social issues.
2. Gary Hill is an American video artist and is known as one of the pioneers of video art. He uses a combination of video, text and sound, and experiments with the relationship between human identity, language and the body.
3. Vito Acconci is a New York based designer, architect and installation artist. In the 60's and 70's, Acconci started experimenting with video art using his own body as a subject. He has over the years expanded this into video and audio installations.

Show an example of a specific gallery space or a site specific location where a video artist or film maker has created work specifically for that space and been influenced by it.
The historical landmark 'Petra' in Jordan has been used in several film's and has inspired many scenes in the movies, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusades.