2. What is Experimental Film?
Experimental films are nonconformist and set out to
challenge the orthodox ideas about what films can show
and how they show them
There are no set rules and thus various styles of
experimental film exist: they can express more personal
experiences or feature more eccentric topics(Damned if
You Don't: about a nun discovering her sexuality). They
can also test the limits of the medium itself by
manipulating audiovisual elements in strange or novel
ways(Dog Star Man or Warhol’s Eat)
3. Brahkage’s Dog Star Man(1961)
Consists of fast
moving layers of
colors, shapes,
splotches that
create a disorienting
and unique
experience. Also
makes use of some
recognizable forms
4. Warhol’s Eat (1963)
Eat: Consists of a
nearly 40
minute, high
contrast shot of a
man slowly
eating, transcends
the expectations of
what a movie should
be
5. What is Experimental Film? Cont.
Experimental films can
use any type of footage.
Many artists create
found-footage films that
re-contextualize
previously existing
material, like in Bruce
Conner’s A Movie(1958)
in which historical
footage is contrasted to
give the sense of an
apocalyptic world
6. Kenneth Anger’s Scorpio Rising
(1963)
The extensive possibilities of
experimental exemplified by
Kenneth Anger’s Scorpio Rising.
Anger explores 60’s motorcycle
culture using a combination of
staged events with found content
such as old photos, comic strips,
and Nazi posters. Also syncs
visual elements with rock and roll
songs.
An observation of how the
homoerotic side of motorcycle
culture has ritualistic behaviors
that can be compared to the
rituals of fascism and
Christianity. Also explores how
people model themselves after
images provided by the media.
8. Abstract Form
There are various forms of Experimental Film, the abstract
form organizes entire films around colors, shapes, sizes, and
movements in the images. This is in contrast to other types of
film(such as a documentary) in which these abstract
elements may exist, but are “subordinate to the rhetorical
purposes”
Abstract films can seem completely random, but are often
organized through theme and variation. An introductory
section shows the base relationships the film will explore, and
then other segments will show similar yet different kinds of
relationships. Abstract films are usually dependent on building
greater and greater distance from the introductory material,
increasing the contrast of elements as time goes on. If the
film uses this format correctly, all the content presented will
be connected by a uniting them or principle.
9. J.J. Murphy’s Print Generation
(1974)
Is a an example of the theme and variation principle in
abstract films
Murphy selected 60 shots from home movies and re-
photographed them until they became unrecognizable.
The film shows these images starting with the most
abstract forms that build up to the original identifiable
image and then move back into abstraction. The
opposite is done to the audio, which begins with the
clearest audio which loses its quality as the images
become more clear.
11. Abstract Form Cont.
Films like Print Generation show that when we call a film
abstract, we do not necessarily mean that it has no
recognizable objects. Although there are films that use
no recognizable images, there is also a method of
abstract filmmaking in which the abstract quality of
common objects is highlighted. A creative juxtaposition
of colors, images and sounds can remove objects from
their practical, everyday context in order to accomplish
this. Abstract films encourage us to turn off the part of
our brain that uses the senses for practical purposes in
order to notice new relationships and qualities among
objects
12. Ballet mecanique (1924)
One of the earliest and also most influential
abstract films, created by American Dudley
Murphy and Frenchman Fernand Leger
The title represents its concept, creating a
“mechanical ballet” by juxtaposing machines
with humans and everyday objects. Machines
and humans moving rhythmically in sync
draws interesting similarities between the two
14. Ballet mecanique Cont.
The film follows a complex form of the theme and variation structure
that is noticeable when looking at an overview of the movie.
1. introduction of the film’s rhythmic elements.
2. A treatment of objects viewed through prisms
3. Rhythmic movements
4. A comparison of people and machines
5. Rhythmic movements of intertitles and pictures
6 .More rhythmic movements, mostly of circular objects
7. Quick dances of objects
8. A return to Charlot and the opening sequence
15. Ballet mechanique Segment 2
In segment two, a shiny
ball is shown through a
prism, followed by other
similar objects also shown
through the same prism.
This is an example of
mundane objects being
taken out of context to be
used for new, abstract
aesthetic purposes
There are also elements of
humor, such as the scene
to the right where a pair of
eyes is shown, and then
inverted almost without the
viewer realizing
17. Ballet mechanique Segment 4
One of the most famous
scenes involves repeated
rhythmic shots of a woman
walking up the stairs with
laundry contrasted with
shots of mechanical
pistons. This repetition
makes the viewer focus on
her not for character or
personality, but as an
object with movement.
This depersonalization is
intended to further show
the similarities between the
film’s human and machine
subjects.
18. Associational Form
Definition: “A type of organization in which the
film’s parts are juxtaposed to suggest
similarities, contrasts, concepts, emotions, and
expressive qualities”
19. Continued: Associational Form
It’s impossible to define a conventional set of
parts into which an associational film will fall
General principles
Large sets
Repeated motifs
Invites interpretation
20. Example: A Movie
Bruce Conner worked in the found-footage genre
Principle: large sets– here, divided into 4
The film’s title, director’s name, projectionists’
markings
Lively music with images of moving animals &
vehicles on land
A more tense section stressing precariously balanced
objects in air and water
Frightening images of disaster & war intermixed with
more mysterious scenes
21. Video
Clip from A Movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FMjBtvsx2
o
Uses the three principles
Excerpt from text book
The definition of associational form is that it is “A type of organization in which the film’s parts are juxtaposed to suggest similarities, contrasts, concepts, emotions, and expressive qualities.” This sort of system suggests ideas and expressive qualities by grouping images that may not have any immediate logical connection. But by the very fact that the images and sounds are juxtaposed prods us to look for some connection, some sort of an association that binds them together.
Associational formal systems are unlimited in their subjects and means of organization, so because of this it’s impossible to define a conventional set of parts into which an associational film will fall. But we can understand associational form by noticing that it usually accords with a few general principles.First, the filmmaker typically groups images together in larger sets, each of which creates a distinct part of the film. Each group of images can then contrast with other groups of images. Second, as in other types of form, the film uses repeated motifs to reinforce associational connections. Third, associational form strongly invites interpretation. They say a little but suggest a lot.
An example of Associational Form that the text-book provides is a film called A Movie, which was already briefly mentioned by Max. The maker of the movie, Bruce Conner, worked in the found-footage genre, typically using footage from old newsreels, Hollywood movies, soft-core pornography and the like. By working in this genre, Conner juxtaposed shots from widely different sources. A Movie illustrates how associational form can confront us with evocative and mysterious juxtapositions, yet at the same time create a coherent film that has an intense impact on the viewer. The text book explains how this is done in A Movie by breaking up the film into four segments. By doing so, it’s evident that the general principle of associational forms having large sets is met. The first segment is an introductory portion with the film’s title and director’s name and projectionists’ markings.The second is quick, dynamic music with images of moving animals & vehicles on land.The third is a more mysterious, tense section stressing precariously balanced objects in air and water.And then the last segment is frightening images of disaster and war interspersed with more lyrical, mysterious scenes.
Now I’m going to show a clip from the movie. Just seeing a small bit of the movie will show that it takes on an associational form in that there are no categorical similarities between many of the things Conner juxtaposes and no story told about them. -----show clip----My final point is that, along with grouping images together in large sets, Bruce Conner uses the general principle of repetition and also invites interpretation. There is no argument about why we should find these images disturbing or why we should link volcanoes and earthquakes to sexual or military aggression.
