The Film Community

Looking back at the filmmaking community that we've studied this far in the semester, I'm both impressed at the works created, and the vast differences in the people that participate in this sensibility of experimental film. Having such diverse personalities converge and work in the same art is both incredible and strange all at the same time. The filmmakers that we've covered, seem to put their own lives into their works, and are almost as interesting to study as the films that they've produced. 

The work of Aaron Valdez seemed especially intriguing to me. In addition to being a dead ringer for Joh Stewart in my opinion, he seems to work in a mode of film that is both comical, and satirical, using very simple editing devices, and yet his work is a collage of different media forms. This combination produces quite distinctive works, and a coherent message and direction. It's quite strange and yet somewhat refreshing, its as if Mr. Valdez is able to see the puzzle pieces that comprise other works and forms of media, extract them, and place them together to make an all new puzzle that is totally different, but is reliant on the sum of its parts. Astounding. 

Michele Gondry's music video works really spoke to me as well. While most music videos are either pointless, "hey lets put the camera here and watch someone lip-sync for 3 to 4 minutes", he tries to turn it into a more sophisticated art form. And he succeeds. He blends different worlds together that are loosely tied together with music, a unifying bond that so loosely binds reality and fantasy. I also admire him for trying different modes of filmmaking, including refusing to settle for just one genre, and working on projects that others wouldn't expect him too. Green Hornet wasn't as bad as everyone says, you know.