Scratch Film Junkies

The first thing that struck me about the Scratch Film Junkies' To the Beat was the wide variety of experimentation contained within the film. The shifts were well defined from one thing to the next, but the piece worked well as a whole. I particularly liked the scratches that were made to dance across the frame. I also enjoyed the use of photographs and footage of people that were mixed throughout, as well as the rotoscoping of certain subjects. I liked how the filmmakers brought the film back around to the subject that it began with. It created nice bookends to the picture. Also, the music brought the whole piece together. The film itself functions not as separate parts, but as the sum of every single one of its parts. Experimental works like this make me interested to see what I can come up with throughout the semester in 6 X 1. I would not consider myself an experimental filmmaker yet, but I like the possibilities that it opens up. Originally, I admit that I, like so many other narrative minded filmmakers, was very closed off to the possibility of delving into the world of experimental film. I wanted to believe that if the film doesn't tell a linear story from start to finish that I can decipher, then it is not a film I want to see, let alone take part in making. However, my thinking quickly changed. Now, I think that if I try to push myself in the realm of experimental film, I can learn to broaden my spectrum both creatively, as well as add a plethora of techniques and skills that too many people are afraid to try. Too often films have reverted to establishing shots with shot/reverse shot between the two subjects, but in some of the films Andre has shown from last semester, both professional and from former students, I realize that the possibilities are limitless.
Not only do I think that the class can and will help with broadening my filmmaking, but also that of my storytelling and writing. I enjoy writing a great deal and spend a great amount of time doing it, but I often find myself locked in by the fact that I don't have a beginning, middle, and end at the moment I sit down to write. I think that if I experience that not every thing has to be so traditional, I will be more available to possibilities.
Ultimately, I like the idea of the controlled chaos that experimental film can be. A lot of planning and hard work goes into what someone may dismiss as being merely random images on a screen. I hope to discover some of that chaos internally and express it externally in my films, not only in this semester, but in any films that may lie in my future.
Hopefully, I'll pick up some new and exciting skills from this class to apply to any and all aspects of art that I attempt. This semester should definitely be a challenging but fun and rewarding journey into the unfamiliar world of experimental filmmaking.