Reflection 24/4/13 Class Notes

The spectrum of major film making forms:
 Documentary (closest to realism) ---  Narrative (story telling in a fictional world) ---  Avant-Garde

Avant Garde Films

• a form of film making that uses only highly stylized image and sound to create a visual landscape that often has no clearly definable story
• POETIC FILM; VISUAL ABSTRACTION; EXPRESSIONISM

Common characteristics:

• Autobiographical elements
• Own language and symbology
• Value chance and spontaneity

Differences from mainstream commerical films:

• Rarely present straightforward stories/characters (deliberately making every viewer bring their own agendas to interpret the film's meaning)
• Aesthetic, political or even philosophical means of expression
• Often isolates and scrutinizes one technical aspect of filmography (e.g sound)

Specific Aspects:

• Manipulation of time (through time lapse photography and fast/slow/reverse motion)
• Negative and superimposition of images
• Non-synchronized sound
• Represents a sensual, emotional and aesthetic experience (to invoke emotions) instead of telling a story

Lithuanian filmmaker Jonas Mekas, considered as the "godfather of american Avant-garde cinema"

"These films confront us with the necessity of redefining an experience we were sure we understood". 

-Scott McDonald