STEAMPUNK VESPA!

After writing my last post I had a browse at 'steampunk' creations on Google images and came across this beauty. As someone interested in the mod subculture I found it rather amusing :)

Sci-fi Steam Punks?

This week's lecture was all about genre, with particular attention to the science fiction genre. Whilst introducing the lecture Bill raised a really valid point regarding industry expectations of potential employees.

An industry contact of his revealed that even applicants for a job position in digital effects, should have extensive skills and knowledge of physical methods.

I think this raised a few eyebrows amongst the gamers and digital arts students who have deliberately avoided the use of pencils, since leaving school. He's undoubtedly right in what he's saying, but does that mean that as a modeller I should have an awareness of digital techniques also? Because that definitely evokes fear within me, I've not the faintest idea of how to create digital effects!

That's not to say I've no interest whatsoever in learning. I think it's somewhat ignorant for modellers to shun the digital age, because after all, it is as much a factor of modern cinema as the skills we're learning as physical modellers.

Anyway, I'm straying from the topic of sci-fi and so to continue, in the seminar we discussed the idea of repetition and predictability within the science fiction genre. We also devised a list of stereotypical concepts within the genre such as robots, aliens and evolution.

The idea of evolution through the ages is something that I found particularly intriguing. We discussed the idea that the original depiction of the future is one lacking organic content. Manufactured materials such as metal, plastic and glass dominate and the colour pallet is generally limited to greys, whites and blacks. Suggesting sterility.

However, Ivan then presented the idea of 'steam punk' which is a term that I was familiar with, but never fully understood prior to the seminar.
The idea is that a future world will be compiled of existing or past artifacts rather than new and unusual inventions. Evidence of 'steam punk' can be seen through the interpretation of the Tardis in the most recent Dr Who television series (see image below).

Throughout previous series, the interior of the Tardis was presented in a stereotypically futuristic manner - lots of chrome fixtures and geometric clean lines to the design (see image below). In the latest series we are presented with a distinctly different looking machine. There is extensive use of traditional materials such as wood and the fixtures of the machine replicate furniture of the post war period. Overall it has a 'vintage' or 'retro' feel.

The underlying idea is that the future is actually more reminiscent of the past, being a compilation of previous fashions, styles and traditions. Therefore juxtaposing the fantastical idea that society will establish an entirely new and unique culture through technological advancement.

Lastly, Ivan introduced to us the website B.O.B - Box of Broadcast. Which is a database where you can access any recorded content from previous television series/ programmes. This includes films also, so I'll most definitely be signing up to the site and making the most of free viewing!

New Media..?

So I'm writing this installment of my blog a little late, almost a week late in fact. You'll have to excuse the lack of captivating content, 'cause as fellow MSFX students may agree, the last lecture wasn't the most thrilling.
No disrespect to Bill, I found him to be quite an entertaining lecturer at times, its just that I'd grown quite accustomed to the structure of our previous lectures - who says PowerPoint's are the devil's software.. well Ivan actually, but he still uses them, so it can't be that bad.
Bill has a far more spontaneous style of presentation and his evident passion for gaming noticeably went over the heads of the majority of MSFX students. The digital animation and gaming students may argue that Ivan was more swayed towards film, yet they never seemed to complain. I found Bill's first lecture a bit more difficult to engage with, but I'm optimistic for the next one nonetheless.

Some interesting points that Bill presented during the last session include:
*  The idea of 'media' as a practitioners tool
*  Youtube as an example of the way in which the public are breaking the boundaries between producers & consumers
*  'Media' as an ever evolving tool of communication. As soon as new media is released it is already out dated
*  The progression of camera techniques over time. 'Life of an American Fireman' as an example of how a single action was frequently repeated in order to show multiple perspectives - not yet established blending different shots together within one scene.

The final point of the above list triggered greatest interest for me personally. I think that the vast differences between early and contemporary cinema are most evident within the field of special effects, yet there is noticeable development within cinematography also. Nowadays cameramen possess great skills enabling them to produce extremely complex scenes. Techniques in early cinema were less ambitious and as stated previously, a lesser understanding of editing meant that there was often repetition of action sequences and static filming throughout the action.

On an entirely different note, the essay deadline is fast approaching. I'm yet to get underway with the writing, but I have been doing some further research into films which I may incorporate as case studies.
In the seminar with Ivan that followed Bill's lecture we spent the entire time discussing how to approach the essay. One of the points he made was that the best essays are often those which pick apart and challenge the question itself.
So that's my next plan of attack. I will write out the question and dissect it in a way in which I can establish an original approach to the essay. It should work... in theory,

watch this space...

The reason for my complete lack of a social life this weekend

Imap first draft. Page one of two

....FML

Opposites attract..?

So today's lecture was on Structuralism and Binary Opposition. Sounds a lot more complex than it actually is, but that's always the way when you start throwing around all this academic terminology.
Despite feeling a little worse for wear, I found today's lecture and seminar really engaging.
Ivan made a really interesting point about the human fascination with symmetry. I'd heard the theories regarding symmetry and attractiveness, this lovely lady's usually exhibited as a fine example...

But yeah, basically he said it relates to the natural balance of the human form. Two arms, two legs, two halves of the brain etc. This got me thinking about balance and harmony and the significance it plays within film and media. Its like within say horror films, you need an equality between plot/narrative and action/gore in order to maintain the interest of the audience.

Also, he made a really interesting comment on human understanding and how we interpret what things are/ what they mean by firstly understanding what they are not. I don't really know how to elaborate on that concept, nevertheless I thought it was a valid point that I wanted to highlight.

We went on to consider the different oppositions that occur in everyday life such as light/dark, good/evil, happy/sad and then Ivan introduced the concept of the anomalous zone, or the zone of indeterminacy. That is to say that nothing is ever definite and more often these kinds of oppositions exist on a sliding scale, with the two polar extremes and a whole range of middle ground. This grey area that exists is what we more commonly associate with, because as Ivan stated, nobody is ever wholeheartedly at one end of the scale. Even the most unpleasant, bad natured of people perform simple selfless acts and are therefore not purely evil. To put it in Ivan's words 'even Myra Hindley petted a cat at some time in her life'.

The web of intertextuality

I am seriously getting into my research for the intertextuality essay! Some of the theories that I have discovered are really fascinating, and I feel so driven!

Thus far, my research consists largely of philosophical theories and analysis. My next step is to apply these theories to case studies and channel my research towards the viewpoint of SFX. It's easy to go off on a tangent where this topic is concerned, so I'm trying to discipline myself. I keep referring back to the question as a means of maintaining focus.

Lord knows how I'm going to do my Imap, because there's so much material to try and organise. It'll be a mess, but an orderly mess... I hope :)


Oh and also, I think this man is a genius