F.ilms L.ost A.t S.ome H.emisphere

Today I will be discussing about an intricate piece called "Modern Times" by Chris Coleman.
This is a Flash animation and i find it excellent in the form of art. Now I am going to discuss about Coleman's piece, but in 5 relevant aspects.

Style: The style of the flash animation is very intricate. The details in the animation are very precise. The flow of the piece is fast and smooth as well. The use of color is minimal and Coleman only uses three main colors which are red, yellow and blue. The minimal amount of colors is a smart choice because the viewers won't feel overwhelmed with new objects entering the frame. All in all, the style of Coleman is very simple and precise.

Space: The spacing of the piece is very open. A lot of the times, the characters in the piece will be surrounded by a lot of empty space. When an image is transitioned to another image, Coleman shows a big gap of space between the transition. In conclusion, the way Coleman manipulates space is very key to his simple but yet effective film. The spacing keeps the film flow properly and keeps your brain from being overloaded with different images.

Character: The characters in the piece are images of different objects. The film is about modern times and the objects are things we humans use everyday to technologically advance our lives. There are a lot of computer objects in the piece, as well as safety signs and arrows. Final thoughts, The characters help move the film along because of the constant new objects that flash before us. By showcasing new objects, the viewers will be captivated and will be anticipating for more.

Liveliness: The liveliness of the film is truly remarkable. The fast transitions and the arrows help bring the story alive. Every image is connected with one another and transitioned perfectly. The use of minimal colors also help the liveliness of the images. By making some objects with color, the viewers will focus their attention on the object. By focusing on the object, we are interacting with the frame.

Purpose: The most important aspect of all, purpose. I find purpose to be important because a piece of work is suppose to have a meaning. Coleman delivers on the part of meaning. At the end i find myself sitting next to the one thing that can destroy me, technology. Coleman's piece is a tragic beauty of art because he is showcasing the death of society by our advancement of life/modern times.

In conclusion, "Modern Times" is simple and precise to the point. If anyone ever wonders about the future, "Modern Times" is a scary adaptation of what the future will be like for human kind. Also if anyone is interested in an intricate flash film, then look no more because "Modern Times" is just that.

Link: "Modern Times"








Motto of the Day: "Lift books, not weights."

-Ling Mai

Directing the Perfect Film

The process on making
"The Perfect Film"

Directed By:
Ling Mai & Partner


Pre-production:
Getting the idea was the toughest part, especially if you need an agreeing partner. Ideas flew left and right for a week straight and that was very frustrating. Once the idea was set, setting up the storyboard was the next issue. With two directors on board, that would mean the storyboard needs to satisfy both parties.

Production:
With limited time, directing each scene needed to be fast. Each scene was a nightmare due to the pace my partner directed. The worst part was not sticking to the storyboard because time was an issue on hand.

Post-Production:
Once we got the files into the computer, the next difficult task was arranging the files in order. It turned out we had too many files and that took up a lot of space. Due to the mass space, the computer lagged tremendously. With an impatient partner, the work flow was starting to become overwhelming.

Outcome:
The film came out as planned and was very decent. If i could change anything, i would change the way it was directed. The feel of the film looks very documentary and this is not how i envisioned it. If i had more time and was behind the camera, i would direct the film in a perfect steady pace. I would also stick to the original storyboard, where it's 45 shots instead of the 15 shots that made up the final piece. Overall, i am pleased with the finished product.

Experience:
Working with a partner is definitely different than working alone. More ideas are thrown into the pool and more ideas are taken out. A lot of the directing i would not have agreed on, but due to the interest of time i did not want to argue. Despite the negative aspects on working with a partner, there are also positive aspects. I enjoyed the fresh pair of eyes working with me on post production, many mistakes were caught due to the extra help. I also enjoyed the work flow, it was definitely faster to edit with four hands rather than two. I also enjoyed the effort my partner put into the project, that meant a lot to me and also sped things up.

Overall:
I definitely learned a lot about the cinema world. I learned how to edit on Final cut Express and how to properly render video. I learned how difficult it is to work with a partner and how easy it is to work with a partner. Overall i am satisfied with how much i have endured and how the final outcome came out.

Quote of the Day:
"Keep bumping and stay humping"
-Ling Mai

Sincerely,
-Ling Mai