Andreas methods 09-01-19

Synopsis

In this work „brevitas“ is being explored in moving image and is being brought into a series of semiotics. This exercise is trying to find the „modest“ or „appropriate“ amount of communication. It shall remove decoration, accessories and digression or even add all these redundancies to find the essence. How is simplification or excess changing the visual appearance of content? From which point of the reduction or maximisation of content is distorting the content itself? On the example of translators – like for every other communication that is involving a third party – there is a risk, that para- and nonverbal signs may be terminated or corrupted. In which extent are there changes in the visual communication , that may have great impact on the reception? From ancient times to the modern era the rhetoric has been the binding and constant guideline of communication. Nowadays there is less new in the rhetoric, even though the complexity of content has increased. Also, there seems to be a dominance of the visual in the „screen-“ or „display culture“. The term of „brevitas“ has been explored extensively in verbal/written communication. Also in product design, architecture (baroque vs minimalist design) or visual communication there has been big research on the topic of reduction vs excess.

[Steve Suggests, on translation, see This Little Art by Kate Briggs

Logline

The short film is exploring „brevitas“ in terms of reduction and excess and is bringing it into a series of semiotics.

[what is the briefest logline?]

The briefest logline:

   Film brevitas

Style: 1st person

Synopsis

I was being brought into various positions and filmed meanwhile. He tried to find the „modest“ or „appropriate“ amount of presenting me. I was being removed of all my decoration, accessories and digression and later on even added of all these redundancies just to find the essence of me. He asked me things like how my simple or hedonistic thoughts are changing my appearance. How my reduction or maximisation is distorting my core. He even introduced another person; a translator – like he did with everyone else – but this made me understand even less and less. All he wanted to find out is how I am being received by others with changing my visuality. Since I can remember I have always been the binding and constant principle. Not much has changed since then, even though I learned more and more. People just cared more of my looks than my actual abilities. From what I can recall I have been explored extensively in all the books. Dissecting my friends has even helped shaping furniture, houses or ads, he says.

Logline

He is filming me while reducing me to the core or even adding so much more.

Style: Demand (version 1)

Synopsis

You have a camera. You must find various ways of filming. You struggle to find the appropriate way to comminicate. You remove all decoration and accessories. You add everything and even much more. You must find the essence! Find out how it changes your visuality! You have to find out how reduction or maximisation is changing your message! Just take every other translator as an example: like everyone else who is involving a third party you are at risk of terminating or corrupting your para- and nonverbal signs! Find out how big the changes are in communicating yourself! Impact the viewer! From the middle age to the now you always had the guidelines of communicating at hand! Don’t add anything new now! Increase the complexity! Dominate the smartphone-screens with your visuals. Explore your speaking and writing fellows extensively. Do your homework on reduction and excess at product design and architecture, too!

[this exercise in bravity could rest on the verbs: TAKE a camera. FIND ways to film. STRUGGLE for ways to COMMUNICATE. REMOVE all decoration. FIND the essence. DISCOVER how it changes you. LEARN how it changes your message &C.]

Logline

You must explore reduction and excess by filming and bring it into a series of semiotics!

Style: Demand (version 2)

Synopsis

Take a camera. Find ways to film. Struggle for ways to communicate. Remove all decoration. Add everything and much more. Find the essence. Discover changes of visuality. Learn how it changes your message. Take the example of translation: risk to corrupt the meaning. Find out the changes in communication. Impact the viewer. You have everything at hand. Don’t add anything new and increase the complexity. The screens are dominating. Make a use of it! Explore the excess and reduction everywhere.

Logline

Explore reduction and excess on moving image

Style: Personal Letter

Synopsis

Dear the-eye cinema, I write to you in the matter of exploring moving image on the topic of „brevitas“ and bringing it into a series of semiotics. I am trying to find the „modest“ or „appropriate“ amount of communication. I shall remove decoration, accessories and digression or even add all these redundancies in order to find the essence. I have asked myself various times how simplification or excess is changing the visual appearance of content. Therefore I ask you: Do you, by any chance, know from which point of the reduction or maximisation of content is distorting the content itself? Since I consider myself a translator, I am aware of the risk that I could terminate or corrupt para- and nonverbal signs – like for every other communication that is involving a third party. In which extent are there changes in my visual communication, that may have a great impact on the reception? I’ve been doing research on it and found out, that from ancient times to the modern era the rhetoric has been the binding and constant guideline of communication. It seems there is less new in the rhetoric nowadays, even though the complexity of content has increased. Also it appears to me that there is a dominance of the visual in the „screen-“ or „display culture“. From what I can tell the term of „brevitas“ has been explored extensively in verbal/written communication. Even in product design, architecture (baroque vs minimalist design) or visual communication there has been big research on the topic of reduction vs excess. So please, help me shaping this film.

Yours faithfully, Andreas

Logline

EYE Film Instituut Nederland, IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT Amsterdam Filming on the matter „brevitas“