User:Jakemorris/ArtistResearch

Research & Inspiration

PHOTOGRAPHY:

FILMS:

I recently watched Luca Guadagnino's Call Me By Your Name and was moved by Guadagnino's use of cinematic parallels, which is shown perfectly in the video below. CMBYN was filmed entirely on a 35mm lens on a Arricam LT with Cooke S4 Lenses.

http://vimeo.com/252960173

A scene in this film I sincerely enjoyed was the "Dance Scene" in what I believe is the second act where Elio, Oliver, and friends are attending a disco. It begins with Elio joining the others with a drink and a cigarette and watching Oliver dance. It intimately captures Elio's gaze cast in the direction of Oliver, this is shown by the way the scene cuts between the two, slowly closing in on elio's eyes. At first, Elio hangs back, puffing on a cigarette and gazing, intrigued, at Oliver. He smiles, then joins the group. There a line spoken by the first band playing in the background during this scene as diegetic sound. The song is by Joe Esposito, which adheres to the Italian setting and the year of 1983, the lyrics that stand out are "let me touch that part of you if you want me to", as Elio directs his intense stare at Oliver. This leads into the DJ changing the song to Love my way, by the Psychadelic Furs which is incredibly considered by the director as the song is primarily about sexuality, further adding to the narrative of the movie. Elio decided to join during this song, dancing to the music. The music itself, is the only thing in that moment which connects the two young men, whose romantic feelings for one another unfurl over the course of film. I find it really interesting how the only words Elio utters here are "I'll come later", which feels metaphorically intentional due to events later in the movie.

PERFORMANCE:

MUSIC:

DESIGN:

SELF DIRECTED RESEARCH:

I like narrative driven stories I want to work with fiction set in realistic environments; social commentary. I would like to be a cinematographer, but I would also like to direct my own narrative, I have never filmed anything. I would like feedback on scripts or fictional writing. [Writing about your own work:] It is something I’d like to improve on and find it hard to put all my ideas into one page. I need to find my own technique. I like critical thinking. I always try to find deeper meanings. By ‘deeper’ I mean so it is not just presenting a pretty picture, but is also able to describe the reason behind the picture. A screenplay, test shots; test films; [Previous thesis: Edward Said, key words: picturing the other, cultural appropriation &c.]

Version 2 (JACOB): 

I would like to write, direct and shoot a story (not knowing if it will be used for EYE, but just as the next step in my career even if it is only a screenplay). 

I suppose the film is inspired by modern life working environments, particularly those of high demand in large cities such as London. The idea stems from seeing a friend of mine who works in London as a corporate psychologist, struggling with the demand of his employer as well as the city as a whole. Without too much detail, my friend lives a working lifestyle where he leaves the house at 06:30 and does not return until 19:30, where he takes a valium and drinks red wine until he falls asleep. His weekends consist of recreational drugs, and not really remembering much else. This is a repetitive cycle. I find it somewhat ironic that my friend (a trained psychologist) is having these issues. 

My work often seems like a retrospective, so I believe giving myself a timeframe to base this around would be a positive step as it comments on how things have not changed from 1979 to now. And how people will always find the worst ways to channel their discomfort with life. I would not like to include too many specifics in this as I have some shot ideas which I believe I might test soon to better get a grip on how this could be achievable. 

Script Name: Shadowplay - Inspired by the Joy Division song "I did everything, everything I wanted to, I let them use you for their own ends, To the center of the city in the night, waiting for you. To the center of the city in the night, waiting for you" - Comments from the corporate perspective about my protagonist on the expendability of him as a person working in such an environment and city (London). 

Log Line:  Character:  Jordan, late twenties, pale complexion + dark eyes, rough unevenly shaven face, dark hair, blue(?) eyes 

Imagery during the week: 

Imagery during the weekend: 

[Steve suggests: write the story in three sentences: it might take this form: 1) the situation 2) the problem and 3) the resolution Based on our discussion earlier, below I play around with the order of a ‘logline’, this is aka ‘rapid prototyping’: 

Title: Physician Heal Thyself:  Version 1: 1 a young man is at work doing a job that requires a great deal of responsibility. We see him in a montage giving instructions, listening, in serious discussion &c 2 the man goes to a bar and meets up with friends who are very different to him; they dress differently and act differently (how so?); he gets wasted and turns into another person (how so?) 3 he returns to work on Monday obviously worst for ware.   Version 2: 1 a man is in a bar with friends who are very different to him they dress differently and act differently (how so?); he gets wasted and turns into another person (how so?) 2 he returns to work obviously worst for ware. 3 montage of man at a job that requires a great deal of responsibility. We see him giving instructions, listening, deep in serious discussion   Version 3: 1 a man goes to work on Monday obviously worst for ware. 2 he is doing a job that requires a great deal of responsibility. We see him in a montage giving instructions, listening, deep in serious discussion 3 the man is in a bar with friends who are very different to him. They dress differently and act differently (how so?), he gets wasted and turns into another person (how so?)   Above, (in the 3 versions) we have a situation but how can we make it into a story?   A 4th element could be: the man has an encounter which gives him a choice to follow one of two paths… what could the encounter (at work or at play? Or a conflict between work and play?) be and what is the choice to be made? The story will hinge on that choice.     Version 4 1, 2, and 3 (version 1) could cycle, establishing a pattern of behavior. Once the pattern is established the 4th element (the encounter introducing the choice to be made) is introduced and the pattern is disrupted…

Jacob in the fists person [steve's edit]