eating pes

02.11.08

i feel like this class exposes me to to the most interesting things.... although i spent nearly all of last class doing another rayogram, it was still a much different experiment than the first time around, as well as a definite learning process. (it's almost like guess and check, what works, what doesn't?)

i thought that the short films shown at the end of class from eatpes.com were absolutely brilliant. there is still some undefined aspect (in my mind) that makes me look at a film like that and think "hey, that looks totally easy to make. i could do that." and to still know deep down that it's an incredibly long, hard process that has taken years and years of practice. perhaps it is the simplicity and recognizability of the objects used. little toy planes, matchsticks, flowers, ornaments, yea sure, we all have that stuff lying around...

i got onto his website to check out some other of his works, and was a bit blown away. first off, at the number of commercials he has made for high profile companies, including nike, psp, bacardi, tic-tacs, and sprint, just to name a few (and just for the record, i really appreciated his tic-tac commercial, entitled "whittlin' wood"). secondly, at the sheer creativity behind his works, as well as the assumed versatility of the peanut. or the pee-nut. roof sex was an incredibly interesting film to watch, and i was surprised to learn during the "making of" video that furniture porn wasn't an original idea. go granny go! (although it's way too bad about the cat). his short shorts are great to watch too, my favorites probably being Moth and Fireworks.

things like this (and people like him) serve as the reminder to me that as with anything, but especially with film, the possibilities truly are endless. there is no need to stay within the lines of any creative boundary. all you need is insight, ideas, and a creative drive to create what you envision. and there you have it: magic.


also, a note on Well's "Notes Towards a Theory of Animation": i thought this reading was great. it was nice to have a bit of a side by side comparison of orthodox vs. experimental films, and i've read and re-read it just to remind myself again of aforementioned revelation. thanks.