At the young age of nineteen, I have often felt that I live inside the body of a thirty-five year old in regards to my lifestyle and ideals. The life of the college student has been defined in my life as an element of immaturity and neglect for the self through the acts committed by many of my age.

In conjunction with these acts, though, is what I believe to be an underlying intention for the self. As many young individuals strive to become individualized within the homogenous university environment, their struggle to become unique becomes a trite process undergone by thousands of young adults.

By using footage from parties, images of drug use, and the reflection of the “morning after”, I have strived to represent this search for individuality by employing the realistic elements that have become a staple in their personal quest. The characters in the “story” of the video represent the number of individuals that endure this search in their youth only to find a lack of fulfillment within their lives.

Although my attitude and opinion towards the subject maybe biased, I have often felt that media arts can be employed as an influential form in conveying personal ideas and beliefs. I have always felt that some of the most striking work of others can be found when their true passions and beliefs are instilled within their stories rather than displaying a fabricated tale.

Although the process of filmmaking is enduring, the end result truly provides satisfaction. As I have often described filmmaking as a form of expressing opinions and beliefs, I feel that this project assists in truly conveying an attitude held closely to my ideals in life. By creating a project with a prominent theme and ideal, I wish for it to serve as more than an artistic creation, but also as a form of education.

To attempt to do all tasks on your own thus creates what I would like to refer to  as “creative chaos and insanity”.

Having gained the assistance of others while working on my own projects, I found myself in the position to return such a favor in becoming an aid in a project other than my own. As an essential component of film student Kyle Maack’s creation, “Marcus Denke’s Source or Result – Apologie”, I not only furthered his development, but provided an additional knowledge for myself by gaining the experience in working with others.

As the overall idea of the project, Kyle’s intention was to create a surreal world in which he steps into from the comfort of his bedroom. By becoming a part of this fantasy, his protagonist finds himself entrapped within the confines of love and conflict by the characters within the world.

In order to create the fantasy world, a blue-screen in a production studio was used, as well as studio lighting as to properly illuminate the screen for post-production animation use. As one of the head lighting assistants, I was in charge of controlling the lighting system, as well as making decisions upon the way in which the blue-screen needed to be lit.

Beyond working with lighting, I had also contributed to his project by participating as an actress within the filming process. In doing this, my role was to walk back and forth along a blue-screen holding an umbrella as a silhouette within a crowd.

Overall, my assistance in Kyle’s project not only proved to be of assistance to his work, but had also bestowed within me the beneficial experience of working upon a studio set under the direction of someone other than myself. By working in the different aspects of the production, I gained a better understanding of the ways in which a production is undertaken and the method it is tackled by a different mind.

As nice as that would be, the reality of our inspirations are far from the egotism described above. Behind many, if not all, of my film projects lies a subtlety and nuance of the muse that has granted me with such creativity.

In regards to my newest film project, “Creations of One”, my decision to incorporate still photography throughout the entirety of the video came to me through the viewing of an overlooked film. Although I had always heard of the beautiful imagery that is the French film “La Jetee”, I was unsure, as my personal feelings towards film have often been diverse to those of my peers. My skepticism soon turned to enlightenment as I divulged what would be a new sense of understanding in the world of media.

The French film directed by Chris Marker is based around the simple idea of still photography in the telling of a story. Consisting of a non-linear narrative plot, the story follows as the protagonist is trapped between the two worlds of reality and fate. The simplicity that is the still motion of the characters throughout the film provides a stagnant, yet elegant, perspective to a story complex and bizarre.

As the story goes, my uncertainty was proven flawed and my imagination wasultimately introduced to a new form of story and image. Although “Creations of One” exists as a multimedia creation encompassing both video and stills, I can easily say that its inspiration had come from a being beyond myself.

Here are a collection of shots I have taken so far in creating my video. Tune in later for more progress!

For my upcoming creation, I have decided to develop a project identify an issue that many of adults and youth culture into which many have fallen or once fallen. Based upon a specific social statement, the project helps illustrate in that by attempting to become an individual, youth fall into the stereotype of their culture.

The video will be primarily of an experimental genre by applying the creative element of still photography and voiceover narration to tell a specific story. The video begins by explaining the meaning of the individual existence in the world and how one feels compelled to become unique and individualized rather than a number in their society. The video will follow no certain character, but a number of people that assist in displaying the irony of the individual desire. By exploring the facets of underage drinking, young sexual experiences, encounters with drugs, etc., I will aim to display the stereotype that youth fall into as they yearn to find themselves in the world.

Many of my creative choices follow along the lines of color, composition, structure, acintg, and sound design. Throughout the project, I intend to use a number of deeper colors (i.e.: blue, deep red) to display this sense of isolation and desperation that are inherently felt by all the characters within the project. The structure of the film will be presented in non-linear style, as shots will be jumping from one scene into the next, but will also be linear in the sense that it follows a progression of a group of people. As stated previously, the video will have no protagonist, but cover a wide variety of people in helping make this statement. I will use close friends and find areas with large groups of people to help assist in this process.

The overall sound design will consist of a distorted narrative voice that will lead us through the video, alongside other audio components. The audio will follow a non-sync, as well as sync, pattern depending on the situation within the scene. For instance, throughout a scene consisting of a party, the audio will illustrate the loud noises, music, etc. that can be found in the situation. At certain moments of the party, though, the loud sounds will not be as clear, but substituted with audio clips that also illustrate what is happening (i.e.: loud sounds of trains and such to represent the “train wreck” they are becoming).

The project, as stated, encompasses a topic that many individuals have encountered within their life, which leads my video to be directed to a variety of ages and personalities. Although the experimental side of it may be more compelling to those who are interested in the artistic styles, the overall statement and idea that the video emits is larger than the type of video itself.

What makes my personal perspective on this topic unique from others is the way ironical way I am choosing to display it. Rather than simply showing the ways in which youth culture become interested in drugs, alcohol, etc., I am displaying it from the perspective of the youth itself as almost their justification to these choices.

The personal significance that the project has to me is based upon my overall interest in the idea of human emotion and struggle. As well as this interest, many of us have often experienced this need to become larger than ourselves and break out as an individual at a point within our lives, and, some, ultimately falling down this similar path of a teenage typecast.

This question became the sole anxiety of my weekend as I decided how to approach the project. My mind had chosen narrative as a way to test my creative limits in a different genre and style. The project was to concern the topic of asperger’s syndrome and the emotional affects that is has on individuals. Initially, I felt content in this decision.

My mind raced as I began to plan out and schedule the narrative project of “Interruptions”. I had started calling all my friends to see who could act, began to write out a script, and started to storyboard my ideas. I thought that I had understood the concerns that go along with creative a narrative video, but I was shown the converse as I planned out the project. Dealing with the issues of acting, scheduling conflicts, finding locations, writing a script, and developing a resolution became not only tedious, but a complete disinterest. My heart was ultimately not in sync with my mind.

Although attempting a new genre would require a new challenge of creativity, the imagery and social statements that exist within experimental film have gained an overall intrigue and desire. In working with cinematography and composition alongside unconventional and non-linear methods in telling a story, the furthering of myself in a field of video that has caught my attraction will, ultimately, benefit me by challenging myself in my area of interest.

Throughout her filming, though, the dubiety that once consumed Charlyne’s world becomes shaken by the appearance of a new element in her life. Following their encounter in her film travels, the instigation of a romantic experience begins as actor Michael Cera makes way into her life as a newfound love interest and diversion to her previous skepticism.

In the development of a relationship of camera, the validity of love in today’s society becomes more than a question of faith, but an issue of experience and risk. Although suddenly falling into the hands of a romantic relationship, can Charlyne forever deny her qualms on the subject of love and passion?

In an amalgamation of fiction and documentary, Paper Heart captures more than a personal pursuit and inquisition on screen, but the hearts of those who perceive the elements of hilarity and adoration found within the character of Charlene Yi. Soon to be out on DVD, Paper Heart brings to its audiences a rare look on life and love that defy the trite romantic comedy found ubiquitous in today’s Hollywood cinema.

The concept was initially a difficult task, as my ideas were so abstract, and the formation of the video took quite some time and experimenting. Dealing with the topic of “wordplay”, the birth of a novel idea took place and led me to take, yet again, leaps of faith in my film production style.

Once again, enjoy!

Flying over the Pacific Ocean.

Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania’s spring film festival.

I can clearly recall the day, each location, who I was with, every miniscule detail each time I viewed what would become my favorite film. The recommendations and reviews I have made in regards to the movie could not be counted on two hands. The inspiration I have gained from it is endless.

It was only an American fate to screw up one of my favorite French films.

Fortunate to have gained advanced tickets to see the new film New York, I Love You, I was also skeptical as to how it would match its French equal Paris, Je T’aime. The unorthodox manner in which these films are displayed creates a unique quality that places the films on a new level of cinema. Working specifically with a collection of vignettes, each film attempts to illustrate the different forms of love within two of the world’s more idyllic areas for such amore – Paris and New York.

The love of New York, though, seems to only be focused centrally on sex and stale pick-up lines.

With a mediocre cast consisting of Shia Lebouf, Hayden Christiensen, and Rachel Bilson, not only are we forced to endure the pain that is amateur acting, but must similarly withstand what seems to be a two-hour fusion of Sex in the City and Gossip Girl. As Ethan Hawke murmurs endearments of sexual fantasy into the ear of a hooker and Bradley Cooper copes with the complications of random fornication, one can only sense the tastelessness that is to follow.

Such a bias towards the film may be just that with a subjectivity based upon it’s significant other. My adoration towards the former can simply be described in one word – refined.

Throughout its assortment of eighteen separate vignettes, the provocative elements that define New York are lost within a world of maternal compassion, unconventional affection, and human understanding. The tales in which audiences perceive are placed within the Parisian realm, but designed for a global understanding: the care a mother feels towards her son; the affection gained in times of trial; the discovered love within oneself.

In a metropolis consumed by the existences of architectural mammoths and rat race tendencies, it is only natural that New York becomes lost in its true search for love. Just as fleeting as its tasteful moments may be the loving relationships that live within the city.

As a filmmaker centrally focused upon image composition, I find exercises in photography to be a great way to gain a better understanding of the composing of shots. Ultimately, I believe it will only benefit and educate me in the art of cinematography and artistic direction.

Here are a number of photographic shots in practicing this compositional art: