Film Editing Process - Print Screens - 2

Why Slow Motion?

I thought I would add in a short post on why I want to shoot in slow motion.

• I have mentioned it a little earlier but I think slow motion would really make the each clip and the entire film seem less provocative. 
• I want to show the appreciation of the 'form' itself, rather than looking at anything else I want the main focus to be the 'form' of the body. 
• Having time to think about the movements and reflect on them will be an aim for this film. 
• Slow motion will also reflect on the short films I have watched previously about ballet and contemporary, this film may show similarities. 

I also just want to use slow motion because I think it can improve and image of film in this case.  I like to think that the slow motions will improve the film and make the viewer more interested in the movements.  For a first film, I think i could potentially be very creative with the movements and speed of the films clips and create an interesting dance film, for myself, this project but also professional materials. 

Film Editing Process - Print Screens - 1

Susan Meiselas - Carnival Strippers

I was told and advised to look at Susan Meiselas's, work after my feedback tutorial.  My research base ideas have changed away from the body and mind as such and have moved onto the way men and women look at the perspectives of a 'strip dancer' or a sexual type of dancing.  Susan Meiselas, has taken photographs of 'Carnival Strippers'.

Susan Meiselas says on her website for this series; 

"The recognition of this world is not the invention of it.  I wanted to present and account of the girl show that portrayed what I saw and revealed how the people involved felt about what there were doing." 

This could be very interesting in the fact that she asked the actual strippers to speak to her about how they think about what they are doing, this would be perfect if I had used this idea when I had my original ideas of having s short dance film as well as voice recordings of what the dancer thinks about during dancing and what she think about dance itself.

"Being a stripper is as close to being in a mans world as you can be, its a tough life, you need strength and character, the men depend on you, to entertain them, bring in money for them, but when they come in, its up to the girl" 

As mentioned on Susan Meiselas, audio statement on her website.
"I think that the multiplicity of users had been whats always fascinates me also, and that pretty consistent in all the work, its from the various vantage points, including my own, maybe thats what ties all of this work together, the notion of the fascination of the multiplicity as well as my own entry point,  you are in a kind of collaboration of your subject, they have to want you to be there, want you to know them, and you have to want to also."

I love this series of work and was so happy that I had been shown this photographer and her work.  I was originally told to look at this series and interpret it and use it towards my work. I personally am trying to not show a sexual side to my film and think that this is the complete opposite and in contrast, would show the ultimately huge side of sexuality that the male see in images like this. The Female Gaze and Male Gaze show exactly how my film can be looked at differently but a male's perspective.  I haven't actually had many responses from the males perceptive but as far as know from the mixed media female gaze is that we complement and do not really look at the fact the model / dancer is wearing underwear.

Julie Cook Response E-mail

I was told at my tutorial to e-mail Julie Cook about my work change for References towards my final piece.  I looked at her work first and was very interested in what she had done.  I really like her series of work and it definitely had aspects to my film that I would like to create.

Here below top is the e-mail that I sent to Julie regarding references.

This below is the response that I received from Julie Cook.  It was a very quick response as well and she was very helpful.  Her e-mailed response helped with my essay and my understanding into how it is such a big deal that my film has changed from dance to pole dance.  Her response includes some of the things that we went over in my tutorial.  So very interesting things to be looking at.

Kate Moss - White Stripes - Pole Dance Video

After my tutorial I was advised to look at the White Stripes video which has Kate Moss in. 

I was told to show this as it is a complete opposite to the video that I am creating.  

I think its a good idea to watch this video compared to my my video when its finished because it will show an opposite on a big scale.  Kate moss is showing a very sexualised side to strip tease. She dances around in a sexy way and does small things like flicking her hair.  

Theses are things that I will not use in my film, I am not necessarily going to show a pole 'dance', I will be showing 'moves' around the pole - I want to focus on the body movement side to pole dance instead of the sexiness dance around a pole. 

Tutorial Feedback

Today I had a tutorial with my tutor about the project that I have done so far,  I had taken all of my clips  with me from the shoot that I had done.  I knew that they were all separate and that i did not have any full film to show my tutor at this point but I had an idea of what they would look like in my head.

He gave me some interesting information and feedback as this was the first time I had told him about the change from dance to pole dance.  We discussed all of the possible changes in my work that could now be available to research and look at.  He mentioned about how different it is to look at a pole dancer from male to female even though I am trying to take away the sexual side to it.

Here are some notes that were written from my tutorial on new ideas and information to look at;

• Baby Oil & Ice, Julie Cook
• Susan Meiselas, Carnival Strippers
• Kate Moss, White Stripes Video on YouTube
• Talk about why I am slowing the film down.
• Think about the Female Gaze and sexuality 
• E-mail Julie Cook about references. 

These are all things that we spoke about and discussed with my tutor to change the idea behind my work and behind the general feeling of the video film that I will be creating. What i came away from this tutorial is that the ideas form my base and research have changed and are one of two options;

1. Female Gaze, sexuality, Julie Cook's work, showing a non-sexual aspect but still including a sexual aspect. Book: Exposed: Voyeurism & desire. 
2. Mind & Body, have an artist statement of 200 words, explain the film and about connecting mind and body theories within the statement. 

I have already chosen to go for the first option as it is a lot more interesting and there is so much more to work from to come with a final out come of a pole dance film, relating to the female Gaze.