The Quasi-Anti-Semi-Pro-Propagandist Manifesto

1) The goal of film is to excite and acknowledge the forces of life that engage each other and ourselves in constant struggle, and from those experiences define ourselves. Those forces include societal, cultural, interpersonal, and personal forces that push and pull and shape who we are.

2) Film should engage its viewers in dialogue by telling and asking viewers to be a part of the conversation of life. Film should ignite our emotions and enlighten our souls. In the development of a film there should exist an exploration of life.

3) Film is a supplement and a pedestal for all forms of art. One can be a painterly filmmaker collaging and montaging. Or, one can be designerly where organization and consistency are key elements to create rhythm and balance.

4) Film is a voice used by filmmakers to speak their desires, dreams, aspirations and critiques of mankind. With this voice should also come responsibility and a necessary awareness of what is being and should be said.

5) Film, like all other forms of expressive communication, is inherently political. It's use as a medium that has the ability to reach a wide audience is a tool whose power cannot and should not be ignored. All conversation is political and film is a visual (as well as literal) conversation.

6) A filmmaker should attempt to explore the reality of lifes circumstances through the richness fo their imagination. It should not echo nor imitate reality but recreate reality as the filmmaker sees fit. It should not talk at the audience but with it and engage them in the happenings of the film.

7) Film should have a narrative but does not have to be a narrative. People need a story to relate to but don't have to be told a story. As such a linear narrative is necessary only if it is the most effective means of communicating the underlying motives of the film, and filmmaker, while still leaving room for interpretation, reaction, and involvement.

My Style: Past and Present

Due to the fact that I have spent most of my time as a creative person working in the field of graphic design I would have to say that I am very influenced by the graphic design system of thought. Not that there is in fact one singular methodology that is graphic design, but rather the mindset of creating a piece for a certain "target audience" and with the intention of communicating something specific. I think that I very much take this notion of communication from graphic design and try to make my films say something very specific, or at least bring up a specific issue.

My past, and current work revolve around my torn ideologies pertaining to design as the dominant medium of advertising. It is my belief that all forms of advertising are in one way or another a type of propaganda, meant to sway their audience to their side and away from their competitors. As such it is up to the designer to make an informed and responsible decision as to whose propaganda they would like to promote. This is very much the angle from which I have approached most of my work up to this point (the exceptions being my very early work in experimental cinema, which was exactly that, experimental).

I would very much like to continue down this path for as long as I feel it is a viable topic, and right now, it seems as long as there is advertising there will need to be an equal resistance to its ways of over simplified persuasion. Design, for me, is a mode of thought that one takes into all they do, and I am taking my design mind set and applying it to moving pictures.

My techniques up to this point have led to a combined style of live action film with supplemental motion graphics. Not as in special effects per se but as supplemental visual information to aid the piece in communicating what I want it to communicate without shoving it down people's throats. Like I said earlier it is ingrained in my very being to think with type and image and as such have incorporated much of this mode of thought into my work.

Movie(s) & Genre I Love...

- Martial Arts and Samurai
+ The Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa)
+ Sanjuro (A.K.)
+ Fearless

- Historical (based)
+ The Patriot
+ The Last of the Mohicans
+ The Last Samurai
+ Good Morning Vietnam
+ Downfall
+ Band of Brothers

- Political
+ Thank you for Smoking

- Social (dealing with cultural and societal issues)
+ Crash
+ Traffic
+ Kite Runner

- Comedy
+ The Big Lebowski
+ Best In Show
+ Monty Python: The meaning of Life
+ Monty Python: The life of Brian
+ Superbad
+ Pineapple Express

- Documentary
+ This film is not yet rated (that's the name of the film)

Movie(s) & Genre I Loathe...

- Slasher Films (with unnecessary gore and forced plot lines)
+ Saw (1-3D)
+ Halloween

- Most Modern day horror films (that are essentially just people in the most fucked up situations you could possibly imagine)
+ Quarantine
+ Orphan
+ Teeth (its about a vagina that likes to bite off male extremeties)

- Spoof Movies (ones that take a generic plot line, add generic characters, steal from what were original movies and then ruin them)
+ Not another Teen Move
+ Scary Movie (1-whatever)
+ Every other movie like this

- Chick Flicks (movies that exploit relationships and happy endings at the cost of an unnecessary character who somehow gets forgotten along the way for the sake of the main lovers mutual interests)
+ Sweet Home Alabama
+ Hitch
+ and other movies of the like which I cannot remember at the moment.

- Other...
+ The Graffitti Artist
+ Orphan (I mention this twice cuz I really hated this movie)
+ The Road (depressing with no real resolution or moral lesson, just how much life is going to suck!)
+ The Fast and The Furious
+ Titanic
+ Dances With Wolves
+ Waterworld
+ I am sure there are more but there is no point in listing all of them.

Welcome!

This is the first post for my new Digital Cinema blog at the Memphis College of Art. Here you will find a compilation of process and inspiration, so feel free to look around and enjoy!