Freeing your mind

sprinks

sprinks

I'm not sure if this is exactly the right spot to ask, but I'm wondering if others have trouble being 'experimental', and creating things that don't neccisarily have a plot or much traditional structure. I struggle with it greatly, but some of my assignments quite strongly rely on being experimental.
If you do (or did) have this problem, are there any types of exercises, or things you've watched, that you found helped you basically free up your creative side? I'd be grateful for any suggestions or anything. Sometimes I find myself feeling like I'm on the brink of being experimental and completely challenging myself, but often something just blocks and I can't continue it.

(I posted in this section as essentially I feel like I'm a 'newbie' to being experimental I guess :P)
 
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I don't believe there to be a cure, for what at its core, is purely "Writers block". It's simply inspiration, and the angst that comes when awaiting it's arrival. You can't force it to return.

What would i suggest? It depends on the individual, their patterns, their lifestyle. But for me, personally, I'll listen to Sigur Rós. Merely preference again.

The most important thing, is to take comfort in the reassurance of knowing that it will not last.
 
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just some thoughts on "experimental" stuff in general; maybe you're well aware of it anyway.
What is the point of experimental films? Well to "experiment" with new (narrative) structures, new techniques, new ways of this and that - in short: to be innovative and to try out whether the things you came up with actually work or don't.
I don't think of "experimental films" as being a distinct genre, and I neither think that a random mixture of images and sounds has anything to do with being experimental nor does imitating David Lynch.
So my suggestion is to look at "traditional" films and ask yourself what it is that you don't like about them and compare that to your idea of "the ideal film"; you should always have a reason for experimenting, trying to be experimental for its own sake is bound to fail, imo.
 
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bhikkhu said:
you should always have a reason for experimenting, trying to be experimental for its own sake is bound to fail, imo.
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This is a point i agree with, and a point that i've stressed recently in a similar situation.

An assignment for one of the trio was set, "To create an experimental film, no shorter than 5 minutes in length".

Two things i disagree with. Firstly, the extensive time limit that will no doubt hinder rather than benefit. You could argue that it would aid the film-maker to work with a longer time-frame, to encourage them to try and hold the audiences attention for a longer period, and in turn hone their craft to greater challenges ahead. However, i believe it to be very restricting, and in any case, damaging to the material.

Secondly, "Experimental" must have meaning, and direction, regardless of it being infamous and desirable for having not. It is a genre for me, if not for labelling, merely to allow the film-maker to place honestly within a category.

Like i say when questioned of "Storytellers".

You're either a Storyteller, or you're not. The former i believe to be true for "Experimental" film-making, also.
 
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+3 to the above posts.

@paper, That assignment strikes me as one of those 'no wrong answer' essay questions.

But here's an idea. Make a narrative short but film it upside down. Make it really long and cite Da Vinci as your source of inspiration. :lol:

What's the prof gonna say? You experimented :P
 
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Dreadylocks said:
+3 to the above posts.

@paper, That assignment strikes me as one of those 'no wrong answer' essay questions.

But here's an idea. Make a narrative short but film it upside down. Make it really long and cite Da Vinci as your source of inspiration. :lol:

What's the prof gonna say? You experimented :P
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I'd not murmur a word if it was set for "Expression". However, as the time limit was designed for 5 minutes, i was left wondering whether the "Experimentalism" was announced with a casual tone and little thought.

If it was myself in the lecture, I'd have had to question it, rosy cheeked in pursuit. :rolleyes::blush:
 
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In the olden days I would have suggested grabbing some 16mm leader (around 20-25.00 per 500 feet)and making a scratch film or drawing on the leader. You could also add color with dyes. Then a digital transfer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgBKj2RfXN4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnI56sEXFvE&feature=player_embedded
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-8KZ0TlsDE&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDLmfFW6J9k&NR=1&feature=fvwp


http://www.skynoise.net/2009/08/28/len-lyes-scratch-film-kinetic-scupltures/
http://www.ehow.com/how_5881250_make-scratch-film-animation.html
 
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ex·per·i·ment   
[n. ik-sper-uh-muhnt; v. ek-sper-uh-ment]
–noun
1.
a test, trial, or tentative procedure; an act or operation for the purpose of discovering something unknown or of testing a principle, supposition, etc.: a chemical experiment; a teaching experiment; an experiment in living.
2.
the conducting of such operations; experimentation: a product that is the result of long experiment.
3.
Obsolete . experience.
–verb (used without object)
4.
to try or test, especially in order to discover or prove something: to experiment with a new procedure.


I bolded the parts of the definitions that seem to pertain. The point is that you have to discard your preconceptions and try something outside of your comfort zone. It's an experiment in expression. You can use found footage or stills, film everything sideways or upside-down, do everything slow-motion or fast-motion, shoot through a filter of some kind, have bizarre juxtapositions, use a bunch of weird post processes... You get the idea.
 
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bird said:
In the olden days I would have suggested grabbing some 16mm leader (around 20-25.00 per 500 feet)and making a scratch film or drawing on the leader. You could also add color with dyes. Then a digital transfer.
Click to expand...

The opening credits of Scott Pilgrim were reminiscent of this. I would guess digitally done, but still, perfect for the film.
 
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sprinks said:
I'm not sure if this is exactly the right spot to ask, but I'm wondering if others have trouble being 'experimental', and creating things that don't neccisarily have a plot or much traditional structure. I struggle with it greatly, but some of my assignments quite strongly rely on being experimental.
If you do (or did) have this problem, are there any types of exercises, or things you've watched, that you found helped you basically free up your creative side? I'd be grateful for any suggestions or anything. Sometimes I find myself feeling like I'm on the brink of being experimental and completely challenging myself, but often something just blocks and I can't continue it.

(I posted in this section as essentially I feel like I'm a 'newbie' to being experimental I guess :P)
Click to expand...

I made an experimental film. If you don't want structure, that's easy, just pick up and go.

take a look, it got me a job!

http://dailymovie.sllabs.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=99&Itemid=94

Here's an experimental short that just uses HDRI to drive the entire composition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWSUpZlmPK0
 
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PaulGriffith said:
The opening credits of Scott Pilgrim were reminiscent of this. I would guess digitally done, but still, perfect for the film.
Click to expand...

And this is not uncommon. A lot of ideas and techniques from experimental films have entered the mainstream. Sometimes it takes 10 years, but there is a connection between experimental films and experimental parts in mainstream movies.
(Check 2001: A Space Odessey or American Beauty)
Some of the techniques pop up later in SFX (The Right Stuff) or in media players (in the '50's it took months to make waht windows media player can generate live while it plays music, lol).
(My graduation thesis (? is this the right word?) is about this subject... I should put it online I guess and translate it to English.)

I made several short experimental films when I was an artschool student. Fot one of them I started with shooting a partial eclipse. Then I went to the beach and slowly a strucure was developing, but I changed a lot. 1,5 year and 20 hours of footage later (don't worry, in the meantime I worked on other projects as well)
I thought it was finished :cool:
You need an idea about what you want to tell or show and then you will have to start.
It's an experiment, so you can't fail as long as you are not afraid to kill your darlings or to takesome wrong turns. As Bob Ross liked to say: "There are no mistakes, only happy accidents." ;)
You will have to go on till it's finished.


So... get inspired by living, reading, etc... free your mind by not sitting in front of a computer or piece of paper...
 
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