Anyway, there is a genre of experimental film in which the artists
just lays the film out and stamps, paints, and scratches it, then
processes it sloppily and awaits the surprises in
projection. Film frames are ignored. Registration is ignored. In this
spirit I am making a pinhole movie with a cardboard box. My stamped
images will fall hither and thither and jump around the screen upon
projection.
Yeah Bernard, go for it man!! That sounds like Norman Mclaren's
work that you're talking about. The canadian animator did some cool
stuff that way too. I've seen one or two things he did. The
soundtrack was kind of a jazzy big band sound (popular during the
time the films were made). Really worked well w/ the very abstracted
images he produced.
I think that he probably did do some editing to cut his picture to
match the feel of his sound (at least as well as he could) because
picture & sound matched & flowed together so damn well. I've seen
pictures of him making these "Frames" He would take a roller w/ paint
on it & just go RIGHT UP THE FILMSTRIP. He probably DID plan it at
least somewhat, He had the right kind of mind to do such a thing.
case in point, he had a very large jeweler's magnifying glass there
in case he wanted to check what he was doing.Though I'm sure he was
in no way as worried about "neatness" the way that, for instance,
Disney worries about it.
I suppose I discouraged the idea, bc I shoot puppet animation and
constantlty battle against things on set that move w/out my knowing
it, bumping the camera or lights, etc etc etc.
Probably the more abstract, the better for your project though! Just
leave yourself SOME options to DIRECT the finished project. Editing &
also soundtrack (music, voiceover, foley sound) are still available
to you (either with or without proper registration) & can make all
the difference in the world to the way the final product is viewed
and perceived.
By the way, are you aware that you are NOT in any way limited to the
16mm format??? (well exept for raw stock/processing costs)
Should you be interested, I think that 35mm is an open door for you man!!
good luck!
-Ed Gendron
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Edwin Gendron
Virginia Tech
Residential and Dining Programs Graphics
43 Owens Hall (0223)
Blacksburg, Va. 24061
(540)231-5398
egend...@vt.edu
