"experimental storytelling with a learning/educational edge?"

[claennis]

Yesterday, I went to the Exploratorium to have a lunch chat with Senior Curator/Director of the Cinema Arts Program/Professor, Liz Keim, easily one of my favourite people that I met this year. Two weeks ago, I displayed my first public artwork in a museum: a dual film piece that explores the journey of two types of sugar in Chinese dessert soups

Comments

[lavillenie]

That's beautiful. I'm probably the last person to get "art" but that's really interesting!

She said that she'll plug me in
Does that mean she'll recommend you for a job?

[claennis]

Thank you!

She'll put me in contact and probably the farthest she'll go is with a "She's a hardworking, great student...etc" type of line. But I'm excited! This is the first person I've met in the professional world of fine arts and cinema who knows/have been to Falmouth!

[lavillenie]

That sounds great! Hope she'll be an addition to your reference list!

[chrryblssmninja]

your work is brilliant and it makes me hungry

[claennis]

Thanks mate! I myself am hungry too; having some holiday cookies. :9

By the way, did you see Tron? What's your verdict? The lady from Pixar who came to uni to talk said Tron was the project she least liked out of all the ones she worked on...and for some reason since then, I was not really moved to go see it.

[chrryblssmninja]

- production was great

- direction was generically pretty (especially the opening) but boring

- script got awful halfway through but there were some bits of awkward humor
- plot followed the hero's journey too obviously and mashed up stuff from Star Wars and ~Nazi parallels~ and, at the end, Dragonball

- soundtrack A+

- acting was mediocre to okay, but I was most surprised by how much I enjoyed Oliva Wilde's presence, since in other things I've seen she was just ok. I did like that her character was inquisitive and fun and not icy and dull like most of the female characters of her type in sci-fi movies.

[claennis]

I wonder if an awesome soundtrack is enough to distract me from an overall C movie... *Taps chin* I think I'll stick with planning to watch The King's Speech instead; what do you think?

[lavillenie]

I feel like this news would be relevant to you

[claennis]

John Woo's Red Cliff production was epically huge and turned out very commercial/mainstream (but again it was 4 hours long, split until two parts and while I was enamored with all the militarist techniques utilized, most of the plot by the end was to be less desired lol). I don't know how I feel towards Zhang Yimou; the only film I liked of his was Hero, mainly because it starred my two favourite HK/Chinese actors ever: Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung. Not to mention, the Najing Massacre is still a tetchy subject with the older generation...and makes me do the body shudder. And Christian Bale playing a priest?! For some reason, that just made me think of American Psycho gone wrong in China... ¬_¬ Does not give me the positive vibes.

[lavillenie]

Yep, the subject matter is what concerned me and it would be so easy to Hollywood-ise the movie to make it more commercial to the public. I hope not though. It would suck for it to be yet another "white man saves the minorities" kind of movie when it could be so much more.

[claennis]

It would suck for it to be yet another "white man saves the minorities" kind of movie when it could be so much more.
Ditto! I totally agree with your sentiment! The worst part would be that it was directed by a Chinese director...which really would be unforgivable if it turns out that way.

Jon and I are still bearing tough circumstances on our shoulders. :\

OT

[bustedflush]

I was going to put this on your "Superman" post, but couldn't get logged in:
--
Have you seen The Passenger? You might try that before you give up entirely on Antonioni. It's got a bit more plot than is typical for him (though the usual "Antoniennui" is still there), and is pretty emotionally affecting, IMO.

(All I've seen of Blowup I saw on mute while running on treadmill. Freaked the shit out of me.
---

And MERRY XMAS.

Re: OT

[claennis]

I'll check it out! Thanks for the suggestion; I've been trying to watch the films I've downloaded years back and haven't gotten to after all this time...freaky Blow up was one of them hah.

Happy Christmas to you too! How is everything? The weather? Job? Recreational life?

[thedoingofit]

I displayed my first public artwork in a museum
SO MUCH CONFETTI FOR YOU. :DDD

It's amazing and lovely and wonderful.

Love love love, and awesome connections! Well done you!

:DDD

[claennis]

Thanks very much!

Happy Christmas and a soon Happy New Year! How was Lebanon with your sister?

[thedoingofit]

Thank you! <333

How was your Christmas?? Is John there yet?? What are your exciting New Year's plans??

Lebanon was awesome: such a nice break from Cairo, if only because they had tons and tons of Christmas decorations! :o) My favorite thing as going to see Pigeon Rocks... Google it: they're gorgeous! :o)

[claennis]

You want to hear a funny story