split decision

Seems that random pixels are the least of my problems. I am writing this amidst feeling somewhat taken aback by the reaction to my presentation to the group yesterday in preparation for the forthcoming colloquium. I possibly made 2 mistakes:

1.by playing my film in its entirety

2.by not showing it projected onto a large screen

I feel I have been met with a surprising amount of arrogance. Being “advised” to amend aspects, shorten one part, include more of another, split it up into a tryptich, I’m left wondering whether subjectivity plays a part in this environment. The comments made by some of the group, unfortunately out-weigh the positive criticism that may have been put forward. I believe I may have become a little too defensive at points, but this piece is the culmination of many hours of graft, enormous research and commitment, and to be told that it may be a good idea to try this or to try that, without any reference to it being a good piece or a bad piece leaves me feeling patronised and somewhat affronted. After comments that suggested last years show was a shambles and that this year we shouldn’t risk “embarassing” ourselves suggests an apalling arrogance. Why did noone else have any work to show? Are they so comfortable in themselves? I accept that I may be so delluded that I think I have made a good piece, or possibly even a great piece, when in fact all I have done is to polish a turd, but its not a turd that anyone else has produced, researched, lived, and therefore suggestions of how it should be changed are simply red flags to a rather cantankerous and stretched bull.

Apparently I still have time to make the changes. After-all, this is all I have to focus on right now, isn’t it? No, it is not.

So, my dillema. I still believe I have produced a substantial film that accurately represents my studies, research and creativity. I think it more than stands up as a linear piece of film-making. The decision making process was a considered one. Which leaves me feeling that any change I make to the film, however small, is to compromise its integrity.
My desire, as ever, is to achieve as good a mark as is possible. Might this be out-weighed by my need to produce my art sans compromise?
My guts are telling me to play to the gallery and compromise. This, I suspect, will be where I achieve the higher mark , but where I fail myself as an artist.
I still have plenty of time to make the changes.
I dont want to make any changes.
I bet I will tho’.
Fuck this place.

 

A close second!

So, now I can start to acclimatize myself to my newly earned status of veteran of the ring. The experience of entering the ring and fighting competitively is far too profound an experience to simply reduce to a few jottings here, so I am toying with the idea of a piece of written work, a short story, if you like, so as to do it justice. I lost.

My issue with the visible pixels, or bare patches in the my piece, i have discovered, are happening during the burning process. This was discovered by re-burning the same version and seeing that the “patches” were in a different place within the film. After several attempts to burn a “clean” copy, I am reduced to thinking that there is no such thing. I am elated that I dont need to change the piece itself but frustrated at the randomness of dvd technology. After talking to Nick Buer and Katrin, I have been told about burning with idvd from a file prepared through “Compressor”(mpeg2) software, rather than as a quicktime conversion and Roxio Toast. So this will be my next venture.

I would like to be blogging more frequently as I find this a solid way of maintaining a stream of consciousness. At this time though, I am struggling to keep myself aware of all that needs to be done. Hence the blog is suffering neglect. I shall endeavour to keep at it but may allow myself to be distracted by the write-up of the fight. This I will then post on the blog with images and footage, possibly even as an aspect of the final piece.