EXTRA CREDZ ~ UNO: Nam June Paik - Becoming Robot

The works of Nam June Paik were bold, relevant, and conceptually playful. In observing the world around him, Paik latched on to the exponentially developing field of technology, and was able to grow alongside it as an artist. His body of work stands as an insightful counter-melody to the evolution of technology, as he examined the relationship between human beings, culture, and up-to-date tech. His ideas and works were visibly inspired by a comparison of the natural body and machine, as well as the relationship between the simultaneous development of technology and human thought and culture. 

            A great portion Paik’s work was video art, as he experimented with camera use, editing, sound, and technological presentation, which allows for a critique of his work in the context of filmmaking.

In terms of his camera use, Paik’s work has a very raw and natural feel. Many of his works were filmed with a messy handheld approach. Some of his camera work is very shaky, moving around the subject with quick jerky motions and utilizing jarring zooms (both in and out). Nam’s collaborative works with Charlotte Moorman were very intimate in nature and were comprised almost entirely of close ups and extreme close ups. Paik used this raw form of shooting to capture images that usually involved the human body (more often than not, in the nude). This style of shooting and subject matter constructed the natural component of Paik’s two-part commentary (technology and the natural human being).

The technological component of Nam June Paik’s works was developed through his use of cameras, monitors, microphones, and other devices, as well as his use of very artificial style of editing (also achieved through technology). This editing included split screens, looping, color distortions, and a multi-layering of transparent, super-imposed images. These effects took the natural subject of the human body and manhandled it in an overtly technological manner.

GUMSHOE: interesting video i found and such

Gumshoe from Matt Steinauer on Vimeo.

A Night at Minnesota's

Museum of the Moving Image - Special Effects

Museum of the Moving Image:

Special Effects

           

            The Museum of the Moving Image was an extremely interesting and educational place. There was plenty to learn from each and every exhibit on the tour. However, the part that interested me the most was the special effects exhibit. Firstly, I was extremely impressed with the artistic work that went onto each physical effect prop, be it the miniature skyscraper from Blade Runner, the puppet Yoda, the robotic wolves, and everything else. I have always preferred physical special effects to computer-generated effects. I must admit that computer effects have come a long way, and that they undoubtedly allow filmmakers to achieve cinematic feats that could never be possible with physical props. Still, I have always felt that physical effects should be used whenever possible because, though they may not look 100% real, they exist in the same world as the actors and sets, and this offers a certain unity to the final product.

            The special effects props on display at the museum were created in an extremely professional manner, with the utmost attention paid to detail. Many of them looked almost real, even in person. However, the key word there is almost, and what I found most interesting about the use of physical special effects was how much thought and work filmmakers put into filming these props so that they would look as real as possible within the final product. Each effect element was filmed at specific distances, angles, and lightings so that its most realistic elements were highlighted, while its flaws were downplayed or avoided. After filming, editing was shown to play a huge part in the effects process. Each scene was edited in a way where the shot hung on the specific prop only long enough to convey the idea or image that the director desired, and then these shots were cut into sequences with other shots. This allowed the audience to get a sense of the scene, using everything that the film offered them, to connect the dots in their head.