Posted by Moving Vision on 09/28/05 11:49

>
>That's all very well and true but, that's not how the "film" footage is
>being used in Globetrekker. The film sequences . All hard facts are given
>in "video" while the "film" sequences are being used as thinking space while
>the crew "travels" the next location which punctuates the programme.
>
>Using an alternative visual aesthetic is no different to using audio clues
>to illicit different responses from the audience. I have produced
>documentaries in the past that use an on screen presenter to deliver hard
>facts while employing a very well known English actor with a wonderful
>resonant voice to provide the back story and quotations. The audience knows
>what sort of information to accept from the two voices. Similarly visual
>clues can be used as you well know.
>
>So, I am in favour of mixed media usage providing there is motivation for it
>or it is to get a response from the audience but not in a contrived way like
>the B&W shakey-cam which, as you rightly point out, has no merit.
>
>But for people to say the film sequences are used just for style is just
>plain wrong.
>
>


At the end of the day, whatever creative license is used is subject to
the entirely subjective judgements of artists and viewers. Using
differing formats within a programme can be appropriately finessed. It
can be used for emphasising a change of atmosphere and for other valid
reasons, such as indicating that the camera operator is an amateur with
handycam etc. I haven't seen the Globetrekker series, so I have nothing
to say about that particular programme. My point was that there are
films that use such visual techniques in an entirely pretentious way
which merely scream out naive bollocks. Every now and again a fad
arises for doing something that's already been rejected in the past for
being bollocks. After over 100 years of film making and some millions of
films/videos/TV programmes every possible technique and style has been
explored several times, consequently the only really new and cutting
edge elements for those seeking to mark their unique creativity as
original artists are through new technology (mostly to do with CG and
virtual reality) and more importantly new content, of which,
thankfully, there's no end.

Much of the pop video techniques currently filling hundreds of hours of
sad music channels are becoming so cliched and boring, along with the
preponderance of banal, mindless and masturbatory music performance that
goes with it, that their core audiences are now between the ages of 9
and 15. The sort of techniques that impress or amuse children though
just won't wash with cognisant adults. Mere style will never equal well
crafted content.
--
John Lubran

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