Re: cliches

From: Zev Robinson (email suppressed)
Date: Sat Jul 26 2008 - 22:32:46 PDT

Re: cliches context is everything. Little, if anything, is a cliche in and of itself, and it's not, IMO, that's its attached to a meaning, but detached from any meaning, endlessly and mindless repeated and copied as, it has been in a thousand previous films. A tough cop and car chase isn't a cliche in the French Connection. Water isn't a cliche in Tarkovsky. Time lapse rolling clouds isn't a cliche in Van Sant's Gerry. They all have meaning, a reason for being.

Likewise, anything can become a cliche, including supposedly experimental practices such as hand painting film, and other effects, now made every so easy with digital programmes.

It's not what you do, it's how you do it.

Zev
Zev Robinson
www.artafterscience.com
www.zrdesign.co.uk




Chris Kennedy wrote:
Re: cliches Just saw some beautiful footage of the sky being shot through the trees and really stunning time-lapse night photography, both by a young student filmmaker. Cliché can be trumped by context, and in this case, context was very rich.
Best,
Chris

On 7/24/08 9:38 PM, "Santiago Vernetti" <(address suppressed)> wrote:
agreed

On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 10:26 PM, Fred Camper <(address suppressed)> wrote:
Santiago Vernetti wrote:
Sure,
 but doesn't cliche suggest a moment so familiar and attached to particular meaning that it reveals itself, its intentions, its craftedness?

Yes, or partly yes.

When I taught filmmaking, I certainly encouraged students to avoid clichés. I used to joke that I would like to ban films of other students clowning around in the school building, as well as films of yourself, your lover, and your parents. Those were big clichés decades ago. Perhaps it's harder to make something of a cliché than to make something of "newer" subject matter. Certainly you lose some viewers just by having a clichéd subject.

Still, I just think that there are no rules about what makes good art. A good artist makes her or his own rules.


Fred Camper
Chicago


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