Blog Posts

All my Life Unexpected blog posts are under the title:

http://amy-janem.blogspot.com/search/label/Life%20Unexpected

The most important things have been put on my blog, this information and also other information is in my workbooks. 

Final Evaluation

I am very happy in coming to the end of my project.

From the start of the project I wanted to create narrative based images that told a story that the viewer would be able to pick up. I project took a turn when I decided to use film to create my scenes; this I found was for the better.

It was important for me to watch and research each of the seven films in depth to get a good understanding of the themes of each film. This way I would be able to create the best photographs I could through this. It was also important to draw lots of sketches as a way to develop my thoughts and ideas for each of the films.

Being able to step back and look at my first photographs with a constructive eye was a really good way for me to pick out the bad parts of each photograph. In doing this I was able to make new sketches with the good parts of the first photographs and also redevelop the parts that didn’t work so well.

Before shooting my second Photoshop I took some time to make sure I had everything I need for each of the different photographs. I also wanted to be open to ideas from the models, who helped me a lot to further develop my photographs.

I took my time to Photoshop my photographs and I did lots of test prints to make sure I got what I wanted. I was happy with all but one of my photographs, so I reshoot it and was happy with the final photograph.

Just like my first photographs I had to take a step back and be able to pick what I like and what I don’t like in each of my photographs. This way I was able to re-Photoshop and do more reprinting to get the best result.

While I was finishing my photography I started to think about the way I wanted to present my work. I knew I wanted them to be in frames but I didn’t want them to look like normal photographs. I decided to use a very thin black frame with no glass to frame my works. This way my photographs are framed but they don’t look like normal photographs. I decided not to use glass so the image is able to be open to the viewer.

The text was an interesting idea and one I really liked. I have picked quotes from each of the films and had them written along the bottom of the photograph. I used quotes from each of the films that represent each of the characters involved, quotes that would bring each of the photographs to live and give them new meaning. I wanted to use free hand to make it look real. Like these photographs have been used on the set of films as a way to summarise the characters.

It was an interesting experience finding my own space to exhibit my works. Many places were unable to exhibit my work but they were all very helpful in giving me ideas on places I could use. I decided to have an artist statement next to my work so people get a better understanding of my works.

Overall this was a very interesting project to work with. I really liked researching each of the films and getting a better understanding to the creator’s intention. I also liked coming up with ways to reinterpret the films and make new scenes.

I would like to carry on with the film side of my project further and see what other types of works I can come up with.

Definitely a great way to end my second year at Art School J

Really Bad Shots of Exhibition

Layout in Gallery

American Beauty
Fight Club and American Beauty - Both main characters are dealing with personal problems within their lives.

In the film American Beauty the main character Lester Burnham is a depressed suburban father going through a mid-life crisis.

Lester Burnham develops an infatuation for his daughter’s attractive friend and though this infatuation Lester starts to change his life. Lester starts to workout, blackmails his boss, quits his job, stands up to his wife and starts smoking weed.

Lester becomes a happier person because of all the changes he has made in his life, unfortunately his life ends soon after; but he dies happy.

American Psycho
American Psycho and Pulp Fiction - Both of the two films deal with extreme forms of living.

In the film American Psycho the main character Patrick Bateman is a very strange man.

On the one hand Patrick is a wealthy banking executive from a rich family then on the complete flip side, Patrick is a psychopathic serial killer who murders a variety of people. It is quite scary how someone could be a normal working man during the day and a completely different man at night time. These ideas really play on the idea of extreme living.

Atonement
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Atonement - Both of these two films deal with conflict and ruined lives.

In the film Atonement the three main characters deal with an extreme conflict. Then Briony Tallis mistakenly accuses her older sister’s lover of a crime he did not commit she changes the course for their lives forever.

The film then steps forward into the future as Briony tries to correct the mistake she made as a young child, even writing a book to try and reach atonement. Unfortunately all three characters die without resolving the misunderstanding.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

The first two photographs (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) are the same but different. The idea for this photograph came from the idea that runs through the film; the idea of change and forgetting by use of a medical procedure.

Fight Club
Fight Club and American Beauty - Both main character in Fight Club and American Beauty are dealing with personal problems within their lives.

In the film Fight Club the main character The Narrator is a very weak man, he has a boring job, catalogue apartment and average life.

Through the introduction of an alter-ego named Tyler Durden, The Narrator grows stronger; the Fight Club makes him powerful. But he still questions himself and questions Tyler Durden. As the Fight Club gets bigger and better The Narrator starts to lose it and is built up to a point where he is able to get rid of Tyler Durden. 

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Atonement - Both of these two films deal with conflict and ruined lives.

In the film One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest the main character R.P McMurphy is brash, rebels and dodges jail time for a brief stay in a Metal Ward.

Throughout his time in the ward McMurphy gets under the skin of the head nurse, Nurse Ratched. He rallies the other patients to take on the strong heavy handed Nurse Ratched. Unfortunately all his hard work ends up costing him his life when Nurse Ratched gives him a lobotomy, which turns him into a vegetable.  

Pulp Fiction

American Psycho and Pulp Fiction - Both of the two films deal with extreme forms of living.

In the film Pulp Fiction the characters live on the edge and are not ordinary people. Two of the characters in the film are Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace, a hit-man and mob bosses girlfriend. There lives’ are fast passed and violent for example; the drug over dose scene in which Mia over doses and Vincent has to plunge a syringe into Mia’s chest. These two people’s lives seem so farfetched and unreal that it doesn’t seem possible that people could live their lives like this.

Posters, Invites, Information

These are the different types of information forms I have made for the public in order to see my exhibition. It was important to make many different types of forms because of where my exhibition is. It will be harder to get people to come out to my exhibition.

Posters

The posters needed to be clear and simple, with not too much information or else the public will not bother to read it.

Invitations

The invitations are for the people I want to invite to my exhibition. My opening night will not be open to the public so it is important to let the right people know the dates.

Information Cards

The information cards have my name; email address and website that people can take away after seeing my exhibition as a way to contact me for more information.

Mini Posters

I made the mini posters to put in coffee shops and those types of places so people can take them away and remember to come to my exhibition.

Catalogues

I made catalogues after been asked to by the lady from the gallery. They are a good way for people to decide which photographs the want to buy and it shows the price of the photographs as well.

Title Ideas

The life inside of you

Meaning everyone has a character and everybody’s is unique even the characters in film. The characters of film are created by people and have put parts of their own character into this new person.

When the curtains lift

This title relates more to the theater more than film. It implies the characters are performing to an audience. This is not really how I want people to relate to my exhibition. 

Until the curtains are drawn

This is very close to the last title and will also give the viewer the wrong impression.

Reflection of Life

I quite like this title in relation to my work. The characters could be a reflection on people’s characters in real life.

Life unexpected

I have chosen to use this title for my exhibition because it reflects the ideas in my photographs really well. Life refers to the characters in living form, like they live outside of the movie and can take on new roles. Unexpected refers to the people taking on many different characters from movie to movie. It is also a bit mystery and will make people like about the title in relation to each of the different photographs.  

I have also decided to stick my artist’s statement under my title so people will be able to get a better understanding of my work before looking at the photographs. 

Artist Statment

First Draft: 

Film is an important part of every body’s lives whether they know it or not. These characters can’t just be created from imagination; they live in some form. Whether it is from pieces of the writers/creators own character or a person they have taken inspiration from. But sadly these characters only live from the moment the film starts to the very last credit that rolls. These characters are only able to live one existence; they can’t experience life as we know it.

Through my photographic series I look at these characters and hope to bring them back to life in a new form.

Second Draft:

Film is an important part of everybody's lives. We are surrounded by statistic images on a daily basis, they are everywhere and the audience have no choice but to view them. Film is different; the viewer is actively able to choose to view a film or not. This makes film a more powerful artistic tool, but the viewer still has to be drawn in.

The characters in the films are one aspect, but a key ingredient in holding the audience’s attention long enough to convey the creators intentions. 

These characters are not just created from imagination; they live in some form. Whether it is from pieces of the writer's own character or a person they have taken inspiration from. Sadly these characters only live from the moment the film starts to the very last credit that rolls.

Can these characters exist outside of film? Even just for our own satisfaction.

Third Draft:

Film is an important part of everybody's lives. We are surrounded by static images on a daily basis, they are everywhere and you have no choice but to view them. We are so accustomed to these images we don’t even know our brains are processing them.  However film is different; the viewer is actively able to choose to view a film or not. This makes film a more powerful artistic tool, but the viewer still has to be drawn in. 
The characters in films are just one aspect, but a key ingredient in holding the audience’s attention long enough to convey the creators intentions. 
These characters are not just created from imagination; they live in some form. Whether it’s from pieces of the writer's own character or a person they have taken inspiration from. Sadly these characters only live from the moment the film starts to the very last credit that rolls. 
Can these characters exist outside of film? Even just for our own satisfaction.

Film Quotes

American Beauty

Lester Burnham: “I feel like I’ve been in a coma for the past twenty years. And I’m only now just waking up”

This quite really summarises what Lester Burnham went through, throughout the whole of the film. Unfortunately he was not able to be awake for long. Fortunately he lives on through my photograph. 

American Psycho

Patrick Bateman: “Do you take credit card? Just joking.”

I thought this quote was quite funny and sums up Batemans personality really well.

Atonement

Briony Tallis: “Yes. I saw him. I saw him with my own eyes”

This is a very straight forward quote from the film, the one in which Briony accuses Robbie in the first place. 
Hopefully the viewer will be able to see the anger and sadness in this photograph because of this. 

Eternal Sunshine of the Sunshine

Clementine: “You know me, I’m impulsive”

Joel: “That’s what I love about you”

This quote is quite cute and reflects the difference between Clementine and Joel. 

Fight Club

Narrator: “This is your life and it’s ending one minute at a time”

This quote reflects the Narrator and his change in character throughout the film. Anyone how knows this film will be able to tell through this quote.  

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

R.P McMurphy: “I must be crazy to be in a loony bin like this”

This quote works very well with the image and the theme of the film. R.P McMurphy is not really crazy; he just didn’t want to go to jail. Instead he picks time on a mental ward. 

Pulp Fiction

Vincent Vega: “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go home and have a heart attack”

This quote is what Vincent would have said after bringing Mia back to live. This makes the viewer think about what (if there was one) the next photograph would look like. Is Mia alive or did she die?

Film quotes

I tried a number of ways to layout my film quotes.

Firstly I picked text I liked on Photoshop and wrote the quote underneath. I though this looked really nice and professional. I was then given the idea to the hand written the quote on each of the photographs. I decided to give this a try and really like the results. The only problem was the person I got to write the quotes (my mum) was very nervous about getting it wrong. As you can see in my first test she got it wrong a few times.

I then printed off all my photographs the size I wanted; this was hard to decide because I needed extra room at the bottom for the writing.

In the end I chose to have a 10cm white space on the bottom and 5cm one the three other sides.

I really like the text because it looks like someone who is part of the film set has written it across the bottom as a reference or way to remember something.

The text also brings the characters to life because it feels as though they are talking to you.

The quotes are not the titles of each of the photographs; they are part of the photo.

Presentation Ideas

I have been thinking of some ways to present my photographs to make them interesting and different from normal photographs.

First layout

In the first layout I have got the directors name, the production company and the size of the film. On the right hand side is the year of the film, length and type of film.

I have done this to make the photographs feel more like shots from a film. The viewer is able to read the information and be able to read the image in a film context.

Second layout

This is the same as the first layout. I have just change the text around to see what it looks like. I think I like the first layout better than this second one.

Third layout

For this third layout a have come up with my own text that doesn’t relate to the film. I first put the models full name, I came up with a new title; American Heartache and made up a production company called; Purplebuddha Productions. On the other side of the image in the year the photograph was taken; 2011, the type of print; inkjet gloss print and the size of the image; 210 x 297.

Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction - Amy Moffitt

Analysis on photograph:

In my first photograph I create a scene of what would have happened after the extreme scene in which Vincent saves Mia’s life.

However this photograph had no real meaning and was boring. The photograph didn’t make you want to know what happened to the lady.

I needed to make the scene speak to the viewer and make them want to know what is going on.

I decided to shift the scene back and make it right in the middle of the drama. Vincent is able to stick the needle into Mia’s chest. This makes the photograph more interesting because it feels like you have just walked into something.

I also decided to make the scene quite dark and have a spotlight effects on the three characters, this also drawings the viewer into the image and looks very effective. There is also, just like the American Psycho scene, a slight shadow on the wall. This is not as bright as American Psycho however, but it still works. If it was any brighter it would look too much like the American Psycho photograph.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Amy Moffitt

Analysis on photograph:

In my first photograph R.P McMurphy was lying on top of the bed, dead and the nurse was taking his pulse. I didn’t like this because McMurphy doesn’t look dead. It is not a convincing death and the scene looks boring and not in a good way.

Having the blanket over the body makes the scene look very white and still gets the point across as his hand is sticking out the front of the bed.

I think that this one hand looks much more effective than a whole body.

I tried the scene with the nurse sitting on a chair and with a table of medical items on it. But I felt these extra items took away from the overall theme and look of the photograph. I am very happy with not having very many things in this photograph; it makes it look better along with the other photographs which all have other things in the backgrounds.

This also reflects the ward in which R.P McMurphy spends his final days. They are only aloud a few basic things and all their happiness is taken away from them by Nurse Ratched.

Fight Club

Fight Club - Amy Moffitt

Analysis on photograph:

My first idea for my Fight Club photograph was to have more than one photo and more than one person in each scene. I wanted to have The Narrator and Tyler Durden as the same person, unlike my first photograph in which they look like to very different people. By using one person for two characters the viewer has to think about why there are two people but they are the same person. I also wanted to have around four photographs to make the photographs seem more alive, like something is going to, because the one character and his alter-ego would be moving around the photographs. After thinking about this leaving it to last I decided I didn’t need to have four photographs, I could create the intended feeling in just one. What I needed to do was make to two character look very different. The Narrator is sad, depressed and weak. You are able to tell right away which one he is. Tyler Durden is in control and powerful. He looks over at the narrator like he knows it all and is better than him.

Having the newspaper clippings on the wall refers to the Fight Club. In the film the Fight Club organise events to destroy parts of the city. The newspaper clippings are a result of what the members of the Fight Club did. 

Fight Club

Fight Club - Amy Moffitt

Fight Club - Amy Moffitt

Fight Club - Amy Moffitt

Fight Club - Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind



Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Amy Moffitt

  

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Amy Moffitt



Analysis on photograph:

This photograph took the most time to get right because I had a lot of ideas for how I wanted it to look, but nothing was really working.

For a start I took lots of different photographs in different poses around the scene and had Clementine wearing lots of different outfits. This was to make the viewer see that she kept changing and Joel was staying the same. I decided on having six different images to really get this point across.

However after sitting with these images for a while I decided that there were just too many photographs of the one film and they didn’t really fit on as no other film had more than one photograph. I took the two best photographs and decided to make the change really noticeable by changing the whole colour of the photograph, not just the cloths and wigs of Clementine. The two colours are pink and green, opposites on the colour wheel. This is to show extreme change in just two photographs and not six.

The scene that the couple are in is very simple; the duvet reflects both of the couple’s personalities. The brown is Joel, boring, predictable and dull. The squares of orange are Clementine; bright, fun, happy and ever changing. But the orange squares do change into brown, showing their love and happiness towards one another.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -Amy Moffitt



Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -Amy Moffitt

 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Amy Moffitt

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Amy Moffitt

Atonement

Analysis on photograph:

I knew I wanted to have all three characters in my one photograph, but it took me a while to get them in the right places. As this scene never really happens in the film I had to get it right. The scene is set up to show the viewer the Robbie is leaving to go to war, you can see this because of the light coming from the right hand side, shining onto Robbie. Cecilia lying on the bed still on her formal dress, as the night Robbie was accused the family was having a formal dinner. She lies facing the same way Robbie does, should she trusts and supports him, but can’t go with him. Briony knees on the left hand side of the bed writing stories in her note book. This shows Briony is full on imagination and is stuck in a make-believe world.

I decided to have the photograph black and white because it was quite I dark image to start with and I needed to do something to make this photograph look different to the other dark ones. I also chose to make this one black and white because it was set in the 1920s and fits into the scene better.

American Psycho

Analysis on photograph:

For my final American Psycho photograph I wanted the scene to look very clean, simple and tidy. You can see on the left hand side one bedside table, as Patrick Bateman lives alone. The items in the room are very black and white, including the prostitute. This has all be carefully planned which reflects Patrick Batemans character.

What also works really well is the reflection of Patrick Bateman and his axe on the wall. This really highlights the fact that Bateman is a serial killer and will kill this young lady.

Because Patrick Bateman is sitting on the left at the back and the prostitute on the right, front side, you get a really good sense that she doesn’t know what is going to happen to her until it is to like, this works really well.

I had to play around with the image on Photoshop to get the colours right. For a start the photograph was to dark and was a strange orange colour. I worked on this for a while and made the photograph bluer; this makes the photo look more real.

American Beauty



American Beauty - Amy Moffitt



Analysis on photograph:

As in my second sketch I wanted to make the scene look like an average couple’s room. There are two matching bedside tables, on the left hand side are female like items, for example: Flowers, hand cream, tissues. On the right hand side male like items, for example: Alarm clock, crime novel and side lamp. This is to show that these are two very different people who are married to each other but are living two different lives.

The light coming through a window on the right hand side shows that it’s late evening or early morning. In the bed on the left hand side shows that it is his wife and he is meant to be in bed sleeping. The fact that he is sitting up on the end of the bed shows that his wife doesn’t know what he is doing.

The rose the male character refers to the dream scenes in the film, the fact that the rose petals are lying on the bed and ground shows a loss of love.

A place to exhibit

After many weeks of searching, emialing, phoning etc etc...I have fould a place to exhibit my photographs!

Now getting the photos will be the hard part...

Green Island Gallery

194 Main South Road, Green Island - Just 5mins from home!

 http://greenislandgallery.blogspot.com/

Refinement

I have decided to add more information to the photographs to make them all look like single photos. The first photographs look all the same because of having the sheets on the ground and floor. I want to make sure they look like they are from seven different films.

American Beauty:

(Lester Burnham) I have added another character sleeping in the bed. This gives the story more information and they viewer is able to identify what the male character is doing with the female sleeping.

American Beauty:

(Ricky Fitts) I have decided to drop this image from series of photographs. I don’t think I need two different photographs from one film.

American Psycho:

I have not changed the characters in this photograph, just the other thing in the scene. I have made it look more like a male’s bedroom, clean and simple.

Atonement:

I have made the girl on the left hand side more visible and have made the scene have more of a 1920s feel. Other than that I have happy with everything else.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind:

The emotion in the characters faces and bodies are working great and are quite strong. However I think there needs to be more of a difference between each photograph, more change.

Fight Club:

This photograph is starting to work well but the scene needs to look more like an abandoned house. The two characters also need to be the same person so the viewer gets a better understanding on the photograph.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest:

For this photograph I have decided to keep the scene much the same but without the sheets. I have decided to have the main character that has died covered with a sheet and his hand just sticking out. This makes the image more dramatic and shocking for the viewer. I also want to make the scene very white and hospital looking without changing too much of the scene.

Pulp Fiction:

My first photograph of this scene was boring and uninteresting. I have decided to make the photograph happen in the middle of the event. The characters are in the middle of trying to save the girl. This makes the scene way more interesting!

First Photographs

This is a test shoot of my scene before my models came onto set: 

American Beauty:

(Lester Burnham) I like this photograph because to the emotion in the characters face and body. However he just looks sad because the petals have fallen off the rose. You have no way of knowing why the person is sad other than the rose.

American Beauty:

(Ricky Fitts) This photograph is easier to read than the above American Beauty photograph. But because of this I think the photograph becomes too one sided, you get nothing back from the character. 

American Psycho:

This is one of the best working photographs in the series. The relationship between the characters and the viewer works very well and so does the position of both characters.

Atonement:

This is another photograph that works on an emotional level. There is a very strong story line within this photograph that the viewer is quite easily able to read. The only problem is the character on the left hand side is a bit lost within the photograph, she is too hidden.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind:

These two photographs are starting to work quite well. However, I think there is not enough change within the two photographs. There needs to be a more dramatic change within the two photographs to make more of an impact to the viewer.

Fight Club:

I like the idea within this photograph but I think it looks too much like two different people and not one person and his alter ego. I think there only needs to be one person playing both characters so the viewer understands they are in fact the same person.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest:

This photograph isn’t quite where I want it to be. I think it is too readable and gives too much information away. More thought needs to go into this photograph.

Pulp Fiction:

This is meant to be the aftermath of an exciting scene, but it looks really boring. The female character is meant to have almost died but it looks like she is just waking up from having a sleep. This photograph needs to be more exciting.

Over all I am very pleased with how my photographs turned out. I think they are a good starting point and I will be able to further develop my ideas through theses photographs.