Film Review- Contextual Studies part 2

Over the last seven weeks we have watched different and varying films.  Having said that, there were films that, in my eyes, were just bearable none of them really grabbed and haled my attention for longer than 10 minutes before my mind would start to wonder off.  I would be asking myself, what made the tutors choose that film and why.  Never really finding an answer, I would go away from the films feeling like “what the hell did I just watch?” and all around just being really confused.  Once I have accepted the fact that these films were not going to leave me satisfied as a film that I happily chose, I allowed my mind to just sit and watch and no longer tried to figure out why they chose those particular films.

The first film I watched at the Odeon Theater was a film called Slacker. Produced in 1991, by Richard Linklater, and was budgeted on a $23,000. Slacker, shows life in Austin, Texas and its social outcasts or misfits, mainly the twenty-something year olds, using a series of linear vignettes.  The characters, who in some way just do not seem to fit into society’s norms, move seamlessly from one scene to the next, randomly coming and going into one another's lives. Some focal points of the film would include a UFO buff who adamantly insists that the U.S. has been on the moon since the 1950s and woman who produces a glass slide purportedly of Madonna's pap-smear.  The way the producer shot the film by introducing the different actors into the ending of the first actors’ scene was interesting, but as it kept going for a little over an hour and a half and then it just ending, left me a little frustrated because this film never built up to the plot and on top of that, it never gave me an conclusion.  I think my generation is used to seeing films that have a storyline and a conclusion, whereas the film Slacker had none of that.  So, on that note, I did not enjoy the film Slacker for the mere reason that there was no plot and no conclusion…

Out of the all the films there were two that I semi-enjoyed. Une Femme Est Une Femme (A Woman Is A Women) a French film made in 1961, and Rashomon a Japanese film made in 1950.  Une Femme Est Une Femme was probably the most interesting film I watched throughout the film series.  It was about a free-spirited young woman who wants more than anything to have a baby.  She tries to persuade her boyfriend Emile to go for the idea, but he is agents it, so she goes after Emile’s friend Alfred. I think I was able to connect with this movie more because being a woman I can relate to her wants and needs. This is an unexpected romantic comedy, the thing that sets the film apart from others is Godard's unique style: the use of on-screen graphics to give insights into the character's motives, the speaking directly to the camera, the stop-start of the film's scoring and the emphasis of moments and dialogue by music is all well-done.

Tossing around Ideas~

I have gotten my Final Major Project... the big one! The one that actually counts for something... I have been tossing around ideas still a little unsure where I am going to go with it. I know I am going to aim to get a distinction. I mean there is no reason for me to have come so far and pay X amount of dollars, not to aim that high! :)

So my ideas: At first I was thinking about designing a Cat Walk stage with a specific theme. Thinking about the placement of the stage and people along with how the whole flow of the venue. But after thinking about it a little longer and discussing it with my peers, I have developed another idea. Designing an aquatics springboard diving center! Diving is something close to me and something I know really well.

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Movie - SLACKER

Slacker is listed as one of the 1001 movies you must see before you die.  Written and Directed by Richard Linklater. $23,000 dollars spent in making the movie.
'Presents a day in the life in Austin, Texas among its social outcasts and misfits, predominantly the twenty-something set, using a series of linear vignettes. These characters, who in some manner just don't fit into the establishment norms, move seamlessly from one scene to the next, randomly coming and going into one another's lives. Highlights include a UFO buff who adamantly insists that the U.S. has been on the moon since the 1950s, a woman who produces a glass slide purportedly of Madonna's pap smear, and an old anarchist who sympathetically shares his philosophy of life with a robber.'

And now my review:

That was the hardest movie I have ever had to sit through.
With no Story line and (to me) no sense of direction. I could not for the life of me see how anyone could like sitting in the movie theater for about 2 hours watching and listening to 'Stoned' people talk about how the Government is corrupt and that smurfs are ruining the minds of the young children who watch it and the UFOs.. I mean what the heck did I just sit through and watch?? I wanted to fall asleep, it lost my attention pretty much within the first 5 minutes of the movie starting.
If this is any indication on how all the rest of the films are going to be, I want my 20 pounds back that supposedly went to these movies. Waste of time, I literally felt like I just lost 2 hours of my life that I will never be able to get back by watching that movie. Harsh, yes I know, but that is how I felt after sitting though that film. And I know I wasn't the only one who felt that way.
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What a weird table!

So, after bring in my rocking chair and having no clue what to do with it, as I said in my previous post that once I got it taken apart it might come to me and you know what... IT DID!
I took my rocking chair all the way apart and was sat looking at the bits of what makes up a rocking chair, when I just started playing around with the different pieces and I started to balance the legs and the seat on top of the legs and what do you know!! A table was formed! This has to be the simplest table ever built; it involves only 11 bits to put the whole thing together... 2 legs, 2 leg braces, 1 table top, 4 screws, & 2 nails. And that's it!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I even had enough bits left over that I made a foot stole to go along with my new table,

So, from one little old rocking chair, came the birth of two new objects!


This was a pretty enjoyable brief to work to, but this coming weeks brief is, how should I say it... out there!

Our new brief is 10x10x10..... and that's all she wrote. I need some serious help thinking about what could 10x10x10 mean/be. I have already thought about it being a cube... but I need more ideas, no matter how far fetched they seem to be! HELP PLEASE!!!
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Reading Week

We have be given this Remake-Reinvent project for the week, and I must say... I'm finding it hard to think of what my rocking chair can become. I feel it will come to me once it no longer looks like a rocking chair but at the moment it is hard to see it as anything but.
I have researched all of the following artist in hopes of gaining some kind of inspiration:

Martino Gamper- 100 Chairs 100 Days
*Collected chairs that had been discarded all around London Streets, for about 2 years.
*His intention was to investigate the potential for creating useful new designs by blending together stylistic or structural elements of existing chair types.

Konstantic Grcic- Designer
*Industrial Designer, born in Germany and moved to the UK to study at John Makepeace School of Craftsmanship at Parnham College, in Dorset. Mastered at Royal College of Art.
*Later moved back to Germany where he opened his design studio.

Nacho Carbonell-
*"I like to see objects as living organisms, imaging them coming alive and being able to surprise you with their behavior. I want to create objects with my hands, then I can give them my personality. I turn them into communicative objects that can arouse one's sensations and imagination. In short, what I want to create are objects with a fictional or fantasy element, that allows you to escape everyday life."

Piet Hein Eek- Furniture Designer
*Everything in his shop is hand made.
*Because everything in his shop is hand made his production is limited.
*Well known in Holland, UK, Italy, Spain, France & Japan. He is up and coming in the US.

Future Systems- Design
*they are a company that specializes in architectural and design practice producing highly original work.
*Their work is innovated, visually striking and functional.
* Their inspiration comes from nature and technology.

Tom Dixon- Raw Material
*He is noted for his use of raw materials and his ability as an
*Interior Designer,
*Furniture maker,
*Accessories and
*Design in Lighting.

Zaha Hadid- World wide Known, Architect.

Thomas Heatherwick- Designer & Artist
*English Designer and Artist. Known for innovative use of engineering and materialism public monument and sculptures.
*He opened and heads Heatherwick Studios.

And so our 8 week Rotation is over...

We have been together for 8 weeks and we have made some really good friends. Friday was our last day together as Group C. It will be nice to think that we will still be seeing one another on campus, but only time will tell after we specialize. Though, it is fun to think of all the new friends that we will be making in our chosen studies. We had our last Crit on Friday and the Toutors in 3D Spatial said that we were "the most chattiest group that they have had."  Come on!! What were they supposed to expect?! We have been together for 8 weeks!!!

Anyway moving on,
This weekend I know for a lot of us is going to be filled with panic and rush as we all try to get all our work together and ready for Assessments. Scary times!

My Assessment time is on Tuesday at 2pm... its nice to know that I have Monday to make sure that all my ducks are in a row.
And then after Assessment I have a special treat! My Mom and Aunt are coming to visit for a week on Wednesday!! YAY!

GOOD LUCK TO GROUP C IN YOUR ASSESSMENTS AND WHEREVER YOU DECIDE TO SPECIALIZE IN!!!!

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Why did I choose Interior Design?

Looking back as a young child, I have always loved redecorating my room. Every weekend it seemed, I would be drawing up a new floor plan for how I wanted my finished room to look.  All by myself, I would move my heavy bed, dressers and desk around the room and place them in their new homes. As I got older, the trend of me redecorating my room hadn’t stopped. Still to this day I love coming into my room and just moving the furniture around and drawing up floor plans. It has even progressed into experimenting with other rooms in the house, mainly the living room and the kitchen. I remember my Mother had asked me on a day to day bases what  I was planning on majoring in, and I couldn’t give her an answer because I still didn’t have a clue as to what I wanted to do with my life, my interest seemed to change almost daily. She was the one who helped open my eyes to see that I have a knack for Interior Design and that it is something I also enjoy. It would seem funny not to pursue a career in something you love!

It is my hope that throughout my studies in the Interior Design program at Chelsea, that I accomplish my goals to narrow down what specific field in the design industry I wish to work in.  I’m looking forward to increase my knowledge in the field of Interior Design and building up my portfolio, while learning more about the different design periods and structures.

After I complete my Foundation degree in Interior Design, I wish to continue on with my education in hopes to one day start up my very own Interior Design Company, therefore I wish to work in the design industry gaining more hands-on experience and carry on learning all that I can.  My plan is to be a lifelong learner.

In the past few months, I have gained valuable experience through the opportunities in helping redesign and decorate an entire flat in London as well as some renovation and redecorating opportunities in the States.  I find I enjoy the over-all experience of designing and decorating the entire home, while at the same time being drawn more toward bedroom and living design as my main interest followed by kitchen design.  During the design process, I was able to put my ideas to paper as well as then moving the design from paper to the actual application and finished product.  Throughout my childhood and into adulthood I have always enjoyed re-arranging and re-decorating as evidenced by my constant redesign of my bedroom. I feel a certain satisfaction in these accomplishments and hope to make Interior Designer my career title.