Artist Statement

Throughout this course, the theme of my work was to find beauty in things that are considered plain, ugly, displeasing, etc. I really tried to make light a key factor, while maintaining a dark environment. Most all of the photos were shot at night, and the photos were taken in the East Village and Coney Island. I grew up in Boston, Dallas, and D.C., so I really enjoy capturing urban life.

Lost Book Found

  • What message and overall emotional tone did you take away from the film

Essentially, the main emotional tone that i perceived was a dreary and gloomy tone. The overall message was to look beyond what you might first see, to look deeper into everyday items, objects, spaces, etc. This film is probably the only film I have ever seen that doesn’t have a distinct genre.

  • In what ways does this film interweave narrative, documentary and experimental forms of filmmaking while avoiding traditional approaches?

Traditionally, there is a plot line. Rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion, etc. However, I was not able to map out a stable plot line. The narrative was kind of all over the place in terms of theme, however the monotone voice-over did relate to the dreary tone.

  • How might Cohen’s creative process have informed the final outcome of the piece? (ie. use of archival footage, working alone vs. collaboratively)

The use of archival footage was really strong. It perfectly fit the mood of “always watching” while trying to find something underneath the norm. I personally enjoy working alone, it’s narcissistic, but it really reflects who you are as an artist. It doesn’t allow any outside opinions to come through.

  • What storytelling devices were used for dramatic effect and how so? (ie. repetition, voice over, speed, camera movement, juxtaposition).

Repetition and slow motion enhanced the dramatic effect. The monotone voice-over, the slow-mo, and the blurry camera movement generally are not traditional film practices. There was lots of juxtaposition in how the main shots in the film were of trash and sidewalks, rather than a protagonist or antagonist. Also, I didn’t really like that there was no “aha” moment or climax in the film.

Streetwise

During the first 10-15 minutes of Streetwise, I genuinely wasn’t sure if the film was being completely acted out, or if these were actual children living on the streets. What resonated the most with me was the trust between the kids and the film crew, and how they were able to capture so much of their lives. It was very interesting to see the relationship between Dewayne and his imprisoned father. That entire scene when they’re talking through the glass barrier, I think, was the strongest scene in the whole film. The camera angles really stood out to me in that scene, especially the 3rd person omniscient view, and Dewayne’s perspective as his father’s yelling at him. Overall, I think the film was the most successful when the children were talking to each other, rather than to a doctor, crew member, or anyone that had some kind of authority. Dewayne’s father is an exception to that, because he is more of a symbol, that we only get one conversation with.

Walter Benjamin Reading

  • How did Benjamin view the importance and role of ‘the collector’?
  • What is a ‘flaneur’? What is its significance?
  • How do objects and the spaces they inhabit help us to see more closely and anew? How do they shape our idea of memory and collective histories?
  • When photography and film were emerging visual technologies, Benjamin introduced the term ‘optical unconscious.’ What did he mean by this? How do photography and film reflect and construct the world around us?

Optical unconsciousness is the idea that there are gaps in technological advances, that leave opportunities for photography behind. Also, it is the idea that immediately looking at something, you are unconscious to the actuality and what’s going on in the frame. That’s why photography provides a chance for optical consciousness. Flaneur means to be idle, to remain. The collector encapsulates the fact that in order to be a flaneur, you can’t be a singular person in a crowd, you have to BE the crowd. Objects and spaces are easily perceived within a second. we either recognize them as something we’ve seen hundreds of times before, or something that may be new to us. To be a flaneur, is to always find something new within the things we see hundreds of times.