Reflection on first project

Because I have no interesting videos to post this time... most of the videos I find on the internet are stupid video game flash parodies, young people trying to make funny videos, or movie trailers.

Anyway.

So... I don't think that I personally went as far as I could have on this project. From what I've seen so far, most of my peers are either in the same boat as me or found a really clever way to construct the footage (with tempo, music, good splicing... ect). I I think part of the problem is that the "found" footage was really, really difficult to work with. It was disconnected, boring, and repetitive; and very difficult to wrench a meaning out of it (beyond some sort of criticism or admiration of the school system).

Still, it was a good way to learn Final Cut, and it helped us remain disconnected from our work and not become too attached to it. I was glad to do the project, but I feel like I let myself down.

I just didn't know where to take my video; I felt "done" long before I actually was. I had that academic distance from it: I just wanted it finished at a certain point, as if it was an essay for class I had to add 500 more words to. In art, you have to develop a certain close relationship with your work: not a "precious" one, but a determined one, a drive to accomplish a little something with your art. At least I do. If I don't care about creating something that tries to impact others, my work will be weak. It might be "ok," but it won't resonate with the same kind of all important nuance that develops in art that I really "work" for.

This, for me, is the real challenge of being an art student: the struggle against the separation of "work" (school) and "play" (art). When the two unite, I am happy and productive. But I find this to be at odds with years of learning otherwise; grade school taught me to hate homework. To hate tests. To hate projects. To hate the classroom. With art, I feel maybe I can finally escape that, but art is difficult in this institutional setting that is ripe with old associations and reactions. But school provides such an excellent opportunity to learn, I can't pass it up. It's a tragic dilemma.

So that's my reflection/ramblings on this project. Next time, armed with my own footage, I will hopefully find that passion and create something i'm really proud of.