Month: May 2020

Favorite Films: About Prejudice

In less than 50 seconds, educator Jane Elliot cuts to the chase about a hard truth.

Times of great crisis are also times of great opportunity. What has been considered normal — the previously accepted — can no longer be viewed as acceptable. In front of all of us now, both in America and elsewhere, we can plainly see the gross injustices and prejudices that continue to plague the world; oppressions and privileges as related to race, sexual orientation and wealth distribution continue to drain society in ways both overt and hidden. Now as the world erupts with sickness, violence and mistrust, we seem to be commanded by the universe itself to finally to take responsibility to empty our minds of prejudice and open our hearts to kindness and understanding. We all need to take a strong hard look at ourselves individually and the reasons behind our fears and selfishness so we can move past the greed, blame and indifference. Can we do it?

Personally, I feel we can only make change when we can see truth. This, at least, has been my experience. Sometimes it takes suffering and tragedy viewed from a different perspective that is beyond the self to allow for truth to be seen and change to happen. Then new ways can replace the old as it should. If we can let go of our insecurities and comforts then respect and solidarity can in turn replace identification and distrust. So today my list of recommended films are ones that bring these issues to the forefront; they show us how to see again by inviting us into worlds we tend to avoid. Great art, through its vision and craft, can effect change from the inside out by showing us what it’s like to be on the other side.

“Someone has said that it requires less mental effort to condemn than to think.” ― Emma Goldman, Writer & Activist

Do The Right Thing (Directed by Spike Lee)

Spike’s Lee’s best movie, Do The Right Thing is funny, original and a distinctive piece of film art. But what makes it truly remarkable (despite being snubbed at the Oscars in 1989) is how important the film is culturally. With an entertaining cast, bold camera work, and perfectly-set art direction that captures a “very hot day” in Brooklyn, New York Lee’s film nails the build up of heat and tension between its participants. The main character Mookie (Spike Lee) is a delivery boy who’s caught between his loyalty to his black neighbors and the duties to his Italian boss, Sal (Danny Aiello) who owns the only pizzeria in town. Mookie also has a Puerto Rican partner (Rosie Perez) and a baby he’s responsible for. All is as usual till the heat really turns up because a friend “Buggin’ Out” (Giancarlo Esposito) starts causing trouble at Sal’s for not posting pictures of black Americans in his restaurant. Ultimately this leads to a final conflict and racial riots that destroy the colorful interracial neighborhood. The final scene is harrowing to witness as it parallels the recent police brutality. Do The Right Thing doesn’t preach about race nor hide from its dark reality. Here, race is handled without sentiment — it shows that bias lives in all of us and if we let our fears and tribal instincts get the best of us, we’re all vulnerable to losing our humanity.

The Wedding Banquet (Directed by Ang Lee)

Ang Lee’s beautiful low-key 1998 film The Wedding Banquet is a story of fate, even misjudged, poorly-designed fate. The film begins with a scheme: the set up of an arranged marriage between a handsome Taiwanese man Wai-Tung (Winston Chao) and a Chinese girl named WeiWei (May Chin) who lives upstairs from his New York loft. The catch is that Wai-Tung is gay and lives with his caucasian lover Simon. Their lives are seemingly perfect except that his parents in Taiwan are pressuring their son to marry and bear grandchildren. For WeiWei, who struggles to pay her rent in expensive New York City and fears the need to return to her country, this arrangement represents the opportunity to get her visa and continue her art and life in America. Of course, things get messy. Simon, who conjured the scheme in the first place, begins to regret the decision. The wedding banquet is a big deal in Chinese culture and the facade, deceptions and misunderstandings play out in both frustrating and comical ways leading to conflict between the gay couple. Of course it gets even more complicated when the parents arrive to stay with them and WeiWei actually begins to fall in love with her new husband. The Wedding Banquet is a simple and light comedy but one that is touching and somewhat magical. It parodies the silliness of tradition and the conformity that dominates our everyday concerns while at the same making us aware of their existence. And it is this newfound awareness that ultimately leads to greater acceptance, understanding and the ability to change the views of the characters and that of the audience.

American History X (Directed by Tony Kaye)

Tony Kaye’s powerful 1998 film made a strong statement about the birth of hate, how it grows and how it can spread into a gigantic snowball of blind prejudice that can engulf an individual and his family. Strengthened by a stirring performance from Edward Norton, American History X is a story about a young man whose life has been lost to fascist ideology. After executing a surrendered black criminal in the open street, Norton’s Derek Vineyard finds himself in jail. There, in the confines of a prison heavily populated by hard core criminals both black and white alike, events occur that lead him to begin questioning his philosophy. Unfortunately, his personal revelations are not enough for redemption because the Neo-Nazi life he had lived before his incarceration has already done its damage; his little brother Danny (Edward Furlong) has followed into his previous footsteps even joining the white supremacist group that he helped built. The story is direct and simple but American History X’s effect on the viewer is strong. And perhaps what’s most alarming, after re-watching this film again in 2020, is how much Neo-Nazi rhetoric expressed by the antagonists of the film have crept back into mainstream attitudes, both amongst the populace and within government.

Parasite

Bong Joon-ho’s excellent black comedy is the first foreign film to win an Academy Award. But that achievement is not what makes Parasite worth watching (and watching again). Not only is the plot creative, the direction sharp and the acting perfect, but what makes it so subtly powerful is it’s underlying message about class. All throughout the film we’re so entertained that we almost forget how real these people are despite the almost cartoonish differences between the families involved, one devastatingly poor but not incompetent and the other exceedingly wealthy and yet naively privileged and arrogant. We are so used to the ridiculous in film that we have forgotten to look at same ridiculousness in reality and how far-fetched and surreal it has become. In fact, the circumstances depicted here actually pale in comparison to the extreme wealth disparity in Korea or most other places in the real world. We’ve just gotten so used to being so self-absorbed in our own lives and the world of virtual entertainment media that most of us not living near the extreme as these characters do can’t believe it. We might only see a creative and funny storytelling and not see truth. But often times fiction is where truth lies, and here in Parasite the attitudes and emotions felt by the characters are so convincing that it makes you think twice. Since the mystery and surprise of the film is so important, it would be inappropriate to breakdown the details of the film — I don’t want to give anything away. But after you’ve watched it, ask yourself: who is the parasite and who is the host? Often times, our presumptions about envy, greed and exploitation are challenged when we look much deeper.

To see more Favorite Films go here.

The Need for Order

Illustrator Norman Rockwell was one of the most organized and well-prepared artists of his generation.

“There is in me an anarchy and frightful disorder. Creating makes me die a thousand deaths, because it means making order, and my entire being rebels against order. But without it I would die, scattered to the winds.” — Albert Camus, Writer

It can be stated that order is as essential to living as is the need for security. Without the basics of food, shelter and clothing (warmth), human beings can’t survive physically or psychologically. The same can be said of the necessity for order. The mind is always prone to disorder; noise, distraction, desires and fears constantly intrude our mental well-being. Without order, there lives confusion and, as it’s often said, a confused mind leads to confused action.

In art, the need for order operates in much the same fashion; without it, the entire creative process runs amok and the results can often be disappointing if not disastrous. For animators, order provides a mechanic — not a formula — for staying on top of things. Hence, it’s important to develop a workflow that makes sure some of the essential parts of the creative process have been duly considered.

Here again are the basics to staying orderly in our work:

(1) Vision:

Without an idea or the spark of something possibly interesting there’s no impulse to create. It could be something seen, heard, read about or experienced, but whatever the source may be, it’s the seed of something new. Rarely are visions what people think they are for they are not things to be sought after and found; creative ideas come uninvited, they only find landing spots. Our job as artists (and the same I imagine goes for writers, musicians, and scientists) is to provide a place for these ideas to alight and take root. It’s why, as a teacher, I encourage play and playful research, the kind that is open, free and not so goal-oriented. Again, since creation is new, we must bypass the thinking analytical mind, which is always old and always controlling. Only free-form, loose and playful activity — in the form of drawing and/or improvisational acting for animators — can generate new ideas.

20th Century master Pablo Picasso exemplifies the spirit of play and exploration.

(2) Preparation:

Ideas are useless if the artist isn’t prepared. Once there’s an opportunity it must be developed and seized. Now’s the moment to use the mind’s intelligence and organizing abilities. The best artists not only explore all the various avenues their ideas might take form but anticipate the information and tools required to bring their ideas to life. We must due the homework so to speak: make the sketches (thumbnails), collect the right kind of reference, solve visual problems and design a solid visual map by which to follow. Then we set everything up — cameras, rigs, layout, schedules, etc — and get ready to begin.

Exploration sketches done for the film Cinderella by animator Ward Kimball, one of Disney’s legendary “Nine Old Men.”

(3) Performance:

At this stage, we should have a good clear idea of what we want to accomplish. There’s still uncertainty but it’s time to get the feet wet; we test our hypotheses. Animators at this point begin to animate: we block out the major keys and — only after the blocking is successful — proceed with the in-betweening (filling in the middle) phase. This is often the most satisfying part as ideas take shape and begin their way to becoming realities. What forms is new and exciting but all the time we’re constantly asking ourselves whether we proceed to the next step or re-work the foundations — the key acting moments, poses, arcs, timing, and breakdowns — of the shot. Emotionally speaking, this is where we commit fully, aligning ourselves with our vision, bringing together both the technical and artistic aspects of our craft.

“Does it look like how I feel?” — Glen Keane, Animator

When Glen Keane animates, he goes all out. From Disney’s Tarzan.

(4) Polish:

At the polish stage, we make minor tweaks and put in the finishing touches. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO CHANGE THE WORK OR FIX MAJOR ERRORS. Students and amateur artists are always doing the latter. They question their ideas, fumble with technique and lose sight of the process so they noodle and noodle hoping to “rescue” the work. The polishing phase also shouldn’t be taken lightly or approached carelessly. Finishing touches matter — they can enhance or ruin the art. It is important to be attentive.

“While adding the finishing touches to a painting might appear insignificant, it is much harder to do than one might suppose.” — Claude Monet, Painter

Water Lilies by Impressionist Claude Monet.

Some Tips:

Now, working orderly is nothing new; it’s no secret to stay organized. Then why do so many fail time and again? Here are some caveats and suggestions that might help should you find yourself in disorder:

(1) Aim for Clarity. This is true from the vision phase all the way to the polish phase. You need to know where you’re heading. Fuzzy ideas lead to sloppy preparations and sloppy preparations lead to poor execution. Bad animating can never be solved by fancy polishing. Clarity is key.

(2) Treat Separate Phases as Separate Jobs: What do we mean by this? It means to treat each aspect of the job as if the next job is to be passed on to somebody else. If you block your shot poorly, you’ve made it brutally hard to in-between (spline/finish) the shot. Don’t screw the guy who comes after (which is tomorrow’s version of you).

(3) Stay the Course: Don’t keep changing your mind. The time to explore was early on. Once you begin your performance, you don’t change the song. If you find yourself doing this often perhaps your idea was not so good after all. That, or you’re a scatterbrain. Find out why you’re doing what you’re doing. Art is always providing you the opportunity to learn about yourself.

(4) Keep It Simple: Don’t over do it. Adding complexity, adding length or action doesn’t make things necessarily better. Quite the contrary. Your work should read clearly and directly to you and anyone looking at it. Why make the job harder? Besides, as you mature as an artist, you’ll begin to see and realize how beautiful (and difficult) it is to create work that is simple yet powerful.

(5) End it: At some point you have to stop. Finish the work whether you like it or not. We all need to move on. Perfection, even excellence, is a rare occurrence. Take what you’ve learned from the experience and bring that knowledge and drive to improve to the next piece of work. Life is something we build, not something we constantly fix.

“For nothing matters except life; and, of course, order.” ― Virginia Woolf, Writer