Michael Zryd, "The Academy of the Avant-Garde : A Relationship of Dependence and Resistance"
1. The rise of structural film was the “academization” of the American avant garde. It called for a more organized understanding of film and history. It was formal and theory driven. This called for more participants and jobs involved with exhibition, distribution co-ops, critics and journalists, and called for a broader variety of artists and audiences as well. One downfall was that some artists did not appreciate their works being taught by others. Movies such as Wavelength launched the cinema of structure. 60% of them were rented for the FMC. The Canon Formation was formed to choose which films should be taught in the classroom. Films were more easily attained for academic purposes.
1. The rise of structural film was the “academization” of the American avant garde. It called for a more organized understanding of film and history. It was formal and theory driven. This called for more participants and jobs involved with exhibition, distribution co-ops, critics and journalists, and called for a broader variety of artists and audiences as well. One downfall was that some artists did not appreciate their works being taught by others. Movies such as Wavelength launched the cinema of structure. 60% of them were rented for the FMC. The Canon Formation was formed to choose which films should be taught in the classroom. Films were more easily attained for academic purposes.
2. From what I can understand, autonomous films became more widely known and institutionalized although it was meant for individual artistic expression to resist this. They were against the materialism of art. It is a conundrum because in order to sustain and preserve the films and ideas students needed to have access to these.
3. It is argued that in the academic study of avant garde film that some important aspects are lost when the film is constantly dissected and analyzed. American Avant-Garde filmmakers wished to dissociate themselves from capitalism. The Canon formation also has a lot of control in choosing which films are deemed the most crucial in academic studies. Some feel that Canon downplays the importance of work by new filmmakers.
4. The five legacies of the academicization of the avant-garde:
1. The maintenance/dependence of distribution co-ops, as the classroom became the dominant site of exhibition.
2. Regionalization, as centers of avant-garde film activity expanded beyond NY to multiple regional sites.
3. Publication mechanisms for the writing and dissemination of the history, criticism and theory of the avant garde.
4. Employment for filmmakers as faculty or technical personnel.
5. Development of second and third generation students becoming filmmakers, teachers, critics, programmers, and archivists, etc.
Marc Masters, “The Offenders: No Wave Cinema”
5. Similarities of these punk music and no-wave filmmaking included that they were a community that all took turns doing a little bit of everything, and they learned as they went along. Punk music and no wave filmmaking both gave off the same vibe. They were a group of people doing their own thing in an unconventional way, disregarding and even reacting against the “unfocused artiness and melodrama.” It was a “raw energy and devil-may-care attitude” (aka rock and roll) that showed in the films because anyone would pick up a camera, figuring it out as they went along, and shot something.
Marc Masters, “The Offenders: No Wave Cinema”
5. Similarities of these punk music and no-wave filmmaking included that they were a community that all took turns doing a little bit of everything, and they learned as they went along. Punk music and no wave filmmaking both gave off the same vibe. They were a group of people doing their own thing in an unconventional way, disregarding and even reacting against the “unfocused artiness and melodrama.” It was a “raw energy and devil-may-care attitude” (aka rock and roll) that showed in the films because anyone would pick up a camera, figuring it out as they went along, and shot something.
6. What were the exhibition venues for punk/no-wave films such as those by Beth B. and Scott B., and how did the venues affect film content and style?
CBGB’s, Max’s Kansas City, and New Cinema were some exhibition venues. These were places they could come together and actively view the films in an energetic atmosphere. Audience and filmmakers came together from outside of the art world to interact with one another.
7. a. Influences of No Wave filmmakers included Godard and Truffaunt of the French New Wave Cinema, and Andy Warhol’s Vinyl. They were distinct because they rejected the works of Jonas Mekas and Michael Snow.
b. They used Super 8 even though it was considered too low of quality for exhibitions. It gave the films a grainy feel with interesting colors, plus- it was cheap, which is always a plus in the avant garde genre.
c. Economic similarities and differences- *see above about cost of super 8* Super 8 was easily obtained and shot, therefore saving time and money and allowing them to create films more frequently.
d. Social similarities and differences- Earlier avant garde filmmakers and no wave filmmakers were both reacting and rebelling to previous movements and detaching themselves from the mainstream. In each of these scenes, the artists pretty much live together and work together.
Janet Cutler, “Su Friedrich, Breaking the Rules”
8. She broke the rules because she mixed avant garde with narrative structure. Not only that, but she used psychodrama and structural techniques. Su Friedrich cannot be associated with any one genre or style because she mixed it up.
7. a. Influences of No Wave filmmakers included Godard and Truffaunt of the French New Wave Cinema, and Andy Warhol’s Vinyl. They were distinct because they rejected the works of Jonas Mekas and Michael Snow.
b. They used Super 8 even though it was considered too low of quality for exhibitions. It gave the films a grainy feel with interesting colors, plus- it was cheap, which is always a plus in the avant garde genre.
c. Economic similarities and differences- *see above about cost of super 8* Super 8 was easily obtained and shot, therefore saving time and money and allowing them to create films more frequently.
d. Social similarities and differences- Earlier avant garde filmmakers and no wave filmmakers were both reacting and rebelling to previous movements and detaching themselves from the mainstream. In each of these scenes, the artists pretty much live together and work together.
Janet Cutler, “Su Friedrich, Breaking the Rules”
8. She broke the rules because she mixed avant garde with narrative structure. Not only that, but she used psychodrama and structural techniques. Su Friedrich cannot be associated with any one genre or style because she mixed it up.
9. In “Sink or Swim” the alphabet is shown backwards. Each scene is reminiscent of a childhood memory of Su Friedrich. Her narration of memories also distinguishes the piece.
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