Review: The Way I Saw It (Korsakow film)

‘The way I saw it’ (2007) is a film by Paul Juricic that explores his employment at international cooperation’s Starbucks and Costco Wholesale. The film deals with the current issues surrounding Major corporations and the way they run their businesses, while also delving into Paul’s experiences as a lower class worker on a personal level.

 The film brilliantly juxtaposes positive propaganda infomercials by the companies with accounts of his less than Stella experience at Starbucks and Costco. This allows him to present an opposing view on how these companies are run without spelling it out to the audience. One minute the audience is looking at an actor positively speaking about how profits “get you the good things in life you want” to Paul’s anecdotes about how repetitive and lonesome it was working as a cart boy.

‘The way I saw it’ (2007) gives the audience a brief look into the corporate higher achy of Costco illustrated by transitions of an animated triangle depicting the employees on the top compared to employees on the bottom. Although primitive in style the animation used varies the content shown and demonstrates the point the film maker is trying to make in a better way than if simple voice over was used.

The majority of the film uses a layering effect which allows the creator to show two images at once. In the foreground could be a quote from a Starbucks official discussing Intellectual property Provision while in the background plays footage taken from outside the establishments. This editing effect keeps the audience engaged as they are not simply looking at a quote on screen. Much of the film is also sped up. This was able to capture the frantic nature of retail employment.

The way in which the film was structured could not have been done better in my opinion. The interface which consisted of clear titles on particular subjects was easy to follow. The ending sequence which dictated his resignation letter was genius and I was able to watch every piece of content made without re-watching anything.

In conclusion, the best Korsakow film I have watched so far.

Image Source: http://www.thewayisawit.org/

Korsakow was the main focus of this week’s lecture. TV shows are created with the four stage structure. Each stage has a mini cliff hanger to keep the audience watching for the three planned commercial breaks. Korsakow does not have these restrictions/ limitations. There are still shot sequences and narrative guide lines but the audience is able to choose the pace and order they would like to view the content (in most cases). Korsakow uses media designers over media producers, mentality. Many creators find this concept hard to deal with because they are surrendering the control to the viewer.

One of the main goals for film and television creators is to use everything in their power to make you suspend your disbelief, that this is a staged performance. This will allow for maximum audience immersion. The director wants you to feel as though you are part of that world. However many film and television makers step outside these conventions, having the actor address the audience or show that it is a movie or ‘Breaking the fourth wall’. This practice of asides, while rare takes the audience out of the experience.

Image Source: http://familyguy.wikia.com/wiki/Fourth_wall

Name: Carl Gibson s3324901

Film Chosen : http://vogmae.net.au/classworks/media/2010/kfilms/asianmeetsmelbourne/

‘When Asian Meets Melbourne’ (2010) explores the cultures of seven international students living in Australia. The film uses a blog style to communicate the feelings the students have about studying in Australia as well as some evidence of their culture in Melbourne’s central business district.

Content

The majority of the videos featured in ‘When Asian Meets Melbourne’ (2010) use the vlog or video blog format. The videos by each of the students discussing their experiences in Melbourne are shot by themselves, from a stand still camera or by a third party in a handheld casual style. Apart from the occasional edit the clips have no signs of post-production and serve to communicate to the audience in the most direct way possible, speaking to the camera. “Video blogs foster linking and conversations between content creators and their audience.” (Garfield, Tames 2006) They are able to connect with the audience on a personal level, as if you are sitting with them having the conversation. The simple subject matter used in the film caters to this style of film making. Much of the information we receive from the students in the film is about simple topics such as their favorite food, friends and university life and it is delivered in an informal way. The audience can see this in the first clip presented in the Korean category where the Monash University student JiYun introduces herself. The Video is shot in what appears to be a shop, based off the overwhelming ambient noise in the back ground. As she explains what she is studying the audience hears the response “yep”. This along with the shaky point of view camera motion gives the impression that you are having this conversation with JiYun and meeting her for the first time. Although this style of film making is often seen as being unprofessional and risks losing audience attention, it does create a scrap book casual style synonymous with university life.

The remainder of the content used in the film is still images and brief videos that aim to give the audience a glimpse at the student’s culture. Despite no voice over and little to no text explaining the images and videos shown it is assumed that they are various shots of places, objects and food from the six different cultures, taken around Melbourne. The images are often revolve around the theme of the students country’s pop culture e.g. films, television shows, video games etc. “Pop culture involves the aspects of social life most actively involved in by the public.”(Philosophy Now 2014) Many of the still images shown are of aspects of the culture university students would most be involved in or engage in. It is  evident that this is a film made by students for students as a lot of the content depicted is what young adults would find interesting e.g. video games and action films, as they believe that it is an important part of their culture.

Interface

The film uses an interface not traditionally seen in Korsakow projects. What begins as an audience dictated experience with an evident beginning in the form of the student introduction then becomes a randomized collage of clips. The film uses south East Asian flags as its primary means of categorizing the content. Upon clicking on a country’s flag the audience is shown the corresponding student from that nation, linking the interface with the content. The audience sees this in the beginning. Five of the six flags are shown and the viewer can begin with which ever student they want. This nonlinear story telling is a Korsakow staple and makes the user feel as though they are in control of the experience and can view the clips at their own pace, connecting the user to the content. “The concept of linear film comes from the technical restrictions of the pre-computer era, which pastes the individual scenes together for eternity. That’s not the case in a Korsakow film. The scenes are linked to one another in a variable way.” (Thalhofer 2011) Although it is nonlinear it guides the user on a short path, as if the student’s video and the flag are linked. However that categorization seems to end there. After the first click the user is left to their own devices and the once thought out interface of having the 5 flags around the title screen becomes a randomization of clips. The interface is successful in allowing the user to view every video the film has to offer but does force the user to view the same clip multiple times.

Pattern

The film revolves heavily around the ideas of culture and what it is like to be interactive with people from the same and or other cultures. The film starts with a layout presenting five flags of countries of the continent of Asia. The motif of flags is prominent throughout the film as it aims to represent the differences in the Asian cultures and connect the audience to the content. The flags open portals into blogs by the international students from those countries and we are given a brief introduction on each student.

Each video is shot in the same pattern, opening with the student stating the question e.g. “Favorite dish in my country?” and then the student answers the question. Similarly the pattern of having the topic stated in writing below the video continues throughout the film. This unfortunately does not connect to the interface. The videos based on the students’ favorite dishes are not grouped together in the interface. Instead the preview pictures on the sides of the current video playing lead to a randomized clip about another student discussing a totally different topic. The Design of Korsakow specializes in not telling “the audience what to think; they have to think themselves.”( Thalhofer 2011) This film takes this idea to great heights by taking the audience on a random adventure after the first sequence.

Rome wasn’t built in a day but maybe this film was. Its slapped together style makes for an interesting parallel between students and University life style. After viewing the film the user will walk away having received the most interesting information from the more personal blogs rather than the still images of china town and other Asian orientated Melbourne locations. The lack of effort in the films design leaves much to be desired but it is able to accomplish what it appears to have set out to do, create a film that shows the social complications and benefits of being an international student studying in Melbourne.

 References:

Garfield, S, Tames, D 2006, Media Revolution: Podcasting Part 2, New England Film, viewed 30 March 2014 < http://newenglandfilm.com/news/archives/2006/02/podcasting.htm>

Philosophy Now 2014, “Pop Culture: An Overview”, Philosophy Now a magazine of ideas, viewed 1 April 2014 < http://philosophynow.org/issues/64/Pop_Culture_An_Overview >

Thalhofer, F 2011, Interview: “I don’t want to be captivated”, The Goethe-Institut, viewed 1 April 2014 <http://www.goethe.de/uun/bdu/en7654604.htm>

https://vimeo.com/90525200

https://vimeo.com/90525203

https://vimeo.com/90525201

In this week’s lecture the main focus was on multiplatform media. We discussed how it is simply not enough to pitch to a studio an idea for a movie. In the 21^st century companies need to see that the idea you are pitching can generate money on multiple platforms. The example of this given was big brother which includes a 24 hour live stream, prime time television slot, sms voting and more. Video games are currently the largest entertainment industry in terms of profit. Video game companies are able to establish whole interactive worlds in which an audience can be invested in. These levels of interactivity goes beyond the video game with many developers implementing online scoring boards, merchandise, TV spin offs and even physical toys that connect to the game.

In the final thoughts of the lecture it was said that our lives are not narratives. This discussion raised a number of issues I had with what the lecturer was saying. Adrian Miles stated something along the lines of “show me a definition of the word narrative that can be associated with your life” and went on to explain how a narrative has a beginning middle and end and your life doesn’t it is just a series of events. However the definition of narrative i was taught is “narrative is a series of events in cause and effect appearing in a space and time.” My life is a series of events based of cause and effect. I am in this course because I studied hard and achieved a high enough mark. I was late for University because my train was cancelled. These are all events that happened because of cause and effect. How whole life is based off cause and effect. As for the second argument my life does have a beginning middle and end. Sure I don’t know what the end will be but then again some large scale productions are started without knowing the exact ending. It changes along the way. ‘I am Legend’ ‘World War Z’ ‘Blade Runner’ these are all prime examples of how the ending was not entirely thought out. To prove my point more you only have to look at biographical films that are LITERALY the story of people’s lives, beginning to end.

source: blackreelawards

Documentary wants to engage with the world.

Change my understanding of a subject.

–          Korsakov will make us think differently on what we think film is and what we think documentaries are.

–          Korsakow creates a structure that the user can work with the producer.

–          TV shows are set up as a 4 stage structure. 4 ad breaks per show which dictate each act.

–          Korsakow does not have this structure. Does not have these limitations.

–          We still have shots and sequences. But it’s up to the view the sequence they view them in.

–          Korsakow: you surrender your control

–          Media designers over media producers.

–

–          Reality TV and other media has become so hybridized. Nothing fits in a perfect box. E.g. Big Brother is a SMS voting system, website, subscription service, TV show.

–          Every reality TV show is like a video game, rules, level up, quests,

–          Computer games are the biggest form of entertainment.

–          Looking at something always triumphs technical equipment e.g. HD video.

– The grandma at the party  shooting video isnt thinking “is it good enough?”

https://vimeo.com/89828640