After the extremely entertaining and informative lecture this week about “narrative” given by Dan, it has prompted me to reflect on what is better – having a narrative or not? It was a topic that everyone had their own formed opinion on this week, whether or not the like having a narrative to follow. I think that when it comes down to it, it is down to personal preference. Not needing a narrative is similar to going into an art gallery and being comfortable and seeking solace in interpreting one piece of work in whichever way you want – creating a narrative for it. However, some do not need a narrative, individuals who would prefer to have an explicit meaning behind something,  with a structure to follow, especially when watching a film. I think that it is so interesting to think about the variety of ways someone can interpret something, and how some individuals dislike not having a narrative to follow, which is understandable as some prefer to watch a sequence of events that progresses with a climax at the end and a resolution. Narrative is such a tricky topic, there are various thematic concerns that need to be present in order to classify something as a narrative, but I also believe that an individual’s own take on a piece of work can assist in declaring something a narrative or not.

“You know how everyone’s always saying seize the moment? I don’t know, I’m kind of thinking it’s the other way around, you know, like the moment seizes us.”

Although the project briefs of representing a person have now come to an end, I thought it would be good to see how the professionals do it. Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood” is the epitome of a portrait. Filmed over the course of 12 years, Linklater delves into the adolescence of Mason Evans Jr (portrayed by Ellar Coltrane) as he matures between the ages of 2002 – 2013 growing up in Texas. Experiencing the ups and downs of divorce, drug use and graduation, audiences literally see Mason growing up in front of their very eyes. With a soundtrack true to its era, it really is a nostalgic journey for anyone watching. It is truly amazing to see such a work of art that has been created over such a vast period of time by individuals with such an obvious investment in the project. It is simply extraordinary to experience the film first handedly, as a representation of a specific individual and their triumphs and downfalls.
Nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards and rated 8.1 on IMDB, this film is one of beautiful moments, with concept rich with emotion and naturalism, as Linklater uses its duration to remind everyone that life is about the little moments.

The creative process of project brief 3 was both a challenging and interesting one. Personally I am happy with how the product turned out overall, with the edits being mostly quick, sharp cuts to create a clean and polished finish. I enjoyed syncing voiceovers with footage, as I feel like it is effective in communicating the dialogue through another visual means, rather than only concentrating on images of the subject for the film’s entirety. Although I am pleased with these aspects, I am not as satisfied with the diversity of the portrait. This comes down to the footage I shot myself, which as a whole did not provide enough to work with, causing challenges with cutting and editing. However, if I had accumulated more footage, I feel as though I would have had much more breathing space in which I could have more comfortably cut as I pleased without the restrictions of inadequate content.

            Creating a portrait of another individual is a task that needs to be thoroughly prepared. It was tough to pinpoint one specific topic to ask about, then to draw up questions or starting sentences to stimulate answers. Although you may have envisioned the product you wish to create, you need to realise that the individual you are interviewing may not necessarily be in your mind space, and therefore may not follow the script you have imagined. This is where I have learnt that it is crucial to simply go where the conversation takes you, which may lead to candid and rich footage that you did not anticipate prior to shooting.

            I have come to see the advantages and disadvantages of the constraint of including “found footage” within the project. If suitable footage is found, it is an excellent way of adding something that you didn’t realise you needed, which can definitely enhance the overall product. This said, it was difficult for me to find relevant footage that had the potential to tie in with the nature of the portrait. As a media practitioner, it is beneficial in having sources that allow you to use footage provided by others, along with allowing you to be exposed to others’ works that could influence you own.

After spending my Friday night babysitting, I realised many things, like how annoying children can be, how cute children can be and how hard it can be to put them to bed when all they want to do is make chit chat. As soon as I walked through the door, I was greeted by a 10 year old blonde girl tugging at my bag asking me where I bought it from, along with an 8 year old even cuter blonde asking me if I had dyed my hair since the last time I saw her. I was then asked by the 10 year old how I applied my makeup that morning because the girls in the tutorials she had been watching on YouTube use both sponges and brushes to apply their foundation. At this, I literally sat there shocked for at least a minute – momentarily wondering what I was doing when I was 10 years old – making those scoobie things and putting them on my school bag? I then went into a 20 minute discussion about my makeup routine, which was briefly interrupted every so often by the distraction of the television.

I thought back on this conversation after I had put them to bed – half an hour after their bedtime because I love chatting with them, its refreshing, (something I would never tell their mum). These girls at such a young age are already being enticed by the world of makeup and beauty. I can’t believe that it’s already grabbed them at such a young age, leading to statements such as “of course I need makeup, so and so wears it. I’m just not pretty without it…”  You need to be aware as you read this that this 10 year old is one of the most beautiful little girls you will ever see. What is happening with girls’ self esteem?? If body image issues really are becoming an issue at the age of 8 and 10, how young will it become in the coming years and who do we have to blame for it? This is such a huge topic that really needs to be somehow fixed, because I will not sit and watch 10 year olds criticising their own appearances. Is the media really to blame? Celebrities in magazines? The barriers that restrain gender appearance need to be broken, we really won’t get anywhere unless they are.

Meanwhile, here’s a message from Beyonce: