I was somewhat surprised to see in the week nine presentations that so many of the class had chosen quite similar subjects – with many choosing individual filmmakers or films to analyse. This is of course not a bad thing by any stretch, but as we’ve discussed many times throughout the semester, there is quite limited conversation around the topic of coverage and decoupage. So I do have to wonder how much mileage can be gained from a more narrow topic such as this. The presentation I do want to reflect on more thoroughly though is Steven’s, on the steadicam. This topic had the potential to be even more specific than studying a specific filmmaker – but with the right approach could genuinely lead to a really interesting research topic, particularly if Steven is able to narrow his focus down to how the use of a tool such as the steadicam affects the way a filmmakers chooses to construct a scene.
I really like the way Steven has begun to look into technical concerns such as the actual cost of hiring a steadicam with an operator, versus more traditional camera mounts and a grip department to operate them. This line of questioning, in regards to how technical constraints affect how a filmmaker can construct their film, is in my opinion really interesting and also a really practical bundle of knowledge to collect for aspiring filmmakers, as Steven appears to be. I think Steven is off to a really excellent start with his research project – though I do think he may need to be careful to come back around to the purpose of our studio and not get too caught up in the minutiae of how the steadicam actually works from a technical standpoint. While this technical information is interesting to a person like myself, it does risk distracting from the overarching ‘purpose’ of this class.