In class #5, I got to see 2 films. The first one is called Afraid So (2006) that was directed by Jay Rosenblatt, based on a poem written by Jeanne Marie Beaumont with the same name. The poem provoked a sense of anxiety and uncertainty, thus I was curious about how Rosenblatt would interpret the poem and also about the mood of the film. I was surprised to see how dark the film was. Rosenblatt’s decision to make the film in black and white and the chosen clips have made me felt anxious and uneasy, evoking similar feelings to the poem. I particularly enjoyed his selection of clips as they were all rather unexpected. I realized as I immersed myself in the film, I kept on guessing in my head what clip he would choose to illustrate the next line. Although they were very different from each other but combined with the music, the deep narrative voice and the consistent black screen have made the film extremely engaging.

The second film that was screened is called Le Bonheur (1965) which was directed by Agnes Varda. There were 2 separate clips from the film that looked almost identical, however, they exuded completely opposite emotions. The elements in the second clip such as the beddings, clothes, etc. were more colorful and brighter, the music was also more upbeat and lively, and the people seemed more cheerful. When watching both of the clips consecutively, the first clip was definitely gloomier. Even with the same content, the mise-en-scene is the deciding factor of the film’s atmosphere.

These two films were certainly helpful for Exercise 2 where I have to interpret an Observation using visuals. After watching the clips in detail, I acknowledged that there are many ways to interpret a story. Depending on how I portray the story, it could deliver an entirely different meaning. This motivates me to be creative in the next exercise and also inform me to be careful with the mise-en-scene. In a class with so many strong individuals, I am also excited to see the works of others and learn about their thinking processes.