Presentation reflection
Em’s pitch was to create a documentary of her grandmother and the things that bother her, pulling inspiration from the interview content we have done throughout the semester, as well as the short film “Pills” from the bibliography “32 short films about Glenn Gould”. I was engaged by how she drew inspiration from the film, which displays all the prescription medication that Glenn Gould was taking with a voiceover. The way she developed the idea to get her grandmother to create a list that could then be used as title cards for different parts of the film was a really interesting way of thinking, and I think it definitely will make the final product engaging and easy to follow. It also allows for a clear structure and development of the film which I think also adds to how smart the idea actually was.
The short clips that Em had already filmed also were really engaging, and her grandmother as a character works so well, as she is clearly comfortable being the subject due to her relationship with Em. The way she would go off on tangents whilst speaking also allows for the footage to feel less forced and with strict direction, which is a really nice touch.
The title cards that Em used are also really nice and a good way to break up the whole thing. Her asking for feedback regarding whether to use text as well as the handwritten notes on the list, or just using the writing was also quite important I think. The general group consensus was to keep the text on the title cards which I hope was useful to Em as well.
From what she showed the class, the editing was really well put together and it was already such an engaging piece even though it was a small fraction of what the final product will be. Em’s presentation was quite clear and she seemed to be quite proud of her work already, however was open to feedback and questions which I think is so important at the stage we were at during that week. The presentation overall was just really engaging (it helps that she went early as well) and I am excited to potentially see the final product as it is clear it is a well-thought-over project and the snippet shown has set a high standard for both Em and for the rest of us in the class.