Another short, another first in film history. This simple action is cited as being the first ever staged scene on film. Truly much of early film work and experiments were documentarian in nature, here there is an effort to choreograph a sequence of actions for the camera: in short the birth of mise-en-scene.
It would be noteworthy enough for being the world’s first animated film, but considering when it dates from it’s rather amazing. Enjoy!
Somewhere along the way I do believe I’ve seen this before. This is another one I can thank Open Culture for, as they’ve linked to this beautiful restoration/recreation. It’s a short with a simple idea that is hilariously done.
Enjoy!
It’s been too long since I did a Short Film Saturday. This short doc that first aired on Sportscenter, and I just watched it for the first time. It links into a vacation I just took (to Williamsport to the Little League World Series), which is only a small reason for my recent hiatus.
It shows not only the importance of youth programming but also how increased interaction between police and their communit can affect change. Enjoy!
Introduction
If you wish to merely view the short film scroll to the bottom, and enjoy! If you want some of my reasoning for selecting it today, read on.
Statement
I happened upon this short film on Facebook the other day and I wanted to share it on Saturday, but I’ve been slacking on this blog. In light of today’s events in Orlando, it bears sharing.
It’s exhaustive to have to have to constantly remind people that there over a billion Muslims in the world and a prerequisite of the faith is not fundamentalism, which is the largest danger.
Other faiths, ethnicities, and races have perpetrate horrid acts in the past, sometimes as the will of a majority rather than a minority. It does not mean we should shut out the world.
The sole comment I got to this video on Facebook reconfirmed my commitment to sharing it. Furthermore, inspired some pseudo-poetry on my part.
I refuse to judge…
Americans by the Ku Klux Klan,
Germans based on Nazis,
Muslims based on Al Qaeda or Isis,
Christians by the Crusaders.
I refuse to judge.
I refuse to live in fear of…
Americans,
Germans,
Muslims,
Christians.
I refuse to live in fear.
If you choose to live in fear
you truly fear to live.
And that’s the bottom line: it’s choice, this exclusionary fear. You can read here how closely the events of 9/11 affected me. Not that I’ve been immune since; I’ve breathed a sigh of relief, trembled and cried when friends and family “checked in as safe” on Facebook. But again it’s a choice.
I am not a Muslim, but I have met some. I identify with the group that was targeted in this latest heinous act of terrorism, but I choose not to generalize. In his groundbreaking documentary on the Holocaust, Night and Fog, Alain Resnais asks: “Who is responsible then?” In answering this question lately we, as a society, have a tendency to be far too inclusionary in assigning blame. The blame is not to be split a billion ways. The sole blame for the act lies with one man and one extremist organization. A list of enablers is a bit longer but features many more “home grown” culprits.
It’s also important to note that this attack and the thwarted one in Los Angeles comes during the month of Ramadan. Plotting this sort of act contrary to the teachings of Mohammed during the holiest of months shows you how far afield this sort of action is from the core of the faith.
Ahh, a short that both does not need and does not utilize dialogue. It’s a refreshing change of pace, as well as being an uncynical call to disconnect every once in a while. Enjoy!
Mike Leigh’s improvisational filmmaking style did not come to him out of thin air. It was developed and one way in which he did is through short films. This one movies and tells a simple story quickly and economically. Here is Open Culture’s take:
The short, which consists of ten vignettes spanning a half-dozen years, is about a couple deciding whether or not to have a baby. The nameless bloke repeatedly asks his reluctant partner, “Wouldn’t it be great to have a kid?” At the end of the movie, he’s kicking the ball around with his young son. The end. It is almost as if Leigh wanted to see how little backstory and character psychology he could get away with.
Keeping this topic alive and varied this week I offer a short documentary about a young man who is an activist and fighting for awareness and solutions to fight climate change and making a positive difference. It’s inspiring and well-crafted, I won’t spoil the details. It’s well worth a watch.
Another short film to keep the momentum up and bring a little brightness to your Saturday. It’s funny and has some sound effects. Enjoy!
The Movie Rat 