Blog Assignment 1A: Who Influences Me As A Creative Person?

So far in life, I have yet to create any work to call my own. Thus, I can't really show or explain how anyone has directly influenced me as a creative person. I can however go into detail about some of the artists that most inspire me and how I think they might influence me once I do start creating.

One of the first directors that really got me interested in film was none other than David Lynch. Up until the first time I saw one of his movies, I never really saw the movie medium as something that could really perplex the viewer and make them really have to think about what they just saw. To be fair, I didn't have this revelation the instant I first saw one of his movies, which happened to also be his first movie; Eraserhead. Rather, Eraserhead sparked a bit of an interest for me in to give movies more of a chance. I didn't really know where to start so I just explored some more of David Lynch's work. After I saw Mulholland Drive, that was when my mind was opened.

This scene from Mulholland Drive is a good example of many things we have learned in class. First off, it is a good example of Tension & Release. However, I almost think it works in reverse in this case. When the woman singing collapses towards the end of the clip, I think that is the "release,"and after that moment the tension just continues to build and never really gets a proper release. This clip also shows a lot of different ways sound can be used. Because of the fact that we know some of the sound is a recording, but not to what degree, Lynch is able to mess with how we are perceiving what is happening on the stage which ends up causing the Tension & Release.

This movie is also an excellent example of Active Storytelling. There is almost no way at all that someone who watches this movie for the first time will have any idea what is going on. It takes multiple views before someone can start to understand what is happening and even then, it's still really up to the viewer.

I think David Lynch will really influence my work because his work shows that not everything has to be have a clear and distinct point. Sometimes leaving the meaning up to the viewer can give a better impression than spoon feeding the message.



Another one of my favorite artists that inspires me is Panda Bear, or Noah Lennox from the band Animal Collective. In the same way that David Lynch's films opened me up to a whole new spectrum of movies, Animal Collective's music did the same for me with music. The thing about Noah Lennox that really inspires me is how his work is clearly inspired by his personal life and things that are important to him. When it comes to writing songs that are for his wife or children he doesn't try to hide the meaning underneath layers of metaphors and ambiguous lyrics, but rather gives them an Objective Meaning and says exactly what he wants to.

In his most recent solo release, Tomboy, the opening track is called "You Can Count on Me." As it sounds, it's a song dedicated to his family letting them know he will always be there for them. On Animal Collective's most recent album, Merriweather Post Pavillion, two of the songs that are written by Noah Lennox are again dedicated to his family. The album's first single, "My Girls," is a song dedicated to his wife and daughter (his son was not yet born at the time of writing). As seen in the lyrics, he is simply stating that all he wants in life is to provide for his family.

      My Girls-

There isn't much that I feel I need
A solid soul and the blood I bleed
With a little girl, and by my spouse
I only want a proper house

I don't care for fancy things
Or to take part in the vicious race
But to provide for mine who ask
I will, with heart, on my father's grave

I don't mean to seem like I care about material things
Like our social stats
I just want four walls and adobe slats for my girls

 Noah Lennox is really inspirational for me because of how he not only freely lets his life influence his work, but he also shows it. I think that's really important for an artist to do, no matter what it is that may be doing the influencing.



A last artist that inspires me is Gaspar Noé. Gaspar's work was something I didn't come across until awhile after I started becoming interested in films. His work is so inspiring to me because of the innovative ways in which he uses cameras to get things across in his movies. When I first saw his movie Enter the Void, I was absolutely amazed at the creative and interesting ways in which the cameras were used to imply meaning to things. The film follows the story of a young man named Oscar who lives in Tokyo. It takes place in 3 distinct parts each of which can be differentiated from the others by the camera styles. The first part takes place with a 1st person view; through the eyes of Oscar. The second part pulls back and takes place in 3rd person; from behind the head of Oscar. The final part pulls back even farther and becomes a free floating entity. I would get into the detail of what each of these camera styles represent but I'm afraid it would spoil a lot of the story.

A first person point of view used in the beginning of Enter the Void

A third person shot used in the second section of Enter the Void

A floating shot used in the final section of Enter the Void

Gaspar is really inspirational to me because he is never afraid to try something new. In fact, he is known for pushing boundaries. I would not recommend watching any of his films if you are easily offended as they are some of the most offensive movies I have ever seen.