While working on logistics today, I took time to read from Bresson to re-awaken my perspective. It is quite easy to be caught up in all the persnickety details and worries, so picking up words from Bresson reminds me that I am making a film about words. Today's quote is worth the consideration of my internal desire to shut myself the hell up and just be silent with it all- just let it be what it is to my innermost self:

"Debussy himself used to play with the piano's lid down". 

Today, with the help of a good friend (and film classmate) Matt Campbell, I grew a set, if you will, and I joined Vimeo put up my first film on  It is going to be privacy protected with a password, so if anyone wants to check it out, let me know, and I will shoot you the password. It was my second Super 8mm film, and I am pretty fond of what I did to make it. Tonight I finish up my presentation for class and the goal is to offer up a storyboard that is not vague, rambling, but to the point well enough to create a visual or image of some sort for the class. This is an amazing and wonderful class in terms of feeling finally like I am progressing toward the things I need to be cognizant of. The responsibility is a little overwhelming, but I am also excited to feel like I am entering this world with my eyes/heart  a little more open. I will be posting a new little test clip soon.

Again, reading Bresson's Notes on The Cinematographer. Just by reading some of his words each day, I feel comforted in my dreams and hopes. His words bring home to me his idea of "Metteur-en-scene", where he writes that "the point is not to direct someone, but to direct oneself". Hallelujah to that. that seems to be the way I work, and many times, I will have the doubt that this is a good thing. I feel much, much better now. 

Does anyone know anything good/bad about Mac Video Converter?

http://download.cnet.com/Mac-Video-Converter-X/3000-2194_4-75623022.html?tag=rb_content;contentBody;pop

Well, I spent the late afternoon out on location of the farm I will be shooting at this Saturday. Amazing place, full of all kinds of great things to capture on a bolex. This is yet further test QT mv4 for ideas, images, fusion, words, sound, etc. Trying to see if there is a rhythm yet to what I hope to create in two months' time. I still seem to be going in the same direction, but this time, I started on the process of how to pull the live music images  into the more static images. I found a live clip of Jeff Finlin (albeit of very poor quality) and used it to start looking at what I will need to do, and it will be fairly straightforward. I will be using a much more artsy approach, by being inspired by the look of Tom Waits, and looking at the films of Jem Cohen as well. (love Jem Cohen- strange but beautiful).
I spent time today reading more Bresson quotes, and one really stood out to me: "Dig into your sensation... don't analyze it with words. Translate it into sister images..." I connected with this quote as it speaks to how I work in my head when trying to make a film. It is much about sensation for me-- I respond without thinking much of the time. For me, it all comes together when in edit mode, much more so than planning ahead of time. I suppose if I was going for a less 'experimental' kind of short film, I might be inclined to show more discipline. But there you are. Anyway, am also researching the potential nightmarish aspect of combining real film and digital into one film and found a link that I think will be real helpful to me and anyone else who might be struggling with the technology aspect of it all:

http://www.larryjordan.biz/technique-choosing-the-best-videocodec/

Visited the Cinelicious website today to check into how they might do it, and for how much. Here is a link for anyone trying to figure out transfer costs, etc:

http://cinelicious.tv/we-love-film/small-formats

Planning a small visit to the super8 room at CU tomorrow to view archival super 8 films made by Jeff Finlin to see if there is a place in the film, which I hope there is. Working on finding out solutions to using more than one or two formats in editing as well. I know there are ways to work with that. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know. Open minded to all suggestions!

This is just a short twenty second test to see how printed word can appear on an image, looking at ways to have it appear, move, and the images shift colors, etc. Music and words are by Jeff Finlin. Again, just an exploration of how to connect images and words and music. I am pretty sure this is the direction I will end up going, but with film versus still images. This week am headed out to scout locations, measure light and exposure, etc.

Thought I would share a class experiment from last semester where we had to take a classmate's monologue and make a film for it. 16mm Bolex Reflex B&W ©sally van meter all rights reserved 2011.

Today with all the snow falling down here in town, I had more than a few hours to consider what might be important in making my final film. I read Bresson for a little while, then began thinking about a class I had last semester, called "Italian Culture Through Cinema". Likely one of the best classes I have ever taken at CU. Not only did I get to watch the best of Italian films made from the early 50's through current times, but it was taught by Tina Pugliese, who really showed me that every single thing you put into your film has it's place. Symbolism abounds in Italian films, not to forget emotion, color, silence, movement and yes, subtlety; all those things that make my heart beat extra fast when it comes to film.

"To find a kinship between image, sound and silence. To give them an air of being glad to be together, of having chosen their place." (Milton:Silence was Pleased). From Robert Bresson's Notes on the Cinematographer