"Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen." Bresson

Posting newest test edit this morning. Render render render is the name of the game when you change your mind about a particular edit. But I am liking the way this is beginning to feel. I feel the narrative coming through finally. Here is the newest 1 min. 20 sec clip. 

starting to sit down and sift through all the footage, getting ready to accept the fact that I filmed in a few different formats, but overall, should not be too tough to figure it all out. Getting into creating a three scene edit to include the studio footage, the outdoor footage, and the sound track, of which I am now thoroughly changing my mind about my approach to the soundscape. Had a really good strong critique on that last week, and it made a big difference in the fact that I have to remember that other people need to relate, and not to be bludgeoned by my preference to have music dominate something. Was a good experience from great classmates and instructor. thanks everyone. 

Entry date March 4, my darling mothers 79th birthday. Shot film for second half, the live performance aspect of the film, hardest long day I have had in many many years, but so worth the experience. I feel I learned more in one day than in the last 3 or 4 years. Had a fantastic crew of camerapersons, helpers, you name it. The band of course was simply right for the project. Everyone held steady in everything they needed and that I needed. Not one whine was to be heard anywhere. A heartfelt shout out and Thank you to Eric P Abramson from filmcartel.org, Matthew Campbell from The Hidden Design, Mark McCoin from CU Sound Dept.  and to Mighty Fine Studio and Production right here in North Denver. Here are a few photos:

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

Hello all, Sally here. I realized that I had not yet described the film I am planning for my final film project here at CU Boulder. After having done various short 16 mm films, digital short films, etc, I realized that for the last two years I have been dreaming about making a musical portrait of one of my favorite writer/performers, Jeff Finlin. The idea for this film came about as I sat about one day pondering just what it might be that propels, compels an artist to write they way he/she does. The other question that arose was how does an music listener process the music and words. Is it images? Experiences? Is it primal? I ended up feeling that from my experiences of being lucky to work with some of the best writers of song, this was hard to answer, so this film is a somewhat experimental (like all my short films) approach to exploring this question. Some of the film will be shot on 16mm, some on digital, and hopefully include archival super 8. As you scroll through, you will see ideas form, images appear, etc. As the blog moves forward, hopefully so will this film! Thanks for taking time to read this, Sally

Live studio shoot for 4500 film project

This is the studio I will be using for the live studio shoot in the next month, MFA studios in north Denver area. The studio is housed in a turn of the century building at 38th and Larimer, and we will film primarily in the "Big Room" a 45x26  room with the original brick, and using skylight as part of the natural lighting. I am looking for someone from CU film studies to volunteer their time ( I will be feeding volunteers well) with the live performance shoot if interested. Just post here with contact information. We will also be tracking live sound.

More location scout shots in Mead

Again, here in Mead on the farm. This is a railroad car from the turn of the century, like many other things on the farm. I like the look of the warming filter 85, but the B&W is great as well. Any thoughts? As well, somewhere in one of the field on the farm, I will be setting up an old old upright piano they found in a barn to use as a kind of object that sits in a long horizon field, either by itself, or using my subject artist walking from one length to the piano and sitting down and playing.

Location scouting week of Jan 25

This last week has been for scouting the outdoor locations. I found a farm owned by a friend who kindly gave me permission to shoot for the 4500 film, and so now I am taking B&W's and trying to see if using a warming filter gives the look I am going for with the Bolex 16mm.