10/19 presentations and the Microcinema

After reading From Art House to Microcinema it became clearer to me that local cinema society is important in the development of a progressive cinema industry.  To me, it seems that progress has to happen within a smaller group of people before a larger society adopts it in. I found this article to also be inspiring by the fact it talks about how “underground” cinema is important as well. Considering I am a senior and about to be thrown off into the world, I have been trying to create as many things as possible to practice and prepare myself for whatever lies ahead. Although my ambitions by seem a little far-fetched, I would love to prepare local screenings at my house and offer new opportunities for local film fanatics in my own town. I want to be a business owner one day and I believe this would be a good platform for me to practice as well.

For the presentations, I think all three of the presenters did well.  Maggie’s presentation on Marlon Riggs was fantastic and provocative. I found Marlon Riggs extremely interesting because he was a risk taker.  It’s amazing how much of his life he struggled being a gay, African American because of social injustice but Riggs never gave up.  Kathrin’s presentation on Su Friedrick was interesting. I don’t know if I just didn’t see enough of Su’s films but I feel like her films were meant for her own memories and not for an audience? They had a unique style but I did not find her films very interesting. Gaby’s presentation on Jen Proctor was excellent. I think she gave a good image as to what Proctor is interested in.  I also think that the fact that Gabby personally contacted her subject, it helped her presentation and representation of Jen Proctor.  I am always an advocate for the “just go out and do it” mentality.  Proctor seemed to be a very intelligent scholar and filmmaker and I hope to run into more of her material in the future.