[Frameworks] 21st Century Limited

[Mark McElhatten]

Sam you are partially correct. 

Nathaniel Dorsky:
Sarabande was razor sharp.

The Great Art of Knowing also razor sharp. The film-maker was present and quite pleased. Many of David Gatten's film could be used as a diagnostic test for projectors given the presence of text across all sectors of the frame at points. 

Robert Beaver's Pitcher of Colored Light was well focused with excellent  sound. The color seemed more muted than usual on this print or in this projection not quite as stellar as I remember at the time of the films first showing in the Walter Reade when the color had an amazing vibrancy. New prints of Pitcher of Colored Light are in progress. If you have seen projections of other Beaver's films in the past at the Walter Reade please remember that many of the films we have shown in the past were projected in 35mm. 

Jeanne Liotta - Obsevando el cielo 
Print and focus were excellent. There were a few significant sound problems that no one seemed to notice but I did, and the film-maker politely confirmed hours later. 

Peter Hutton- AT SEA 
Agreed. There was a notable problem with uneven focus- some portions of the frame in focus others soft, which we have yet to explain. The projectionist was attempting to work with this. Also the black and white section through the image out and was readjusted. The film has been shown here previously - same projector same lens without a problem. This is no excuse but ironically I have seen this film 7 times and this was by far the strongest experience of the film I have ever had. Several other people who have seen the film previously in New York and Rotterdam affirmed the same while noting the problem.  

Stan Brakhage - THE GOD OF DAY HAD GONE DOWN UPON HIM. 
 The film was refocused several times by the projectionist as we are in communication by phone. Gavin Smith was sitting in the front row. And a member of the audience who is an avid viewer of film and has low tolerance for any technical imperfections was in the next to last row. We were conferring at different points. I was not satisfied with the focus throughout. This particular Brakhage film has many different variables of focus,  shots that are clearly very soft focus, shots that are soft focus but of a nature where you might "expect" sharp focus and shots that are clearly sharp focus. Of course regardless the projection should always be in focus and it is not that difficult for a viewer to know when an " out of focus" shot is not properly projected in focus.  I felt the film WAS soft at points in the projection. I have seen GOD OF DAY nine or ten times, at its premiere and in three or four cities including NY in several situations. I had a strong viewing last night but felt that the projection was not optimum for that film. 

Thanks for your report. Apologies. I am sorry you traveled to see this work and that you were frustrated. It indeed would have been brazen (and impossible ) for you to have gone into the booth. It would not have been brazen of you to have mentioned the problems you were experiencing  at the time of the screening, since film-makers, an experienced audience, concerned curators and a cooperative projectionist all shared the same time and space with you. I would have been receptive to your input. Posting a day later on Frameworks might relieve some emotional tension and serve to discourage people from future attendance but it seems less gratifying in the end.
Hopefully things will be better next time you are present, but why not try communicating in person? 
 
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-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Wells <silverfilm at gmail.com>
Sender: frameworks-bounces at jonasmekasfilms.com
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:11:03 
To: Experimental Film Discussion List<frameworks at jonasmekasfilms.com>
Reply-To: Experimental Film Discussion List <frameworks at jonasmekasfilms.com>
Subject: Re: [Frameworks] 21st Century Limited

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