[Frameworks] Exemplary Sound Design in AG Film

[carl at termite.org]

How about a lot of the work by the folks over at the Sensory Ethnography
Lab, especially those involving Ernst Karel? (Leviathan, Sweetgrass..)

https://sel.fas.harvard.edu/index.html

 

Carl

 

 

 

From: robert harris [mailto:lagonaboba at gmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2016 1:43 PM
To: Experimental Film Discussion List <frameworks at jonasmekasfilms.com>
Subject: Re: [Frameworks] Exemplary Sound Design in AG Film

 

Thanks for the response Fred. Somewhere in in the recesses of my mind I
thought of you when posting the question, a. because for decades I've
respected your insights, and b., because one of your most memorable posts
contained your statement (at least this is how I remember it.) that
Beethoven's Grosse Fuge is a definitive avant garde work.  A smile inducing
and welcome statement in the context of Frameworks.

 

As to anonymity, community and the internet, I prefer my community to
involve warm bodies sharing tangible space. Not to say the I don't
appreciate Frameworks, I do. And it's fascinating and heartening to know
that there are disembodied consciousnesses out there that profess to care
about something I believe I care about. But this is no fun to type about
abstractly. 

 

So, I'm Robert Harris. I live in greater Boston. I teach filmmaking (actual
16mm bolex/arri filmmaking in addition to digital video that everyone seems
to think should be called film) at Fitchburg State University in central
Massachusetts. I used to be involved with Anthology Film Archives Video
Program in 70's and 80's.

The program for which I'm planning a sound design component is the New York
State Summer School of the Arts.  Its a program I've run for 25 years,
having inherited it from Gerald O'Grady.

A few lurking frame workers have taught with me and/or been visiting
artists. Maybe even some former students out there. Tony Conrad taught in
the program under O'Grady. Sharits probably had a bit to do with the program
moving to my care. The program is for high school students.  We teach 16mm
film, digital video, digital photo, computer animation, and electronic
sound.  Watching healthy amounts of experimental film, from 16mm prints, has
always been an essential part of the program.

 

So that's that.

I appreciate the suggestions that have been offered, though I've not yet
found what I'm hoping for in the preliminary samplings I've been able to
view and hear.

So many works have music tracks, orchestral music, jazz, electronic music,
pop.sometimes with narration.  Sometimes the music is great, sometimes it's
lacking, but my search is for sound design that reaches farther or deeper
than sound track music. I enjoyed re-watching The End  but it's "just" text
and music.  Invocation of My Demon Brother  is "just" Mick Jagger's
electronic noodlings on a MOOG.  Robert Withers just posted that Abigail
Child's work is worthy, and I agree.  A title I didn't mention earlier is
Robert Gardner's Forests of Bliss.  Deborah Stratman frequently does great
sound work.  

I'm just hopeful that I learn that there is more really rich stuff out
there.  Sound is pretty wonderful.  

 

Robert Harris

 

 

 

 

On May 15, 2016, at 9:10 PM, Fred Camper <f at fredcamper.com
<mailto:f at fredcamper.com> > wrote:





Why not tell us your name, location, and the name of the school?

FraneWorks doesn't feel like much of a community anymore. Or maybe I'll just
never get used to Internet anonymity, fine on some sex advice board but to
me not right for a place like this.

To be contrary, I'd suggest Christopher Maclaine's The End and The Man Who
Invented Gold. They are very great films, in my view but not in everyone's,
with great soundtracks that do not meet your criteria, but they are not
"strictly intellectual" either -- far from it. Made with minimal means, they
might seem amateurish to someone who hated them.

Then there's my favorite Bruce Baillie sound track, the one for Tung. But
check into what i mean before renting the film.

Fred Camper, Chicago

On 5/15/2016 2:36 PM, lagonaboba wrote:

For a class I'm preparing, I'm interested in suggestions as to Experimental
Films with exemplary, excellent sound design and sound editing. 

By excellent I mean, complex, layered, inventive, of rich and nuanced
timbre..excellent for it's sonic qualities (as opposed to strictly
intellectual qualities).

As I plan to rent prints, it would be helpful if the works were available
from FMC, Canyon, MOMA or some USA domestic distributor.

I would include:

 

Baillie's Castro Street  & Quick Billy, 

Kubelka's Unsere Afrikareise, 

Hindle's Watersmith

Jack Chambers' Hart of London

 

Thanks.

 

 






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