Reviews of an interview with an artist 2

• 
  Very good work, with some issues
  A review of an interview with an artist
  by **DELETED ACCOUNT** on 10/09/2011
  I think you did a great job on this documentary. The opening sequence is very effective, and you did a great job of interviewing him. There are some issues, mainly the quality of the video itself, which is very pixellated and sometimes hard to watch. Unless this is the only copy you have of the video, I would try to upload a better quality copy. There were some rough edits... I think you did a great job on this documentary. The opening sequence is very effective, and you did a great job of interviewing him. There are some issues, mainly the quality of the video itself, which is very pixellated and sometimes hard to watch. Unless this is the only copy you have of the video, I would try to upload a better quality copy. There were some rough edits too, and in future projects, I would suggest trying to make them more seamless. Overall, a very good short film. read
• 
  an interview with an artist
  A review of an interview with an artist
  by Susan P. on 05/03/2010
  Hi Rob and Jack, I saw your upload and this is the sort of work I really enjoy - and have quite a lot of experience with - so I decided to watch and review straight away. I'm going to be somewhat critical in this review however I hope this serves you in the longer term. Feel free to ask me for clarification if I am vague in explaining and exploring my response. The sound... Hi Rob and Jack,
  
  I saw your upload and this is the sort of work I really enjoy - and have quite a lot of experience with - so I decided to watch and review straight away.
  
  I'm going to be somewhat critical in this review however I hope this serves you in the longer term. Feel free to ask me for clarification if I am vague in explaining and exploring my response.
  
  The sound was difficult at the beginning and I'm wondering whether you used a boom mic or you relied on the camera mic itself? Try and always use a boom, particularly if you are walking and making noise on a floor and you're moving in and out (even slightly) from the camera. I battled to hear even though I rewound and re-commenced it.
  
  I soon saw - clearly - who the interviewer was because you offered that as a caption but I didn't really hear who the artist was until a third play through so that felt off-base. Like the attention was not duly placed on the artist. Even in the credits you thank others - but not the artist. I would amend that. (By the way, I know your names are in the production notes but I'm commenting just as a viewer of the film without that additional info).
  
  The interview technique was problematic in the sense that I actually wasn't sure what message you wanted to convey about the artist. In other words, WHY were you showing us? WHY would we want to care? (No offence Rob). :)
  
  I'm posing this as someone who composes quite a few factual show concepts and you're always asked "What's the hook", or, "why should we care?" I'm just passing this on to consider.
  
  The interview starts with the artist showing his first piece of work but the interviewer just repeats the fact that it IS that - repeats it twice in fact - and doesn't make more of it. So, that felt in the end like a potential that quickly ran into a dead-end. I know in some communication classes they recommend repeating what an interviewee says to show you're listening however, in a film you want to try and avoid that where possible because it suggests the questioner has no idea where to go or what to ask.
  
  Was that first painting representative of anything significant or simply a first expression?
  It is all one colour. Is there a reason for that? (And you can always laugh about the potential of being broke and only having one colour of paint if that was the reality!)
  What inspired the artist to commence their painting [career]?
  Were they seeking to emulate another known artist they admired (had they had training?)
  
  Lots of things you can ask. But once again, consider what it IS - the core essential message if you will - that you want to tell the world about Rob.
  
  You then moved to the next painting on the easel. To some extent the music track over this was distracting and a little too loud however, the distance from the work meant there was no intimacy created between the viewer and the work. You did of course move into a close-up but there was an out-of-focus moment and I would have liked to get close earlier.
  
  I thought that half awake state that Rob was talking about was fairly interesting and that in itself might have been a theme IF this is a state that he regularly paints in.
  
  We then have images of a fan. Ok, I am guessing an effect or two there was intended to kind of mirror what was being said but if you listen to the words I'm not sure there was synergy.
  
  Oh, and given the film is now using captions to sort of lead us through, is there some reason you didn't start with those and aim for consistency in presentation right from the beginning? Maybe not important but a point to consider.
  
  We have a caption "On Inspiration". The question Jack poses straight after that actually didn't feel on that topic. It was about feelings and that's what Rob was talking about so there was a discord there on that sub-theme.
  
  Now, interestingly, Rob is, in a way, saying that for him 'feelings' aren't that important - but IDEAS. Yet, in watching that section again I felt HE was sort of starting off by telling us what he THINKS most artists (including performance artists) feel, about feelings. :))
  
  If the film had started with Rob making a statement like:
  
  "You know, I KNOW artists are supposed to create works based on strong emotional reactions to the world - or, that's often what's suggested - but I actually don't relate to that. For me, it's ALL about ideas."
  
  Then I think you'd have something really unique, powerful and mildly counter-culture (in terms of normative expectation).
  
  It can actually be difficult to locate these strong themes when you are both the focus of a film and a director and producer. This is where watching rehearsal rushes can help you. As you watch the material start to question what point you make - if any (because you might not always crack it) - that is strong and unique. Watch that section again and then make more of that in the next shoot. Once again, "Ideas" might be the strength.
  
  As it was this section drifted into a repeat of earlier material. Best to be avoided unless you are adding another layer.
  
  "How it all started". Why is a topic that is usually at the beginning of something in the middle-to-end of your film? I think you can get away with this when you don't actually start a film, like you did, asking about a first work. Can you see what I mean? In your film this was like a re-wind rather than propelling us forward. Just choose one place for 'how it all started' and not two. And of course this might have been the place to show that first blue painting.
  
  "On Comic Books" I'm becoming a little lost about what you are sharing. It's largely the lack of linkage and connectivity between topics.
  
  I'd also watch the straying camera. I know some films make perfect sense of a wander to a light or a foot or a hand holding a coffee but there does need to be a specific point to that. Just using the technique without a clear point to it leads the viewer to feel, well, you're using the technique for affect rather than there being a clear point to it. :)
  
  Ok, IF Rob is seriously into comic book art now, why aren't we seeing some examples of his work? That seems a real omission at this point. If he's NOT doing comic art, why include this material? At the very least Rob would be better showing some comic book art that he feels was a fantastic IDEA (IF you run with that theme as posed earlier).
  
  The ending of Rob on the floor would be fine IF the theme of the whole film had led to this. It just doesn't feel overly connected to the bulk of the content.
  
  I watched the film through a few times and I really like you guys. There IS a definite likable quality and I think you'll get better and better as time marches on.
  
  I wish you both the very best with your careers. read