GUILLERMO DEL TORO: AT HOME WITH MONSTERS - A.G.O.

I went to see the Guillermo Del Toro exhibit at the A.G.O. last weekend and it was so good! I highly recommend it.

What makes it so enjoyable is how interdisciplinary it is. Unlike many exhibits, and galleries in general, that tend to show work separated traditionally by type: paintings hanging on the wall, the occasional sculpture, photography or print- which tend to produce the same kind of gallery behaviour by the visitors: quietly walking from one piece to the next, hands behind their back, leaning in now and then to read the didactics. This exhibit broke away from this gallery model and created what many galleries are aiming for: it was dynamic, interactive and got visitors taking and moving around experiencing the show in different ways- based on what intrigued them.

Another element that makes this show successful and refreshing is how it combines the fine arts with applied arts: painting and prints, next to costume design and story boards, next to comics and book illustration, movie props and plans for medieval stained glass windows.

I like the way it was set up: collections + influences. I think that every show would be more interesting with a section dedicated to showing what inspired and influenced the artist.

Here are a few images from the show:

- Patrick

Back To The Future Project

I've always loved the first Back To The Future and this past spring I used it in my grade 10 Media Arts class for a few arts assignments.

The purpose of first Back To The Future assignment was to help students develop their ability to analyze works of media arts- starting with a format they are comfortable with- film.

Using the critical analysis process, the students watched Back To The Future and made notes and observations about some some of the dominant themes of the film. Such as: time, scientific invention, 50's culture, 80's culture, music and friendship.

The they made connections between the themes they identified and the way the film-makers presented their story- what was included in the shot? what music was used and when? how were the two different time periods portrayed? How is friendship represented?

One interesting observations that one student made was- the director included 88 clocks in shots throughout the film. Coincidence? - Probably, but interesting to note. What we can say for sure is that the film-makers went out of their way to include clocks, watches and time displays in every important scene in the film, constantly reminding the viewer that time is ticking.

The purpose of the second Back To The Future assignment was to have the students choose an idea from the film to create a product to commemorate the film- a kind of memorabilia for the 30th anniversary of the film.

Here is one example:

- Patrick

Advertising and Graphic Design Lessons

I am teaching a Grade 10 Media Arts class this term and we're in the middle of a fun unit focusing on advertising and graphic design.

I started out teaching them the four fundamental principles of graphic design (see previous post with handout). 

Next, the students were introduced to the program Adobe Illustrator. 

After exploring the design principles with some Illustrator exercises, the students were ready to try designing a logo for a future business or product. 

To give them some background in the history of advertising and design, we watched the film Art & Copy.  

The kids enjoyed it- it gave them a look into the industry and an understanding of the different jobs involved.

After using the creative process to design their own logos, it will be time for the culminating project of the unit: use the four principles of design to re-create a favourite film poster, featuring a new logo for the film or the production company. More unit and lesson ideas to come as we work through the course...

- Patrick

T.I.F.F. Field Trip

This term my Grade 12 Film Studies class along with an English class and a Writers Craft class visited TIFF to try the "Make a Movie In a Day" program.

We had a great time and the students got the chance to experience a high-paced version of the whole film-making process using industry standard equipment. They wrote screenplays in small groups, pitched them, voted on one, practiced and shot it and we received a copy of the edited final a few weeks later. 

This is a trip I will gladly do again!

Terry Gilliam, 99% Blog Interview

The Behance blog 99% recently featured this interview with filmmaker Terry Gilliam about where he gets his ideas and how he works. This is a solid interview of a fascinating artist, definitely worth a read.

In it he states:
"You just carry on. You do things. I'm always doing something. I can't stand sitting around."

Thor Concept Art: Michael Kutsche

Here is a look at some of the concept art that went into the making of the film Thor. I enjoyed the film a lot, largely because of the visual beauty. It's fascinating to see how some of the characters and visuals come about. Here is some of Michael Kutsche's concept art for the film, and his website.