Ben Streeter Professor Waters Film 105 15 September 2013 Photographic Memory Response Prior to watching the screening

of Photographic Memory, both Ross Mc lwee an! the film itself were completel" foreign to me# $his left me as an blan% slate an! with no pre!ispositions, something that allowe! m" to en&o" an! anal"'e the film simpl" for what it is# (oinci!entall", the open manner with which ) recei*e! the film mimic%e! the open st"le that the film emplo"e!# $his is +ltimatel" what hoo%e! m" attention, the simple st"le# -ften ambig+it" an! o*er.st"le! film are lac%ing, or en! +p mas%ing the content an! meaning of the film# Mc lwee let the simple film st"le ser*e as an all b+t transparent win!ow into his stor" instea! of an altering lens# $his p+ts greater emphasis on both what an! how the shot is being filme! rather than what can be !one in the e!iting s+ite after# /i%el" the arose from Mc lwee0s long relationship with film rather than !igital me!i+m# $his techni1+e, howe*er, is pertinent e*en to !igital filmma%ers# 2s of now, m" personal st"le ten!s an! li%el" will ten! to be a simpler, more straightforwar! manner# Beca+se of this, Mc lwee0s st"le ha! a beneficial effect on me# S+ch shots as the s%i lift that was o*erlai! with the *oicemail from his son were so simple, "et also so poignant# 2fter the screening someone as%e! wh" he +se! this shot, an! Mc lwee0s response was simpl" somewhere along the lines of 3it felt right#4 $his seems to be the best reasoning for choosing a shot# 5ot some con*ol+te! an! ambig+o+s reasoning that nee!s !etaile! e6planation# B+t +ncomplicate! st"le lea*es the content an! form of the film *er" e6pose!# For someone with as interesting a stor" an! refine! a form as Mc lwee, this e6pos+re amplifies the power of the film# For a first time filmma%er, this e6pos+re re*eals e*er"thing from sha%" camerawor% to poor composition to +ninteresting s+b&ect matter# 2s a beginner, ha*ing a simple st"le li%e Mc lwee0s

hopef+ll" will lea! to impro*ement in man" other fiel!s, beca+se it0s either impro*e or mas% with fanc" st"le# *en in Photographic Memory there were less than i!eal shots that were highlighte!# )t co+l! be something as simple as slightl" off white balance# )n this partic+lar film, howe*er, this simpl" lea! to a greater feeling of realness in the stor", something that is %e" to a !oc+mentar"# (learl" what str+c% me most was Mc lwee0s straightforwar! st"le# $his st"le !i!n0t &+st stan! alone tho+gh# )t le! to changes in form, composition, an! the filming itself# Wanting to !e*elop practical st"le an! filming, this film e6pose! me to well e6ec+te! application of this st"le#