Museum of the Moving Image

Some of the first things we looked at in the Museum of the Moving Image were precursors to moving image technologies, including the zoetrope, which I found to be a particularly interesting toy. We had learned a little about the zoetrope in class, but I had never actually seen one in action and I couldn’t really understand how it worked or how it looked just by reading about it in text. Seeing the toy in action and the illusion it produces was surprisingly eye-popping and fascinating, albeit a rudimentary moving image device. For me, the zoetrope actualized the concept that each frame of a moving image must be punctuated by a brief and imperceptible moment of darkness (flicker) in order to give the illusion of motion.

The museum also had a collection of antique movie cameras and television sets. Early televisions were designed and manufactured to look like just another piece of furniture in somebody’s home and were encased in wood. This is in contrast to the televisions of today, which are now a larger and more imposing focal point in a home than ever. Generally, no effort is made to disguise the electronic equipment and the bigger the screen the better. I think the most peculiar of the old televisions at the museum was not a wooden piece, but one with a rounded screen that made it resemble a washing machine, of all things. Supposedly it was designed this way to appeal to the housewives of the 1950’s since it blended in with their other household appliances and because they were the stay-at-home audience. Today, the tables have turned to a sort of reversed sexism; the electronics market is now primarily based on appealing to the masculine consumer.

Artist Statement

I’ve taken up several creative hobbies in my life—including drawing, painting, singing, and acting—but from a very young age, I always knew I ultimately wanted to become a filmmaker. Although I have no experience, I have long been developing a repertoire of ideas that I hope to express someday through the art of film. I am endlessly fascinated with Japan and everything Japanese—especially Japanese animation. The best of anime represents innovative filmmaking that exceeds anything manufactured by Hollywood in recent years. This is why my filmmaking approach will be inspired partly by my favorite works of the medium, particularly the movies of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. I hope to direct my own anime films, and to experiment with translating the aesthetics of anime into a live-action setting. I am similarly inspired by the action and sensibility of Chinese martial arts epics. However, the themes of my work will somewhat depart from genre standards, because I will draw on my personal experiences and philosophical musings. Using symbolism and unconventional narrative structure, I’ll question religious dogmatism, expose the false dichotomy of gender roles, fight against homophobia, express hope for a peaceful planet, and explore the paradoxes of existence.