MAY 2021
film
Table of Contents Overlooked
Words and Illustration by Margarita Louka
Escapism
Words and Illustration by Anna Stone
Pan’s Labyrinth
Illustration by Rachel Middleton
An Assortment of Actors Illustrations by Andy Edwards
Cover and Endpapers: Rachel Middleton Editor: Anna Stone
By: Margarita Louka
Overlooked
We are all familiar with the experience of going to the cinema; the lush seats, the hushed atmosphere and most importantly, the globally advertised film. We are all aware that these films have a huge crew and budget, and make large earnings from their audiences, all which are results of coming from an internationally recognized studio. However, outside of the mainstream world of cinema, there is a plethora of films we may potentially be missing out on. I am of course speaking as an outsider to the world of film, who mainly consumes mainstream cinema. Film students may have a completely different experience to me. This genre is called experimental films, which are made for a niche audience and do not have the huge financial backing that is required for blockbuster films. They are usually exploratory and symbolic, experimenting with aesthetics,
visuals and audio, and investigate alternatives to the traditional ways of storytelling. They may focus on the director’s vision, on critiquing society or focus on the character’s thoughts instead of having the goal-orientated storyline we are so used to. They can be influenced by other disciplines, such as dance, poetry and painting. These films are usually displayed in film festivals, so they are not as accessible to the wider public, especially if you are not in touch with the film world and don’t know where to look for them. However, music videos have interestingly borrowed from experimental film techniques. Pink Floyd, for example, used symbolism in their music videos, mostly to enhance their political and social messages. Film and music artists have been experimenting with a plethora of methods of rendering a film such as animation, stop-motion, long videos
that are like a short film, dancing, interactive music videos, and visual albums. I applaud experimentation in every medium; I think lots of artists are torn between experimentation and pursuing a cleaner and more ‘sellable’ style. This commercialization limits not only the artist, but also the audience, as they are not aware of films that could enrich their viewing experience. Experimentation is not only for students or young creatives finding their feet in their career. It is for artists at any point in their lives wanting to try something new. I believe there is a place for both the commercial and the experimental spheres of art. The challenge would be to make the experimental spheres of film, and art in general, more readily accessible to an audience who could benefit from them.
Illustration By: Margarita Louka
By: Anna Stone
Escapism
I am sure you have either watched the newer Alice in Wonderland films (starring Mia Wasikowska as Alice, Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen), or the psychedelic 1951 animated version. I definitely grew up watching the latter on video, however I equally loved the newer, live-action films. I loved how they animated the Cheshire cat in the animated version, by using a variety of special effects, for example how they made him disappear when he was talking to Alice in their initial encounter. It was not quite the same in the live-action version, however it’s hard to fully translate that from the animated form. A famous quote that Alice says is “Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast,” which I think is a good way to live life. Especially in this past year, we need that kind of optimism and hope. We need that extra impagination and belief for a better future. This past year has been so hard for so many different people, in so many different ways. However, having fantasy films has been a great way to escape life’s issues. You can be drawn into a world of mystery, excitement, and adventure - something that life this year has lacked! In this way, Alice in Wonderland encapsulates this form of escapism very well. Alice literally leaves her dreary life and goes on this massive adventure with different characters, like the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit. The White Rabbit has the famous phrase of “I’m late, I’m late for a very important date. No time to say ‘Hello, Goodbye’. I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.” Throughout the film, he is constantly rushing about. Tardiness, like
for the White Rabbit, does happen to a fair few people. I always find that whenever I am running late, it seems like the world is against me, by making me even later. For example, suddenly there is a slow car on the road, or the bus suddenly decides to be late. These equivalent circumstances happened to the White Rabbit too! To be honest, I think most people can relate to a few of these characters, in different ways. There’s the Mad Hatter with his celebrations of Unbirthdays - I have actually had a teacher at school who liked to celebrate them too! If people are really honest with themselves, everyone can be a little bit mad (as the Mad Hatter himself says, “all the best people are!”). Of course, not everyone celebrates Unbirthday’s or has crazy tea parties, but craziness can come in loads of forms. We can use films or television shows to escape our problems, by sometimes choosing them because we can relate to the storyline or characters in some way. The stories have an added bonus of an idealised version of ourselves or a life we desire, but live through the characters’ experiences in what we watch. This can be a dangerous habit, however when managed properly, and acknowledged for what it is, can be adjusted so we do not fully invest our lives into these romanticised lives on screen. Enjoy the films and shows. But, whatever you do, also take breaks from them. Love life to fullest, because there can be some exciting adventures you can go on in real life!
Illustration By: Anna Stone
Pan’s Labyrinth
Illustration By: Rachel Middleton
Jake Hyllenhaal Illustration By: Andy Edwards
Margot Robbie Illustration By: Andy Edwards
Jamie Foxx
Illustration By: Andy Edwards
Salma Hayek
Illustration By: Andy Edwards
Jonah Hill
Illustration By: Andy Edwards
Tilda Swinton
Illustration By: Andy Edwards
Copyright © 2021 by Rachel Middleton, Margarita Louka, Andy Edwards, and Anna Stone. All rights reserved. This publication or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, copied, reprinted, reworked, redistributed, or used in any manner whatsoever without the explicit written permission of the copyright holders.