When The Trees Were Still Real

"In Passing" and Remodernist Film Featured in Filmink Magazine

2011-10-27T09:10:00.001-04:00

“The film is neither a fully experimental work, nor a movie fixated on classic narrative; rather, 'In Passing' explores the passing of time and the relation of time to cinematic space. Often focusing on intimate yet small details – the table top exploration of a crustacean, the patter of rain on a window, cats at play, the ocean shot from a moving car, a couple looking into a camera knowing that ...the film they are making will fail – and finding something lyrically poignant and even personal within these transient moments. There are scenes in which people seem to vanish, no longer seen on screen, yet the space they once occupied still resonates with their echoes, moving through the poetic sublime."

-Jack Sargeant, "The New Personal Cinema: From Lyrical Film to Remodernism"- Filmink Magazine

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Post-production fundraiser for "In Passing"

2011-10-08T11:04:00.001-04:00

Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Release the Filmmakers Arrested “for Collaborating with BBC Persian”

2011-09-20T16:30:00.002-04:00

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

El manifiesto de cine remodernista por Jesse Richards

2011-09-19T19:26:00.003-04:00

El manifiesto de cine remodernista por Jesse Richards

Los manifiestos de arte, a pesar de las buenas intenciones del escritor, siempre deben “ser tomadas con un grano de sal” como dice el cliché; porque estas están sujetas al ego, las pretensiones y la ignorancia a secas y estupidez de sus autores. Esto viene siendo así desde el manifiesto Die Brücke de 1906, y continúa a través del tiempo hasta este manifiesto que lees ahora. Una sana desconfianza hacia los manifiestos es entendida y animada. Sin embargo, las ideas presentadas aquí pretenden ser sinceras, con la esperanza de impulsar la inspiración y cambio en los otros, así como a mí mismo.
El remodernismo busca una nueva espiritualidad en el arte. Por lo tanto, el cine remodernista busca una nueva espiritualidad en el cine. El cine espiritual no significa películas sobre Jesús o el Buda. El cine espiritual no es sobre religión. Es un cine preocupado por la humanidad y el entendimiento de las verdades simples y momentos de la humanidad. El cine espiritual es TOTALMENTE sobre estos momentos.
El cine podría ser uno de los perfectos métodos de la expresión creativa, debido a la habilidad del cineasta de esculpir con imagen, sonido y con la sensación del tiempo. En su mayoría, las posibilidades creativas del cine han sido desperdiciadas. El cine no es una pintura, una novela, una obra de teatro, ni una fotografía fija. Las reglas y métodos usados para crear el cine no deberían estar atadas a estos otros esfuerzos creativos. El cine NO debería pensarse como “todo sobre relatar un argumento”. El argumento es una convención de la escritura, y no, necesariamente, debería ser considerada una convención del cine.
Las ideas japonesas del wabi-sabi (la belleza de la imperfección) y mono no aware (la conciencia en la transitoriedad de las cosas y los sentimientos agridulces que acompañan su paso), tienen la habilidad de mostrar la verdad de la existencia, y siempre deberían estar consideradas al realizar el cine remodernista.
Un sentido artificial de la “perfección” nunca debería ser impuesto en un cine remodernista. Los defectos deberían ser aceptados, e incluso incentivados. Con ese fin, un cineasta remodernista debe considerar el uso de cinta de película, y en particular cintas como Super-8 y 16mm, porque estos medios implican un mayor riesgo y un requerimiento de dejar las cosas al azar, en oposición al video digital. El video digital es para personas que tienen temor de, y son reacios a cometer errores—. El video conduce a un cine aburrido y estéril. Los errores y fracasos hacen tu obra honesta y humana.
La cinta de película, particularmente la Super-8, tiene una tosquedad, y una habilidad de capturar la esencia poética de la vida, que el video nunca ha sido capaz de lograr.
La intuición es una herramienta poderosa para la comunicación honesta. Tu intuición siempre podrá decirte si estás haciendo algo honesto, así que la utilización de la intuición es la clave para todas las fases del cine remodernista.
Cualquier producto o resultado de la creatividad humana es inherentemente subjetivo, debido a las creencias, los prejuicios y los conocimientos de la persona realizando la obra. La obra que intente ser objetiva siempre será subjetiva, sólo que será subjetiva de una forma deshonesta. Las películas objetivas son inherentemente deshonestas. Stanley Kubrick, quien patética y desesperadamente intentó realizar películas objetivas, en lugar de eso, realizó películas deshonestas y aburridas.
El cine remodernista es siempre subjetivo y no aspira a ser objetivo.
El cine remodernista no es Dogma 95. No tenemos una lista pretensiosa que debe seguirse con precisión. Este manifiesto debe ser visto únicamente como una recopilación de ideas y consejos de cuyo autor los demás se podrían burlar o aún insultarle a voluntad.
El cineasta remodernista siempre debe tener el coraje de fracasar, incluso esperar fracasar, y encontrar la honestidad, la belleza y la humanidad en el fracaso.
El cineasta remodernista nunca debe esperar ser agradecido o felicitado. En su lugar, los insultos y críticas deben ser bienvenidas. Tú debes estar dispuesto a ser ignorado y pasado por alto.
El cineasta remodernista debería aceptar sus influencias y debería tener la valentía de copiar de ellas en su búsqueda de la comprensión de sí mismos.
El cine remodernista debe ser un tipo de cine minimalista, simplificado, lírico y punk; y es un pariente cercano al No-Wave Cinema que salió del Lower East Side de Nueva York en los setentas.
El cine Remodernista es para los jóvenes, y para aquellos que son mayores pero siguen teniendo el coraje de mirar al mundo con ojos como si ellos fuesen niños.

— Las únicas excepciones al Punto 5, sobre video, son Harris Smith y Peter Rinaldi; a mi parecer, ellos son las únicas personas que han realizado un uso honesto y significativo de este medio.

Este manifiesto puede serle adjuntado/añadido en el futuro, mientras ideas adicionales se desarrollen.

Los siguientes son para el estudio adicional de aquellos interesados en lo que ha influenciado la filosofía del cine remodernista.

Cineastas remodernistas honorarios

Amos Poe, y todos los cineastas de la No-Wave Cinema

Andrei Tarkovsky

Jean Vigo

Kenji Mizoguchi

Maurice Pialat

Yasujiro Ozu

Wolf Howard

Billy Childish

Otros artistas/grupos de arte/ideas influyentes

Die Brücke

Les Fauves

Stuckism

The Defastenists

Vincent Van Gogh

Edvard Munch

Mono no aware

Wabi-sabi

Algunas películas que influenciaron y condujeron al cine remodernista

“The Foreigner”- Amos Poe

“Zerkalo”- Andrei Tarkovsky

“Andrei Rublev”- Andrei Tarkovsky

“Zéro de conduite”- Jean Vigo

“L’Atalante”- Jean Vigo

“Ugetsu Monogatari”- Kenji Mizoguchi

“A Nos Amours”- Maurice Pialat

“Tokyo Story”- Yasujiro Ozu

Translated from the English language to Latin-American Spanish by Agustín Lorenzo.

(aguslord@msn.com)

Seeking actors and non-actors for new films

2011-09-01T10:36:00.001-04:00

Contact me with info about yourself via my blogger profile if you are in the western MA area and want to participate in some improvised new films.

New Trailer for Remodernist omnibus film "In Passing"

2011-08-05T14:26:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Christopher Michael Beer for the excellent work!

Bill Mousoulis, founder, SENSES OF CINEMA, on the Remodernist film "IN PASSING"

2011-07-24T16:10:00.004-04:00

"IN PASSING is an admirable work. At times it feels like experimental cinema, or an art installation, or minimalist narrative work, or cryptic documentary work, but it is none of these things, in a way it is beyond them. As an omnibus film, the seven pieces are unified - their exploration of the passing of time, the passage of space, and, more importantly, the "passing" (the imagining, the expression, the extinguishing) of cinema. The filmmakers are working under a "remodernist" designation, complete with a set of 15 "rules". So it's an attempt to renew cinema, to find new forms - as many of the modernist filmmakers of the '60s wanted to do. (And did.) In an age where digital technology has given rise to a proliferation of filmmakers with nothing but commercial dreams in their heads for their moribund creations, this remodernist group of filmmakers is dreaming and believing in something else. And actually doing it. IN PASSING is an intriguing and exquisite work, filled with many delightful elements."

- Bill Mousoulis, Founding editor, Senses of Cinema journal.

Award winning new short from Jesse Richards

2011-06-26T12:03:00.003-04:00

Trailer for the new Remodernist feature film project "In Passing"

2011-06-13T20:27:00.002-04:00

"In Passing" Trailer 1 from Cine Foundation International on Vimeo.

Post on Cine Foundation International:

http://cinefoundation.org/2011/06/in-passing-cfi-presents-the-trailer-for-the-first-remodernist-collaborative-feature-film/

First two Remodernist feature films...

2011-03-14T18:04:00.003-04:00

So as I noted in an earlier post, the production notes for Béla Tarr's new film The Turin Horse, describe the film as "remodernist cinema", so that film could be considered on of the first features that specifically are described in that way. See the trailer here:

Also, Rouzbeh Rashidi has completed a brilliant new feature Closure of Catharsis, that begins with text noting that it was inspired by the Remodernist film manifesto.

See the trailer here:

Closure of Catharsis (Trailer - A Feature Film By Rouzbeh Rashidi - 2011) from Rouzbeh Rashidi on Vimeo.

"Remodernist cinema" in the production notes for The Turin Horse

2011-02-17T06:39:00.003-05:00

"Production notes published to accompany the film's premiere in Berlin said it was consistent
with Tarr's 'remodernist cinema that seeks to capture the rhythm of life in real time and to raise
a sharp awareness of the moment' ".

Reuters article

Remodernist Film Podcast 1 now on archive.org

2010-11-03T12:31:00.000-04:00

Here's the link:

http://www.archive.org/details/RemodernistFilmPodcast1

Nevermind the Bolex Here's the Subvex Emergency Broadcast

2010-10-30T14:29:00.001-04:00

Today, 30th October 2010 6th Avenue and 29th St. Manhattan New York. 3:00pm-9.30pm. A 30ft screen. Stereo sound. Public space with 1500 person capacity. In broadcast: films, shorts and cuts from the global Subvex collective, incl. work by Nina Menkes, Philip Brett, Billy Childish, Té Viessoix, Fred L'epee, Jesse Richards, Jonathan Douglas Duran, Edward Paul Quist, Luis Alguera, Sam Spreckley and an hour long program of rare and beautiful 8mm films by Ian Helliwell leading up to the feature length screening of Bill Morrison's 'Decasia' from 7:30pm. More information http://www.subvex.com/ from 12pm EST

New article about Remodernist film by John Riley, and some NY screenings...

2010-10-28T10:41:00.004-04:00

Hey all!

Sorry for the long break from posting Remodernist film news- this has been a very busy time!

So two things to share here- a new article about Remodernist film by John Riley here:

http://www.apengine.org/2010/10/remodernist-film-by-john-a-riley/

and here's a tiny clip of my film "so tell me again" being played at the Big Screen Project, 29th Street, NYC.

Subvex will be involved with programming there starting on Oct. 30th.

Remodernist Film Manifesto Translated to Persian and Published in Iranian Newspaper

2010-09-02T13:17:00.003-04:00

It's the column on the right. Rouzbeh Rashidi interview on the left.

Exquisite Corpse: 8 MM Film Experiment - Thompson on Hollywood

2010-08-27T10:34:00.000-04:00

Exquisite Corpse: 8 MM Film Experiment - Thompson on Hollywood

New article about Remodernist Film in Iran- Shargh News Paper, Published 17 August 2010. By Kamyar Kordestani.

2010-08-17T19:07:00.002-04:00

The one all the way on the left.

New Interview

2010-08-07T15:06:00.007-04:00

Here's a new interview with me which was conducted by Reyzl Perchonok, a student from Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem. This was originally published on the Subvex website.

Questions for Jesse Richards.

Ideology

Q. How did you decided to become an artist (if there was such decision), was the decision more ideological or personal? Are you guided by ideology in your contemporary work?

A. Well I suppose this all probably came about from needing to find another way to communicate. I’ve always been incredibly shy. Filmmaking became the first consistent medium for me (other than writing gory horror/monster stories as a little kid- I was obsessed with vampires and Frankenstein). I began making films as a teenager. I’m not sure I see much of a difference between ideological decisions and personal decisions; because ideology basically comes out of what seems to be personally right, what your intuition tells you is truth.

Q. Do you believe that art or relations in art can be a tool for achieving social change?

A. Of course it’s possible, but I don’t think it’s happened in a long time. I think right now people everywhere are crying out for this, and essentially this is what Remodernism in all of its forms has been born out of- a growing need for deeper communication. Communication has never been more surface, more superficial than it’s been lately. Herzog’s “Rogue Film School” and “Minnesota Declaration”, the Subvex collective, film genres described as “cinema anima”, “contemplative cinema”, Stuckism, Defastenism- all of these things are part of Remodernism, and a part of this growing need for social change through deeper communication.

Q. Is your work supported by governmental institutions? If not, would you like it to be? If yes, does it affect the content of your work?

A. My own personal work as a filmmaker isn’t financially supported by anybody at the moment, although the new collective Subvex that I’m participating in is looking into new ways of raising funds for people making personal films.

Government money would be nice, as long as they didn’t try to dictate content- that of course would be unacceptable. However- the German New Cinema and Tarkovsky’s work were funded in this way, and that work is very, very good for the most part. I don’t think we can really count on capitalistic ideas to work when it comes to making honest work. Capitalism as we see has started to become a complete failure. Also the majority of cinema and art today is dictated by marketing- and look at all the garbage it’s created. People aren’t stupid mind you, but most people aren’t good at putting money into things that make us better and healthier- we waste money on junk food and on movies that we’ve forgotten a half-hour after finishing them. We can be pretty lazy when we’re not careful.

Even as low/no-budget as I (and other Remodernist filmmakers) may work, it still costs something to do this. Now that my physical disability (spina bifida) has prevented me from being able to work traditional jobs and to support my own work in that way (as I did until recently), I need to find other options for funding… Many others are in similar positions. It’s a difficult time.

Q. Do you identify yourself with your country/city/government?

A. I don’t think about that kind of thing much lately. I think of things more as I’m part of this world and I want it to be a good one. I want people to stop being emotionally and spiritually lazy- and that goes for me as well. People fighting over all of these stupid things, meaningless thing like religion, it’s sick. So I see problems in the US, and I see them elsewhere too- I also see people trying to do good things everywhere as well. So I think we need to look beyond our own governments and religions and so forth.

Q. Do you deal with politics on professional or personal level?

A. In the US as with everywhere else politics is completely based on lies. I’m more interested in specific social/cosmic issues rather than “political issues” because the political issue is usually some form of misrepresentation or dumbed-down version of a social or cosmic issue.

Environment

Q. Could you tell about your artistic environment? Do you work in a collective, if yes, how significant this collective to your work (or life)?

A. Yes, I’m involved in two groups. One is a very loose association of a few Remodernist filmmakers that I organized and we’re working on a compilation feature film. Some are in very close communication with me, some are not. I didn’t feel like setting up a bunch of rules with it, so I’m seeing what develops out of it. I was recently invited to participate in and be one of the core members in a new collective of filmmakers called Subvex, which was just started by Tobias Morgan in Paris. Subvex is essentially focused on bringing deeper communication back into cinema- and sharing new ideas and theories- so again it’s essentially Remodernism. Collectives I think can be very positive experiences as long as it’s the right group of people and everyone stays real and is willing to grow individually and with each other.

Q. Do you define your work as local?

A. I did when I lived in New Haven, at least on some level. Now I live in Massachusetts in a semi-rural small town where I know very few people, so my relationships are not really “local”, so I guess no, my work is no longer “local”.

Q. What do you think about internet communities? Do you find this platform usable for artistic or social connections? Did it help you spreading the ideas of remodernist movement?

A. Internet communities are kind of a blessing and a curse. One of the problems we have right now is that there isn’t enough of a face-to-face community. We’re all at home or at work on our stupid computers typing away. I can’t think of the last time I was at a coffee shop or something and a random stranger engaged me in conversation (or where I felt comfortable engaging a random stranger in conversation). This was never a problem even fifteen years ago. On the other hand, Remodernist film, Stuckism, Subvex, and most of the collaborations I’ve been part of since maybe 2000 or 2001 have developed over the internet one way or the other. So yes, the internet has been very useful for sharing ideas and starting projects.

Film

Q. Do you think that art and film must communicate with the viewer? Do you consider the viewer when you make films?

A. I think one’s work should never talk down to anyone- however other than that I think it is actually insulting to “consider the viewer”, because to do so requires one to lump different, random people into a generic group, and then make assumptions about their values, experiences and so forth. I think that is not a good thing at all. I think it would be better as a filmmaker/painter/etc. to communicate your own ideas, feelings, and experiences as honestly as possible, using your own intuition. People will find you and will connect with you in a deeper, more real way. People can find the connections even through the obvious differences- because deep down people really do want to connect, although in many ways modern culture is training us only to connect on a superficial level; and this is what we have to work against.

Q. What is in your opinion postmodernist cinema?

A. Postmodernist cinema in my opinion is a superficial cinema where filmmakers that love filmmakers and films make surface-ey films that reference other films and filmmakers; but fails to make deeper connections, fails to be personal.

Q. What is in your opinion “video art” in the context of cinematograph? Does your work refer to video art?

A. I don’t really watch video art, so I don’t really know what to say about it. I do like some films that are usually considered “experimental” or “avant-garde” like films by Bruce Baillie, Jonas Mekas and others, but those are pretty different from what I think of to be video art. I will say that the stuff I’ve seen projected in galleries is usually not very interesting to me. If you have specific examples in mind and some links I could respond to those if you want.

Methods of your work

Q. How would you describe the significance of montage in your films?

A. I fit things together in my films based entirely upon my intuition. It isn’t something I use a formula to put together. I like Tarkovsky’s thoughts on “sculpting in time”, and Bergson’s “duration”, but it’s not something I’m actively thinking about when I’m working on something. It’s all based on feeling, maybe some kind of internal flow kind of thing.

Q. Do you follow a specific theory developed by you or others while composing your films?

A. No. I think forcing something is a mistake. Having things rattling around inside you is good, those things will come out on their own; but actively saying “this” symbolizes “this” or I will compose this in such and such a way ends up building fake connections I think.

Formats

Q. Will you consider using video for your films? What were the motives behind filming “Orphans” on video? If it was an experiment, what were your feelings or conclusions?

A. If a format seems right I will probably use it. “Orphans” wasn’t a planned thing, it developed out of me messing around with Flip Video- a friend thought it was interesting image-wise so on her recommendation I tried it out- another friend had one and so I borrowed his. There were things I liked about it and things that I didn’t. It’s hard for me to say right now (also I’m unsure how much of that has to do with “Orphans” and how much has to do with Flip Video). I will probably mess around with one again and see what happens. I used a regular digital video camera to shoot a piece of “wonder about patterns in your head” and I liked that interaction quite a bit. I bought a Canon HV-30, so at some point there will be something that I will do at least partially in HD.

Q. What do you think about the HD format? Do you like the appearance of images shot in this format? What do you think about the non-material characteristic of this format (no tapes only data)? In your opinion, if HD format would take over the global media, will the usage of DV format get new artistic meaning?

A. I haven’t seen much that I’ve liked in HD yet, but I think it’s too early for me to say much about it at this point. Right now it seems like it’s being used badly, many people are using it to emulate Hollywood. I think there are some things that we do need to be thinking about though- on one hand we are losing our archives, our history. We don’t have photo albums, letters, any of that kind of thing in a big way anymore. Our information, much of our art isn’t “tangible” anymore. This makes me sad. Of course some people see this as a good thing, since now there isn’t an object that can be stolen or controlled by a market- so therefore the artist has a new “freedom”. I don’t know what to think about these things yet (or at least today); but I think these are things we all should be thinking about.

Q. Do you watch television? Would/did you show your films on television?

A. I have a TV but I only use it to watch movies or DVD’s sometimes, and I don’t even do that very much anymore. “Dexter” is kind of enjoyable though. I rent those when they come out on DVD, other than that I don’t really watch TV anymore. Reality shows give me the creeps.

I would probably be ok with showing films on TV, depending on the channel, and as long as there wasn’t censorship involved.

Q. You shoot your films on Super-8 but transfer it to digital data and upload it to the internet. In this way part of the visual features of the films are not preserved for the internet viewer. Do you consider it as limitation over projecting your films analogically?

A. Yes the sound Super-8 films that I’ve made recently are edited on the computer. Of course that’s a limitation because I can’t control how they are watched. This is not a perfect situation.

Q. Do you cut your films by hand or digitally?

A. I have done and can do both. Usually I cut digitally, but I am going to be doing some new things on Super-8 that will be silent and cut by hand (as well as possibly developed by hand).

Q. Do you predict any future artistic value of 3D technique?

A. 3-D is just a marketing gimmick right now, but I suppose anything is possible.

Other

Q. How would you describe the place of the artist in the contemporary society?

A. The artist right now seems to be an outsider, but maybe that’s how it’s always been.

Q. What do you think about the “Altermodern” exhibition and the theory of its curator, Nicolas Bourriaud? In your opinion, is the agenda of this event coordinates with the ideas of remodernism?

A. I wasn’t aware of “Altermodern” until you mentioned it. It just seems to me to be more postmodernism and nothing else. The Tate people just found a hip new way to say the same old things. The difference seems to be that postmodernism and “altermodernism” which looks like the same thing to me, is pretty much an external, surface thing, while early modernism and remodernism are more internal, and come from beneath the surface.

Subvex has arrived!

2010-07-19T08:42:00.002-04:00

www.subvex.com

SUBVEX

2010-07-02T19:41:00.004-04:00

I'm excited to say that I've just joined the international film collective SUBVEX which has many of the same goals as the Remodernist film movement. More on this soon!

SUBVEX was initiated by Tobias Morgan (co-director of "The Garage" on the Auteurs, now Mubi), is currently based in Paris and New York and advocates the occupation of new spaces for the projection of films that would otherwise struggle to receive distribution in a mainstream market, and emphasises the development of ground-level cultures around new waves in contemporary filmmaking.

Commissions

2010-06-20T21:05:00.000-04:00

I am now available for select commission work, preferably photography and films.

When contacting me about a commission, please include:

Name:
Proof of age: (If requesting work with adult content. Must be over 18).
Email:
Commission type:
Commission purpose: (personal or commercial)
Notes: (any extra specification about the commission. The more descriptive the better)

Please Note:

I prefer Paypal for payment.
I require 1/2 of the total price for the commissioned work in advance. This will not be refundable.
I reserve the right to deny any commission request.
Commissioned work is copyright Jesse Richards.
All prices will be in U.S. dollars.
Depending on scheduling/type of/complexity of commission, there may be a waiting time of several months.

New website

2010-06-19T17:13:00.004-04:00

Put up a new personal website, on Wix, so obviously it's nothing fancy, but it's easy for me to put stuff on fairly quickly. Yeah so check it out. I have some of my artwork, films, bio, CV and all that kinda jazz up there. Maybe someday I'll make a nicer one, but it's not really a priority for me...

Also soon I'll put up a Remodernist Film site on Weebly as well, where each of the Remodernist filmmakers will have their own page.

Ok then- here's my site:

F.A.Q.

2010-06-18T19:04:00.009-04:00

FAQ

So I’ve been a little lazy about getting to this, but at this point it’s seeming pretty necessary that I have a FAQ about my work, as well as the film manifesto and Remodernist film in general. So here it is! I divided things up between Remodernist Film movement/the manifesto, and questions about me and my own work:

Remodernist Film Movement/Manifesto

Q. I’d like to translate the Remodernist Film Manifesto into such and such a language. Is that all right with you? Will I have to pay a fee or anything?

A. Yes it is definitely ok with me and no I don’t want money for it, but please contact me about your plans first. The idea is to get this out to as many people as possible, certainly in the hope of inspiring change, and at worst, discussion and reflection on how things are and how they could be… Also although I’m not a language wizard, I would appreciate being involved in some way in the translation process, even if it’s just to answer your questions. It’s important to me that the spirit of the thing isn’t changed too much in the translation.

Q. What’s up with all these rules? Isn’t that inherently problematic? Defining what is or isn’t art?

A. This is something that some people get stuck on about this thing. The manifesto was intended from the beginning (and as mentioned in the manifesto itself) to be a collection of ideas and hints, with the purpose of encouraging different ways of looking at one’s filmmaking/creative experience, and actually making the creative experience more personal. These are not a system of rules, or a strict definition of what is or isn’t art.

Q. Isn’t writing a manifesto silly? Nobody does that. Nothing important or useful has ever been said in a manifesto, no serious art has ever been encouraged by one.

A. Actually this idea is a total myth and is symptomatic of the unnecessary cynicism and negativity that comes out of the postmodernist mentality in relation to creativity. Manifestos were a useful way for artists, writers and musicians to communicate ideas and philosophies in the 19th and early 20th centuries- and these manifestos in fact DID encourage widespread social and artistic change. Off the top of my head I can think of manifestos from Die Brucke, the Vienna Secession, Dada, Surrealism, from Antonin Artaud, the Symbolists, and many, many others. Widespread social/artistic/cultural change may be more difficult to achieve in the 21st century- but I think we deserve it, I think it is necessary- and I think it is worth making an attempt to accomplish this.

Q. I just want to correspond with you and the other Remodernist filmmakers about these Remodernist film ideas…

A. Awesome, but I get a little overwhelmed when dealing with email, so don’t get mad if I don’t respond right away. I’ll respond ASAP. Most of the other Remodernist filmmakers are on Facebook, and can be found through the Remodernist Film Facebook Group here (please join and interact with us):

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=92422855094&ref=ts

Q. Where can I see some Remodernist films?

A. Many shorts are online and can be found on YouTube in this playlist:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmPIF32tTG4&feature=PlayList&p=46ED3CF978CAF21A&

The next videos are at the top. I don’t really like how it’s set up, but that’s how we have it for now.

Dean Kavanagh’s film “Poor Edward” is on Vimeo.

Q. Is there another site for the Remodernist Filmmakers, with bios, films etc?

A. I’m gonna put something up on Wix within a few days to deal with this, and then hopefully something a little nicer than that asap…. I’ll put the Wix link here when it’s done… …..(coming soon)…..

Q. How does one become a Remodernist filmmaker? Can I join?

A. Lots of people are declaring themselves as remodernist filmmakers (or in allegiance with the ideas at least), independently- and I think that is the best way to go. I don’t want to get too much into a club mentality on this thing. I guess I’m gonna be in accord with the other remodernist groups on this one. Other than the founding group of filmmakers, I think the way to go is for forthcoming groups to be self-directed. I don’t expect too many fake Remodernist filmmakers to be popping up anyway- as Peter Rinaldi aptly noted, “Being a remodernist filmmaker isn’t exactly advantageous from a career perspective”. If you’ve announced yourself as a Remodernist filmmaker and you want to share your website link, etc, send it along to my email on my profile here.

Me and My Work

Q. I’d like to interview you for this website/magazine/newspaper/show/podcast/thesis paper etc.

A. Sure, that would be great. Just send along your questions, or email me to arrange a time for a phone interview. Here’s my email address (just remove the spaces I put in to thwart spambots- you can also find my email on my blogger profile):
j e s s e . r i c h a r d s . f i l m @ g m a i l . c o m

Q. Do you take on commissions (films, photography, paintings)/will you direct my film project/will you act in my film/will you come introduce this film/give a lecture/talk on this panel?

A. I do take on some commissioned work, but the more freedom I have in the project (especially subject matter, tone, etc) the more likely I’ll be to take it on. I’m more interested in doing films and photography in this context. Please read this post specifically about me taking on commissioned work. As far as acting goes, I am interested in acting in others' projects, depending on what they are/my availability, etc. The more challenging or honest the project is, the more interested I will probably be in acting in it. I used to act in a lot of short films and look forward to doing more (of course features would be considered too). Just email me to discuss. For panels and things of that nature- email me your proposal- but for commissioned work, panels, acting- please give me some notice on it.

Q. Umm why don’t you have a real website, jackass? What’s up with having this blog?

A. I’m not a computer wizard- and got very annoyed with my last site- however I am putting up a barebones one for myself on Weebly (at least for now), and might put a fancy, annoying one up someday. When the Wix thing is finished I’ll add the link to this answer…. Ok here it is.

Q. Are you a fucking commie?

A. Not exactly, but I do think that capitalism has made a negative impact on the creative process for many people in many ways, particularly in recent years. It’s true that even back in the days of early modernism that artists like Klimt and Schiele or others had to paint portraits of the rich to survive- yet looking at what these guys got away with in some of these portraits- you have to conclude that the people being painted might’ve been a bit more adventurous than their equivalent class nowadays. It seems crazy to me that someone like Damien Hirst with his stupid pickled sheep and bejeweled skull is a multi-millionaire, yet people like Bela Tarr have to fight like mad to get anything produced and Bruce Baillie has to depend on food pantries to feed his family. The priorities are all fucked up right now. We need to really think about this. Time to get over the PoMo bullshit. It was already played out by 1970. And as far as capitalism in general goes... well just take a look at how things have been going... the United States is pretty much in another depression as far as it looks to me. So it appears to me as if capitalism has betrayed a whole hell of a lot of people- here and elsewhere and seems to be pretty much a failed system. We need to come together and really find a new way to live and to get along with each other.

IS THAT IT?

Just for now. If I forgot to answer something, message me and I’ll see about adding it. (I’m now preparing for emails like “why are you such an asshole”? “how does it feel to be so ugly”, etc, etc.)

"Youngblood" and "The Spy" by Harris Smith now online!

2010-06-12T07:29:00.009-04:00

Here are two films by Harris Smith from back at our days at SVA. "Youngblood" is what I would consider proto-Remodernist film, or possibly the very first one. (It was made before the term "remodernist film" was used- but it inspired a lot of what the term would mean, at least to me).

Also available to see on YouTube is Harris Smith's film "The Spy", also from the same period- and one that I was lucky enough to appear in!

"The Age of Amateur Cinema Will Return"- one more reason to like Jia Zhangke

2010-03-03T18:56:00.004-05:00

I've been a fan of Jia's work since seeing his film "The World". "Still Life" is another favorite. Here's one more reason to like this guy: he argues for a return to amateur film- away from the paralysis of the professional mindset. (Thanks Peter Rinaldi for showing me this)!

http://dgeneratefilms.com/academia/jia-zhangke-the-age-of-amateur-cinema-will-return/