Memento

Christopher Nolan's Memento is one of the most interesting films that I have ever seen. It starts off with an exciting action scene where the main character kills someone named John G. At first, the audience is led to believe that the main character is the good guy on a quest to avenge his beloved wife. However, as the movie goes on it seems that our "hero" is not who we thought he was. Nolan, shows the audience the true nature of the character in a series of flashbacks and flash forwards. It is interesting to see time portrayed in a strange stream of consciousness fashion. I really enjoyed the fact that the labyrinth is in fact the main character's mind and the game he sets up for himself. At first he main character seems like he is a victim but in fact he is the one who set himself up. It also makes sense that Nolan is the one who directed this movie since he was the one to direct Inception. Inception also plays with the concept of being trapped within one's mind.

Labyrinth

The Circular Ruins is an extremely strange tale which describes how a man would like to create a man through his imagination. The story follows this man's journey into trying to dream up this perfect man. His story reminds me of the struggle of an artist trying to credit the perfect painting. The man goes through something similar to artist's or writer's block when he undergoes severe mental distress when he is unable to create the perfect man on his first try. He struggled so much that he became an insomniac for a short period of time: "He abandoned all premeditation of dreaming, and almost instantly managed to sleep for a fair portion of the day." The man had to allow himself to abandon his creation for a short period of time in order to mentally recover. This reminds me to any artist or designer who has become extremely invested in his work. It can be mentally grueling and exhausting. Finally, he was able to create this perfect man but his happiness did not last. He soon realized that he was also a fiction of another man's imagination. "To be not a man, but the projection of another man's dream---labors. He walked into the tatters of flame, but they did not bite his flesh--they caressed him, bathed him without heat and without combustion. With relief, with humiliation, with terror, he realized that he, too, was but appearance, that another man was dreaming him." I think that this last quote was when I finally realized what the labyrinth was in the story. At first, I did understand that the labyrinth in this story was metaphorical and would be the mind. I think that I can relate to this story a lot because when I feel completely enveloped in a project then I can get lost within myself and my own creation.

The second story has several metaphors. The first compares life to a Labyrinth. The second describes the Universe being very similar to a library. Each person has a book and can do with what he or she may please. However, sometimes the plot/fate is already set out for the main character. By the time the person in at the end of his or her life or the book then it is hard to remember what was written. Some believe that once a person dies their words will be put back into the cyclical book. The cyclical book is a metaphor for God.

Storyboard

The fictional documentary is set in New York City and follows a middle aged woman named Karyl. She is known as "creepy Karyl" in the lower east side of Manhattan. Karyl got her nickname by visiting Washington Square Park almost every day to watch the chess players. It has been recently discovered that Karyl is the same age as the ex-world Champion Chess player from 20 years ago. However, the ex chess champion had a severe mental breakdown and has been missing for almost 18 years. This fictional documentary investigates this theory. 

Fictional Documentary: Chess

Statement:

This documentary follows a middle age-man who is known as "Creepy Carl" to the Lower East Side locals in New York City. "Creepy Carl" was once the winner of the World Chess Championship and genius.  We follow his daily routine at Washington Square Park and discuss his journey from prodigy to a naive people watcher. 

Priority Elements:

1. Opening: Close up shot of a chess board

2. Context of theme: Zoom out and show first chess players playing and then Washington Square Park.

3. Environmental background shots: His apartment, Carl's watching spot in Washington Square Park, 

4. Transition Shots: Movement of hands on chess board, Newspaper clippings of Carl's World Chess Championship, Newspaper articles about his disappearance

5. Visual Texture: Close up shot of chess board

McCloud Inspiration

• The idea of the mind finishing an action. 
• Letting the reader know what happened but giving his imagination room to fill in the blanks of how the action was done. 
• Showing very few clues triggers the reader to have images and use his imagination
• One panel operating as several panels can depict a single moment
• A single moment can be held or elongated by a silent caption that cuts off
• The shape of the panel or how many panels there are can also represent a longer period of time
• Borderless panel can be considered timeless
• When the panel is silent then it can create a sense of timelessness
• Able to show movement through static medium
• Showing emotion through certain drawings  

Banksy's Fiction Documentary

Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop was a great example of a fiction documentary. The documentary's purpose seems to change as it progresses. This shifting purpose is a great example of a fictional element because the majority of documentaries have a set purpose or message that they want to give to the audience. Also, if their message changes while they are making the film then they usually edit out the extra parts. The things that made the documentary more credible was the fact that they interviewed experts in the art industry. For example, they had interviews with an art collector, graffiti artists, and Banksy himself. Another thing that made the documentary more credible and believable was the fact that when Thierry gave up his filming to become an artist he made a full show. He showed a team of workers who were working on the production of his show. However, Thierry's art did not seem legitimate. The Campbell's spray can seems to be copying Andy Warhol. Another thing that was completely absurd was when Thierry injured himself. Although they filmed an interview with a doctor it is highly unlikely to get an actual injury on tape. It seemed like there was some major acting going on there!

Graphic Novel