Episode 40. Evelyn Kreutzer on Videographic Vulnerability
Sep 29, 2023
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Evelyn Kreutzer, a Berlin-based video essayist, talks about videographic vulnerability, videography collaboration projects, and incorporating personal experiences into academic work. They also discuss their fear of the film 'Psycho', the importance of feedback in video essay creation, and exploring Hitchcock through sound and memory. The chapter also covers the creative process of making a video essay and the significance of the waving water surface effect in one of their works.
The rapid expansion of videographic criticism in recent years has led to increased online activity and opportunities for scholars, resulting in the growth of the videographic community.
Collaborative videographic projects, such as 'Once Upon a Screen,' have the power to tap into personal memories and create a mosaic of cinematic memory fragments within a supportive community.
Videographic vulnerability plays a significant role in fostering a sense of community among scholars and creating a supportive learning environment.
Deep dives
Evelyn Kreitzer's Journey into Videographic Criticism
Evelyn Kreitzer, a postdoctoral researcher and project leader, shares her origin story in videographic criticism. She stumbled upon a workshop that caught her interest and decided to apply, even though the deadline was approaching. Being unfamiliar with video essays, she saw the opportunity to engage in creative work and explore film analysis beyond the written or spoken word. This workshop became a formative event in her academic career. She later expanded her videographic methodology, focusing on films such as Disney's Fantasia and the work of artists like Nam June Paik and Martin Arnold.
The Evolution and Expansion of Videographic Criticism
Kreitzer discusses the rapid expansion of videographic criticism, especially within the past two years. The pandemic lockdowns led to increased online activity and opportunities for scholars to produce creative work, share exercises and works in progress, and engage in conferences and events focused on videographic criticism. Kreitzer highlights the growth of the videographic community, the formation of networks, and the increased visibility and accessibility of this field. However, she also emphasizes the need to open up these conversations and events to non-academic audiences and video essayists outside of academia.
Exploring Screen Traumas in Videographic Work
Kreitzer's collaboration with Ariel Avasar resulted in the project 'Once Upon a Screen,' which focused on screen traumas and shared film memories. They encouraged scholars to create short video essays that explored their personal experiences with terrifying scenes from films. The project gained significant attention and fostered interests in vulnerability and collaborative videographic projects. Kreitzer emphasizes the power of videographic work to tap into personal memories and create a mosaic of cinematic memory fragments that can be shared and explored within a supportive community.
The Importance of Vulnerability in Videographic Community
The podcast episode explores the significance of vulnerability in the videographic community. Sharing intuitive and personal works, such as videographic scholarship, creates a sense of exposure and vulnerability. This vulnerability fosters a strong sense of community among scholars, leading to a supportive and collaborative environment. The speaker highlights the impact of vulnerability in teaching videographic methods and providing feedback to students. The conversation delves into whether vulnerability should be tempered to maintain a hierarchy or embraced to foster a supportive learning environment.
Footsteps: Exploring Sound and Memory in Hitchcock Films
The podcast discusses a video essay titled 'Footsteps' that focuses on the sound of footsteps in Alfred Hitchcock films. The creator, in reconciling her ambivalence about working on Hitchcock, explores the profound impact of Hitchcock's films on her cinematic memory. The video essay intricately weaves together excerpts from Hitchcock films, a poem, and footage of waving water surfaces to create a poetic meditation. It examines the evocative power of sound in replaying the past in real-time and the resonance of footsteps as a metaphor for both freedom and oppression. The innovative use of text on screen, along with the visual and auditory elements, produces a hauntingly beautiful and emotionally compelling video essay.
On today's episode, Evelyn Kreutzer, a Berlin-based scholar, curator, and video essayist, joins to discuss her videographic origin story, collaborative projects (including Once Upon a Screen and Moving Poems), videographic vulnerability, the new Videography section of the journal zfm, and more.
We also discuss Evelyn's video essay, "Footsteps," and a moving poem by Desirée de Jesús that pairs A Raisin in the Sun (1961) with Langston Hughes's 1951 poem "Harlem."
Will DiGravio hosted and produced this episode. Emily Su Bin Ko is the show's associate producer. Music by Ketsa: "Live It," "Anvil," and "Refraining."
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