CAS Journal - by Filip

PHOTOGRAPHY - LATEST

10/12/2011
7 HOURS

Latest works...
Includes photos from my recent trip to London, few close-up shots of abstract objects, portraits, landscapes, etc.

PHOTOGRAPHY - NEW WORKS

5/12/2011
10 HOURS

These are few of the works I have done recently. Includes the close-up of abstract objects, portraits of my friends and sister, recent photos from Parisian events, etc.

The most talked about and perhaps best known Hitchcock’s film Psycho didn’t get off very well at the start of its production. when a Paramount’s report critic labelled it ‘too repulsive for films’, Hitchcock was forced to purchase the film rights for $9.000 and had to produce the film, shooting it with a television crew at Universal’s Studios. Psycho is one of the most complex movies in Hitchcock’s career, dealing with topics very unusual for Hollywood’s 20^th century films.

There’s a scene in this film that left a huge trace in the film industry and is one of my favourite scenes where Marion, a girl who stole $40,000 from her company, takes a shower in a room in the Bates motel. That scene was very hard to shoot, took 7 days, one third of Janet Leigh (Marion) time spent shooting the film. She goes into the shower, feeling relieved and proud of herself after deciding to return the stolen money. She’s in the shower, then suddenly someone opens the drapes, we can’t see the face just the long hair and brutally stabs Marion leaving her lifeless body in the tub with finally camera focused on the blood from the shower swirling into the drain, and I think this portrays the emotional cleansing that Marion had, because even though she stole the money she eventually changed her mind and decided to give back the money but didn’t have time to do it. Her tragic death was a punishment for stealing the money in the first place. The sound effects in the shower scene were interesting to make. In order to make the stabbing sounds, Hitchcock hired somebody to stab a melon simultaneously in order to make the sound illusion of Marion actually being stabbed.

Marion was indeed a bad thief. She was clumsy (forgets luggage with the money at the car shop) it’s impossible for her to disguise what she’s feeling. She’s so obvious, because she’s not practised; it’s not her nature, but it’ a desperate grasp at life. The only satisfaction for her after stealing the money, was in her car when she was thinking about what they were saying home, like the client from her firm from who she took the money. She imagined that he was saying: “She sat there while I dumped it out, hardly even looking at it (money). Plannin’ and even flirting with me”. The truth is that he was actually flirting with her, but she imagines that he would say this in order to make her look guilty even more.

The psychiatrist’s speech at the end of the film was something Hitchcock had doubts about. He was afraid that audience wouldn’t be interested in it, that they wouldn’t need to hear the scientific explanation for Norman’s behaviour of split personalities, but he was wrong.

A scientific explanation was needed to justify Norman bates’ behaviour and to explain the audience in what state he was in. The writer of the script didn’t have a lot of trouble writing that scene because he was in Freudian analysis at that time and was well-practised in that field.

The last sequence with Norman is to show us that he has been arrested, somebody brought him a blanket to him in his cell. It’s the way of showing us that he was treated as a sick man and was taken care of even in prison. Norman replies to the prison guard in feminine, voice of his mother- “Thank you.” Norman than thinks, while we hear the voice of the mother:

“It’s sad when a mother has to speak the words that condemn her own son. I couldn't allow them to believe I would commit murder. They'll put him away now as I should have years ago. He was always bad and in the end he intended to tell them I killed those girls and that man, as if I could do anything but just sit and stare like one of his stuffed birds. Oh, they know I can't even move a finger and I won't. I'll just sit here and be quiet just in case they do.... suspect me. They're probably watching me. Well, let them. Let them see what kind of a person I am. I'm not even going to swat that fly. I hope they are watching... they'll see. They'll see and they'll know, and they'll say, 'Why, she wouldn't even harm a fly.”

This ending monologue shows Anthony’s facial expression which were masterfully acted out and they convey the feeling that he, Norman Bate, will never be himself again, that the character of his mother has finally predominated.

ICE-SKATING

05/02/2012
15 HOURS

This winter I dedicated my ACTION hours to ice-skating. During winter, in Paris there are several ice-skating facilities. Hence, it wasn't hard keeping up with this activity that is fun and challenging at the same time. I saw few people who seemed very professional at ice-skating and asked them to teach me few moves to which they agreed. I must confess I couldn't reach their level, but I have managed to skate on one leg, do several turns (without falling!).
I went to the patinoire at Hotel de Ville and under the Eiffel Tower.

BAKING

JULY 2011-AUGUST 2011
20 HOURS

During my stay in Montengro I went to the bakery that is really near my house. I used to go there often when I was kid to buy bread and pastries. I asked them if I could come regularly to learn how to make bread, pretzles and pastries and they said "sure". At first, I just observed my collegeues Milos and Zivko as they made batter for the bread, putting it in the special oven, etc. It looked really fun, and with them I made the first bread. After a while, if I worked enough in the "making process" I would go to the cash register and work with customers as well. All in all, an amazing experience that I can use for the rest of my life.

SWIMMING

25/08/2011
15 HOURS

I spent 15 hours during my summer break to engage myself in ACTION activities. So while I was in Paris I went every morning to Piscine Auteuil and learned new styles and techniques of swimming with the tutors that were working there. After a while I met few other swimmers that go there and we would race with each other that would further improve my stamina and competative attitude.
When I went to Montenegro I continued my swimming habits at the hotel Splendid which has an incredible pool facility as well, so I was able to keep up with my routines that I started in Paris.
Great activity, a lot of physical activity, improved swimming skills, work with others.

RED CROSS

25/08/2011
20 HOURS

I spent several hours during my summer vacation on work with Red Cross. I was very interested in collaboration with this humanitarian organization. Firstly, I called them to set up a meeting. At the meeting, we discussed about many voloneer works that Red Cross has. On the 12th of July we went to a children's camp in a poor town Bijela in Montenegro where we brought clothes, food and movies to watch with the children. It was a really amazing day. We also spent few hours of teaching them few basic things on the computers, like using Paint, Word and playing games and music.

We came back the next weekend with more volunteers to cheer up the kids and we got to know them and promised them to come back as we did. I also contacted Red Cross in Paris, where I was able to donate clothes and books as they had a certain group of volunteers that was of full capacity, but I did my part by visiting them and donating clothes as well.