miercuri, 24 martie 2010

Adaptation

Adaptation it's a movie directed by Spike Jonze. The scenario is n adaptation written by Charlie Kaufman of Susan Orlean's book: "The Orchid Thief".

Charlie Kaufman is the main character in this choral movie, he’s a screen writer with a new assignment: to adapt writer Susan Orlean's "The Orchid Thief" into a screenplay. A book based on the life of John Laroche, an exotic plant collector.

Charlie is in trouble… because even with all his proven talent he can’t easily find the way to adapt Susan’s work, a book with no plot. The middle age crisis is getting worst, in the presence of Charlie’s easygoing twin brother Donald, who is writing a serial killer script with ease.

With parallel montage, the viewer makes a leap in time and discovers Susan Orlean’s story: as she does her research for the book on John Laroche, the colorful orchid thief and falls in love with him.

What's weird and in the same time magnificent is the fact that the characters are real, that's the great question that mumbles in your head after viewing this film...where is the line between real and imagined?

Off course the fact that they used the real names of their characters proves that the screen writer wanted that dazzling confusion. And in a sort of way it’s obvious for me that writing yourself in your own script can make you feel God.

Anyway, even if I felt this movie… a little long, I have to admit that the end puzzled me. I expected a twist, and at a point I even guest that Susan and John will fall in love (it’s a movie after all) but the end managed to surprise me (I will not be more specific, I do not want to spoil the end for those who haven’t seen the film)

As a general grade 8 out of 10!

luni, 22 martie 2010

I wanna' be famous

Have you ever imagined why reality shows are so popular nowadays? What could create the buzz around those TV Shows, like Big Brother and counter less other shows that borough the formula? And after all, what is exactly the success formula?

It's seems clear that, unlike others TV productions, the reality shows leaves place for the ordinary guy. They are the only TV productions where the not famous, the not gorgeous, the not genius can have their 15 minutes of glory on TV. And that's one of the reason of the revolution created by the reality TV.

From my point of view there is nothing more than a voyeuristic need of the new TV viewer. All along, television is changing to please the viewers and the problem is that the viewer's tastes change from generation to generation or from year to year.

I often think that, regarding television, we're facing a vicious circle; the TV stations claim they make some immoral choices just to please the public, that they are just trying to satisfy the public need of information and thrills, or at least that's their excuse; and on the other hand the general public is getting used with what he sees and pursuits a new search for more thrills, lore action; or more blood. But after all, you have to understand something to be able to judge or satisfy it's needs.

But I wonder, have the TV stations gone too far? I heard that in Great Britain a TV station broadcasted live the suicide of a man. Lucky break for the journalist, but what about the poor man's family... In these cruel search for sensational, outrageous and out of the ordinary news...haven't we forgot the moral?

After all, the reality TV makes a promise to the public: real, non-scripted action, played by ordinary people, but is this really kept? Not at all! Even the most non fabricated scenes pass through a producing mixing process... because after all the public doesn't want the reality but a prefabricated reality with clichés and comprehensive action.

marți, 9 martie 2010

Human trafficking: Offer and demand

I wonder how a man that goes to prostitutes feels. I imagine he makes up million excuses for his act; maybe he thinks that his loneliness justifies it or maybe he just doesn’t care about the meaning of his little gesture.

I’ve seen tons of features and documentaries on the human trafficking issue and each time the journalist talks about the victims and theirs foolish belief in the trafficker promises. But we rarely hear a debate about the demand in this field. If we look at the human trafficking as a business we have to ponder the importance of the demand. Let’s say that if no one would use a prostitute’s services, the traffickers would have no reason to steal and sell women. So my question today is: can we fix this problem by attacking it in another way?

Most of the human trafficking victims come from the poorest countries in Europe, like Moldova and Ukraine. These girls have no higher education; their best hope in life is to work in a store or to wait tables. But just because these countries are poor doesn’t mean that their younger citizens do not dream of the same things as any other teenager in Europe. So these girls are easier to trick when it comes to their “living abroad dream”, especially when they hear only happy ending stories about those who made it. This is why the possible victim is an easy pray.

Let’s think for a while about the predators. Who grows up to be a human trafficker? For almost the same reasons, money, adrenaline, success, normal teenagers became some soulless sellers. A trafficker will at first try to sale his neighbor’s daughter, because it’s easier to win their trust. But does he feel any pity? I wonder…

If we’re still talking about predators… what do you think about the final customer? For me he’s a predator as well. What kind of pleasure can you find in abusing a teenager? I imagine it’s obvious for the client that the girl in front of him it’s a human trafficking victim. Then why nobody does anything?

I think it’s a circle in which every actor plays his part: the foolish victim in search for a better life, the soulless trafficker and the careless client. If we can change the mentality in one part, maybe we can break the circle. But this takes time, money and hard will.

marți, 19 ianuarie 2010

M-am dat pe scurt-metraje

Copyright Mathieu Peyrot:P

Ca sa nu aveti impresia ca ma tin numai de petreceri si de plimbari, azi va scriu despre ce fac eu la facultate. Printre multe alte analize de obiecte comunicationale, printre semiotica si naratologie si cultura imaginarului (adica studiul imaginilor) Tadaaaammm uite scriu scenarii.

Pentru Conception Audio Vidéo am avut de facut "un livre cinématographique" - un scenariu pe tema imigratiei. Toate bune si frumoase, dupa ce m-am perpelit un semestru, iata saptamana trecuta am predat dosarul. Ba mai mult am si primit feedback super pozitiv de la profa!

Cocoholique, este un scurt metraj, cred totusi ca o sa fie cam de 20 de minute, despre traseul unui cuplu de junkies brazilieni care viseaza sa ajunga in Amsterdam si sa vanda cocaina. Partea nasoala este ca cei doi, David si Iara, consuma, nu doar vand... asa ca finalul meu este unul dramatic. Nu va spun care, ca sa nu stric surpriza!

Oricum... e super tare sa scrii scenarii pentru facultate! Poate in semestrul doi apuc sa-l si filmez!

duminică, 1 noiembrie 2009

Party cu arta

Din ciclul "aventuri de Erasmus"... Ieri am iesit la o palavra cu Laura, FJSC-ista ca si mine ajunsa pe taram grenoblez (beneficiara singurului loc oferit de minunata facultate pentru Grenoble, ea licenta, eu master)... si dupa ce ne-am terminat noi vinul fiert baut in cea mai veche cafenea din oras (zice-se a doua din Franta) m-am intalnit cu un coleg de la cursul de franceza, strain si el, mai precis din Cehia, dar student la arte, nu jurnalist ca noi:p

Ne palavragim noi de una alta si ne invita la un party, la Rabot ( un camin universitar asezat in coasta muntelui Chartreuse) in cinstea Halloween-ului. Toate bune si frumoase...ne-am hotarat sa ne luam berile dupa noi si sa mergem sa vedem ce-i cu party-ul asta, despre care stiam doar ca va fi intr-o grota/pivnita.

Zis si facut! Dupa ce am urcat pe jos o jumatate de ora, am trecut printr-un camin si un sfert de padure.... tadam iata party-ul din grota!


Era ziua unei finlandeze, Tina-Maria iar invitatii...toti studenti la arte. Am gasit acolo alte doua romance, una din Constanta si cea de-a doua refugiata de vreo 7 ani prin Anglia. Petrecerea a fost super tare, cu straini de prin Italia, Franta, Cehia si Romania cu bere, cu bautura finlandeza (tare si gustoasa) cu chitari si tarabana, cu multa veselie si alcool si mai ales cu artisti (care mai de care:))

joi, 29 octombrie 2009

Premiera: 16 km pe bicicleta


De cand sunt prin Franta, tot imi depasesc recorduri personale sau am parte de premiere care mai de care mai "rasunatoare". Dupa ce am invatat sa patinez cu Bernadette, o austriaca pe care am cunoscut-o in camin, Esther din Taragona (tot La Tronche) si Rytis din Lituania...iata ca m-am pus pe daramat alt record... cu bicicleta!

Pentru cativa dintre voi, 16 km cu bicicleta este mizilic...ei bine eu am invatat sa merg pe bicla la 19 ani! si inca mi-e frica de masini:P! Cum am ajuns la minunata cifra? Pai am mers din St. Ismier (locuinta de bastina a bicicletelor) pe cheiul Izerului pana in Ile d'Amour, o insula in sanul Meylanului, o comuna de langa Grenoble.


Nu pot sa spun decat ca sunt mandra de mine si ca am febra musculara!

vineri, 23 octombrie 2009

Ma duc la cursuri cu trenul!

Suna dubios? Nu, nu m-am mutat din Grenoble, insa dimineata ma duc la scoala cu trenul. ICM-ul este in coltul celalalt al Grenoble-ului, asa ca strabat cu tramvaiul in jur de 30 de statii si schimb doua tramvaie ca sa ajung la cursuri. N-ar fi chiar dramatic, imi ia doar 45 de minute, o ora.

Asta pana saptamana trecuta cand am descoperit trenul! Exiista o linie de trenuri speciale pentru oras, care se plimba toata ziua intre cele trei gari din aglomeratia grenobleza Gieres (aproape de care stau eu) Grenoble (centrul) si Echirolles (facultatea mea). Iata minunatul TER, care face fix 5 minute pana la Echirolles.


Adevarul adevarat este ca imi mai trebuie cam 10 minute cu tramvaiul sa ajung la gara si inca vreo 2 sa ajung la ICM. Oricum, ma pot mandri ca fac naveta!

O alta faza foarte tare este ca in tren exista locuri speciale pentru bicicleta! M-am mirat, m-am bucurat si am pozat initiativa eco-franceza!

P .S.1: Nu platesc nimic in plus! Nu trebuie sa-mi cumpar bilet, intre statiile din oras pot circula cu abonamentul de TAG (tramvai, autobuz)

P.S.2 Nu se compara sistemul de transport in comun din Grenoble cu niciun alt oras! Am aflat ca orasul care ma gazduieste semestrul asta este un exemplu de administratie buna a transportului in Franta. Lucky me!