Moving Images, Understanding Media

184 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding Media

like Gondry, Spike Jonze, and Jonathan Glazer, produce motion pictures for

a variety of media.

Naturally, these are just a few examples of the people who have helped

to create the vast number of entertaining, persuasive, moving, and thought-

provoking works that make up the history of moving images. We can fi nd

inspiration and learn of powerful frustrations and satisfactions when we

investigate the work of a variety of fi lmmakers from across the world.

Ranging in length from under a minute to many hours, the motion pictures

of fi lmmakers such as Ousmane Sembene of Senegal, Yasmin Ahmad of

Malaysia, Abbas Kiarostami of Iran, Mira Nair of India, Zhang Yimou of

China, Jane Campion of Australia, Patricia Rozema of Canada, or Alfonso

Cuarón of Mexico can help us to consider fresh perspectives and understand

diverse individuals and societies.

• Do you follow the work of any fi lmmakers? What is it about that
  person’s work that interests or attracts you?


• Motion pictures are also made by non-professionals for a variety of
  reasons and in many diff erent ways. Do you ever watch movies made
  by family members or friends? Why were they made? Will they be kept
  or used for any other reason?


• Have you previously made any movies? Did they follow any structure
  or did you edit them at all? Have you had an opportunity to show them
  to an audience? Where?


• What opportunities do you have in your area to see motion pictures on
  a big screen? Chain theaters? Independent cinemas or arts centers that
  show movies? Local public institutions, such as libraries? What types
  of moving images are shown in these places? Do local people have any
  access to show and share motion pictures at any of these locations?

Figure 5-18 Director

Ousmane Sembene on the

set of Moolade. (Courtesy

New Yorker Films/Photofest)

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