"In More Ways Than One" Part III: A Conversation at Grant Park

The Final Chapter...

This short film is intended to be in the observation mode with participatory elements.

Here is the film...



Afterthoughts...
It was quite fun visiting Grant Park again for this final project. My good friend, Dan Peterson, came along as well to help me out. I briefly explained what I was attempting with this project and he understood. Although at points it may sound scripted, it really wasn't. I did my best to act as if I was not taping, but it is not an easy task. However, we ended up having a great time (note Dan's ridiculous laughter) and I shot a lot of footage. The final version of the film would have perhaps been longer, but, for a reason I still do not understand and am loosing patience with, Windows MovieMaker made what should have been a simple edit into a seven hour session through the early hours of today, so I had to edit out most of the footage. It ended up being another rough edit, but it was the best I could do. And I'm proud of it - I like it. In fact, I'm proud of my entire project. It is, technically, my first released documentary. And it has even taught me a few things about filmmaking, so in hindsight, I'm very glad I picked this project. The class has been a great learning experience overall.

-Joseph Kay (morning of) May 10, 2008

"In More Ways Than One" Part II: Stills of Grant Park

This short film is meant to be in the poetic mode...

Here's the film...



Sample stills...


Afterthoughts...
It is always nice going out to visit Grant Park in South Milwaukee, so I was happy to make the drive out there again this week. This time, however, I knew I had to film differently. After much consideration, I decided that simply still photographs with a backdrop of the natural noise at Grant Park would be the best way to display the true beauty of Grant Park. While the thesis of my last short film was that (although beautiful) parks are not really nature, the thesis of this film is that, no matter what, parks will always have a natural beauty (even though the effects of man are very obvious -- ie, the bottlecap and picnic table). Editing this film did not take long, because I wanted it to a simple as a film as possible. That is the "poetic" nature of this film -- beauty through simplicity. As always, it was fantastic just to get out and enjoy the day. Photography always makes a trip more enjoyable.

-Joseph Kay (the early hours of) May 3, 2008