Jean Epstein discusses the growing role of cinema and the elements of this media form that differ from others such as painting. The characteristics and soul of different subjects that are enhanced in film is what Epstein refers to as the Photogenie. It is this idea that cinema can bring clearly defined expression and meaning to the otherwise mundane aspects of life. Cinema gives value to subjects and allows an audience to be engaged in moments of time that would have rarely seen the light of day.
In relation to time, it is this poetic nature of film that triumphs the ability of other visual mediums to express certain ideas and tell stories. These spatial directions that are discussed by Epstein, relates to cinemas ability to hone in on specific moments of time, bring attention to future or past events in the present moment that viewers are involved in the film
This notion of Photogenie relates to story and the way it is translated on screen. Understanding the purpose and direction around cinema allows creatives to explore unseen areas of life. It allows filmmakers to seek alternative options to visualise an event and creatively tell a story within the spatial parameters of the film “universe”/story line.
Attempting to come up with new ideas to include in a story is often challenging, however with this knowledge about the Photogenie, it makes it easier to explore these ideas in an interesting way. Knowing that cinema is about giving a higher value to certain to aspects of life, will allow me to come up with storylines that are unique and will keep me driven to stay on track with the many elements that go into making a film.
Epstein notes that he believes the Photogenie to be the “purest expression of cinema”. This statement relates to the ongoing debate of truth and how reality is captured. This concept of truth relates to all aspects of the creative field and is a concept that I will continue to explore over the course of my creative career. I think this is an important discussion to keep alive when creating something in a visual medium. Understanding how “truth” is interpreted by people is crucial to creating content that is both unique and satisfying for a variety of viewers.
