Slow Multi from Simon Toppin on Vimeo.

Slow Static from Simon Toppin on Vimeo.

Fast Multi from Simon Toppin on Vimeo.

Fast Static from Simon Toppin on Vimeo.

The Ryan reading seems to go to great pains to talk about what narrative can’t be and it what it must by necessity exclude in order to remain as narrative. I don’t agree with assertions like ‘because narrative must have identifiable characters; stories about groups without individuated identites (like the human race) cannot therefore be narrative or have narrative elements’.

I believe (but perhaps don’t care to prove) that just narrative exists everywhere. I see it simply as relationships of cause and effect. If humans aren’t around to observe said cause and effect, it doesn’t alter the underlying principles that gave rise to those particular relations of being and interaction. The Earth was formed from space dust by the powers of gravity and magnetism, humans weren’t around to call it anything but it happened nonetheless.

In other words, just because humans perceive things to be random, doesn’t mean they lack an explanation. Something caused everything to happen. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have happened.

The Bogost reading provides a much more light-hearted and interesting defence of non-linear storytelling and lists. He speaks of the Deluezean obsession with “becoming” and finally someone speaks a language I can understand. Bogost does not pretend that lists, as such, ‘are the true reflection of reality’, but merely an antidote to a popular mode of thinking. I like this humour, even though I would count myself among the ‘literary obsessed’. I wonder why we need to be freed from the ‘tyranny of representation’ and what purpose this might serve? As much as I am enjoying this reading, I feel that Bogosts argument starts to strain when he uses Barthes’ ‘list as autobiography’ to discredit the idea of narrative, because “it draws the reader’s attention to the strange world outside Barthes.

On the contrary I say! and I will get very Deluezean here. Just because we can see the world outside Barthes, doesn’t mean we don’t get a distinct impression of how he views it. His own curation of the list, is highly indicative of a personal narrative and shows a wealth of personal preference that speaks of experience.

StateLibrary from Simon Toppin on Vimeo.

Fern from Simon Toppin on Vimeo.

Motorbike from Simon Toppin on Vimeo.

The reading on narrative is a rundown of basic points about cause and effect and character motivations, traits, tendencies, beliefs etc. Diegetic and non-diegetic elements etc.

The section on experimental video provides some potentially interesting suggestions for later viewing, ‘Fall of the House of Usher’, ‘Little Stabs at Happiness’ and ‘Fist Fights’ all sound interesting.

The idea of ‘associational form’ is somewhat new to me. The process of putting non-related objects together and allowing the viewer to form the links in their won mind. This could be used to great and hilarious effect, perhaps a meta-documentary where people make up the plot while themselves being the plot.

1. Did I do enough work that I was happy with what I submitted?

2. Did I do the readings?

3. Did I write a blog post that reflects on the theory and/or practice?

4. Did I consider and attempt something that wasn’t immediately obvious or comfortable?

5. Did I take useful notes to contribute to my final projects?

Week 1:

1) 5  2) 5  3) 5  4) 5   5) 1

21/25

Week 2:

1) 5 2) 4 3) 4 4) 5 5) 1

19/25

Week 3:

1) 4 2) 5  3) 5  4) 5  5) 2

21/25

Week 4:

1) 4 2) 5 3) 5 4) 3 5) 1

18/25

Week 5:

1) 5 2) 5 3) 5 4) 5 5) 5

25/25

Week 6:

1) 4 2) 4 3) 4 4) 4 5) 2

18/25