Fall 2009 Reflection

I'd like to start this off with the fact that I totally blew my first anthropology assignment this semester. Dr. Durington wanted us to write a "Future Me" letter, where we would write about our expectations for the class and what our initial reactions to our eminent research extravaganza.

I never wrote it. It wasn't on my radar, as I had to read about 70 pages worth of other material for his class.

However, I can re-tribute myself and reflect entirely on my growth over this semester in this blog. I think it's evident after reading it through from September until now that I've become entirely newly aware of certain aspects of urban science, aspects of documenting and filmmaking and their role in anthropology, and aspects of myself as a developing and growing younger person.

My understanding of my environment and myself among the environment is what has strengthened the greatest this semester. I came back from Ireland knowing nothing about my own city. I ended up enveloping myself in it, soaking everything in. I wanted everything that was Baltimore. My relationship to Baltimore has grown, as have my connections within its boundaries. Even my geographical relationship has been greater realized. Coming from the East side is a completely alternate experience to the West. Also, being from the county has its own implications as well. This should have all been apparent to me before, and it was in some respects. But it was never put in a sociological perspective.

I think as a filmmaker and anthropologist, I am developing as well. I honestly haven't tackled the amount of literature I should have, and I'm upset to say it's very difficult for me to absorb the information scholars deliver in articles about visual anthropology. I learn much better from watching and observing footage. I can understand styles and methods better when it's actually visualized. Watching John Marshall's "A Kalahari Family" helped me totally understand everything I felt I should have been understanding all semester.

Everything that happened to me in Greenmount West is the materialization of everything I am learning and understanding. I can't believe I wrote a 26-page research paper that is now the fabric and outline of the film I WILL begin this January.

I already started filming development on the 1500 block of Greenmount Avenue. I've become nervous filming with workers on the lot, so it's becoming more guerrilla, which is fun. I sneaked into the Greenmount Cemetery to get better shots.

I digress, the film is going to be great, and I've already given it the name, "Alex Fox is Off the Grid". I will follow Alex Fox and his personal relationship with his living space in the Annex, the developments in his neighborhood, as well as his love for the Lebow building, which is prospectively being destroyed in coming months. This will play among the thematic nature of the entire redevelopment of Station North.

I'm looking forward to putting my own methods to practice. While I can read and understand other anthropologists points of view on the matter, it really comes down to the situation and the relationships that play out. The camera, in my opinion, needs to find an objective stance among the subjectivity of the relationships between the cameraman and people with whom he or she is interacting.

While I didn't produce anything tangible for this semester, I think next semester I will play catch up and produce some fantastic results with the Media Active Film Festival and my documentary.

Woot!