Friday, May 15, 2015 10:15 am
-
10:15 am
EDT (GMT -04:00)
Of
the
thesis
entitled:TempestRedux
Abstract:
I
could
write
about
what
making
a
movie
has
to
do
witharchitecture,
a
question
that
has
been
posed
to
me
countless
times
by
familyand
friends
who
live
happily
outside
of
the
architecture
bubble.
It’s
aquestion
that
I
hate
answering
in
afew
cursory
sentences
in
conversation.
It’sa
question
that’s
been
explored
scientifically
and
poetically
by
architects
andfilmmakers
for
nearly
one
hundred
years.
Filmmaker and theorist, Sergei Eisenstein revolutionized therelationship between architecture and film. In his essay ‘Montage andArchitecture’ he proclaimed architecture to be the ancestor of film and calledthe Acropolis of Athens “…the perfect example of one of the most ancientfilms.” [ Sergei M. Eisenstein, “Montage and Architecture.” InAssemblageNo. 10, 117 (1989)] The film plays as the human eye walks theorchestrated path through the spaces. I visited theAcropolis near thebeginning of this endeavour. In the midst of an impulsive and financiallyill-advised jaunt I found myself standing on the steps of the Propylaea veryconscious of the composition in front of me; the first shot. While Icannothonestly call this trip a pilgrimage to worship at the shrine of the firstfilm, reflecting upon my visit to the Acropolis, it provided the push that Ineeded to commit to this thesis. There it was in front of me, 2500 years old,thecommon ground. There’s no need to get defensive when asked the seeminglyubiquitous question. This is where my thesis sits, not on the Acropolis, but inthis mysterious territory excavated by Eisenstein and developed by AndreiTarkovsky, Bernard Tschumi, Giuliana Bruno, to name a few who have beenparticularly influential in my case. It does not purport to expand on theirbrilliant work, to lay new ground.
It is simply a film made by anarchitecture student because there is a place for that.
Filmmaker and theorist, Sergei Eisenstein revolutionized therelationship between architecture and film. In his essay ‘Montage andArchitecture’ he proclaimed architecture to be the ancestor of film and calledthe Acropolis of Athens “…the perfect example of one of the most ancientfilms.” [ Sergei M. Eisenstein, “Montage and Architecture.” InAssemblageNo. 10, 117 (1989)] The film plays as the human eye walks theorchestrated path through the spaces. I visited theAcropolis near thebeginning of this endeavour. In the midst of an impulsive and financiallyill-advised jaunt I found myself standing on the steps of the Propylaea veryconscious of the composition in front of me; the first shot. While Icannothonestly call this trip a pilgrimage to worship at the shrine of the firstfilm, reflecting upon my visit to the Acropolis, it provided the push that Ineeded to commit to this thesis. There it was in front of me, 2500 years old,thecommon ground. There’s no need to get defensive when asked the seeminglyubiquitous question. This is where my thesis sits, not on the Acropolis, but inthis mysterious territory excavated by Eisenstein and developed by AndreiTarkovsky, Bernard Tschumi, Giuliana Bruno, to name a few who have beenparticularly influential in my case. It does not purport to expand on theirbrilliant work, to lay new ground.
It is simply a film made by anarchitecture student because there is a place for that.
The
examining
committee
is
as
follows:
Supervisor:
Committee Members:
Donald McKay,University of ݮƵ
RyszardSliwka,University
of
ݮƵ
Dereck
Revington,
University
ofWaterloo
External Reader:
Dr. Valérie C. Kaelin, RyersonUniversity
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
The
Defence
Examination
will
take
place:
Friday
May
15,
2015
10:15AM
Architecture
Room1001
(Lawrence
CummingsLecture
Theatre)
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.