The lighting and shot composition were obviously thought out, but even though this film is by Prof. Corrao, that doesn't mean it is without flaws. The music made no sense. In particular, starting the goofy song when Fred was talking about his illness did not make sense in combination with the current situation. If it were me, I would have picked something calmer and not as bumpy. (This is completely my opinion. I am training to become a sound engineer, so this irritates me more than it should.) The story was told convincingly through the shots of Fred painting. The white balance and possible color correction made the shots so much more aestically pleasing.
Meg Magee: "Come on Down and Pick Me up", was a brilliantly executed documentary by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao. I thought that this film came off a bit like a, "My Strange Addiction" video with more artistry to it. The character was very odd, and had an intriguing story. I liked how in one of the beginning scenes the camera only shot from the middle of his nose up. This angle showed the quirkiness of the character. The shot where the camera zooms in on the subject washing his brushes in the pill bottles also hammered the point that something might not only be psychologically, but physically off with him. From there, the subject goes on to pull out his pills and explain his health situation. I thought that the logic of the pill bottle shot flowed seamlessly. It foreshadowed the scene that followed it. The background music was spot on. Especially, when the subject was talking about his illness. The subject is weird and goofy in nature; he was not sad about his illness. Therefore, the wacky background music really bolstered this point. The "bumpiness" and spontaneity of the music went along perfectly with the subject's personality.
Dustin Bennett: I think "Come and Down and Pick Me Up" displayed a lot of important characteristics of a talking-head documentary that we're supposed to know when creating our own for the class. A couple of lessons I took away were that alternating between talking head footage and "B-roll" is a great way to break up footage of what would otherwise just be someone talking. It also works as an excellent way to re-positioning your camera without breaking the 180 rule so you can have different angles of your subject. Another lesson is that playing voice-over during B-roll can help explain the processes or get more information across in a limited amount of time. It also offers audio so the viewer can hear something besides the sounds generated by whatever the subject is doing. I also thought the short had an interesting subject with a worthwhile personal story and a unique hobby. Overall I think this film makes a great example of a short-form documentary.
Ryanne Whyte: The first thing you notice in "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is the bright colors of Fred's art. This was clearly done to draw in the viewer as well as possibly confuse or disorient them. Hosting almost the entire film in this space not only gives an aesthetically pleasing backdrop, but also gives the audience a deeper insight about the film's subject: Fred. Sound also plays a big part in this piece. Throughout the interview, there is country/folk type of music playing and it fits the personality and mindset of Fred very well. Before we even see Fred we see his art and hear the music and it gives us a mental picture of the person we're being introduced to. "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is generally a basic short documentary, but its audio and visual styles set it apart from the typical film in this genre.
Louis Lartigue: Come Down and Pick Me Up is a short documentary by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao that steps into the world of Fred Kress, a terminally ill man with a passion for painting neon artwork on masks, manikins, skulls, and animal carcasses. This documentary explores what art can mean to an individual and how it affects them. After being diagnosed with a liver disease, Fred has taken comfort in painting and transforming his attic into something that looks like the rec room of an alien spaceship. Fred usually spends five nights a week painting and says he wishes that he could do it forever. It is almost a ritualistic process that distracts Fred from his terminal illness and lets him enjoy his reaming time in peace. This process is so therapeutic to Fred that when he is talking about the day he dies he says he hopes that heaven will be just like his life now, in his attic painting his masks. Fred’s relationship with art goes beyond just creating something intriguing to look at, it is apart of him and in away it is keeping him alive by giving him something to look forward to. Through his art the shadow of death doesn’t loom over him and instead his art gives light to his life. This documentary shows how art can impact an individual in profound ways. The majority of the doc takes place in Fred’s neon lighted attic, this serves a great purpose for the doc as it helps disconnect the audience from the outside world and focuses their attention on Fred and his story.
Molly Hochwalt- I found “Come on Down and Pick Me Up”, by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao, to be a interesting and pleasing documentary to watch. I noticed immediately while watching how tactfully placed the cuts to B-roll were in this work. It was extremely easy to follow what was being said while having your eyes focus on and absorb the visual correlations of the B-roll. The B-roll added to the film greatly, it made the narrative parts much fuller and the story whole in a short period of time. Besides the B-roll, I also found that the music played a large roll in the setting of the mood for the piece. The strange almost happily eerie music immediately felt right to me. It gave the film a tone that both matched the oddity of the art you were viewing while also adding the twinge of despair at the unfortunate fate of the narratives main character. The lighting in the scenes also fit very well with the whole project. It was dark in the background which fit the slightly sad mood but also because of the glow of the artwork under the black lights, held a feeling of joy at the man’s love for his hobby. Overall I felt that all of the aspects of this film worked together to make a very good documentary piece, and I enjoyed watching it.
Cameron Panhans: Fred Kress' compelling story is put on display in the short documentary "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" directed by Jon Bougher and Nick Carrao. Multiple cinematic techniques are used in the portrayal of this story. The grey tones and color schemes at the beginning of the film portray the bleakness of Fred Kress' struggle from the start. Also, such colors greatly contrast the bright and vibrant colors of the masks that Kress creates. Inside Kress' workshop, besides the bright colors beaming off the masks, a majority of the shots contain dark and cool colors, which maintains a constant contrast between the darkness that Kress faces and the brightness and happiness he finds in the masks he paints. The sounds and music of the film are also very quirky but fit the character of Fred. The documentary does a wonderful job of taking these different aspects and techniques and putting them together so as to appropriately portray the story of this man fighting through illness while still pursuing happiness.
Anthony Reed: One day I hope to get to this skill level! The imagery was crisp and clear. The color grading has that cinematic look that i've been trying to achieve. This film was a perfect representation of what the artwork meant to Fred Kress. Even though Fred is talking about himself being sick, the cheerful choices of music and the use of the b-rolls of the colorful artwork helps to take the viewer into Fred's pleasant world where you escape with him. I also liked the way that Fred was lit in his shots. That dark but warm light sets an appropriate mood that I feel captures his pain but also highlights the glow of his artistic spirit. Professor Carrao mentioned in class about not having shots linger on too long. This film has a nice rhythm going from shot to shot. The constant scene changes kept the film visually pleasing. What stood out to me the most was how the music stopped as fred started talking about how he didn't want to die in the hospital. You had no choice but to focus on his voice and it was an important message. It was basically his final wishes. I hated to find out that he passed away so soon afterwards, but the way the film was made doesn't drag you into a depression. The way I see it is that Fred found joy during a rough time in his life and even left this world exactly how he wanted to go. He didn't want people seeing him at his worst and remembering him for that. Overall this film honors him by telling his story while staying true to how Fred wanted to be remembered. RIP Mr. Kress
Alex Smith: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" is a short film about an old man named Fred Kress. One thing about Fred that one would notice from the beginning is the beautiful room full of art that the short documentary is placed in. The lighting in the room gives a calming sense about it with the use of shadows to calm the light subtly. We, as an audience, are given this serene feeling that Fred felt while he worked on his projects. Each shot, giving just enough time to take in all that Fred had in his little world, provides a long enough moment for the audience to observe the art. The use of these shots as the b-roll of the film both informed us of the statues he was pointing out and how much he actually had on display. I feel for his family after his passing. I am happy to hear that he passed the way he wanted, surrounded by the people and the things that he loved most in this world.
Virginia Nobles:"Come On Down and Pick Me Up" is a short film about a dying artist named Fred who has liver failure. I thought that the lighting and shots throughout the film were done very well especially for how strange the existing lighting was within the room. I felt as thought each shot gave enough time to marvel at each piece without it being there for too long. The actual topic itself was also pretty captivating. However, I wasn't entirely able to understand how he got to be sick. All I understood was something about fiberglass. Also, the music didn't seem to match too well. But other than that, this was a really cool film. It's sad to hear of his passing.
Alex Cherry: This short film showcases an exercise in the importance of color to represent themes and ideas. The film begins with bright colors as Fred’s artwork is shown, without connotation to understand why it is there. Then, we see the bleak landscape of Maine as Fred begins talking, before we plunge back into the bright surroundings of his art room. Fred speaks about the bleak parts of his life – his health, which the art room is an escape from. We see the bleak landscape of the outside world as the reality Fred doesn’t want to confront. He is dressed in black, possibly to emphasize the disease in his body. He speaks of the bleakness which faces him from his illness, but he also speaks of the escape his art provides, which is bright and colorful. The filmmakers utilize the contrast in color between the outside world, Fred himself, and Fred’s artwork to create comparisons and show the viewer just how the art impacts Fred’s life.
The short film "Come down and Pick me Up" is about a man who designs these beautiful fluorescent masks for his warehouse. In terms of camera positioning, there seems to be a lot of pans and close up's of Fred's face as describes his work to the viewer. There is only one particular issue with his face and it is that he is ill and is taking drugs for it. The appeal were given is that he is lonely and getting older and that we should feel sympathetic towards him. The different shots of his overall art is all over this warehouse and brings the symbolic meaning of his true self. The only other major thing that I can point out was the background music adding to the emotional appeal for the audience.
Mario Cirinese: “Come On Down and Pick Me Up” by John Bougher and Nick Corroa was an interesting documentary about a dynamic individual. Many of the shots were obtained in Fred Kress’ house providing a very artistic backdrop for the documentary. It contained vibrant and rejuvenating colors that attracted the audience’s eyes emitting different emotions through each individual work of art. The film was mostly B-roll with Fred in the background speaking dialogue about his love of painting and explaining his illness. During the film there were occasional pieces of music added to introduce new scenes that at some points didn’t seem to fully fit the film but at other times correlated perfectly with the situation. Fred Kress loved what he did and worked on his art until the day he passed away and this film really points these traits out in Fred. I believe that the documentary clearly conveyed his story and they did it in a respectful manner that kept the audience from feeling depressed. Overall the film had great timing with shots not overly drawn out and a simple narrative.
Phillip Spain: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up", a short film by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao takes an interesting approach to an interesting man named Fred who has a strange and unique artistic hobby, which he uses to cope with the fact that he is extremely sick and dying. One of the interesting things about the film is that even though a lot of the subject matter involves death, the film does a good job of not letting it weigh down the mood too heavily, and balances it out with the focus on both the art itself and the process of the creator who uses his art as his escape. The mood is also balanced out by the first 2 songs, which are a bit more strange and upbeat than one would expect, which parallels the strange and upbeat personality of the subject. The B-Roll footage is incredibly important, as it shows us both the in-depth process of Fred's art, but much of the B-roll footage also focuses on just how sick Fred is, and how much of an impact its had on his life. All these elements come together to give an emotional but still surprisingly uplifting look into the life of Fred and his art.
Jack Beuckman: "Come Down and Pick Me Up" by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao is a short documentary about an artist Fred Kress. Kress is slowly dying due to liver disease. He also has very unique art style. He paints masks and mannequins with fluorescent paint. The B-Roll for the documentary was well done. There were close ups of Kress painting and showing all the processes he goes through to make the masks. The audience also got a good look into to Kress's lifestyle. We see what his house looks like and all the art that he keeps in it. The lighting was also good. To me it looked like that the Three point lighting was not used and that there were only one or two lights. The lighting fit the mood of the video really well. Overall I really liked it and thought that the audience could connect to Kress easily and that It was well filmed and lighted.
Savannah Stanley: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is difficult to critique because our professor played such a large part in its creation. I did appreciate the use of light and colour in setting the mood and tone of the short documentary, as it lent an eerie and otherworldly feel that Kress would have enjoyed and that fit in well with his aesthetic. The shots strategically showing the paint in conjunction with the pill bottles gave necessary information without having to use on-screen text and gave the scene a more somber tone. In this respect, the music seemed awkward and inharmonious with the subject matter: you expect more languid, melancholy themes to be used in scenes discussing imminent death, yet the music was upbeat and staccato, which is usually in connotation with more happy and less significant topics. I suspect this was intentional, however it brought me out of the moment as I waited for the music to take a more serious quality. Overall though, I enjoyed the film and appreciated the use of lighting and colour and even the music in setting the tone of the piece and allowing it to differ from the norm, just like its subject did.
Jesse Tollison: Nicholas Carrao and John Bougher present the peculiar artistry of a dying man in their documentary "Come on Down and Pick Me Up." They offer a non-biased take on a man's quest into 3D painting. With its theme-setting soundtrack, the film sets a good mood despite the subjects rather dark backstory. The biggest issue I found with the film is that it didn't appropriately pull mhy interest, but where my interest came up short, the cinematography and production value filled the hole.
Zach Andry:I felt that"Come on Down and Pick Me Up" did several things very well. First of the b-roll was super interesting. I feel a lot of times b-roll is more or less just something so you don't get bored of watching the same person talk. However in this case it was very informative communicating the seriousness of his illness with all the pill bottles he was using as paint brush holders. I also thought the interview segments were really well done I the background were very cool. Also the variety of shots used in the interview was refreshing as he was actively creating a mask while talking showing you part of his process.
Holly Hundsdorfer: "Come down and pick me up" was so intriguing to me. I thought every shot was so perfectly placed and kept building and building to the storyline of his life's work. The lighting could not have been better considering this was shot in a dark attic. The colors of his alien's and mannequin's beautifully glowed and stood out in such a dark attic. In my opinion, The music added to his quirkiness and added to Kress was. Yes, he may be a little off, but he liked what he liked and he was happy. And this song just added to this lifestyle of doing what HE wanted. Just cause it wasn't sad and calm like the story of him being sick, doesn't mean it didn't follow along with the film and add to the plot line. I personally really enjoyed watching this and didn't even realize it was by Nick Carrao until the credits. I was very impressed with all aspects of this film.
Ron Shaver: "Come down and pick me up" was a very interesting piece. The colors and the music captured the raw emotion and passion of the main character. Fred is a very sick man but will not give up on his passion for painting. Nick Carrao did a really good job of capturing the paintings before going into the film, so the audience could get an understanding of what the film is about. Overall is was a fantastic film.
Caroline Builta: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher is one of the best short documentaries I have seen in a long time. The fact that Fred does not speak for the first two minutes of the film makes the first line of dialogue, which is already powerful, that much more endearing - "Somebody told me I was an artist. I never knew that." I do see what my peers have been saying about how the music was a bit inharmonious with what he was discussing at points, however, I found that I enjoyed the way that the music lifted the mood a bit. It wasn't the easy or obvious choice for the film, and I greatly appreciated that. I also though that there were moments of silent that were incredibly appropriate. The subject pulled my interest, and the shot composition combined with the very interesting b-roll footage definitely kept it. I teared up at the end when we learned that Fred had passed away. Really, in my opinion, an excellent film.
Caroline Builta: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher is one of the best short documentaries I have seen in a long time. The fact that Fred does not speak for the first two minutes of the film makes the first line of dialogue, which is already powerful, that much more endearing - "Somebody told me I was an artist. I never knew that." I do see what my peers have been saying about how the music was a bit inharmonious with what he was discussing at points, however, I found that I enjoyed the way that the music lifted the mood a bit. It wasn't the easy or obvious choice for the film, and I greatly appreciated that. I also though that there were moments of silent that were incredibly appropriate. The subject pulled my interest, and the shot composition combined with the very interesting b-roll footage definitely kept it. I teared up at the end when we learned that Fred had passed away. Really, in my opinion, an excellent film.
Chelsea Massengale: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" by John Bougher and Nicholas Corrao filmed something that was quite unique for me. I appreciated that the story was not strictly on Fred being sick, but more about how he did something that made him forget that he was. The shots of the art that hedid were close up, so the audience could understand the feel of each mask and the personality of Fred. The music was not a distraction, it more of faded into the background, like it was his own personal song for his life. The ending was sad and was not expecting that he died.
Come on Down and Pick Me Up is a short documentary by John Bougher and Nick Corrao. It explores the life of Fred Kress, a man with a terminal liver disease who spends his days painting alien masks and mannequins in his basement. Much of lighting is dim because the interviews take place in the basement where he paints. Even though Fred is dying the music creates a light-hearted mood that allows the viewer to appreciate the subject and his art more instead of thinking about his disease.
McKenzie Miller: In Come On Down and Pick Me Up, Nick Corrao and Jon Bougher were able to tell the story of a man that had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. To the viewers, the masks and manikins may have been somewhat strange and eerie, but to Fred Kress, the presence of his art gave him a gateway of escape from the reality that he was sick. It was his creative expression that helped him hold on. This film is a great visual example to us as students of how to execute a documentary. The “b-roll” shots corresponded very well to what Fred Kress was speaking about, and gave the viewer a very good idea of what his life was like. One of my favorite shots of the film was the close up of the paintbrushes in the empty medicine bottle. That shot itself encompassed the whole documentary. The music helped to show the quirkiness of the character and the different lifestyle he lived. When I first started watching the film, the bright colors stood out to me and drew me in. The directors did an excellent job of telling an emotional story and really encapsulated the life of Fred Kress.
Maddie Kennedy: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" was a very visually compelling short documentary, directed by John Bougher and Nick Corrao. From the opening shot, a strong sense of setting and theme was established. The opening music added an interesting depth to the film, with its raw, playful and dark qualities. Fred Kress was a compelling subject as well, and I found myself drawn into his strong sense of peace and purpose. The masks, which I found kind of creepy and overwhelming at first, took on a more beautiful and serene appearance. They looked on not with malice but with a strong sense of peace and benevolence that pervaded the entire film. It could have easily been a sad or depressing film, but the careful choices of the directors lent it a more poignant, thought-provoking quality. Instead of pitying Fred Kress, I found myself admiring his mindset, and pitied the world instead for losing him.
Christian Lundin: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is first and foremost, a truly mesmerizing nine minutes of authentic oddity. Fred is a brilliant character in this doc, with a heartbreaking story, but immense talent. The other main character in this piece is his artwork. It tells a story on its own as we watch his slow brush strokes gleaming in a dark, neon, cavern of obsession. The colors pop out enough to make the audience pay attention to what the paint is saying, but not so much that it's irritating. This aspect has much to do with the subtle lighting used during production, making sure that the viewer is not lost or distracted by the possibly disorienting bursts of color. The music used in the piece was pretty atypical for a story such as his, but the obscurity of his talent and the quirkiness of his character let the music be an accent (almost an homage) to the positivity in his spirit. Overall this piece was well executed, and refreshing to watch.
Krystyna Kridos: "Come Down and Pick me Up" was a very aesthetically pleasing documentary. I found the way that the shots were used to set up his narrative interesting. I thought the music choice was quintessential in telling the story in that it was a different and sort of out there like Fred Kress was. The b-roll went well with the story Fred Kress was telling as well. As a whole, I truly believe this was a well made documentary.
"Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is a satisfactory documentary in the sense that it followed the specific elements of storytelling. From the music, lighting, and focus on intricate artwork, the film hooked me in at all times. The story of Fred Kress' condition and commitment to his art was interesting, but also the fact that this film was produced by Professor Corrao sparked my interest.
Katy Hale: "Come Down and Pick Me Up" was a very simple and easy to watch documentary. The character was interesting, humble, kind, but at the same time had a very raw and fun personality. He was extremely humble about his work. I laughed when he said "I didn't know I was an artist." And he was surprised when his friends told him that. I noticed there was a lot of close ups of his face, hands, pictures on the walls, and of course the masks. I felt that that was necessary because of the extreme detail that was on each mask. The close ups represented how much time and effort he has put in all the masks. I also noticed the lighting in the room was very dim, but the paint was florescent. I thought that maybe the light was dim because his life is unfortunately coming to an end, but his creativity and designs are not. This was a tragic documentary, but his character made it seem like everything was going to be okay. Although he stated "there was no hope" he has a distinct positivity in everything else in his life, especially his masks. Lastly, I loved the ending quote of "Hopefully this is right where I'll be when I pass away, but for now, I have too much to paint." And most importantly, the cinematography and editing was done by our amazing professor Nick Corrao!! :) Well Done...amazing documentary.
Blake Hudson: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao was a well executed documentary short. The overall story of the film played into the visual and audible themes. We see this man's tragic illness and fate through the context of his insanely colorful and imaginative art, while the ears are treated to ironically playful music that somewhat emphasizes his almost carefree outlook on the situation. The talking-head style interview shots were expertly mixed with the B-roll and the B-roll was shot well even with the low light and sporadic colors. I thought the use of dutch angles was appropriate for the content and that no specific type of shot was overused. My main critique would have been the stark contrast of the first shot of the trees after the title, and a few of the shots that followed that one just because of how different they felt from the rest of the short along with the silence that seemed a bit too silent. Overall this was a great short!
Hannah Bynum: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is a captivating documentary about how a man named Fred Kress finds comfort and stability through painting after becoming terminally ill with liver disease. Fred's extraordinary works of art keep him occupied throughout the majority of his days and provides him with a positive outlook on life despite his tragic situation. Throughout the film the dim lighting and quirky music went perfectly with Fred's quirky personality and hobby, it really helped bring his story to life. Ending the film with Fred saying how he was in no rush to pass away because he had a lot of painting left to do left me feeling empathetic for Mr. Kress and obviously rooting for him to live a long happy life, however, I had a feeling it would end with him passing away. The filmmakers truly did a wonderful job with this piece by putting together a story which creates such a strong emotional response from the viewers in only 9 minutes.
Joshua Perkins: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" was a great documentary about a terminally ill painter named Fred Kress. The documentary was shot well and was easy to watch.
Tess Dillon: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao communicates a poignant story about the little galaxy our man Fred lives in. There's nothing quite as compelling as listening to someone talk about something they're passionate about. I think that the story was translated to viewers really well through the shot execution. Although the story was tragic, Fred seemed so at peace in his little world we didn't feel our hearts wrench, we saw his benign style of existence and felt his genuine positivity and humility. I really enjoyed watching this short film.
Garrick Griffin: "Come on down and Pick me up" by Nick Corrao gives you a peak inside the life of Fred Kress. The way the shots come together really helps illustrate the world this man lives in. Although he is very ill he doesn't seem scared of it more so just waiting for it to happen, he just so happens to have a hobby while waiting. The lighting for this film had to have been difficult because it seems like he stays in the dark mostly with a room purely of black light.
Taylor Hendrix: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher demonstrated the story of a sick man through a documentary style film. The music played a huge role in telling the story because during the film, the music was not perky and upbeat as the story would be for a happy movie, but at the same time it was not slow and dreary as you would expect from a man with a terminal illness telling his story. Also, the lighting displayed the same atmosphere. It was very dark in his painting studio; however, with all the neon aliens and sculptures that he had painted, I get the moral vibe, “Hey, I know I’m dying but there is always something colorful and wonderful at the end of the darkness. I loved the B-roll of how steady and concentrated his hands were while painting the alien head. Not only did it show how talented this man is at painting, it shows how he stays calm and accepts his life how it is. Not only is this documentary good in the film aspect, the story of a sick man making the most of his time left on Earth by doing what he loves is inspirational. Overall, a big thumbs up for "Come on Down and Pick Me Up!”
Victoria Walker: “Come on Down and Pick Me Up”, by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao, was an interesting documentary that reminds me of my strange addiction. This documentary is about an artist named Fred Kress who was diagnosed with a liver disease. Initially, I thought the film would focus more on that, but instead it focused more on Fred and his artistic ability. In the beginning of the documentary the b-roll was strategically placed with lightening in mind. Though much of the shots used front lightening, I didn’t really see where 3 point lightening was used except at 5:55. However, I did not see where 3- point lightening would be necessary being that he was in a florescent room. I really admired the wide angled shots that panned from the top of Fred’s head to the ceiling (7:33). It gives the viewers a better look at Fred’s artistic collection. The music playing through the film also add to the tone of the film. There was an oddness to the music that also cosigned with strange yet uniqueness of the mask.
Taylor Hendrix: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher demonstrated the story of a sick man through a documentary style film. The music played a huge role in telling the story because during the film, the music was not perky and upbeat as the story would be for a happy movie, but at the same time it was not slow and dreary as you would expect from a man with a terminal illness telling his story. Also, the lighting displayed the same atmosphere. It was very dark in his painting studio; however, with all the neon aliens and sculptures that he had painted, I get the moral vibe, “Hey, I know I’m dying but there is always something colorful and wonderful at the end of the darkness. I loved the B-roll of how steady and concentrated his hands were while painting the alien head. Not only did it show how talented this man is at painting, it shows how he stays calm and accepts his life how it is. Not only is this documentary good in the film aspect, the story of a sick man making the most of his time left on Earth by doing what he loves is inspirational. Overall, a big thumbs up for "Come on Down and Pick Me Up!”
John Oldani: "Come on Down and Pick me up" was a visually intriguing video. The lighting was a bit dark for the interview part, but this probably has a reason behind it. The dark lit room and the bright colors of the paint make every shot pretty cool to look at. Showing the various art works in different shot compositions is a necessary component that was done correctly. We see him preforming his art, talking about it, and literally living all around it. The story alone is interesting, but the visuals add the cool and somewhat spooky element that it needs.
"Come on Down and Pick me up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher was a good, small documentary. I thought this would of been a cute film for his family. Just the man being happy in his own environment doing what he loved and I feel like the directors do a great job at showing that. Even when they were filming in the dark room with the blue lights it was still well-lit. It didn't need any extra lighting it was perfect. Overall, it was a nice documentary film and the B-roll was amazing.
The lighting and shot composition were obviously thought out, but even though this film is by Prof. Corrao, that doesn't mean it is without flaws. The music made no sense. In particular, starting the goofy song when Fred was talking about his illness did not make sense in combination with the current situation. If it were me, I would have picked something calmer and not as bumpy. (This is completely my opinion. I am training to become a sound engineer, so this irritates me more than it should.) The story was told convincingly through the shots of Fred painting. The white balance and possible color correction made the shots so much more aestically pleasing.
ReplyDeleteMeg Magee: "Come on Down and Pick Me up", was a brilliantly executed documentary by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao. I thought that this film came off a bit like a, "My Strange Addiction" video with more artistry to it. The character was very odd, and had an intriguing story. I liked how in one of the beginning scenes the camera only shot from the middle of his nose up. This angle showed the quirkiness of the character. The shot where the camera zooms in on the subject washing his brushes in the pill bottles also hammered the point that something might not only be psychologically, but physically off with him. From there, the subject goes on to pull out his pills and explain his health situation. I thought that the logic of the pill bottle shot flowed seamlessly. It foreshadowed the scene that followed it. The background music was spot on. Especially, when the subject was talking about his illness. The subject is weird and goofy in nature; he was not sad about his illness. Therefore, the wacky background music really bolstered this point. The "bumpiness" and spontaneity of the music went along perfectly with the subject's personality.
ReplyDeleteDustin Bennett: I think "Come and Down and Pick Me Up" displayed a lot of important characteristics of a talking-head documentary that we're supposed to know when creating our own for the class. A couple of lessons I took away were that alternating between talking head footage and "B-roll" is a great way to break up footage of what would otherwise just be someone talking. It also works as an excellent way to re-positioning your camera without breaking the 180 rule so you can have different angles of your subject. Another lesson is that playing voice-over during B-roll can help explain the processes or get more information across in a limited amount of time. It also offers audio so the viewer can hear something besides the sounds generated by whatever the subject is doing. I also thought the short had an interesting subject with a worthwhile personal story and a unique hobby. Overall I think this film makes a great example of a short-form documentary.
ReplyDeleteRyanne Whyte: The first thing you notice in "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is the bright colors of Fred's art. This was clearly done to draw in the viewer as well as possibly confuse or disorient them. Hosting almost the entire film in this space not only gives an aesthetically pleasing backdrop, but also gives the audience a deeper insight about the film's subject: Fred. Sound also plays a big part in this piece. Throughout the interview, there is country/folk type of music playing and it fits the personality and mindset of Fred very well. Before we even see Fred we see his art and hear the music and it gives us a mental picture of the person we're being introduced to. "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is generally a basic short documentary, but its audio and visual styles set it apart from the typical film in this genre.
ReplyDeleteLouis Lartigue: Come Down and Pick Me Up is a short documentary by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao that steps into the world of Fred Kress, a terminally ill man with a passion for painting neon artwork on masks, manikins, skulls, and animal carcasses. This documentary explores what art can mean to an individual and how it affects them. After being diagnosed with a liver disease, Fred has taken comfort in painting and transforming his attic into something that looks like the rec room of an alien spaceship. Fred usually spends five nights a week painting and says he wishes that he could do it forever. It is almost a ritualistic process that distracts Fred from his terminal illness and lets him enjoy his reaming time in peace. This process is so therapeutic to Fred that when he is talking about the day he dies he says he hopes that heaven will be just like his life now, in his attic painting his masks. Fred’s relationship with art goes beyond just creating something intriguing to look at, it is apart of him and in away it is keeping him alive by giving him something to look forward to. Through his art the shadow of death doesn’t loom over him and instead his art gives light to his life. This documentary shows how art can impact an individual in profound ways. The majority of the doc takes place in Fred’s neon lighted attic, this serves a great purpose for the doc as it helps disconnect the audience from the outside world and focuses their attention on Fred and his story.
ReplyDeleteMolly Hochwalt- I found “Come on Down and Pick Me Up”, by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao, to be a interesting and pleasing documentary to watch. I noticed immediately while watching how tactfully placed the cuts to B-roll were in this work. It was extremely easy to follow what was being said while having your eyes focus on and absorb the visual correlations of the B-roll. The B-roll added to the film greatly, it made the narrative parts much fuller and the story whole in a short period of time. Besides the B-roll, I also found that the music played a large roll in the setting of the mood for the piece. The strange almost happily eerie music immediately felt right to me. It gave the film a tone that both matched the oddity of the art you were viewing while also adding the twinge of despair at the unfortunate fate of the narratives main character. The lighting in the scenes also fit very well with the whole project. It was dark in the background which fit the slightly sad mood but also because of the glow of the artwork under the black lights, held a feeling of joy at the man’s love for his hobby. Overall I felt that all of the aspects of this film worked together to make a very good documentary piece, and I enjoyed watching it.
ReplyDeleteCameron Panhans: Fred Kress' compelling story is put on display in the short documentary "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" directed by Jon Bougher and Nick Carrao. Multiple cinematic techniques are used in the portrayal of this story. The grey tones and color schemes at the beginning of the film portray the bleakness of Fred Kress' struggle from the start. Also, such colors greatly contrast the bright and vibrant colors of the masks that Kress creates. Inside Kress' workshop, besides the bright colors beaming off the masks, a majority of the shots contain dark and cool colors, which maintains a constant contrast between the darkness that Kress faces and the brightness and happiness he finds in the masks he paints. The sounds and music of the film are also very quirky but fit the character of Fred. The documentary does a wonderful job of taking these different aspects and techniques and putting them together so as to appropriately portray the story of this man fighting through illness while still pursuing happiness.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Reed: One day I hope to get to this skill level! The imagery was crisp and clear. The color grading has that cinematic look that i've been trying to achieve. This film was a perfect representation of what the artwork meant to Fred Kress. Even though Fred is talking about himself being sick, the cheerful choices of music and the use of the b-rolls of the colorful artwork helps to take the viewer into Fred's pleasant world where you escape with him. I also liked the way that Fred was lit in his shots. That dark but warm light sets an appropriate mood that I feel captures his pain but also highlights the glow of his artistic spirit. Professor Carrao mentioned in class about not having shots linger on too long. This film has a nice rhythm going from shot to shot. The constant scene changes kept the film visually pleasing. What stood out to me the most was how the music stopped as fred started talking about how he didn't want to die in the hospital. You had no choice but to focus on his voice and it was an important message. It was basically his final wishes. I hated to find out that he passed away so soon afterwards, but the way the film was made doesn't drag you into a depression. The way I see it is that Fred found joy during a rough time in his life and even left this world exactly how he wanted to go. He didn't want people seeing him at his worst and remembering him for that. Overall this film honors him by telling his story while staying true to how Fred wanted to be remembered.
ReplyDeleteRIP Mr. Kress
Alex Smith: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" is a short film about an old man named Fred Kress. One thing about Fred that one would notice from the beginning is the beautiful room full of art that the short documentary is placed in. The lighting in the room gives a calming sense about it with the use of shadows to calm the light subtly. We, as an audience, are given this serene feeling that Fred felt while he worked on his projects. Each shot, giving just enough time to take in all that Fred had in his little world, provides a long enough moment for the audience to observe the art. The use of these shots as the b-roll of the film both informed us of the statues he was pointing out and how much he actually had on display. I feel for his family after his passing. I am happy to hear that he passed the way he wanted, surrounded by the people and the things that he loved most in this world.
ReplyDeleteVirginia Nobles:"Come On Down and Pick Me Up" is a short film about a dying artist named Fred who has liver failure. I thought that the lighting and shots throughout the film were done very well especially for how strange the existing lighting was within the room. I felt as thought each shot gave enough time to marvel at each piece without it being there for too long. The actual topic itself was also pretty captivating. However, I wasn't entirely able to understand how he got to be sick. All I understood was something about fiberglass. Also, the music didn't seem to match too well. But other than that, this was a really cool film. It's sad to hear of his passing.
ReplyDeleteAlex Cherry: This short film showcases an exercise in the importance of color to represent themes and ideas. The film begins with bright colors as Fred’s artwork is shown, without connotation to understand why it is there. Then, we see the bleak landscape of Maine as Fred begins talking, before we plunge back into the bright surroundings of his art room. Fred speaks about the bleak parts of his life – his health, which the art room is an escape from. We see the bleak landscape of the outside world as the reality Fred doesn’t want to confront. He is dressed in black, possibly to emphasize the disease in his body. He speaks of the bleakness which faces him from his illness, but he also speaks of the escape his art provides, which is bright and colorful. The filmmakers utilize the contrast in color between the outside world, Fred himself, and Fred’s artwork to create comparisons and show the viewer just how the art impacts Fred’s life.
ReplyDeleteThe short film "Come down and Pick me Up" is about a man who designs these beautiful fluorescent masks for his warehouse. In terms of camera positioning, there seems to be a lot of pans and close up's of Fred's face as describes his work to the viewer. There is only one particular issue with his face and it is that he is ill and is taking drugs for it. The appeal were given is that he is lonely and getting older and that we should feel sympathetic towards him. The different shots of his overall art is all over this warehouse and brings the symbolic meaning of his true self. The only other major thing that I can point out was the background music adding to the emotional appeal for the audience.
ReplyDeleteMario Cirinese: “Come On Down and Pick Me Up” by John Bougher and Nick Corroa was an interesting documentary about a dynamic individual. Many of the shots were obtained in Fred Kress’ house providing a very artistic backdrop for the documentary. It contained vibrant and rejuvenating colors that attracted the audience’s eyes emitting different emotions through each individual work of art. The film was mostly B-roll with Fred in the background speaking dialogue about his love of painting and explaining his illness. During the film there were occasional pieces of music added to introduce new scenes that at some points didn’t seem to fully fit the film but at other times correlated perfectly with the situation. Fred Kress loved what he did and worked on his art until the day he passed away and this film really points these traits out in Fred. I believe that the documentary clearly conveyed his story and they did it in a respectful manner that kept the audience from feeling depressed. Overall the film had great timing with shots not overly drawn out and a simple narrative.
ReplyDeletePhillip Spain: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up", a short film by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao takes an interesting approach to an interesting man named Fred who has a strange and unique artistic hobby, which he uses to cope with the fact that he is extremely sick and dying. One of the interesting things about the film is that even though a lot of the subject matter involves death, the film does a good job of not letting it weigh down the mood too heavily, and balances it out with the focus on both the art itself and the process of the creator who uses his art as his escape. The mood is also balanced out by the first 2 songs, which are a bit more strange and upbeat than one would expect, which parallels the strange and upbeat personality of the subject. The B-Roll footage is incredibly important, as it shows us both the in-depth process of Fred's art, but much of the B-roll footage also focuses on just how sick Fred is, and how much of an impact its had on his life. All these elements come together to give an emotional but still surprisingly uplifting look into the life of Fred and his art.
ReplyDeleteJack Beuckman: "Come Down and Pick Me Up" by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao is a short documentary about an artist Fred Kress. Kress is slowly dying due to liver disease. He also has very unique art style. He paints masks and mannequins with fluorescent paint. The B-Roll for the documentary was well done. There were close ups of Kress painting and showing all the processes he goes through to make the masks. The audience also got a good look into to Kress's lifestyle. We see what his house looks like and all the art that he keeps in it. The lighting was also good. To me it looked like that the Three point lighting was not used and that there were only one or two lights. The lighting fit the mood of the video really well. Overall I really liked it and thought that the audience could connect to Kress easily and that It was well filmed and lighted.
ReplyDeleteSavannah Stanley: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is difficult to critique because our professor played such a large part in its creation. I did appreciate the use of light and colour in setting the mood and tone of the short documentary, as it lent an eerie and otherworldly feel that Kress would have enjoyed and that fit in well with his aesthetic. The shots strategically showing the paint in conjunction with the pill bottles gave necessary information without having to use on-screen text and gave the scene a more somber tone.
ReplyDeleteIn this respect, the music seemed awkward and inharmonious with the subject matter: you expect more languid, melancholy themes to be used in scenes discussing imminent death, yet the music was upbeat and staccato, which is usually in connotation with more happy and less significant topics. I suspect this was intentional, however it brought me out of the moment as I waited for the music to take a more serious quality. Overall though, I enjoyed the film and appreciated the use of lighting and colour and even the music in setting the tone of the piece and allowing it to differ from the norm, just like its subject did.
Jesse Tollison: Nicholas Carrao and John Bougher present the peculiar artistry of a dying man in their documentary "Come on Down and Pick Me Up." They offer a non-biased take on a man's quest into 3D painting. With its theme-setting soundtrack, the film sets a good mood despite the subjects rather dark backstory. The biggest issue I found with the film is that it didn't appropriately pull mhy interest, but where my interest came up short, the cinematography and production value filled the hole.
ReplyDeleteZach Andry:I felt that"Come on Down and Pick Me Up" did several things very well. First of the b-roll was super interesting. I feel a lot of times b-roll is more or less just something so you don't get bored of watching the same person talk. However in this case it was very informative communicating the seriousness of his illness with all the pill bottles he was using as paint brush holders. I also thought the interview segments were really well done I the background were very cool. Also the variety of shots used in the interview was refreshing as he was actively creating a mask while talking showing you part of his process.
ReplyDeleteHolly Hundsdorfer: "Come down and pick me up" was so intriguing to me. I thought every shot was so perfectly placed and kept building and building to the storyline of his life's work. The lighting could not have been better considering this was shot in a dark attic. The colors of his alien's and mannequin's beautifully glowed and stood out in such a dark attic. In my opinion, The music added to his quirkiness and added to Kress was. Yes, he may be a little off, but he liked what he liked and he was happy. And this song just added to this lifestyle of doing what HE wanted. Just cause it wasn't sad and calm like the story of him being sick, doesn't mean it didn't follow along with the film and add to the plot line. I personally really enjoyed watching this and didn't even realize it was by Nick Carrao until the credits. I was very impressed with all aspects of this film.
ReplyDeleteRon Shaver: "Come down and pick me up" was a very interesting piece. The colors and the music captured the raw emotion and passion of the main character. Fred is a very sick man but will not give up on his passion for painting. Nick Carrao did a really good job of capturing the paintings before going into the film, so the audience could get an understanding of what the film is about. Overall is was a fantastic film.
ReplyDeleteCaroline Builta: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher is one of the best short documentaries I have seen in a long time. The fact that Fred does not speak for the first two minutes of the film makes the first line of dialogue, which is already powerful, that much more endearing - "Somebody told me I was an artist. I never knew that." I do see what my peers have been saying about how the music was a bit inharmonious with what he was discussing at points, however, I found that I enjoyed the way that the music lifted the mood a bit. It wasn't the easy or obvious choice for the film, and I greatly appreciated that. I also though that there were moments of silent that were incredibly appropriate. The subject pulled my interest, and the shot composition combined with the very interesting b-roll footage definitely kept it. I teared up at the end when we learned that Fred had passed away. Really, in my opinion, an excellent film.
ReplyDeleteCaroline Builta: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher is one of the best short documentaries I have seen in a long time. The fact that Fred does not speak for the first two minutes of the film makes the first line of dialogue, which is already powerful, that much more endearing - "Somebody told me I was an artist. I never knew that." I do see what my peers have been saying about how the music was a bit inharmonious with what he was discussing at points, however, I found that I enjoyed the way that the music lifted the mood a bit. It wasn't the easy or obvious choice for the film, and I greatly appreciated that. I also though that there were moments of silent that were incredibly appropriate. The subject pulled my interest, and the shot composition combined with the very interesting b-roll footage definitely kept it. I teared up at the end when we learned that Fred had passed away. Really, in my opinion, an excellent film.
ReplyDeleteChelsea Massengale: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" by John Bougher and Nicholas Corrao filmed something that was quite unique for me. I appreciated that the story was not strictly on Fred being sick, but more about how he did something that made him forget that he was. The shots of the art that hedid were close up, so the audience could understand the feel of each mask and the personality of Fred. The music was not a distraction, it more of faded into the background, like it was his own personal song for his life. The ending was sad and was not expecting that he died.
ReplyDeleteCome on Down and Pick Me Up is a short documentary by John Bougher and Nick Corrao. It explores the life of Fred Kress, a man with a terminal liver disease who spends his days painting alien masks and mannequins in his basement. Much of lighting is dim because the interviews take place in the basement where he paints. Even though Fred is dying the music creates a light-hearted mood that allows the viewer to appreciate the subject and his art more instead of thinking about his disease.
ReplyDeleteMcKenzie Miller: In Come On Down and Pick Me Up, Nick Corrao and Jon Bougher were able to tell the story of a man that had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. To the viewers, the masks and manikins may have been somewhat strange and eerie, but to Fred Kress, the presence of his art gave him a gateway of escape from the reality that he was sick. It was his creative expression that helped him hold on. This film is a great visual example to us as students of how to execute a documentary. The “b-roll” shots corresponded very well to what Fred Kress was speaking about, and gave the viewer a very good idea of what his life was like. One of my favorite shots of the film was the close up of the paintbrushes in the empty medicine bottle. That shot itself encompassed the whole documentary. The music helped to show the quirkiness of the character and the different lifestyle he lived. When I first started watching the film, the bright colors stood out to me and drew me in. The directors did an excellent job of telling an emotional story and really encapsulated the life of Fred Kress.
ReplyDeleteMaddie Kennedy: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" was a very visually compelling short documentary, directed by John Bougher and Nick Corrao. From the opening shot, a strong sense of setting and theme was established. The opening music added an interesting depth to the film, with its raw, playful and dark qualities. Fred Kress was a compelling subject as well, and I found myself drawn into his strong sense of peace and purpose. The masks, which I found kind of creepy and overwhelming at first, took on a more beautiful and serene appearance. They looked on not with malice but with a strong sense of peace and benevolence that pervaded the entire film. It could have easily been a sad or depressing film, but the careful choices of the directors lent it a more poignant, thought-provoking quality. Instead of pitying Fred Kress, I found myself admiring his mindset, and pitied the world instead for losing him.
ReplyDeleteChristian Lundin: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is first and foremost, a truly mesmerizing nine minutes of authentic oddity. Fred is a brilliant character in this doc, with a heartbreaking story, but immense talent. The other main character in this piece is his artwork. It tells a story on its own as we watch his slow brush strokes gleaming in a dark, neon, cavern of obsession. The colors pop out enough to make the audience pay attention to what the paint is saying, but not so much that it's irritating. This aspect has much to do with the subtle lighting used during production, making sure that the viewer is not lost or distracted by the possibly disorienting bursts of color. The music used in the piece was pretty atypical for a story such as his, but the obscurity of his talent and the quirkiness of his character let the music be an accent (almost an homage) to the positivity in his spirit. Overall this piece was well executed, and refreshing to watch.
ReplyDeleteKrystyna Kridos: "Come Down and Pick me Up" was a very aesthetically pleasing documentary. I found the way that the shots were used to set up his narrative interesting. I thought the music choice was quintessential in telling the story in that it was a different and sort of out there like Fred Kress was. The b-roll went well with the story Fred Kress was telling as well. As a whole, I truly believe this was a well made documentary.
ReplyDelete"Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is a satisfactory documentary in the sense that it followed the specific elements of storytelling. From the music, lighting, and focus on intricate artwork, the film hooked me in at all times. The story of Fred Kress' condition and commitment to his art was interesting, but also the fact that this film was produced by Professor Corrao sparked my interest.
ReplyDeleteKaty Hale: "Come Down and Pick Me Up" was a very simple and easy to watch documentary. The character was interesting, humble, kind, but at the same time had a very raw and fun personality. He was extremely humble about his work. I laughed when he said "I didn't know I was an artist."
ReplyDeleteAnd he was surprised when his friends told him that. I noticed there was a lot of close ups of his face, hands, pictures on the walls, and of course the masks. I felt that that was necessary because of the extreme detail that was on each mask. The close ups represented how much time and effort he has put in all the masks. I also noticed the lighting in the room was very dim, but the paint was florescent. I thought that maybe the light was dim because his life is unfortunately coming to an end, but his creativity and designs are not. This was a tragic documentary, but his character made it seem like everything was going to be okay. Although he stated "there was no hope" he has a distinct positivity in everything else in his life, especially his masks. Lastly, I loved the ending quote of "Hopefully this is right where I'll be when I pass away, but for now, I have too much to paint." And most importantly, the cinematography and editing was done by our amazing professor Nick Corrao!! :) Well Done...amazing documentary.
Blake Hudson: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao was a well executed documentary short. The overall story of the film played into the visual and audible themes. We see this man's tragic illness and fate through the context of his insanely colorful and imaginative art, while the ears are treated to ironically playful music that somewhat emphasizes his almost carefree outlook on the situation. The talking-head style interview shots were expertly mixed with the B-roll and the B-roll was shot well even with the low light and sporadic colors. I thought the use of dutch angles was appropriate for the content and that no specific type of shot was overused. My main critique would have been the stark contrast of the first shot of the trees after the title, and a few of the shots that followed that one just because of how different they felt from the rest of the short along with the silence that seemed a bit too silent. Overall this was a great short!
ReplyDeleteHannah Bynum: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" is a captivating documentary about how a man named Fred Kress finds comfort and stability through painting after becoming terminally ill with liver disease. Fred's extraordinary works of art keep him occupied throughout the majority of his days and provides him with a positive outlook on life despite his tragic situation. Throughout the film the dim lighting and quirky music went perfectly with Fred's quirky personality and hobby, it really helped bring his story to life. Ending the film with Fred saying how he was in no rush to pass away because he had a lot of painting left to do left me feeling empathetic for Mr. Kress and obviously rooting for him to live a long happy life, however, I had a feeling it would end with him passing away. The filmmakers truly did a wonderful job with this piece by putting together a story which creates such a strong emotional response from the viewers in only 9 minutes.
ReplyDeleteJoshua Perkins: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" was a great documentary about a terminally ill painter named Fred Kress. The documentary was shot well and was easy to watch.
ReplyDeleteTess Dillon: "Come On Down and Pick Me Up" by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao communicates a poignant story about the little galaxy our man Fred lives in. There's nothing quite as compelling as listening to someone talk about something they're passionate about. I think that the story was translated to viewers really well through the shot execution. Although the story was tragic, Fred seemed so at peace in his little world we didn't feel our hearts wrench, we saw his benign style of existence and felt his genuine positivity and humility. I really enjoyed watching this short film.
ReplyDeleteGarrick Griffin: "Come on down and Pick me up" by Nick Corrao gives you a peak inside the life of Fred Kress. The way the shots come together really helps illustrate the world this man lives in. Although he is very ill he doesn't seem scared of it more so just waiting for it to happen, he just so happens to have a hobby while waiting. The lighting for this film had to have been difficult because it seems like he stays in the dark mostly with a room purely of black light.
ReplyDeleteTaylor Hendrix: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher demonstrated the story of a sick man through a documentary style film. The music played a huge role in telling the story because during the film, the music was not perky and upbeat as the story would be for a happy movie, but at the same time it was not slow and dreary as you would expect from a man with a terminal illness telling his story. Also, the lighting displayed the same atmosphere. It was very dark in his painting studio; however, with all the neon aliens and sculptures that he had painted, I get the moral vibe, “Hey, I know I’m dying but there is always something colorful and wonderful at the end of the darkness. I loved the B-roll of how steady and concentrated his hands were while painting the alien head. Not only did it show how talented this man is at painting, it shows how he stays calm and accepts his life how it is. Not only is this documentary good in the film aspect, the story of a sick man making the most of his time left on Earth by doing what he loves is inspirational. Overall, a big thumbs up for "Come on Down and Pick Me Up!”
ReplyDeleteVictoria Walker: “Come on Down and Pick Me Up”, by Jon Bougher and Nick Corrao, was an interesting documentary that reminds me of my strange addiction. This documentary is about an artist named Fred Kress who was diagnosed with a liver disease. Initially, I thought the film would focus more on that, but instead it focused more on Fred and his artistic ability. In the beginning of the documentary the b-roll was strategically placed with lightening in mind. Though much of the shots used front lightening, I didn’t really see where 3 point lightening was used except at 5:55. However, I did not see where 3- point lightening would be necessary being that he was in a florescent room. I really admired the wide angled shots that panned from the top of Fred’s head to the ceiling (7:33). It gives the viewers a better look at Fred’s artistic collection. The music playing through the film also add to the tone of the film. There was an oddness to the music that also cosigned with strange yet uniqueness of the mask.
ReplyDeleteTaylor Hendrix: "Come on Down and Pick Me Up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher demonstrated the story of a sick man through a documentary style film. The music played a huge role in telling the story because during the film, the music was not perky and upbeat as the story would be for a happy movie, but at the same time it was not slow and dreary as you would expect from a man with a terminal illness telling his story. Also, the lighting displayed the same atmosphere. It was very dark in his painting studio; however, with all the neon aliens and sculptures that he had painted, I get the moral vibe, “Hey, I know I’m dying but there is always something colorful and wonderful at the end of the darkness. I loved the B-roll of how steady and concentrated his hands were while painting the alien head. Not only did it show how talented this man is at painting, it shows how he stays calm and accepts his life how it is. Not only is this documentary good in the film aspect, the story of a sick man making the most of his time left on Earth by doing what he loves is inspirational. Overall, a big thumbs up for "Come on Down and Pick Me Up!”
ReplyDeleteJohn Oldani: "Come on Down and Pick me up" was a visually intriguing video. The lighting was a bit dark for the interview part, but this probably has a reason behind it. The dark lit room and the bright colors of the paint make every shot pretty cool to look at. Showing the various art works in different shot compositions is a necessary component that was done correctly. We see him preforming his art, talking about it, and literally living all around it. The story alone is interesting, but the visuals add the cool and somewhat spooky element that it needs.
ReplyDelete"Come on Down and Pick me up" by Nicholas Corrao and John Bougher was a good, small documentary. I thought this would of been a cute film for his family. Just the man being happy in his own environment doing what he loved and I feel like the directors do a great job at showing that. Even when they were filming in the dark room with the blue lights it was still well-lit. It didn't need any extra lighting it was perfect. Overall, it was a nice documentary film and the B-roll was amazing.
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