Link to our video!
iMovie Artist's Statement
For our iMovie project we decided to take a comical route. The main premise of our short is comedy through censorship, ranging from visual and written to vocal and audio. There was a bit of concern at first upon learning that coarse language was not allowed to be used. Coincidentally, this rule served as somewhat of an inspiration for making the project what it is: a brief study in censorship and its effect on us as individuals. We achieved this in a number of ways: by use of visual effects, sound effects, music, green screen work, and clever jokes that include breaking the fourth wall.
In this story our main character Tyler doses off while working on a school assignment, only to find that when he awakes he can no longer use profanity. In a stunned stupor he finds a place to relax and clear his mind, once again drifting off to sleep. This time Tyler finds himself in the Calder Art Center. To his horror not only are his words censored this time, but any visual and literary media is also censored. Driven to madness he shouts to the sky in confusion and anger only to have a strange figment of himself break the fourth wall and inform him what is truly happening. Will Tyler escape from his nightmare? Or will he never use profanity again?
The primary conflict addressed in this project is that of freedom of speech versus the courtesy of censorship. Though we all take steps to make sure that not everything on our minds is blatantly spoken aloud, when this filter is applied to us unwillingly, it can prove incredibly stifling to those who are comfortable with such means of expression. Though it is true that curses and profane language carry with them a certain potency and can be offensive when used in a hostile manner, when they are used in the proper circles and without intent of harm, there is little offense that can be derived beyond personal bias.
On the surface, we do see that the sudden inability to say what we know is being said is funny; indeed, sometimes the censor sound can gain more laughs than the original curse in some cases. Going off of this, why does it make sense to replace these words with something else when the intent, and therefore the word that is meant to be used, is still there? Comedians such as Louis C.K. address this point often, and it remains a pertinent question that still doesn’t have a clear answer. In a similar vein, visual censorship is brought into question in our project as well. Why are certain displays of physical appearance mandatory to cover, while some are considered holistic examples of fine culture? What’s more, the exploration of sexuality is, outside of extremes, considered relatively healthy; so why stifle examples of things that could lead people to become more comfortable with themselves? Even rich history can be put on the cutting board, with book censorships and bannings in schools that take knowledge and understanding away from the educational experience.
Ultimately, our project is a small, fun exploration of these issues. We do not necessarily seek to cast blame for censorship; merely to address how odd it can be at times. Certainly, if someone decides to scream a curse word into the air, it might be better that people not hear it. Censorship has its place, but there are still times, such as in our main character’s case, where it is most certainly out of place.
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