October 2009

The notions of pure creativity of the unfiltered subconscious mind, as well as the psychological factors in realism versus illusion, live state versus dream state, present state versus memory state, are riveting. What is realism? How do we dictate what is real and unreal? Is our existence just an illusion of some other form of life?

I am fascinated with psychological studies, in particular Freud’s dream analysis and the hidden unconscious. I enjoy interpreting his model of the Ego, Superego, and Id, the relationships within that system, and the interactions between the conscious and subconscious. These ideas were important to the Surrealists. Though I do not consider myself a Surrealist, I do embrace the ideas, visual oddities, and unexpected juxtapositions of Surrealist art. There is something about the unexpected like experiencing a magicians’ trick. Your mind focuses on the physical reality of the trick, while the magician guides you through an illusion.

Surrealist filmmakers like Jean Cocteau and the contemporary screenwriter/director Michel Gondry have influenced my work in that they present the viewer with the unexpected, like juxtaposing ordinary film with reversed film, or orienting a camera position in a way that seems to defy gravity. Sometimes their work is so subtle that it becomes believable, forcing the viewer to question the real.

My Corporeal Half plays with the relationship between the conscious and subconscious. The film is a daily journal of a person’s activities. It could be said that our subconscious is always recording, oftentimes when we are unaware. Similarly the protagonist’s subconscious, his other half, is corporealized, operating the camera and following him around. The relationship of the two corporeal forms is intended to be fraternal. It is a relationship of an older brother, jovial and caring, yet bullish, to a younger brother.
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Directed by Andy Hsu
1st AD: Sean Lake
Talents: Michael Robbins & Erin Surrock
Editor: Andy Hsu
Camera: Andy Hsu
Music: Erik Pfanstiehl
Sound: Sean Lake & Andy Hsu
General Assistant: Christopher Moss
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Shot with Canon XH-A1 w/ x0.75 lens adapter
Various Mics
Marantz PMD660 recorder upgraded by Oade Brothers Audio
Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe After Effects
Graded with Colorista and Magic Bullet