Pine Flat

Pine Flat is a film by Sharon Lockhart comprised of twelve different shots divided by an intermission after the sixth shot. It is filmed in color and each shot is ten minutes long. The idea behind the film was to make a film with kids who live in a town called Pine Flat and record them doing everyday things kids might do. What is interesting about this film is that each shot is ten minutes long and there is no camera movement at all, only movement made by the kids in the frame and nature itself is apparent. However, even though there is no movement at all, the camera uses ump cuts to move between time (seasons) and space (locations). This is evident because there are shots with snow as well as shots that represent more of the summertime or spring seasons. Lockhart stated before the screening that the film was made over a period of three years so this implies that there is the possibility of great change to be seen between each shot.
The first set of six shots is comprised of a single child doing any random activity in nature. What I found interesting about these shots was that nature sounds primarily made up the sound of the shot, excluding the boy with the harmonica, but during each scene there would be some type of acousmatic sound that would draw the child’s attention. For example, the sound of the howl in the very first snowy scene, the sound of an airplane flying overhead in another scene, and the sound of gunshots in another scene. I thought it was interesting she chose these scenes in which something outside of the child and nature itself presented itself.
I will admit I did not stay for the entire second half of the film because I was not happy with the film. However, I found that the scenes in which the film had children interacting with each other were somewhat more bearable to watch for ten minutes straight. Watching them interact with each other seemed noteworthy yet I still cannot say I am happy with this type of filmmaking. I understand that experimental film is popular and unique. It also presents us with new aspects of film techniques but I do not like that people can praise a film such as this. I am not saying it is completely bad but had I known what the film was about I would not have gone to see it.
-Joey Ponticello