9 - The Artist - Mr Jones

7/31/2019 9 - The Artist - Mr Jones

1/12

Im Not ThereMr Jones


2/12

Focus Questions

(what you should be able to answer by

the end)1. What is Keenan Jones a representation of?

2. Why is the song Ballad of a Thin Man significant?

3. How does this sequence represent the impact of themedia on the artist?


3/12

A shift...

So, we move away a little from the relationship between the artist

and their broad, fan-based audience at this point in order to

explore the more specific relationship between the artist and the

media.

This will involve close readings of stuff from the Jude timeline -

particularly the Ballad of a Thin Man mini music video

sequence. Well also be looking quite closely at the Billy

sequences - with a particular interest in the myth of Billy the Kidand the idea of forced seclusion.


4/12

Initial questions...

How can an artist use the media?

How can the media use an artist?


5/12

A focus question for viewing

Consider this as you watch this sequence:

Haynes talks about how he wanted to dramatise the song, i.e. he

wanted to create a visual representation of the song and itslyrics.

So, what would you say is the message of the song?

And what connections can you see between the lyrics and thevisuals?


6/12

Insert clip of Ballad of a Thin Man


7/12

Returning to the

question...So, what would you say is the message of the song?And what connections can you see between the lyrics and the

visuals?


8/12

Indicting the Establishment

To indict: to accuse or charge someone with a serious crime - in

our case, charging someone or something with a significant

wrongdoing.

The Establishment: those who hold all the power; the people who

make the rules.

So, why is Keenan Jones a representation of the Establishment?

What is the indictment being made here?


9/12

Indicting the Establishment

The idea here is that it takes those people who think they are in

control, that they know what is going on because they have

power and influence, and suggests to them that they are wrong

and that they know nothing.

The idea is that the media (as representative of the

Establishment) wants to know what is happening so that they

can package it, re-present it, and use it for their own purposes.

They need things to be understandable and they need things tobe meaningful otherwise they are useless to them.


10/12

How?

Youve each got a set of images from the scene.

What were looking to do with each is briefly explain how the shot

goes about showing this undermining or indictment of the media.

Make sure you think about technical choices.

Consider:

- undermining their sense of authority- pointing out their lack of knowledge

- turning them into outsiders


11/12

Example

Here we might think about the

use of a symbol. The

microphone is symbolic of

having a voice, yet Jones is

unable to speak here. The idea

ends up being that Jonesactually has nothing to say, or at

least nothing interesting to

say.

We might also talk about composition. The artist is outside of the cage, while Jones is

inside. The artist is now one of the people in this composition, rather than the other wayaround. Jones is cut off from the outside, helping to construct him as a figure of ridicule,

rather than a figure of knowledge or understanding.


12/12

The bigger picture...

So this work is about developing an understanding about what

the film has to say about the artist/media tension. There is

always a push and pull going on between the two.

The media want something fixed - they want to know what is

happening so that they can report on it. They want their artists to

be stable and to be knowable. Even if the message is horrific, if it

fits a pattern then its understandable.

The artists drive though is based on inspiration, which is

something that is never fixed. The artist cant really explain

themselves because for them theres nothing to explain.

Documents

9 - The Artist - Mr Jones