Monday, June 30, 2014

IS FILM THE HIGHEST ART FORM? - Book Review: The Age of the Image


      I have read countless volumes of these guide books for screenwriting and filmmaking over the years.  Barnes and Noble has a whole section devoted to this subject.  At first I was surprised to see how many authors of these books have not one produced film to their credit, yet they profess they are an authority because they are a film critic or teach cinema studies at a university.  More often than not, the good books are written by the people with film credits because there is no substitute for experience.  Every once in a while I open a book that looks at this subject from a different perspective, it inspires me to continue to write and grow as an artist.  The Age of the Image: Redefining Literacy in a World of Screens  by Stephen Apkon is one of those books.


     This ten chapter guide deals with filmmaking as a language and explains the science behind why moving pictures is the most visceral and impactful art form we have.  The theory behind this starts long before even the wheel was invented.  Apkon observes that our brains are hard wired to respond to moving images with more urgency than any other medium because of our fight or flight response; the need for survival that has been with us all from the beginning.  In fact, neuroscientist now know that the brain begins to categorize and make sense of an image within 150 milliseconds; that's what I call fast.


      The Age Of The Image begins with a foreword written by filmmaker Martin Scorsese and the chapters that follow prove to be worthy of such an introduction.  One chapter focuses on the brain. Apkon states that “up to 85 percent of the brain is dedicated to the processing and making sense out of the visual stimulation that flows in at an astonishing rate.”  He uses studies conducted with FMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) brain scans to determine what types of images are most likely to capture our attention and light up our brains like a Christmas tree.  It turns out these are visuals that trigger our most basic instincts which are home to the most primitive part at the base of our brains commonly known as the reptilian brain.


      This book then defines what this means to us; the artist who not only view these images but create them to be watched on the big screen and countless small screens alike.  There is one chapter that gives examples of some of the most popular Youtube videos ever uploaded and seeks answers to what made these videos so popular in their reach.  Another eye opening chapter focuses on advertising and sets out to prove that the most effective advertisements are image based.  Even the way that film and home video have proved to be the strongest motivators for political causes is the focus of one compelling chapter.  The best commercials, just like a feature film; are a concise form of visual storytelling.  Our brains and hearts are constantly searching for meaning, it is up to us, the fortunate few, the purveyors of the moving image to give it to them.  This profound and well written book; The Age Of The Image, will help us do exactly that.



- Curt Wiser is the author of the suspense novel Box Cutter Killer and Writer-Director of the feature film Cam-Girl. He is currently writing his own guide to screenwriting titled How To Write A Screenplay That Gets Produced.

Official web site: www.webcamthefilm.com