Notebook 4: Film is Definitely not a "Visual" Medium

Now hear this! Issue 4 explores cinematic soundscapes in their diverse sonic forms. Voices of artists are featured in a wide-ranging conversation between director Gus Van Sant (Elephant, Milk), composer Tamar-kali Brown (Mudbound, The Assistant, Shirley), and sound designer Leslie Shatz (Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Carol, Blonde), as well as a survey of contemporary filmmakers, including Garrett Bradley, Erik Matti, and Dominga Sotomayor, explaining their approaches to audio. We look at the state of accessibility for the visually impaired, and what its evolution may bring in the future, and hear about exciting approaches to silent film accompaniment by musician Julia Holter, benshi Ichiro Kataoka, and pianist Gerhard Gruber. Additional topics include tours of the world-class Skywalker Sound facility in Northern California and a Foley effects studio in Ireland. Other features range from a celebration of the gorgeous “100 Films, 100 Posters” art project in Jeonju, South Korea, to a personal reflection on brownface in American cinema, and a new installment by Pedro Costa (Vitalina Varela) in our “Things Filmmakers Should Know” series, and much more.