Women and The Work They Make in the Media

There are many media makers and artists whom create art for many different reasons, or even no reason at all. A few outstanding artists are the filmmaker Betty Thomas, the artist Jackson Pollock and the artist/ activist Cat Mazza (Spliced 1,Goodnough 1,Regine 1). Betty Thomas has directed many films; some of them include, The Brady Bunch Movie, Dr. Dolittle, 28 days and I Spy(IMbD). For the Brady Bunch Movie she claimed that she wanted people who she felt were best to play those roles, meaning that the script was not written for a specific actor to play (Spliced 1). For example the Spliced article claimed that Thomas, "was determined to cast 'nobodies'" so that "the audience wouldn't have to shake an image that came with a name actor in order to accept them as a Brady" (Spliced 1). Ms. Thomas here explains that she wanted the movie that she would be directing to not have an actor automatically playing it (Spliced 1). In addition she explains that she wanted her movie to closely emulate the actual television show, which is why she filmed part of the movie where it was zoomed in and not following the characters (Spliced 2). Ms. Thomas's method for filming The Brady Bunch Movie was to closely emulate the television show as well as to not have a particular actor or actress dominate the actual script (Spiced 1).
       Thomas is also working on many other projects including an online series on YouTube called Audry(Elber 1). With that project, she has found many positive and negative aspects to creating the series (Elber 1). For example she says that "you get whoever you can force to work for no money"(Elber 1), and that " in the entertainment industry"(Elber 1) they "are reluctant to get involved in online projects because they don't see any profit potential,"(Elber 1) but she "believes that will change"(Elber 2). Here Thomas explains that some risks of doing this project, is that at first there may be little financial support from larger industries in the beginning, but that she also explains that it is easier to recruit individuals that can partake in her piece (Elber 1).
    According to Robert Goodnough who is the author of the article "Pollock Paints a Picture," some artists and/or media makers like Jackson Pollock, explain that their method is to forget about their emotions and even position their canvas on the floor and paint there, before they hang it up on the wall  (Goodnough 1). For example, he says that when Jackson Pollock paints, "the brush seldom touches the canvas, but is a means to let color drip or run in stringy forms that allow for the complexity of design necessary to the artist" (Goodnough 1). Goodnough explains that the method that the artist Pollock uses is movement in the wrist and lying the canvas on the floor so that a better quality picture is made(Goodnough 1). This technique the  artist used is similar to what Thomas did in conducting her movie. It is similar because Thomas wanted to stay true to the television show but her technique, of filming in the manner that she did, is what she felt was the best way to achieve a film, similar to the television production(Goodnough 2, Elber 2). Both artists have their own technique for making their piece the best that it can be (Goodnough 2, Elber 2).
       While there are many artists whom create artwork for the sake of making a movie, paintings or even sculpture, there is another artist that uses her art to help get involved in important issues because she has strong opinions (Regine 1). That person is Cat Mazza (Regine 1). Cat Mazza uses her knitting work to try and raise awareness about sweatshop labor and support for the U.S military in Iraq (Regine 2) . Mazza explains that "the Stitch for Senate project is an attempt to engage people in discussion with their public officials about the war. There are some tenacious knitters out there willing to knit a helmet  and make a testimony. All of the participants support the troops; most of them are pro-peace (including some military moms)."(Regine 2). Here she explains that through a knitting project she was able to get more people involved with discussing the war and supporting the troops(Regine 2). By doing so, she starts in making the movement towards making a change for the better of the country and those effected by the war (Regina 2). Even with her MicroRevolt project, she is raising awareness in sweatshop labor through knitting and crocheing so that more workers will be treated in a fairer manner (Regine 3).
           Overall Thomas, Pollock, and Mazza, each had their own method of creating their artwork and their own reason for doing so(Regine 3, Elber 2, Goodnough 2). Each artist is unique in what they wanted to achieve and each had their own idea of what they wanted to create(Regine 3, Elber 2, Goodnough 2). Each technique is different for each artist and each artist has their reason for creating what they make(Regine 3, Elber 2, Goodnough 2). For some of Mazza's projects, the goal is to raise awareness and to make a difference (Regine 3). For Thomas and Pollock, their methods are different from each others because Pollock paints in a manner where he does not let his emotions interfere and Thomas filmed The Brady Bunch Movie in a specific way that she believed would be similar to the television show( Elber 2, Goodnough 2). Overall, both of these artists wanted to create a piece of artwork( Elber 2, Goodnough 2).              
















Photo from: http://images.zap2it.com/images/movie-16486/the-brady-bunch-movie-3.jpg

Works Cited

Goodnough, Robert. "Pollock Paints a Picture." Artnews.com. N.p., 26 Oct. 2012. Web. 24 Nov. 2012. <http://www.artnews.com/2012/11/26/pollock-paints-a-picture/>.      

"ImDb Betty Thomas." IMDb.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0858525/>.

 "Interview with Betty Thomas, "Brady Bunch Movie" Director." Splicedwire.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://splicedwire.com/bradyinterview.html>.

Regine. "Interview with Cat Mazza (microRevolt)." E-make-money-not-art.com. N.p., Jan.-Feb. 2008. Web. 24 Nov. 2012. <http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2008/01/how-and-when-did-you.php#.ULkdeoW7GZ8>.  


The Brady Bunch Movie. N.d. Photograph. Http://images.zap2it.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://images.zap2it.com/images/movie-16486/the-brady-bunch-movie-3.jpg>.