"Goshogaoka"

"It's about the idea and not the technology.."

I think Lockhart's quote pretty much explains the concept for her film "Goshogaoka." When I think of this film and what I saw, technology is the last thing that comes to mind. My favorite part of the film was the still camera focused on the stage. I tried to imagine how different the film would be had she used a moving camera, used close-ups of the girls, and shown the surrounding gym. It still would have been an awesome image but it would be too similar to sports movies, shows, etc. I just got to sit back and wait for someone new to pop out on the court with the curtain as the focus. The pounding of the feet on the court was like an introduction for the players. I liked how their movements in the warm-ups, drills, and tricks were orchestrated like a dance, but also how mistakes were not excluded. Showing the girls fall out of line or drop the ball just kept things more realistic and humorous. It seemed like the team went from being tough and machine-like in the beginning, then zombies walking around in green jumpsuits in the end.

Even if I hadn't known beforehand that Lockhart was a photographer, I still would get that sense. Especially during the part when one or two girls would walk out, stop, do a trick, stop, then exit. This reminded me of the stills of the children we saw previous to watching the film.

The fact that Lockhart was in a foreign country and wasn't familiar with the language or culture greatly adds to "Goshogaoka". The film was more about the art of movement and choreography to me personally than anything else. It was interesting to see basketball in such an artistic way. Nothing really about the sport was changed, just the timing and placement. All in all, I thought it was great.