Sam GRS 1

Project That May or May Not edit. Sept 21. 2023

What do you want to make? Work(ing Together) in Process is a film based work (ideally including an installation) made in collaboration with Marty. It is an explorative correspondence regarding the processes amongst us of a film that strives to to be or not to be a film. A project in crisis, much like the creative minds behind it- two people who unexpectedly became friends and collaborators, inside an unexpected place, a sex shop in the west side of Rotterdam. The film aims to be a collectively authored project, by both filmmaker and non. It explores our worlds of difference in who we are and how we live, and how these differences are a strong element to our friendship and in making something.

How do you plan to make it? The current state of the film is comprised of video material that has (and continues) to be collected, over the course of ~1 year. I regularly visit the shop where Marty works. First just to hangout and eventually with my camera. Together we record in fragmented manners, our conversations, the visitors, he interviews me, vice versa. There is rarely a definite reason or idea that we employ. It focuses on the moment. It has become a pile of footage, that over the past several months we have begun digging into, together, in editing. I think there is a lot in this material. I also think I may need to shoot more, we are trying to understand what the project is still, in terms of form and style. 

Why do you want to make it? I am curious about using images and telling stories, contrary to traditional narrative/filmic means. Marty confided in me years ago when we first met, that he was struggling with a sort of creative crisis, one he knew he needed to get out of by doing something- but unsure how. I was struggling with similar things and needing a companion to try things, a subject(although i hate that word now) and setting to help my own issue with trying to make a film that satisfies my need for making free from commercial or traditional restraint. The setting of our work was convenient as it was under my apartment. It also lent its hand to a whole slew of other questions and topics regarding sexuality, heteronormativity, violence, pleasure, safe spaces and more. Marty is in many ways an opposite to me: twice as old, willingly lives without an address, has avoided technology for the most part in the last 15 years, and no formal artistic training. He challenges me to always see things inversely to how my usual reaction is. I believe this duality of difference we share is powerful, especially when brought out in creative means. Reason enough to do this.

Workflow Working on this project has slowly changed from the idea of making a portrait of a person in a place, to a free form (but somewhat essayistic?) 'non-film'. Marty maintains he has no idea how films should be made and that he has no expectations, contrary to me. Lots of our discussions revolve around this. How do we make this film together as two differing people with differing intentions? In a recent edit I have made, I am starting to see opportunity for a definite approach in making a complete work. This might involve writing somewhat of a script, something to map out so-called 'scenes' in finding a way for us both to share our ends of the story we both live. 

What is your timetable? We've now finished an edit that explores the contents we have. It is immensely scattered but begins to put in place the questions on our minds, literally in the film. I look to make a whole new prototype in the coming month or two, maybe more aligned with my official project proposal. Meanwhile, consistent effort to continually collect more material together. I would love to be in a space where in the new year Marty and I can just focus on editing together, as it is tedious to do with two people. From there we can do pickups and eventually, consider forms of installing this work (maybe with different channels or an accompanying performance?) for a final presentation. 

Who can help you and how? I think my classmates and mentors can help immensely by discussing the work with me and providing more perspective as that is what a lot of the work is about, differing perspectives. Similarly, I believe it is extremely important that Marty can share and discuss the work with his community of friends and colleagues, for the same reasons. I think theory and literature regarding collective/communal making is important, also deepening my knowledge on the history and current movements on ethnography. (Non traditional) masculinity is also a topic that comes into play here and relative theory will be useful considering the location. 

Relation to Previous Practice Coming from a world of cinematography and entertainment/commercial business filmmaking. I have struggled with fascinations of making documentations of people and places, and I want to hold a dear connection to what I put in frame. Marty became a friend first, one I was fascinated with by how he lived his life. But that has fallen much to the wayside now, he has become such an important person to me that I notice this difference less. He endlessly expresses his desire, need to be doing something.  Especially something confronting, like putting yourself on screen. This true passion for making as a conscious endeavour, to transcend oneself and share themselves, their(our?) stories has long been missing in my previous practice. I want to experience it, but even more so want to share it with others. Decentralizing the idea of 'directed by' opens up a world of new possibilities for us to work within. Sharing every idea from absurd to serious, this is important to me- to unlearn things, recycle codes an conventions, and so on. 

Relation to a larger context With the speed of visual cultures today, there is (maybe, maybe not?) a need for something that questions what visual culture is and can be, I think. How can the foundations of 'film' be shaken, by those invested in it themselves (a so called 'filmmaker' like me) and those so distant from it (a self proclaimed rejector of films like Marty). I believe the material of the medium can be challenged within it self, in the questions we discuss through this project and also in the style of the work. Avoiding polished images,(traditional) actors, rigid lines to stay inside. Also, how can representation be explored, collectively? Who is film being made by and for? How can the norms be challenged and groups be accessed who might otherwise be excluded? On a wider more abstract scale, I'm also curious about the footprint of image making on our earth. How can small-scale-local projects prove a creatively lucrative form of expression, rich in story but limited in money, crew, technology, 'talent' and so forth. How can a film listen to the environment around it, and have it also be a part of the authorship instead of being impeded upon within the authoring?

References/bibliography // Edwin Mingard - An artist and filmmaker with a social practice dealing with specific communities in the UK, collectively making projects related to the circumstances of collaborators // Natasha Soobramanien - her book Diego Garcia has provided me a lot of insight in the idea of co-authorship and allowing the seams to be seen, rather than trying to hide them // Jean-Pierre Gorin - for his film essay works where he allows himself to be consumed in an environment or community and explore phenomenon together, honestly and with humour // Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Jakrawal Nilthamrong - two Thai filmmakers whose work fascinates me for their patience in images and storytelling, and exploring non linear forms // Robert Pirsig & Henry David Thoreau - Because 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' and 'Walden' are very related for me, this (maybe cliche?) American transcendentalism, this understanding of the goodness of humans, the beauty and power of our immediate surroundings and the earth and our shared moments. And to have gumption! // Claire Bishop - Although some of it flies over my head, reading 'Artificial Hells' has helped me understand a bit of history and the social turn in contemporary arts (for better or for worse) I think it is important food for thought for me // Richard Linklater - Especially for his film 'Slacker' which is this fantastic combination of spontaneity, politics, community and cinema...and humour // Jean Rouch - for his fascinating work around ethnography, anthropology and blending that with film. MANY MANY MORE TO ADD STILL

Prototypes File:Text messaging for a year.mp3

Sketches of a non film: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/851920548/b301725d58

Project That May or May Not Sept 20. 2023

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rapid prototype 01

What? Work(ing Together) in Process is a film based work (potentially with an installation) by myself and Marty. It is an explorative correspondence regarding the processes amongst the makers of a film that strives to to be or not to be a film. A project in crisis, much like the creative minds behind it- two people who unexpectedly became friends and collaborators, inside a heterotopia on the west side of Rotterdam. The film aims to be a collectively authored project, by both filmmaker and non, as I want to avoid the pitfalls of typical 'portraiture'.

How? The current state of the film is comprised of video material that has (and continues) to be collected, over the course of ~1 year. I would regularly visit the (sex) shop where Marty works. First just to hangout and eventually with my camera. Together we record in fragmented manners, our conversations, the visitors, he interviews me, vice versa. It has become a pile of footage, that over the past several months we have begun digging into, together, in editing. File:R4S Heterotopias x 17.mp3 Why? I am curious about using images and telling stories, contrary to traditional narrative/filmic means. Marty confided in me years ago when we first met, that he was struggling with a sort of creative crisis, one he knew he needed to get out of by doing something- but unsure how. I was struggling with some sort of companion, subject(although i hate that word now) and setting to help my own crisis with trying to make a film that satisfies my need for making free from commercial or traditional restraint. The setting of our work was convenient as it was under my apartment. It also lend its hand to a whole slew of other questions and topics regarding sexuality, heteronormativity, violence but pleasure, safe spaces and more. Marty in many ways is an opposite to me: twice as old, willingly lives without an address, has avoided technology for the most part in the last 15 years, and no formal artistic training. He challenges me to always see things inversely to how my usual reaction is. I believe this duality of difference we share is powerful- especially when shared on screen.

Workflow Working on this project has slowly changed from the idea of making a portrait of a person in a place, to a free form (but somewhat essayistic) 'non-film'. Marty maintains he has no idea how films should be made. He has no expectations, contrary to me. Lots of our discussions revolve around this. How do we make this film together as two differing people from different worlds? In the current edit I have made, I am starting to see opportunity for a definite approach in making a complete work. This might involve writing somehwat of a script, something to map out so-called 'scenes' in finding a way for us both to share our ends of the story we both live.

Timeline I've now finished an edit. I look to make a whole new prototype in the coming month or two, maybe more aligned with my official project proposal. Meanwhile, I should make consistent effort to continually collect footage together. I would love to be in a space where in the new year Marty and I can just focus on editing together, as it is tedious to do with two people together. From there we can do pickups and eventually, consider forms of installing this work (maybe with different channels or an accompanying performance?) for the final presentation.

Relation to Previous Practice As stated I come from a world of cinematography and entertainment/commercial business filmmaking. I have struggled with fascinations of making documentations of people and places, and I want to hold a dear connection to what I put in frame. Marty became a friend first, one I was fascinated by with how he lived his life. But he is now a co author with me. Decentralizing the idea of 'directed by' opens up a world of new possibilities for us to work within. Sharing every idea from absurd to serious, this is important to me- to unlearn things, recycle codes an conventions, and so on.

Project That May or May Not Sept 14. 2023

What? An installation using primarily video and (maybe?) other mediums (readymade?) that explores the places, roles and assaults of images in contemporary (western?) society, both literal and conceptual. It may pull from notions of simulacra and hyperreality (Baudrillard, Mcluhan etc) and attempt to look at these implications in a more present day setting regarding information technology and cloud based modes of production. There will ideally be several pieces in this work. For example, one might look at stock footage and its flexibility of uses but also it’s 2-dimensional quality void of soul. Another may explore data storage, and how files are ‘thrown’ into the cloud. While serious in nature, humour will be applied to explore both literal and conceptual notions of image making and using. These seperate, short video pieces will attempt to use different familiar forms- ex. short film with an actor (maybe me), montage, digital collage and be presented through different physical forms (mobile phone, CRT). It will provide a contrast between the rapid, consumerist based images and stage a battle against this with slow (cinema). It hopes to carve out an alternative path of understanding the human relationship to earth in regard to the non physical (waste?) of visual surplus we encounter.

How? The project use a method bouncing between theory and practice. On one side, collecting and reading relative literature and art works (both past and present) surrounding the topic, studying it, and attempting to build bridges between them to arrive at new questions (maybe even conclusions, but that’s doubtful). That will happen simultaneously with production of experiments, prototypes and maquettes in relation to these questions. I expect the pieces of this project to be fairly ‘DIY’ in terms of aesthetic, due to both means and in contestation with the notion of ‘professionality’ in images. While I expect this to be a mostly autonomous process, I would love to find ways to collectively author some pieces , similar to what I want to do with my film work. But maybe thats for another project.

Workflow I have been reading on this topic and (distantly) related philosophies of contemporary art, anti extractivism, colonialism for some time. I tend to keep comprehensive notes and will continue to do so. Many times these notes then lead to thoughts on an idea for a work/piece that could be used in this installation. I will continue to use these processes but begin to turn these notes into actually made prototypes.

Timetable

Sept/Oct - Continue to round out what exactly I want to focus on here (through the literature i read and writing i make. First steps, experiments in making Nov/Dec - Regroup and understand where this is headed (coupled with proposal/beginning of thesis). Is the scope too large? Do I really want to do this right now? Am I making the connections I said I hope to make? Jan/Feb/March - With the thesis becoming more concrete, my grad project should also be more concise in how I understand, talk about and work on this project. By this time I hope to have several prototypes hashed out and nearing completion/touch up. Or scrapping ideas in favour of new unexpected ones. April/May/June - Heavy focus on how I will choose to present these seperate pieces of the project, so they can be in conversation with each other. As things ‘seem’ to finish, I find this is the moment where i suddenly become aware of things I may have overlooked, misjudged etc. Maybe this is a chance to write or do something extra around that. Maybe not.

Relation to previous practice My previous practice was rooted in traditional filmmaking, specifically cinematography. In these worlds, the production of images will stop at nothing to get the ‘perfect take’ or the ‘cinematic look’. As I started last year to build a filmmaking practice out of small scale, collective projects that are simple(r) and (less) harmful in production (with regards to waste, data, modes and means of production). I looked to craft something out of seemingly nothing (but in actuality loaded situations, places, moments). In this new project, i hope to apply a similar approach albeit in a more deconstructed format that follows less of a narrative route in favour of a conceptual or philosophical study or statement(s).

Choices made I am choosing to try something different for me, something that excites me and scares me. Something that is relevant to what I do on a daily basis (create images for commercial means to survive). Something that aims to push back against this not just in my head but in reality. This will require me to make the choice of putting a stronger focus on writing and thinking in regards to these concepts that interest me but sometimes feel distant or foreign. I must also make the choices of doing, the experiments- a choice I have not yet made.