Hi Doug,
I often think the same thing though I am lucky to be know several local analog
filmmakers that I call friends. While there is a large community of people
working with film, its very scattered and it might take a direct approach to
meet like minded people in this age.
I was in Calgary a few weeks ago for the $100 Film Festival. I'd screened there
a few years ago and had a new film in this years festival. They only screen
Super 8 and 16mm prints and I was curious as what 3 nights of film prints in
the 21st century would be like.
The festival organizers were terrific people and the programming was very
strong. I was made to feel very welcome and I do think I will try to attend
again. And best of all the crowds were huge (200-300 I'd guess) and quite
lively. Animated films, gag films, abstract experimenting, several narratives.
It was a very diverse show and quite entertaining.
I also got to meet several local and out of town filmmakers, Paul Clipson gave
an amazing talk and presented his Super 8 prints personally. It was amazing to
be able to grab a beer with a few people you met the day before and talk film
stocks and share ideas. There was a healthy contingent of filmmakers from the
Canadian Prairies up on the screen. Obviously most people are working digitally
but their traditional film scene has the benefit of an annual event to plan
films for and gather. And it seems most people that I met there who are working
on film are in there 20s and 30s and there are few of the old guard who just
never stopped working with 16mm.
I had a great time and I think I will try to attend again in the future. My
advice is to look out for events like this and plan a trip.
John Woods
________________________________
From: "Doug Chaffin("Douglas Graves")" <dgtols...@yahoo.com>
To: FrameWorks <frameworks@jonasmekasfilms.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 16, 2013 12:32:54 PM
Subject: [Frameworks] Anyone else like me out there?
As an isolated 16mm abstract moviemaker I'm very interested to know if there's
anyone else like me around today?
Specifically, is there anyone who works on photo-chemical celluloid motion
picture film and makes any kind of formal aesthetic work that is either purely
cinematic, abstract, or just generally lyrical and poetic, visually speaking?
I'm 30 and I spent 3 years and 10,000 dollars making a really ambitious and
stylized abstract 16mm movie called "PALMS", it's a serious piece of work that
I think is worthy of following in the tradition of what I feel are the truly
great non-narrative cinematic artists such as Will Hindle, Ed Emshwiller, James
Whitney, Pat O'Neill, Jordan Belson, Scott Bartlett, Bruce Baillie, Maya Deren,
Slavko Vorkapich, and Dziga Vertov, among others.
Are other people out there, particularly people younger than 50 and currently
active, who are also passionate and excited by the work of all these great
cinematic artists and are committed to working on celluloid? The last 3 years
have been a struggle for me to make another movie and to get my 1st one even
seen by anyone. and i also just haven't been able to find people who share my
love of cinematic technique and will share it in any way, such as emailing or
talking to each other about great shots and montages and optical techniques or
sound design techniques in the brilliant movies by these artists.
That kind of community and sharing is i feel necessary, even if only between a
few people, and it's sad when we're so alone in our struggling and hard work.
The only current 16mm moviemakers I know that are similar to me in any way are
Timoleon Wilkins and Mark Toscano and they are unfortunately inaccessible for
various reasons. I can't see their work or stay in touch with them as friends
or even associates.
Especially nowadays with all these faster, easier, and cheaper ways of
communicating around the whole world such as the internet and cell phones, it's
amazing how it seems like most people are if anything more reluctant and
difficult about staying in touch and enjoying community and fellowship.
I know that maybe there are some really great cinematic-celluloid artists
working today out there who just make their work for themselves and don't
really show it and don't desire to know other cinema enthusiasts. In a way I
can understand wanting to be like that and maybe nowadays it's the only way to
be. I might get like that too but right now I would welcome the interest and
association of serious people whom love what I love and, as my mentor the great
Bruce Baillie would say, want to be human to each other about it.
Doug Graves
4636 Talbot Drive
Boulder, CO 80303
702-580-4293
PURE CINEMA CELLULOID
http://www.purecinemacelluloid.webstarts.com/
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