In this UHI Winter 2023 Methods Workshop, titled “The Sound We See: A 7 Ecologies City Symphony,” UHI students were invited to create an analog film over an intensive three-week period with support and mentorship from Paolo Davanzo and Lisa Marr of the EPFC Collective.
Working collaboratively, the group learned about the city symphony genre, cinematically mapping the urban environment while exploring experimental techniques for filming with vintage Super 8 cameras and eco-developing black and white film stock with local organic materials. Together, they produced a film that explores “the 7 ecologies” through a variety of lenses including environmental activism, social justice, indigenous stewardship, forgotten histories, and urban renewal.
Each student was responsible for recording and telling the story of one hour of the day, guided by their own intuitions, personal styles, and perspectives. Analog filmmaking techniques and iconic works produced by Walter Ruttmann and Dziga Vertov in the 1920s served as starting points for this exploration into the communal creative process and contemporary environment.
Students chose the site and subject of their hour, employing “in-camera” editing techniques to coalesce images into a one-minute film. Adding to the excitement of the “Slow Film” movement, the visiting artists introduced students to eco-processing techniques, which replace harsh chemicals with locally sourced organic ingredients, and engendered the film with a signature tone and mood. These one-minute segments were stitched together to form a single film and set to a score determined by the filmmakers.
