Revisiting the sessions: Video in dialogue with the body

 

Task 1: Anne is watching without her camera ,while Virag and myself are dancing.

We talked about the difference between Anne as a filmmaker without her camera and Anne as a spectator and our relationship to her in relation to these two roles; we experienced that the two roles are melting into each other and what connects them is the physical presence.

Question to investigate further: in which ways are the two roles melting and how can we become more specific about that?

 

Task 2: Anne behind the camera filming: She noticed she was busy with making compositional choices and that limited her perception of space. “I always guess the space”, she observed.

Virag had to remind herself  Anne’s physical presence while filming and that helped her to perceive the whole space, also the space that was not used.

I myself was not aware of Anne’s physical presence, as the camera was between us and her. Anne was identified with her camera.

Question: what if we include Anne and her camera in the making process? what if Anne and her camera become an element of the piece?

 

Task 3:The film is being projected on the wall. We’re making a piece interacting with the film and each other. Observations we made:

We’ve been shifting from image to real time movement.

We’ve been integrating the response to the image into the actual piece.

We’ve been making “free translation” of the visual material.

 

Task 4: We changed roles: Anne is copying my movement from the film, as she is dancing and watching simultaneously, whereas I’m copying Virag’s movement and Virag is filming.

How does it feel like to be in another’s body?

E.g. In another’s rhythm, musicality, body language, choices?

 

Second session:

In this session two beautiful musicians joined.

Task 1: Anne is filming body parts or zooming in actions. Afterwards, the film is projected on the wall. Anne is sharing her own perception  and ideas of composition.

The film was more about human bodies interacting with each other, the space and the music rather the unfolding and development of an instantly composed piece. Interesting and fresh perspective.

Question to investigate: what if we approach composition from this perspective? In what way will that affect the outcome?

 

Task 2: We are making a piece while interacting with the projected film and each other. For some of us the “body of information” was overwhelming. For some others challenging.

Question: how can we find ways to relate/deal with a large body of information/impulses/impressions/sensations/choices?

 

Task 3: Anne is filming whereas at the same time the film is projected.

Questions for further investigation: how do we feel as performers/musicians with receiving immediate feedback?

How does this affect the composition?

We watched the film. It reminded us of movies in 70”s. That had to do with the light-Anne mentioned-and her specific way of filming:

Zooming in on specific actions, travelling through bodies, body parts spaces and actions.

 

Task 4: Anne is projecting on the floor light patterns. We make a piece including the light patterns.

We experienced that: Light moulded the space

Light created a new perspective of the space

Light sharpened our focus and heightened our

attention.

Light created music.

Light had a physical presence.

 

Task 5:  Anne projected on the floor one of the films she has made.

We worked with this “amorphous””,continually changing shapes and forms “‘body”.

 

Question: How can we work with different materials in the space, e.g. patterns and/or “amorphous’, “distorted’ image?

 

 

One thought on “Revisiting the sessions: Video in dialogue with the body

  1. Thank you for this Marianthi! It’s very clear. I had allot fun researching this and feel there allot more to explore…
    I’m thinking of ways to improve Task 3 technically, but the cable and light situation is to limiting now. Maybe we could find some sollutions (dancers come near me to be filmed, someone helps with lights)
    Also I would love to try out more with the floor projections. For me those two setups felt the most involved in the instant composition.
    Any plans for coming weeks?

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