How to Enjoy Experimental Film
By H2EEF
How to Enjoy Experimental FilmNov 26, 2020
H2EEF 47 Constellations with Helga Fanderl (PART 2)
Helga Fanderl returns to discuss her work, focusing on some specific films that can now be seen on a new DVD from Re:Voir, as well as conversations about how she programmes her work. We discuss both how she assembles programmes of her short films as well as the long process of selecting the films for inclusion on this disc. In addition, Helga shares a number of stories giving background for several of her films in this in depth and occasionally emotional discussion about the making of Helga’s films.
https://re-voir.com/shop/en/helga-fanderl/1564-helga-fanderl-constellations.html
Her book Constellations (De: Konstellationen) is available in multi-lingual editions from Re:Voir as well as Amazon.
H2EEF 46 "Film Poetry" with Helga Fanderl (PART 1)
Born in Ingolstadt in Germany, Helga Fanderl studied German, Italian and French languages and literature in Munich, Paris and Frankfurt, with an interest in becoming a poet herself. However, quite by chance, she was introduced to super-8 filmmaking via a friend and would soon find herself in the classes of Peter Kubelka.
Since then, Helga has carved a unique career as a film artist, discovering an intensely visual engagement with the world around her. Consistently working with the Super 8 medium, she produces films by in-camera editing, meaning that most of her films are the length of a single reel of film (3-4 minutes) and has now produced over a thousand of these stunning miniature works.
In this episode, Helga discusses her discovery of film as an artistic medium, her first realisations that she could make a "visual poem" and the various fascinations that prompt her to make a film.
At the time of recording, Re:Voir in Paris were about to release a DVD featuring 50 of her films which can now be purchased here:
https://re-voir.com/shop/en/helga-fanderl/1564-helga-fanderl-constellations.html
Her book Constellations (De: Konstellationen) is available in multi-lingual editions from Re:Voir as well as Amazon.
H2EEF 45 Cultural Contributions with Ruth Novaczek
UK based film and video maker Ruth Novaczek has developed a distinctive style of montage, in which she freely combines material she photographs herself with an array of found footage from near innumerable sources. The style, which she describes as "Bricolage" has come to characterise much of her mature work. Photographing material on super-8, lo-res video, camera phones etc. and editing on free software, particularly iMovie, Ruth's work emphasises the accessibility of media tools to an ever increasing number of people, while acknowledging our existence in a multimedia society.
Her methods are combined with regular themes: explorations of feminist perspectives on culture and history, references to lesbian romantic relationships, a diasporic, (rootless) cosmopolitan sense of self, and a strong thread of international Jewish heritage.
Described by Chris Kraus and Denah Johnston as "The Patti Smith of Film", these are works that interpret and reinterpret media fragments to deepen (and question) our understanding of the cultural artefacts that surround us.
For more about Ruth and her films, visit:
https://www.ruthnovaczek.com/home
View a selection of her films here:
https://vimeo.com/ruthnovaczek
For DVDs of Ruth's films visit:
https://shop.bfi.org.uk/radio-dvd.html
or
https://luxmovingimage.square.site/product/ruth-novaczeck-the-new-world/48?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=true
H2EEF 44 Train Again and Singing in Oblivion with Eve Heller & Peter Tscherkassky (PART 2)
Filmmakers Peter Tscherkassky and Eve Heller return to the show to discuss their most recent films: Train Again and Singing In Oblivion respectively. These are two truly masterful films, capable of thrilling and moving in equal measure. Whether in Peter's visceral exploration of locomotive and cinema history Train Again or Eve's searching investigation of personal and cultural heritage in Singing in Oblivion, these are both captivating works that deploy found footage to strikingly different effect.
Eve’s films are frequently programmed worldwide, but you can find information about her work and film links on request from Sixpack film:
https://www.sixpackfilm.com/en/catalogue/filmmaker/4196/
Peter’s films are available on 3 DVDs from Sixpack, as well as being included on Noel Lawrence’s curated Experiments in Terror collections (produced by Craig Baldwin’s Other Cinema company) and on a recent blu-ray produced by Found Footage Magazine. Many of his films are also available to download from Sixpack. Visit his site here:
http://www.tscherkassky.at
This episode was facilitated by filmmaker and fan of the show Dave Beaumler. Sincerest gratitude for his help.
H2EEF 43 Lost & Found with Eve Heller & Peter Tscherkassky (PART 1)
In a first for this show, two filmmakers join appear together in conversation. Partners Eve Heller and Peter Tscherkassky join the show to discuss their practices. Together they produced the book Film Unframed: A History of Austrian Avant-Garde Cinema, but their practices, whilst both deploying found footage are very distinct.
Eve Heller's films include found footage and photographed footage, produced exclusively on celluloid film and marked by particular engagement with the ideas of time, duration and memory.
Peter Tscherkassky has achieved worldwide renown for his films, which are frequently highly kinetic, visceral experiences, prompting the viewer to become aware of film as a fundamentally 3 dimensional medium. Also often working with found footage, Peter often deploys a method of contact printing (placing frames onto unexposed film and exposing the sections he wishes to reproduce by exposing them to a light source eg. a laser pointer).
Eve's films are frequently programmed worldwide, but you can find information about her work and film links on request from Sixpack film:
https://www.sixpackfilm.com/en/catalogue/filmmaker/4196/
Peter's films are available on 3 DVDs from Sixpack, as well as being included on Noel Lawrence's curated Experiments in Terror collections (produced by Craig Baldwin's Other Cinema company) and on a recent blu-ray produced by Found Footage Magazine. Many of his films are also available to download from Sixpack. Visit his site here:
http://www.tscherkassky.at
This episode was facilitated by filmmaker and fan of the show Dave Beaumler. Sincerest gratitude for his help.
H2EEF 42 Appearances & Departures with Barbara Meter
Born in 1939, Barbara Meter is one of the most distinguished experimental filmmakers currently working in The Netherlands. Barbara's films are highly personal, but with universal appeal, addressing themes of love, friendship, loss and memory. In a career spanning from the late 60s to the present day, her work incorporates experimental, narrative and documentary works. In this episode, Barbara discusses her experimental and documentary films, from her first experimental film in 1970 From the Exterior to her most recent works Nachtlicht and I Know Where You Live, but Not Where You Went.
For a DVD featuring 11 of Barbara's films, visit Re:Voir's site:
https://re-voir.com/shop/en/babara-meter/821-barbara-meter-zuiver-film-9789059390270.html?search_query=Barbara+meter&results=60
For a DVD featuring her film Departure on Arrival, click here:
https://re-voir.com/shop/en/film-revoir-experiemental-film-dvd/762-studio-een-experimental-films-from-the-lowlands.html?search_query=lowlands&results=2
See a selection of Barbara's films on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/user11331228
Visit:
https://www.barbarameter.com
TRAILER: Series 5
On Thursday, 10 new episodes will begin to appear in your podcast feeds.
In this clip package, you will hear the voices of the guests for the coming season (in order of appearance):
Barbara Meter
Eve Heller
Peter Tscherkassky
Ruth Novaczek
Helga Fanderl
Louise Bourque
Sapphire Goss
Vivian Ostrovsky
H2EEF EXTRA: R. Bruce Elder on Michael Snow and the Toronto Art Scene
For our first ever "EXTRA" episode, we are joined once again by R. Bruce Elder, once described by Jonas Mekas as "the most important North American avant-garde filmmaker to emerge during the 1980s".
Bruce has supplied an additional essay discussing the Gerrard St. Village / Isaacs artists scene at the time that Michael Snow was a young man, offering some insights into artists and styles that may have contributed to Snow's own work.
H2EEF Special "Michael Snow: An Approachable Giant"
A special extended episode in tribute to filmmaker Michael Snow (1928-2023), focusing on four major works: Rameau's Nephew by Diderot Thanx to Denis Young by Wilma Schoen, So Is This, La Region Centrale and the iconic Wavelength.
Featuring interviews and analyses from:
R. Bruce Elder
Nicky Hamlyn
Chris Meigh-Andrews
Jim Shedden
Steven Woloshen
as well as archive interviews with Michael Snow himself and Jonas Mekas.
Mekas appears courtesy of Jim Shedden, as part of his film "Michael Snow Up Close".
The most recent featured interview with Michael Snow was conducted by R. Bruce Elder for the Brakhage Center at CU Boulder.
Archive interviews with Michael Snow were carried out by Jim Shedden for the TV show "Independent Visions" and his film "Michael Snow Up Close".
View Jim's film here: https://vimeo.com/24502091
View Jim's series here: https://vimeo.com/41290742
Find films of Michael Snow on DVD here: https://re-voir.com/shop/en/
And some filmmaker-approved uploads of Snow's films here: https://ubu.com/film/snow.html
H2EEF Special: Stephen Broomer & Black Zero
An in depth conversation with artist, preservationist, educator and writer Stephen Broomer about his new home video label Black Zero. With the first three titles now available, Stephen discusses all three titles in detail as well as their restoration processes for home media releases and a broader discussion about viewing experimental cinema in your own home. There is a lot of variety in the releases so far, from the psychedelic influenced social commentary conceived as "cinema therapy" in Palace of Pleasure by John Hofsess, the diaristic, structural explorations of Keith Lock's Everything, Everywhere, Again, Alive to the madcap caper of Arthur Lipsett's Strange Codes (an unusual film by the artist that does not use found footage), there is perhaps already something for everyone here.
The films released and discussed so far are:
Palace of Pleasure by John Hofsess
Everything, Everywhere, Again, Alive by Keith Lock
Strange Codes by Arthur Lipsett
View video essays about one of these titles and other classics of genre and experimental film at:
https://vimeo.com/artandtrash?embedded=false&source=owner_name&owner=48630378
Purchase the new Blu Rays from Stephen's Black Zero at:
H2EEF 41 "Angelic Bodies" with Marie Losier
Marie Losier returns for part 2 of our discussion, this time with more of a focus on her feature length works: Cassandro the Exotico!, Felix in Wonderland and the Teddy Award winning The Ballad of Genesis P and Lady Jaye, though some of the shorter film and video works are discussed as well. We discuss the highs and lows encountered when working so closely with those who star in these films as well as the process of making real-life subjects into the stars of the films. In addition, the impact of music on Marie and her films is a focus here, including her process now of making her first official musical comedy!
You can access many of the films discussed in this episode from re-voir.com including on their VOD page and on their app. Others can be found on Marie's vimeo page https://vimeo.com/marielosier, with more information available from marielosier.com.
Artists discussed in this episode include
Genesis P-Orridge
Lady Jaye Beyer P-Orridge
Felix Kubin
Tony Conrad
George & Mike Kuchar
Guy Maddin
John Waters
Jack Smith
H2EEF 40 "Portraits and Collages" with Marie Losier (PART 1)
Described by Guy Maddin as "The most effervescent and psychologically accurate portrait artist working in film today", Marie Losier. Marie joins H2EEF for the first of two episodes discussing her extensive and growing body of work. Regularly associated with the field of film portraits, Marie’s work also includes improvised performances involving a camera, collage like editing, careful choreography and references to commercial film, particularly musical comedies. Working in collaboration often with other artists, Marie’s films feature performances by and portraits of such luminaries as the Kuchar Brothers, Guy Maddin, Felix Kubin, Alan Vega, Richard Foreman and many more.
In this episode, Marie discusses mainly her shorter film works, both portrait and performance based films. You can access many of the films discussed in this episode from re-voir.com including on their VOD page and on their app. Others can be found on Marie's vimeo page https://vimeo.com/marielosier, with more information available from marielosier.com.
Artists discussed in this episode include:
Tony Conrad
George Kuchar
Mike Kuchar
Guy Maddin
Bruce McClure
Andrew Lampert
Genesis P-Orridge
Lady Jaye Beyer P-Orridge
Joel Schlemowitz
Brian Frye
Moira Tierney
H2EEF 39 "In Search of North" with Ingo Petzke
Filmmaker Ingo Petzke joins H2EEF from Germany to discuss his body of film work. Made mostly between the 70s and 80s, these films arguably straddle two dominant schools of filmmaking in Germany at this time. There is a clear focus on material as an art material, as well as a focus on film as personal vision, often showing an interest in Scandinavian, Nordic landscapes. He also discusses other works including his close friends Dore O., Werner Nekes and Bastian Clevé.
Ingo stopped making films in the 80s, but remains a busy film programmer, writer and teacher with an internationally renowned career.
Many of Ingo’s films are available online from Re: Voir and also on DVD from his own distribution company Redavocado Film (www.redavocadofilm.com).
Artists discussed in this film include:
Bastian Clevé
David Larcher
Werner Nekes
Dore O.
H2EEF 38 "Radical Immediacy" with John Woodman
Film and video artist John Woodman joins H2EEF to discuss his observation and often landscape based works. Described by Malcolm LeGrice as having produced “a sensitive body of creative work”, John’s works are often durational, regularly using one single take to observe and reflect upon particularly natural phenomena and how spaces change over time. It is shot through with a real joy in observing the world around us, noting how easily our perceptions can shift. Many of John’s films are distributed in the US by Canyon Cinema. A DVD of John’s work is available from Lux in the UK and some other works are available for viewing on his website johnwoodman.net.
H2EEF 37 "Imitations of the Natural" with Inger Lise Hansen
Norwegian filmmaker Inger Lise Hansen joins H2EEF for a discussion about her work in film. Whether in the extraordinary time lapse of her early films Static, Hus and Adrift or the innovative use of inverted camera in her Trilogy (available in a DVD and book from Lux) or the introduction of digital video alongside celluloid film in her latest film Tåke, Inger Lise’s work proposes alternative perspectives on the world, in which the viewer is encouraged to participate.
Artists discussed in the episode include:
Emily Richardson
Nicole Hewitt
Farhad Kalantary
Jan Svankamajer
Find out more at https://www.ingerlisehansen.com
H2EEF 36 "Dimensional Shifting" with Peter Rose
Filmmaker Peter Rose makes a welcome return to the show, this time discussing his transition from celluloid film to video, then to installation work and his latest explorations in 3-D (or should we say 6-D!) works for individual viewing using headsets for your mobile phone. Whether in individual or communal viewing experiences, Rose probes the limits of vision itself by toying with the dimensions of cinema to hint at dimensions beyond our normal perceptions.
Artists discussed in this episode include
Jeanne Jaffe
Ken Jacobs
Nisi Jacobs
All of the works discussed in this episode are available to view here:
https://vimeo.com/user1592855,
or search for "esorp" on Vimeo
H2EEF 35 "The Filmmaker Who Could Not See Far Enough" with Peter Rose
American film and video artist Peter Rose joins the show for the first of a two-part discussion about his life and work. In this episode we discuss Peter's earliest work in 8 and 16mm film, which proposed and explored expanded realms of perception, such as in the psychedelic influenced Incantation, but he then began to explore the formal possibilities of film to access dimensions far beyond those of traditional filmgoing. Through use of multiple camera angles and split screens, these films toy with the idea of time and movement in engaging new ways.
Filmmakers and artists discussed in this episode include:
Slavko Vorkapich
Michael Snow
Paul Sharits
Chantal Akerman
To learn more about Peter Rose's films, visit his website https://www.peterrosepicture.com
You can see his film and video works at https://vimeo.com/user1592855
and on DVD at https://re-voir.com/shop/en/peter-rose-dvd-revoir/66-peter-rose-analogies.html
H2EEF 34 "Freshness of Vision" with Guy Sherwin (PART 2)
Guy Sherwin makes a most welcome return to the show to continue our conversation about his prolific and varied output. In this episode, we discuss some of Guy's film performance works as well as several of his more lyrical and personal films. Through work that combines the personal with structural rigour, these films form a sensitive and highly original body of work.
Filmmakers and artists discussed in this episode include
Malcolm LeGrice
Peter Gidal
David Larcher
Siobhan Davies
H2EEF 33 "Rhythms of Contemplation" with Guy Sherwin (PART 1)
One of the most prolific and multi-faceted film artists currently working in the UK, Guy Sherwin joins H2EEF for the first of a two-part conversation. In this episode, we cover the origins of Guy's film works as well as discussing the variety of stylistic features that inform his work.
Artists & Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Anne Rees Mogg
Chris Wellsby
Malcolm LeGrice
Peter Gidal
Anna Thew
Read about some of Guy's film performances here: http://www.thislongcentury.com/guy-sherwin
H2EEF 31 "Enchanted Pixellations" with Paul Bush
One of the most noted experimental animators in the UK, Paul Bush joins the show to discuss his life and work, both in scratch animation and stop motion.
Ever popular with audiences, Paul has produced extraordinarily beautiful films, one of which was described by one critic as being akin to “reading a book by moonlight”.
Watch Paul's films online here:
https://vimeo.com/user5238437
You can also find some early works as well as writings uploaded on Paul's own website:
https://www.paulbushfilms.com
Trailer: 10 New Episodes Coming Soon!
Coming next week wherever you get your podcasts:
10 new episodes of How to Enjoy Experimental Film
Featuring
Paul Bush
Guy Sherwin
Peter Rose,
Inger Lise Hansen
John Woodman
Ingo Petzke
Marie Losier
H2EEF SPECIAL. Christian Lebrat: Into the Vortex
French filmmaker, author, photographer and video maker Christian Lebrat joins How to Enjoy Experimental Film to discuss his entire output of works made on celluloid film.
Christian produced these works between 1975-1985 and can see and read Christian’s work from Re:Voir, either using their smartphone app or on DVD.
The films:Film No. 2 (1976)
Couleurs délicieuse sur fond bleu (1976)
Organisations I, II, III (1977)
Liminal Minimal (1977)
Réseaux (1978)
Trama (1978-80)
Autoportrait au dispositif (1981)
Holon (1981-82)
Le Moteur de l’action (à. M. D.), 1985
Often wrongly described as a 'structuralist' filmmaker, Lebrat's films fragment the film image and allow the audience the freedom to enjoy a unique experience of colour and movement.
Christian is the founder of Paris Experimental, a publishing house dedicated to writing about experimental cinema, which now boasts a huge catalogue of books. Christian's book Radical Cinema as available in an English-Language edition, as are some others.
Now working in still photography and video, Lebrat is as active as ever and we look forward to returning soon with another extended episode discussing his non-celluloid works!
Visit Christian's website http://www.christian-lebrat.net
Another great interview with the filmmaker is available here: https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2007/feature-articles/christian-lebrat/
Other filmmakers and artists discussed in this episode include:
Peter Kubelka
Jonas Mekas
Mark Rothko
Paul Sharits
H2EEF LIVE "Three Steps to the Avant-Garde" with Neil Henderson and Andrew Vallance
Recorded live at Anglia Ruskin University, we are joined by filmmakers Neil Henderson and Andrew Vallance, as they discuss their "ways in" to experimental cinema as well as how closely linked Avant-Garde cinema is to more mainstream work. The speakers have each chosen a handful of films to discuss to illustrate their points as well as recommending others to the audience.
As this is a live recording, please expect some background noise.
This episode was made possible thanks to Simon Payne, who organised the event and who co-edited the book FILM TALKS: 15 CONVERSATIONS ON EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA. The book was the impetus for this episode and more live events are taking place throughout this year. The book can be purchased here: https://www.contactscreenings.co.uk/film-talks?fbclid=IwAR2wu99xcijw4Z2XCxn-wztLcgj5n_Z3SbtGo_nzFWz26i4XT2G3EV7WVvE
Artists discussed in this episode include:
Stan Brakhage
Bruce Conner
Malcolm LeGrice
Ray Agony
Todd Haynes
Richard Kern
Francis Thompson
Oskar Fischinger
H2EEF 31 "Secret Whispers" with Sandy Ding
Filmmaker Ding Xin, more commonly known as Sandy Ding produces extraordinary "psychoactive" films, which lull the viewer into states of altered consciousness to weave his very special kind of cinematic magic. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his filmmaking methods as well as his wide ranging interests in noise music and hypnosis. Sandy graduated from CalArts in 2007 and now teaches at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
A DVD of his films can be purchased from the Paris-based distributor Re:Voir.
https://re-voir.com/shop/en/revoir/766-sandy-ding-psychoecho.html
and some films, including his first feature Night Awake can be viewed via Re:Voir's VOD service.
https://vod.re-voir.com
A selection of the films found on the DVD are also now available to view using the Re:Voir app, a subscription service boasting a huge selection of experimental films.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/online-re-voir/id1545131544
H2EEF 30 "Absent Presence" with Emily Richardson
Filmmaker Emily Richardson joins us to discuss her highly atmospheric explorations of spaces and locations, many of which are in states of transition. Working both in film and digital video, Emily's works communicate a sense of immanence in often anxious atmospheres hinting at something just unseen at the periphery of our vision. These spaces are often "haunted" by soundscapes created by recording and manipulating sounds recorded on the locations.
For more information, visit emilyrichardson.org.uk
H2EEF 29 "Things Close At Hand" with Nick Collins
Prolific filmmaker Nick Collins joins us to discuss his extensive body of film work. Shot in some of the filmmaker's most frequently visited locations, these are films that defy classification, despite the regular presence of landscapes and of carefully controlled structures. Simply put, we are in the presence of a filmmaker who explores the world around him and we are gently invited to explore with him. Extremely hard to label, Nick's cinema might even transcend the label of experimental film, with appeal far beyond what is sometimes described as a "niche" interest.
Nick's films can be found here: https://vimeo.com/user13647711
Or on DVD published by Simon Payne, from the BFI Store. https://shop.bfi.org.uk/five-greek-films-dvd.html
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Simon Payne
Yasujirō Ozu
Carl Theodor Dreyer
Anna Thew
Authors discussed include:
Gaston Bachelard
H2EEF 28 "Coherent Complexity" with Bret Battey
Bret Battey is a composer and visual musician, who creates both electro-acoustic music together with digital moving image art. The films are as complex visually as the music is to listen to, but together they create an altogether gripping and captivating experience. Musically, Bret is influenced as much by the sweep of late romantic composers such as Gustav Mahler as he is by the granularity of Iannis Xenakis, or the 'organised noise' of Edgard Varése and a host of other more recent electro-acoustic composers. Visually, he works often by digitally manipulating photographs (which he has often taken himself) to create colourful abstract visualisations to compliment the music, working often from programming individual pixels into alluringly complex larger pictures. Here, he discusses the processes involved in creating both music and image for his artworks, as well as the lineage of visual music into which he fits.
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Oskar Fischinger
Jordan Belson
Norman McLaren
H2EEF 27 "I Am Not A War Photographer" with Lynne Sachs
The incredibly prolific Lynne Sachs returns to the show to discuss her films, particularly those found under the collective title "I Am Not A War Photographer". These titles include: States of Unbelonging, Which Way is East, Investigation of a Flame, The Las Happy Day and Your Day is My Night. We also discuss her films Film About a Father Who... as well as film as an act of civil disobedience. Many of Lynne's films can be found on her personal Vimeo page, as well as The Criterion Channel and, in the case of Film About A Father Who... on a new Blu-ray Disc.
H2EEF 26 "Reverberations" with Lynne Sachs
One of the leading figures in the field of experimental documentary, Lynne Sachs joins H2EEF to discuss her extraordinary body of work. In subjects ranging from the personal to the global political, Lynne's films are consistently sensitive and completely compelling. In this episode, she discusses the field of experimental documentary in general as well as her ways into the field.
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Jonas Mekas
MM Serra
Chantal Akerman
Robert Altman
Jean-Luc Godard
Sharon Greytak
H2EEF 25 "Affinities" with Larry Gottheim (Part 2)
Larry Gottheim returns to the show to discuss some of his mid and late period works as well as the questions some of these films raise. It includes a discussion of how Larry found himself travelling to Haiti and becoming deeply involved with Voodoo as well as the deep self questioning that led to his latest films Chants and Dances for Hand and Knot/Not, both of which can be downloaded from the New York Filmmakers' Co-Operative Vimeo page. Some of the discussions travel to quite dark thematic areas and Larry will be discussing the problems, both intellectual and moral, of assembling the material for some of his films.
H2EEF 24 "Manifestations" with Larry Gottheim (PART 1)
One of the giants of the American Avant-Garde, Larry Gottheim joins H2EEF to discuss his life and work from his near legendary early films like Blues, Fog Line and Barn Rushes to his mid-period work (more recent work will be discussed in part 2).
The serenity and beauty of Larry's early films can be enjoyed in a DVD produced by the New York Filmmakers' Co-Operative and Re:Voir and more recent works are available via the NYFMC's on-demand Vimeo page.
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Stan Brakhage
Tony Conrad
Ernie Gehr
Hollis Frampton
Ken Jacobs
Jonas Mekas
Nicholas Ray
H2EEF 23 Memory & Matter with Bill Morrison
Filmmaker Bill Morrison, whose work explores found and often decayed film footage, discusses his work and the nature of memory when contained in found footage. Broadly describable as documentary films, Bill's works have a hypnotic quality (his production company is even called Hypnotic Pictures!), which feature footage both from fiction and documentary films as well as home movies, scientific documentations and more. He recently collaborated with composer David Lang on the short film Let Me Come In for LA Opera as well as the feature film The Village Detective: A Song Cycle. His feature Decasia (in collaboration with composer Michael Gordon) was the first film of the 21st century to be entered into the Library Of Congress National Film Registry and his work consistently transcends the boundaries of the term "experimental", winning over audiences around the world.
H2EEF 22 "Romancing the Rotoscope" with Jeff Scher
Painter who makes experimental films and experimental filmmaker who paints, Jeff Scher joins us to discuss his complete embrace of the term "experimental" across a rich and varied body of work including rotoscope animations and live action films.
A student of Adolfas Mekas, Scher also teaches animation at NYU.
Jeff has collaborated with musicians as diverse as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Graham Nash as well as winning a Creative Arts Emmy for his work on the HBO special The Tattoo on Great Grandpa's Arm.
Many of Jeff's films are available on 2 DVDs from Re:Voir https://re-voir.com/shop/en/
And more are available on his personal Vimeo page: https://vimeo.com/user623597
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Kenneth Anger
Bruce Baillie
Robert Breer
Max Fleischer
Marie Menken
Warren Sondbert
Francis Thompson
Andy Warhol
H2EEF Special: Kurt Kren- Lord of the Frames, with Nicky Hamlyn, Simon Payne, Anna Thew & Steven Woloshen
In a special extended episode of How to Enjoy Experimental Film, FOUR filmmakers gather to discuss one of their favourite filmmakers: Kurt Kren.
Nicky Hamlyn and Simon Payne have edited (with the late A.L. Rees) the first English-Language study of Kren's films, while Anna Thew, who has regularly programmed Kren's works for screenings, shares some stories of her own association with Kren and his films. Steven Woloshen, who lists Kren as one of his favourite filmmakers, starts the ball rolling with questions sent in specially for this episode all the way from Canada!
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Peter Kubelka
Rose Lowder
Michael Snow
Paul Sharits
Oki Hiroyuki
Tony Conrad
Peter Tscherkassky
Writers discussed in this episode include:
Annette Michelson
We also discuss the music of the Second Viennese School in relation to films by Kren and Kubelka, focusing on:
Arnold Schoenberg
Alban Berg
Anton Webern
H2EEF 21 Naughty & Nice with Anna Thew (PART 2)
Anna Thew returns to the show for a lively discussion of her film works, including Cling Film, which has been known to generate considerable controversy, particularly when shown in the UK. Much of the work, however is very personal and has universal appeal, whether humorous, or tragic. We'll also discuss broader themes connected to the films including the AIDS crisis and the role of arts in education.
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include
Luis Buñuel
Jean Cocteau
Takahiko Iimura
Kenneth Anger
Carolee Schneemann
Yann Beauvais
H2EEF 20 Creative Rituals with Anna Thew (PART 1)
Painter turned filmmaker Anna Thew discusses her first steps in filmmaking, leading to her feature film Hilda was a Goodlooker, which dramatises her mother's reminiscences and Behind Closed Doors, which deals with the trauma of losing her mother suddenly. Anna's cinema is deeply personal and yet possesses universal appeal, which will be approachable to audiences everywhere. Highly literate and indeed cine-literate, these are works that amply reward repeated viewings to explore their links to other works.
Find a selection of Anna's films on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user4605273
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Anne Rees Mogg
Rose Lowder
Peter Gidal
Malcolm LeGrice
David Hall
Chris Wellsby
Guy Sherwin
Marcel Duchamp
John Smith
Steve Farrer
Katerina Thomadaki
Maria Klonaris
Yann Beauvais
Cordelia Swan
John Maybury
Derek Jarman
Stan Brakhage
Kenneth Anger
Terence Davies
George Saxon
Writers discussed in this episode include:
Alexei Sayle
Walter Benjamin
Jean Genet
H2EEF 19 Seriously Playful with John Smith (PART 2)
Contains brief strong language.
Join film artist John Smith as he explores some of the major works of his career from his breakthrough film The Girl Chewing Gum, through documentary works including Blight and Home Suite, to his most recent works in the video medium including the Hotel Diaries, The Kiss and Citadel.
A number of John's recent films can be found on YouTube including Dad's Stick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx2hPQ2S08k&t=25s
Several more films and excerpts are available on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/johnsmithfilms/videos
And there is a DVD box set available from Lux Online, for which 50% of all sales go directly to the artist: https://luxmovingimage.square.site/product/john-smith-3-dvd-boxset/70?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=10
John collaborated with composer Jocelyn Pook for the film Blight. Find out more about her work here: https://www.jocelynpook.com
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Peter Gidal
Nicky Hamlyn
Writers & Artists discussed in this episode include:
A.L. Rees
Cornelia Parker
Berthold Brecht
H2EEF 18 Associations with John Smith (PART 1)
Contains brief strong language.
Legendary London-based artist-filmmaker John Smith joins H2EEF to discuss the beginnings of his career leading up to his breakthrough film The Girl Chewing Gum. Smith's films are renowned for their sense of humour, often used to illustrate a more serious underlying point. His works are shown all over the world including, at the time of recording, on Mubi.
Popular with audiences everywhere, John's films are heavily informed by the notions of structural film, though they do not comfortably fit this, or any other description. With a deep focus on the power of language to suggest and mislead the viewer, "he has attracted admirers from way beyond the narrow confines of the Avant Garde."- Michael O'Pray, Art Monthly.
"In John Smith’s films, the spectator is a producer as well as a consumer of meaning, bound in to the process but simultaneously distanced from the ‘naturalness’ of the film dream. This feature alone marks off John Smith’s films from the lure of cinema (to which his richly visual images nonetheless allude) and locates him firmly as an artist-filmmaker, who turns the codes of the film medium into a continual questioning of film truth." - A.L. Rees (Full essay here: http://johnsmithfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Associations.-A-L-Rees.pdf)
A number of John's recent films can be found on YouTube including Dad's Stick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx2hPQ2S08k&t=25s
Several more films and excerpts are available on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/johnsmithfilms/videos
And there is a DVD box set available from Lux Online, for which 50% of all sales go directly to the artist: https://luxmovingimage.square.site/product/john-smith-3-dvd-boxset/70?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=10
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Peter Gidal
Guy Sherwin
Anne Rees Mogg
Malcolm LeGrice
H2EEF 17 Myron Ort: Eikono-Klast
Shifting focus from our earlier discussion, this episode focuses on Myron Ort's found footage films and film portraits. The epic 5 hour film cycle Eikono-Klastes is made up of found footage as well as hand painted film to create an enormous exploration of history and the moving image. It also includes re-contextualising of often very non-PC footage in order to create a new framework through which to view more difficult aspects of human history.
The whole cycle is viewable on Youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUEvOLwEmGMdHLIky44ttSnKhYTLvrl-Z
And you can view/purchase Myron's films and paintings on his website:
https://www.myronort.com
Filmmakers mentioned in this episode include:
Bruce Conner
Joseph Cornell
Ken Jacobs
H2EEF 16 No Metaphor with Myron Ort (PART 1)
Myron Ort, filmmaker, painter, musician, composer, repairer of antique cuban drums, restorer of vintage cars and expert on Latin-American music, talks to H2EEF about his unique film works. Spanning most forms of experimental practice and heavily influenced by the 60s psychedelic scene and Gestalt psychology, using hand painted film, multi-exposure films, film portrait, found footage and more, Myron's work is really deserving of a wider audience. In this first part of our discussion, we discuss the influences of the 60s Bay Area scene on the filmmaker's work and in particular his psychedelic films and the film that Stan Brakhage referred to as "the most worked on hand painted film I've ever seen!" OMMO.
You can find his wondrous array of work on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/myronort
On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ZenOkeanos
and on his own website, where you can buy his collected films on DVD along with his paintings!:
Filmmakers & artists discussed in this episode include
Barbara Hammer
Steven Zailian
Stan Brakhage
Jordan Belson
James Broughton
Bruce Baillie
Ben Van Meter
Chick Strand
Sidney Peterson
Wassily Kandinsky
Len Lye
Man Ray
Jean Cocteau
Standish Lawder
Fernand Leger
Harold Gregor
Donna Germain
Peter Kubelka
Writers discussed include:
Aldous Huxley
Hoyt Sherman
Rudolf Arnheim
Wolfgang Köhler
Siegfried Kracauer
H2EEF 15 A World Assembled with Toby Tatum
Filmmaker Toby Tatum joins H2EEF to discuss his extraordinary body of work. Tatum's work is a landscape of the mind, with pieces often set in gardens and grottos and featuring mind-bending visual effects, particularly involving composite imagery. Meditative, dreamlike and sometimes dark, these are unashamedly romantic film works that invite the viewer to participate in a completely unique view of the world.
View Toby's films at: https://vimeo.com/tobytatum
Figures discussed in this episode include:
Alex Cox
Borja Calvo
Erik Davis
H2EEF 14 Let's See What Happens with Simon Payne
Simon Payne produces works almost exclusively with video, often without using a camera. In these video pieces, patterns work themselves out quite systematically, through colour and well-defined shapes to create unique cinematic experiences, which compel the viewer to reflect upon what they are seeing as well as their relation to it. Sometimes, these are frenetic and colourful, and other times, subdued and meditative, these pieces are shot through with a true spirit of experimentation, exploring what unexpected results might be produced by using shape, light and colour in various ways. In short, they are driven by a quest to see what happens!
Some of Simon's works can be found at his Vimeo page:
https://vimeo.com/simonpayne
And two DVDs of his works (Colour Field Videos & Systems Cinema) can be purchased in the Lux Store:
https://luxmovingimage.square.site/shop/dvds/10
Simon has also edited a number of books, most recently Fields of View, a posthumous collection of writings by A.L. Rees and the first English Language study of the work of Kurt Kren called Kurt Kren: Structural Films.
H2EEF 13 The Deeply Representational Cinema of MM Serra
Filmmaker MM Serra discusses her extraordinary film work. Serra's work often incorporates documentary in a textural exploration of the film medium. Her films empower the viewer by allowing them to share in the empowerment of her film's subjects, often real people pushed to, or testing limits, but always viewed in the most humane and approachable manner. As Jonas Mekas put it: they are REAL films about REAL people "One of the most difficult things to do in cinema."
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Jonas Mekas
Marcel Duchamp
Shirley Clarke
Josh Lewis
Carolee Schneemann
Abel Ferrara
Todd Browning
Writers discussed in this episode include:
Baroness Elsa von Freitag Loringhoven
H2EEF 12 NYFMC With MM Serra
Filmmaker and Executive Director of the New York Filmmakers' Co-Op MM Serra talks to How to Enjoy Experimental Film about the work of the Co-Op and and her extraordinary work in keeping the amazing institution running. Founded by a group of artists in the 60s, the NYFMC is one of the most exciting and diverse non-profit collections of artists and experimental film on the planet.
You can support them by visiting https://film-makerscoop.com
View some films in distribution here: https://vimeo.com/nacgfmc
Or purchase films on DVD co-produced by the Co-Op and Re:Voir at the Re:Voir website. Available titles so far: MM Serra ArtCore; Storm De Hirsch Mythology for the Soul; Larry Gottheim Fog Line and Taylor Mead Home Movies.
Filmmakers mentioned in this episode include:
Jonas Mekas
Shirley Clarke
Andy Warhol
Lindsay Anderson
Jack Smith
Edward Owens
Saul Levine
Abi Child
Carolee Schneemann
Stan Vanderbeek
Martha Colburn
Art Jones
Ken Jacobs
Marie Menken
Helen Levitt
Carmichael George
Stan Brakhage
Catherine Aldridge
Writers Discussed:
P. Adams Sitney
H2EEF 11 Composing Images with Joost Rekveld
Artist and filmmaker Joost Rekveld discusses his singular approach to creating image works. Making films using machinery and software, often of his own design, his abstract works are mesmerising and incorporate a scientific research alongside a lifelong interest in musical composition (Rekveld trained as a composer) to create work that is as rigorous in its attitude to content as it is to form.
Read about his research project Dialogues with Machines at http://www.joostrekveld.net
Buy his films on DVD & Blu Ray at: https://re-voir.com/shop/en/joost-rekveld/1040-joost-rekveld-11-films.html
Filmmakers discussed in this episode include:
Bart Vegter
Karel Doing
Kurt Kren
Andrei Tarkovsky
Jürgen Rebele
Coming Soon...
Coming soon, 10 new episodes of How to Enjoy Experimental Film!
Featuring (in order of appearance in this trailer)
MM Serra
Joost Rekveld
Toby Tatum
Anna Thew
Myron Ort
John Smith
&
Simon Payne
H2EEF 10 Maya Deren: Roundtable Discussion with Steven Woloshen & Charlie Hewison
Something a little different for our 10th epsode. Here, we have a very welcome return from Steven Woloshen along with Charlie Hewison, an expert on experimental film & PhD candidate currently in Paris. We discuss our own personal interpretations of some of Deren's puzzles as well as discussing the ways in which her influence has been felt ever since.
H2EEF 9 Structural Film: A Problematic Label with Nicky Hamlyn
Renowned filmmaker & artist Nicky Hamlyn, who has occasionally been linked to the label of "Structural Film" discusses the meanings and interpretations of this label in relation to his own work as well as to the works of other filmmakers.
Find some of Nicky's work here: https://vimeo.com/user56141429
3 DVDs of Nicky's work are also available from the BFI store.
A selection of filmmakers discussed in this episode:
Ernie Gehr
Michael Snow
Peter Gidal
Chris Welsby
William Raban
Maya Deren
Stan Brakhage
Ken Jacobs
Kurt Kren
Andy Warhol
Paul Sharits
Hollis Frampton
Morgan Fisher
Simon Payne
John Smith
William English
A selection of writers Discussed:
P. Adams Sitney,
Peter Gidal,
Hollis Frampton,
Paul Sharits,
Peter Wollen
Nicky Recommends:
William Raban
Malcolm LeGrice
Amy Dixon
Guy Sherwin
Kurt Kren
Birgit & Wilhelm Hein
Hollis Frampton
Paul Sharits
Michael Snow
Helga Fanderl
Steve Farrer
Jennifer Nightingale
H2EEF 8 Breaking the Box with Diana Reichenbach
Artist, filmmaker and anthropologist Diana Reichenbach makes films for conventional cinema settings as well as immersive films created in "Fulldome"- 360 degree projected films.
We discuss making experimental work for projection in a dome as well as filmmaking for virtual reality experiences as well as reproducing Fulldome films online and in non 3D spaces, combining analog and digital methods and the challenges of virtual experiences.
See some of Diana's work here: https://vimeo.com/dianareichenbach
and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVudNJWwm2k
Filmmakers discussed in this episode:
Jan Svankmajer
Jordan Belson
Writers/ Critics discussed in this episode:
Scott McCloud
Diana Recommends:
Jordan Belson
Oskar Fischinger
Norman McLaren
Diana also recommends reading Marshall McLuhan's work.
H2EEF 7 Listening With Your Eyes with Jean Detheux
In this episode, we explore the idea of "visual music" with artist Jean Detheux, who has a unique approach to marrying audio and visual material in his films.
Differing from the likes of Oskar Fischinger and Norman McLaren, Detheux rejects the idea of animation in a traditional sense, making the whole cinema screen into his canvas on which living paintings emerge before your eyes.
Regularly collaborating with musicians for live performances, he aims to create a dialogue between music and image and a whole world into which the audience can enter.
Check out over 300 films and "sketches" as well as documentation of live performances on his Vimeo page at https://vimeo.com/jeandetheux