cobie orger joined us over this weekend to shoot footage of the ideas we’ve been developing over the past year.
(it was a hot day)
we’ll be posting up some photos and clips in the coming weeks as we start to unravel how all this material will come together - in installation and in short film. we had some assistance during the shoot from the ever helpful, resourceful, knowledgeable and inquisitive David Keany
as well as local lad, AJ
things went smoothly throughout the weekend and we kept to schedule. we dropped one of our planned pieces - located out at Lake George - so we would have time to get through the more developed ideas.
in some of the pieces we had storyboarded and created shot lists, and in others we had scouted for suitable locations and devised dance and camera scores to use and adapt.
QL2 kindly allowed us to use their black box space (with the assistance of AJ and David Keany again) where we focused on two specific sections of the work. thanks to Ruth and Sarah at QL2 for helping us at short notice.
some further ideas about duet material
there are lots of handwritten notes not up here that i’d like to refer to… hmmm.
this post will serve as a memory trigger for me.
duet material.
1 on the ground with a slow dolly across the space, shortened DOF, material from standing/lying section - both in each role.
1 in dark space (QL2 box?) tracing lines through body - kinematic chain. each resulting in a lift. ie, hand of A on hand of B then moving along arm, to shoulder, over chest to opposite hip then diagonal lift from hip. frame to move with hand, but then also capture at a distance for editing.
Our thoughts around this project is very much described in moving on (see below) and as I read it I realize how the a short dance clip has evolved. The practical, the desire, the history, fear of permanency…The pure physical needs, emotional, relation, continuation - progression…
Location is still not clear…One idea is to film on Lake George (Weerewaa) in Bungendore.
First stage (idea) for a short dance clip.
It’s shot in profile with a constant motion forwards, maybe as a single shot. I would prefer using steadycam.
She walks forward. She takes off layers of clothes and drops it behind her, she keeps walking forward.
He moves into frame covered and rugged up with her clothes (and his own). He dances with great energy and dances passed her, and now infront of her. They are still moving forwards.
He drops clothes and she starts picking them up and puts them on.
Not sure if that is what will happen or if she will keep walking and both will be in frame and then (or not) camera follows him and she is out of frame.
I like the idea of using the framing as a play to enhance a relation between the two people rather than focusing on what they are actually doing. Instead of enhancing the physical movement, the dance or the details of actions like clothes dropping to floor and being picked up, I am much more interested in how the two people are spatially interacting.
thoughts of today…
one on the ground. one standing.
a shadow. twisted legs. stepping around. displaced and unbalanced by the mover on the ground. catching and shifting momentum. destabilised.
on the ground - swinging entire body. collapsing and folding body. grabbing legs of other to push and manipulate self on ground. inhibiting movement of the other.
viewed from a high steep angle - at a distance.
New thoughts evolves…
Got together in Canberra last week and explored one of the clips that we have in mind (at this stage) the ´leading/following clip´…leading, being led…moving each other from one place to another, two different places has two different dominating colours. We echo these two different places and colors.
to be continued…
being drawn towards something. less decision making - more following moments of attention. making a direct association with movement. one dancer manipulating the other. providing the sole impetus for movement. allowing this to transition - where the person being moved starts to take some direction and agency. responding to the manipulation. guiding themselves. transitioning to an overlap of roles. both guiding both manipulating. and acceding the current role to the other.
two cameras. one able to to catch the close moments. hands up close. tension, skin, cloth, feet. one capturing the whole while avoiding the presence of the other camera
location? where is this dance?
in rehearsal we started and ended with one dancer on a chair. the other walking in to begin. bus stop?
a short looping sequence.
single shot shot from above of one dancer.
a sequence that repeats - focussing on the back and breathing.
shot opens up a bit to reveal other dancer - in unison(ish)
location? outside. dirt. ground. concrete. inside. bland room. no furniture. nothing on walls.
breath - constancy.
—-
after writing this we spent some time working with rolling the scapulae on and off the back, extended arms, undulating spine. isolation and highlighting the musculature in the back. creating a sequence that repeats and slowly shuffles away
what drives us - motivates us to keeping moving?
the practical - food, energy, bodies, muscle, sinew, tone, breath, space to move.
desire - what we want. relationship. safety. repetition. change.
history - our past influencing where we are and where we want to go. what comes next? is it in opposition to what has already been? or is it a continuation or progression? what is next.
the fear of permanency : keep moving to not have to go deeper
will i be satisfied by what i do?
by where i am?
by what is now?
moving from one thing to the next. ongoing. relentless.
immediacy - wanting to see everything. not enough time. things to do before i die.
- avoiding denying things. hedonism.
