Two weeks ago, on the 11th February, I brought in my camera to
film the session, in order to create a short documentary piece. Outside
of Next Choreography,
I am studying on a film and media course, and so I wanted to merge my two
passions together, dance and film, by creating a short piece
documenting a typical class at Siobhan Davies Studios.
On the week that I filmed, we were using lots of objects as
part of the class, exploring and experimenting with ways that our own personal
experiences can shape the way we use the items around us. This was great for
what I wanted to capture, as my aim was to record the way that individuals in
the class work in the space; it meant that I had the opportunity to focus
on one person at a time, whilst they were in their own creative world, as well
as then being able to see how the Next
Choreography members worked together during group activities
and discussions.
I had never filmed anything like this before; the
unpredictability of what was coming next, both physically and mentally for the
dancers, was incredibly exciting to watch, and it meant I barely put my camera
down! I thoroughly enjoyed the process in which I filmed and later edited;
choosing the right footage to go into the final cut, as well as sourcing the
music and making decisions about the colour grading and contrast were all
important factors towards making the film as good as it could possibly be.
It would be interesting to see how the film would have changed
if it had been filmed at a different time of year. Perhaps in summer, with
natural light streaming in through the windows, the film would have a whole
different ambiance? I suppose the only way to find that out would be if I were
to make another film…
And here it is! I hope you enjoy it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCIxqGMV1AE
