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8mm film-notes on 16mm
A structuralist collage emphasizing the difference between 8mm and 16mm film gauges
Overview
A structuralist film collage consisting of 8mm diaristic footage printed directly on 16mm stock. The images include people and landscapes. The technical difference between the two film gauges (8mm and 16mm) is emphasised by the presence of perforations, Kodak company markings, spacing, and leader. The 8mm film strips appear to scroll down the screen, the motion animating the still images of each film frame, which highlights both the celluloid material and the tension between still and moving image inherent to cinema.
Founded in 1966, the London Film-Makers’ Co-operative started life at Better Books, a counter-culture bookshop on Charing Cross Road, where a group led by poet Bob Cobbing and filmmakers Stephen Dwoskin and Jeff Keen met to screen films. Initially inspired by the activities of the New American Cinema Group in New York, the London Co-op grew into a pioneering organisation that incorporated a film workshop, cinema space and distribution office. During its four-decade history, the Co-op played a crucial role in establishing film as an art form in the UK and participated in a vibrant international film scene. This BFI Player collection brings together new scans of films distributed by and/or produced at the London Co-op.
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