IFCO's TRIM BIN: Discussions on Contemporary Celluloid Practices

"DARE TO BE CELLULOID IN A DIGITAL AGE: 21st CENTURY CELLULOID ARTISTS?"

THE LIFE OF FILM by Roger D. WilsonThere has been a lot of talk lately about the demise of film and film laboratories closing down and Kodak going bankrupt, I find it hard to believe that Kodak will ever close down; the company will just re-structure itself and re-define its focus. Now with all of this talk the question has come up: Why still use film. It’s interesting to see this question being asked about film when 10/15 years ago many film artists working with film were asking the same question about video. For years filmmakers used the comment: film just looks better then video and that’s why I choose to use it. Well I don’t believe this comment can be used any longer, video has come a long way and I would not be surprised to see someone who has used film for many years mistakenly pick out a production made on video and label it as a film

As a film artist my passion has never been just about the look of film, my passion has been for the medium of film itself and the process attached to it. Film artists are going to continue to use film because they have a passion for it and the process involved in making a film. I think it’s very much like someone who loves music and prefers to listen to vinyl records, or musicians who still release their songs on vinyl. For my birthday last year my son gave me Robbie Robertson’s new CD “How to become Clairvoyant”; now this CD is also available on vinyl. For Christmas my son bought me Bob Dylan’s “Bringing It All Back Home” on vinyl. I have played the vinyl record more then the CD and it’s not because I enjoy Bob Dylan over Robbie Robertson, I also own on vinyl Robbie Robertson’s “Fallen Angel” album, which I also listen to more then the CD.  I choose to listen to the vinyl records over the CD because the process of listening to vinyl is more pleasing to me. I get more out of it and this is how I feel as an artist working with the medium of film.

A time will come where fewer artists are using film as a way of expressing ideas and stories, however with the artists who have this passion for film and the process will continue to use it and love it. I can not use video and it has nothing to do with the look of the medium. I grab a hold of film and I manipulate it, I twist it, shape it and mould it into an art form that can not be duplicated the same way with video. When labs stop creating film prints then filmmakers will create their own prints and when labs close down filmmakers will process their own film and if Kodak decides to stop making film, which I truly believe will never happen, but if it does, filmmakers will find a way to make it themselves. An art form will only die when we let it.
 

BEING CELLULOID! by Patrice James

In the 21st Century, and more and more as we move towards a hyper-digital reality, there appears to be a manic movement towards relegating celluloid motion capture into obscurity! It used to be that independent video artists and digital producers felt a great sense of pride in differentiating themselves from filmmakers, because the unique elements contained within the technologies themselves was instrumental to the manifestation and structural make-up of the art piece itself.  Now fast forward to the here and now, and many digital producers want to be called “filmmakers”, even though they’ve never ever handled ANY actual film format or filmmaking equipment.

Even as the creative environment has morphed over time to become more and more inclusionary, especially in the field of media arts – where video, digital, new media, audio and film are supposed to co-exist harmoniously; there seems to be a sort of subversive rhetoric around celluloid production.  In my personal opinion, I see no need for there to be any ongoing negative discourse between filmmakers and digital producers, especially in an independent creative environment.  There’s room on the playground for all of us!

Understandably naysayers and seeming opponents to the advancement of celluloid production appear to be obsessed with the demise of the medium. As various film labs begin closing across Canada, and Kodak (USA) declares Chapter 11; industry pundits and digi enthusiasts are calling for celluloid practitioners to hoist their “white flags” in defeat! “Down with film; long live digital”!

I can make these broad assertions or observations, because I am frequently engrossed in conversations with media artists, arts administrators and film and television industry professionals, who are completely out of touch with the idea of artists who still wish to, maintain a thriving celluloid practice.  I’ve had to sit through the following exchanges:

“Do they still shoot films on film? I thought everything we see on screen is DIGITAL”? Industry Professional;“Why do you guys support film anyways? It’s a dying MEDIUM! Media Arts Colleague; “Why should we fund your programs, when we’re already supporting several such programs in the Region”? Possible Funder; and“I predict that you won’t be able to find film stock ANYWHERE pretty soon”! Industry Service Provider.

The most disappointing thing about having to fight for the right to retain a celluloid art practice in a commercial digital production world is the lack of unity there seems to be within the media arts itself.  In Canada we’re really lucky to have arms length supports systems whose main goal it is to provide access through funding to independent artists and arts organizations across disciplines.  I’ve heard from various international visiting artists that they wished their homelands would offer the same level of support to independent artists.  One of the main impetuses I perceive for Canadian independent artists having access and support from these arms length entities is to allow for ongoing proliferation of innovative, creative, barrier breaking artists to work in their own voices, within their art form(s) of choice!

Based on this, I would say that there are moments, when by pure choice; some artists would choose to assimilate various art forms.  In the same vein, I do not believe assimilation when forced, to be in the best interest of anyone.  Additionally, conforming to whatever prescribed norm, technological or otherwise, is the “in thing” at the moment, is not a practical way to ensure creative artistic development.  I understand that we live in a highly commoditised, pseudo egalitarian world, where everyone who purchases the newest technology is immediately considered an artist, even though most of the time; they have no real interest in learning about the original foundations of their adopted art form.  I also however can discern the sham behind the democratization of art making and see it for what it is! 

Independent Celluloid artists are in for a bumpy ride in this new hyper-digital reality, because many people DO NOT wish to differentiate between film and digital production, projection and distribution. Not on an institutional, industry or sometimes even independent art sector level.  And now with the advent of social media tools like YouTube, Facebook, and even Twitter, married with instant gratification digital production technologies; I mean you can shoot a “film” on your cell phone, and then upload it to one of these sites, and maybe, just maybe; you’ll make it to the OSCARS”! And, to top it all off; you shouldn’t expect to be compensated for your work, unless you’re a famous filmmaker that is!

The good news is that, Canada does have one of the strongest systems of support for independent artists worldwide!  These systems are thusly based on inclusivity of most art forms and artistic mediums across disciplines. These systems have additionally afforded independent artists, the rights and freedom to create outside of commercialized industry models. 

And for now, and maybe ONLY FOR NOW; it is these types of systems which will allow filmmakers, to “Dare to be CELLULOID in a Digital Age!”            

Film! Digital! Film! Digital! My Dad Can Beat Up Your Dad! by Dave Johnson

I think the whole argument is becoming really tired....and yup childish.  Why do people get caught up on such a ridiculous argument? Let’s just cut out all the fat and look at the bare essentials. Both are used for similar purposes...cinema; documentation; art; science. Why are digital producers so quick to cut down the use of film when they are openly and perpetually trying to make the digital medium look like film!? Let’s face the facts; the digital medium will never be able to replicate the aesthetics and workflow of film! Film is, was and always will be beautiful. The digital medium...not so much. But, it has come a looooong way and, I must admit, can look great. There have been some mainstream productions which were shot with the new ARRI Alexa (top of the line 5k HD camera) and they have had some pretty convincing results. BUT!

This is Hollywood. In the world of the big “H” anything can and will look great. I too dabble in the 1’s and 0’s of the digital form.  Now let’s look at the main downfall. Anyone and their dog (literally) are making their own “films” with a digital camera. This essentially will be the decay of cinema as we know it! But when writing on a tangent I think I must stick with one argument at a time.

The argument in question is about what is better. Stop the argument! For the purposes of this rant I will defend the medium I prefer to practice. I think we should start celebrating the uniqueness of Film! The elements of film which can never be replicated! This, to name a few, is the richness of color, presence of random grain, scratches...depth of field! Film is tactile...you can scratch, paint, dye, work with the aesthetics of hand processed film, degrade or deteriorate emulsions and the list goes on. With video/Digital and HD, you cannot do this. With digital video you can play with exposure and, until recently, you can “replicate” depth of field.  I guess what I’m trying to say is that Film will never die; it will always remain a unique and important art form unto its own. All artists who choose to have a practice using Celluloid will never let it die....besides all the hipsters will think its cool man.