In the Company of Strangers - Slow Telecom Roll - Videos

In this movement study the body becomes analogue - transforming information which is received through the act of rolling, into a different view of the world/alley.In addition to the analogue perception of the roller (walls, light, dirty ground, sky ...) the dual perspective is representative of the view seen by someone walking into the alley.This dance study is part of a wider exploration into activating spaces which one could term redundant spaces, or 'non-places' (Marc Augé - 'non-places introduction to an anthropology of supermodernity'Verson, London NYThis space is at the back of the Telecom building in Nelson, NZ Aotearoa. The aim is to move into and inhabit, through movement or activity which one would not normally expect to see or find, spaces which are tucked away on the edge or periphery of our everyday involvement with the city.Incongruous or disassociated movement lends a certain surreal note to the place, activates it and encourages a question in the mind of the viewer - what is going on here? What was that? So our movement tracks and negotiates the space in a fresh way, hoping to instigate a different kind of energy and useage in these forgotten environments. Subliminal events half-noticed from a distance in the middle of a busy day. These rolling studies are also pre-cursors to my current involvement with the urban myth I am creating re 'Leaving' existing in all our relations with the people and spaces we inhabit.Dancer: Fiona Baker Cam: Mike BakerIf you are interested to know more please see my blog:http://hoststranger.blogspot.com

Hi Jeannette, thanks for the comment. The roll was as authentic as I could not-contrive: Essentially my work is based on improv and sometimes structured improvisation so I filmed my wife Fiona rolling here several times - not in the pursuit of 'getting it right' re a polished action, but to access a feel for the location/sounds/ambience with the addtion of a moving body in the space where usually, there were only people putting out the rubbish or having a smoke, (security cameras also have a presence). We shot Fiona rolling and then we rolled again with the camera seperately and I edited the two views in Final Cut Studio to create a dual perspective of the roller and another viewer coming upon the scene. The sounds are unorchestrated - just everyday sounds as we filmed (no overlay later) of a back-alley with people leaving - we actually got locked in while carrying out this work and had to be 'released' by someone coming back to pick up something they had forgotten. A fitting presentiment for a redundant space. Thanks again! Best, Mike

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Mike Baker March 22, 2009 at 8:30pm

Hi Jeannette, thanks for the comment. The roll was as authentic as I could not-contrive: Essentially my work is based on improv and sometimes structured improvisation so I filmed my wife Fiona rolling here several times - not in the pursuit of 'getting it right' re a polished action, but to access a feel for the location/sounds/ambience with the addtion of a moving body in the space where usually, there were only people putting out the rubbish or having a smoke, (security cameras also have a presence). We shot Fiona rolling and then we rolled again with the camera seperately and I edited the two views in Final Cut Studio to create a dual perspective of the roller and another viewer coming upon the scene. The sounds are unorchestrated - just everyday sounds as we filmed (no overlay later) of a back-alley with people leaving - we actually got locked in while carrying out this work and had to be 'released' by someone coming back to pick up something they had forgotten. A fitting presentiment for a redundant space. Thanks again! Best, Mike
Jeannette Ginslov March 22, 2009 at 6:30pm

is there a camera attached to the roller? is the image superimposed here what the roller sees or just an arbitrary shot of what you assume s/he sees? interesting, great sound.

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