With Not For

From The Star And Shadow Cinema Wiki

Meeting with Leigh French, from Variant, Tanners, Monday 22nd Jan. 2007

Present: Leigh, Christo, Ed, Alan, Ele. Apologies: Polytechnic

Aim: To work together to organise a workshop event at the Star and Shadow for March 10th 2007. To establish relationships between Variant debates on media distribution and partners / writers / projects across the UK. http://www.variant.randomstate.org/index.html To connect groups together and share experience. Variant has received ACE funds for a series of events across the UK. Leigh would like to organise an event with the Star and Shadow. The budget: 1,800 pounds for transport, food, etc.

Star and Shadow Cinema event could bring together Cube from Belfast, Cinelingus from Belfast.

Aim of the meeting ƒ“ to establish themes and issues to discuss through the event.

Issues raised through discussion: IP and distribution rights. Documentary in the age of surveillance. Workshop format not panels of speakers Aim to share experiences File sharing Steal this film, film.org. Group of Swedish Film makers and file sharers advocating filesharing. Torrent files etc have the potential to democratise distribution.

See Doug Aubrey intro to Doc… in Variant See Anne Mclusky’s critique of democratising media in Variant.

Transmission / Re- transmission – activist approaches to digital video.

Creative Commons / IP etc.

Form and content: Aesthetics of dissent. Relation between tools and content Critique of IndyMedia.

Is there a similarity between artists and activists use of digital media on the web? How is this effecting distribution? What is the relationship between art-activists and activist use of media? Tools / deconstructing relationship between form and content. Problems with the commodification of counter culture: Selling Banksy stencils…

Need for physical spaces and physical distribution (mail). Making relationships with filmmakers and audiences, not the distribution that’s important.

Issues of the problems white filmmakers, asylum audience. Creating openness to create your own culture. Programming themes – should not presume the politics of the issue.

Network of experimental radical film making, including: Cinema Nova, Brussles.

‘with’ not ‘for’… The idea that film making, programming and events happed 'with' people and not 'for' people. Exploring the relationship between being the audience (passive consumption) and being a programmer. Need for flexibility of the space. Other people to contact re community film and video:Tina Gharavi; Julie Ballands; Helix arts; Dominic Smith. Should ask fundamental questions: What is human rights? Zizek film – Against human rights…? Interesting to note that the slogan "Nothing About Us Without Us" has been used by the disablity community. By doing this for people often we are dis-able-ing them.

Format of event Value Remix… http://community.linux.com/article.pl?sid=06/11/28/1652238