sWALLOW

Research & Development
16mm film loop project for two projectors
2005 (work-in-progress)

sWALLOW explores visual seduction, of its consuming qualities, of solipsistic perception and epistemology – of a loop ‘biting its own tail’. I’m exploring the limits of monologic perception. How we can create illusions and narratives with very little, where simplicity can elicit new visions and imaginations (symbolized by the third entity created through two projections and its soundtrack) and where contemporary abundance of information can drown our abilities to see simplicity.

sWALLOW explores the following:

1.     The film is to be one loop using two long shots of equal length, traveling through two 16mm film projectors that will project two images that combine to create a new singular image;

2.     The motion of the first shot will be of a male actor moving under water from the left to right side of the frame;

3.     The motion of the second shot will be of a female actor moving under water from the left to right side of the frame;

4.     Each of their movements is to articulate a fluid motion, a sensuality and ambiguousness — we do not know if this is a swimming motion or a drowning motion or a performative dance movement.

5.     These two images projected side by side will create a new image and a new narrative transforming it into a third entity; 

Shot in 2005 using digital video to capture underwater imagery, the lightness of the video camera assisted in the fluidity of motion. At some point, the digital video will be transferred to 16mm film to extend my investigation into the properties of the analogue and the digital — of what happens to either when a hybrid of each medium is used. 

Movement Artists: Aretha Aoki and Chris O'Connor
Outdoor Pool Sponsor:  Andrea Lynn, West Vancouver  
Cinematographer & Technical Director: John Fukushima
Assistants: Gloria Wong, Da Choong

On location shoot, this process of filming with camera and bodies in motion in water, of the repetitive action and strain, added new and unexpected somatic inquiries into my project.