HOLON film LAB

2012-01-19T10:36:00.002-05:00

COURSES COMING UP
February-March 2012

DIGITAL FILM MAKING

new course at Victoria and Albert Museum

A process based film LAB on Fridays afternoons, for 8 weeks!

Fridays, 27 January – 23 March (excluding 17 February) | 14.00 - 16.30 | V&A Museum, Digital Studio, Sackler Centre

DIGITAL WORKSHOP: Master the foundations of film making using the V&A’s galleries as inspiration for your own short. Develop your knowledge of storyboarding, composition and soundtracks before editing your ideas with Final Cut Express. Suitable for beginners. Led by Claudia Tomaz and Simon Woolham

BOOK ONLINE but check out the NEW PROMOTION (only available by phone):

Buy one ticket on our Digital Film Making course and bring a friend for free - that's two people for the price of one!
£320, £256 concessions. To take advantage of this special offer call 020 7942 2211 quoting reference: "2 for 1 digital film making"

CREATIVE EDITING

at Space Studios

6 evening sessions
Date: Thursdays from 16 Feb to 22 March 2012
Times: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Price: £200
Instructor: Claudia Tomaz

Bookings http://creativeediting.eventbrite.com
Enquiries 020 8525 4330 | training@spacestudios.org.uk

This hands-on creative and technical 6-sessions course on Editing uses Final Cut Pro to explore the Art and Craft of Editing. It will also give you the editing tools you need for an advanced and professional use. A basic knowledge of Mac OS X and FCP is recommended. Editing exercises will take place in each session which will allow you to explore editing techniques and experiment how to edit a scene, a montage sequence, create a soundscape for your film or create titles.

Different genres, styles and innovative editing techniques will be discussed through the examples of feature films, documentaries, music videos, opening titles sequences and interviews with editors and film makers.

FCP topics include: basic setup, settings, formats and files management; capturing and importing video and audio; various editing and trimming techniques; sound editing, sync sound with image and sound-design; create title sequences and subtitles; export the master to tape, DVD and internet.

About the Tutor
Claudia Tomaz is an independent film maker and editor working professionally on film since 1995. Claudia directed 2 full-length features; ‘Nights’ won ‘The critic’s week award’ in 2000 at the Venice Film Festival, and ‘Us’ was awarded in Locarno. She also directed and edited many shorts, documentaries, experimental films and music videos. Claudia has been teaching film related workshops to film makers, artists, young people and children since 2004. Claudia is a tutor at Space Studios and V&A Museum. www.claudiatomaz.com

General
Each student has their own workstation for the practical parts of the course and can discuss any specific areas of interest they may have towards the end of the day with the tutor.

2011-12-12T11:42:00.000-05:00

HOMES AND HOUSING

Housing is a Human Right, not a privilege. Homes and Housing is multiplatform documentary project about the complexity of the housing crisis in London.

This the new project we are developing. We are researching the subject, writing a very detailed project (25 pages so far!). The first step is to get funding to buy a semi-professional camera ASAP (soon we'll launch a crowd funding site). Things are happening and we really need to document it NOW. Here's a little preview...

Synopsis

“High housing costs are blighting lives in London. The average house price in London is now double that for the country as a whole and prices in London continue to rise, despite falls elsewhere. Moreover, since 2008 private sector rents have risen 30%. Far too many workers cannot afford to buy or rent a decent home on the open market, and the social rented sector is struggling to cope with the severe demands placed on it. Overcrowding, homelessness and social housing waiting lists are all increasing – sure signs of the strain on people’s finances and lives.” (National Housing Federation)

Homes and Housing is a 12-month multiplatform documentary project which will investigate the housing crisis in London in recession times. The project includes a web series, a feature documentary film, a blog, a radio show, a book, guerrilla projections, screenings and workshops. The project also offers a website which features an online resource page with practical info on housing, compiling links, articles and key organizations.

Homes and Housing empowers a human point of view on the subject by showing real people going through their housing situations in London in 2012. It is about people, homes and homelessness, about housing markets and policies, about the shortage of affordable housing, the policies behind it, about alternatives such as squatting, housing co-ops, autonomous communities; it is about regeneration, urban planning and how we can create sustainable housing and communities.

From council tenants, housing co-op members, squatters, people renting privately, sharing accommodation, buying, being evicted, being homeless… to architects, developers, politicians and landlords, we want to give voice to as many perspectives as possible.

This film will investigate these and other issues, through personal experiences, to give voice to people’s views on Homes and Housing. Our ultimate goal is to understand why things have taken this direction and find out what are the tools and actions available for change, meaning how to create a better and more sustainable life in a big metropolis like London.

People, places, buildings, archive images, facts and figures, will be some of the sources for this multiplatform documentary.

@ Moving image art fair. Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf - Southbank SE1 9PH | when: 15-10-2011 | times: 4:30-6:30

Claudia screened two selections of work from the last 20 years.

One selection compiles bits and pieces of Claudia’s films (features and shorts) from 1995 to 2011; The other, shows Claudia’s Mutant Paintings and Transient Forms performances (1989-2011). Claudia also used slide projectors manipulated live juxtaposing images related to the films shown.

BYOB London - Moving image group show

Claudia manipulating her projections live

Film selection included:

Detour (1997), Nights (2000), Us (2003), Feel me (2009), Aquario (scene from Us, 2003), Allergic (2010), Travelogue (2008), Timeless Land (2009), One Love (2009), Changes (2007), Ballad of technological dependency (2006), London Ground (2010-11), Revolution work in progress (2011).

MORE INFO on Claudia's films

Detour (1997) with 2 slide projections - photos of the building we filmed in

Nights (2000) with slide projections (16mm film cuts) from Us (2003)

Mutant paintings, jams and Transient forms performances were presented on video and slide projections.

MUTANT PAINTINGS are tiny handmade paintings mounted into slide mounts; they move and have a life of their own! they are then manipulated and projected using manual slide projectors and they keep changing forming new images each time they are projected. Until they dry, forming a landscape created through Time. Claudia films the projections, edits the images and creates live performances. She paints live and uses slide/video projections, live cameras and multiple screens to create a magical experience.

More info, video and previous Transient forms performances HERE

'This was a rare opportunity for me to watch, remix and reflect on my work from the last 20 years whilst presenting it live, in a beautiful space (attic of Bargehouse, in Southbank), in the exciting BYOB group show. Many thanks to Film Co Lab, who organized the event, to Space Studios for letting me borrow the video projectors and to everyone who was there to watch it.'
Claudia Tomaz

2011-10-11T10:58:00.000-04:00

upcoming GIGS

October

BYOB - projecting my images

15-10-11 | 4:30-6:30 | London @ Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf - Southbank SE1 9PH

I'm presenting some of my films + my Mutant paintings this Saturday (15th October) at BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer) @ Moving Image Contemporary Video Art Fair London.

For BYOB, I created 2 selections of my work from the last 20 years! With 1 hour each (looping for 2 hours), one selection compiles bits and pieces of my films (features and shorts) from 1995 to 2011; The other, shows my Mutant Paintings & Transient Forms performances (1990-2011). I will be showing them simultaneously using 2 video projectors and maybe a couple of slide projectors.

BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer) is a series of one-night-exhibitions hosting artists and their projectors. This event is part of the Moving Image, an art fair of contemporary video art.

Bargehouse's Attic - on 4th Floor | 15-10-11 | 4:30-6:30 more info

Free, all welcome!

***

October - November

Offret

11-11-11 | Public Street Event | Clapham Junction, London

I am collaborating with 'Offret' to document on video a community project, plus a urban intervention event, about the Riots. “Offret” is a process-based, community-focused project that will be part of the Exchange Radical Moments! Live Art Festival which will take place simultaneously in several European cities in 11/11/11.

The urban intervention will deal with the areas affected by the widespread rioting that took place in England in August 2011. Workshops will happen at Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill - Clapham Junction.

Street event: 11-11-11

Free, all welcome!

6th hour are the lovely people creating "Offret"

***

November

Bombs or little lonely explosions

6, 7-11-11 | Lisbon | Museum of Electricity - Temps d'Images Festival

I am collaborating with"Bombs or little lonely explosions" (Susana Vidal/ B negativo teatro) making new films for the second performance. This time it will be presented in a very different space: The Museum of Electricity in Belém. The show is part of Temps d'Images Festival

Recent and ongoing...

October / November

Creative Editing Course at Space Studios read more

September

Bombs or dying for a week (1) Presented at Cinema São Jorge, 02 - 03 September, Lisbon read more

Detour Screened at Portuguese Cinemateque, 12th September, Lisbon read more

Museum as Film, 2-day film and editing workshop at V&A Museum read more

Website new design www.claudiatomaz.com

2011-09-13T12:25:00.002-04:00

DETOUR, 1997, 50 min

14 years later, 'Detour' is screened at Portuguese Cinemateque, Lisbon - 12th September 19:30 -

as part of the Homage to actor Pedro Hestnes who sadly passed away recently.

'Detour' is a film I like a lot. It is my second film, it was shot between 1996-97.

It was very experimental, not only in its finished form but also in the film making methods I used.

The collaboration with Pedro Hestnes, Susana, the fishermen and women (from Carrasqueira) and my small crew was a memorable experience. I did the camera, editing and sound design as all the work was a constant work in progress, the post production followed the same experimentation of the preparation and shooting. The film happened by constant detours which I could call discoveries! I was just opened, letting things happen!

I didn't know Pedro Hestnes when I was imagining this film, I saw him once on the street, we made eye contact and I recognized him, as he was in many Portuguese films, and he was the main character of 'Sangue' a film by Pedro Costa which I liked very much. Pedro was one of these actors with glamour, a rebel, and yet also very fragile and sensitive. I see him a bit like a James Dean of Portuguese Cinema. At the time I was fascinated with the sort of decay of the characters of underground cinema like Andy Warhol and by then I was reading everything by Samuel Becket, so that was quite a challenge for a method's actor like Pedro.

'Detour' had no real script, I had notes, photos, drawings, slides, I had ideas that were more to do with perception than with a plot. I was young (24 year-old I think) and wanted to do things I've never seen before, I was radical in my approach and rejected narrative, I was searching for new ways of telling stories. Pedro asked me many questions about his character, we would talk for hours and I would give him Becket's texts. Then we started to go to Tróia and Carrasqueira / Cais Palafitico.

Cais Palafitico, Carrasqueira, Portugal

Tróia is a peninsula in Portugal, it looks like a desert, with long roads along the ocean in one side, the river on the other side, and lots of white sand. The Romans had a city there once. In Cais Palafitico I discovered that couples go out to fish together (very unusual in a country of fishermen, a job usually for men), so I wanted to incorporate that in the film. People were friendly, accepted us and let us film with them. We often went on the boats with them.

Me and Pedro did some of these trips preparation together; it was in one of those journeys that we discovered the 18 stores building which we filmed in, as urban explorers we went in; The building was very tall with a view to the ocean and the mountain, it was never finished so it was chilling, it was grey, made of concrete, like a vertigo; nowadays it doesn't exist anymore, it was imploded a few years ago. From that day we started to imagine new scenes, together, it was a good encounter between two creative minds.

In the same area there were similar buildings that were finished and turned into hotels in the 70's, so the furniture was nice and pretty. We did film there too and we mixed both buildings as the film is a subjective time mental distortion of Pedro's character. For the Super-8 part of the film, every shot was 'drawn', in fact I made slides of each shot, printed contact sheets and pre-edited it all on paper in a wall installation! I still use those slides in my projections :)

slide projections of Detour's building @ house party 2011

We actually were arrested in that building later on (the whole crew!!!) yeah, 2 or 3 policemen dressed in normal clothes showed up with guns, at first we didn't know they were cops though, I had my super-8 in my eye and Rui Poças touched my shoulder saying 'there's some men with guns there', anyway I still managed to convince them to let us finish the shot ;) then we had to go down to the police station, it was a down moment of our shooting. The credits of the film were made on real walls in Lisbon, graffitis of our names! At the time I never heard of 'guerrilla film making' but we were doing it! We were also lucky for having Paulo Rocha, João Pedro Bénard and Gulbenkian as our producers, supporting us and giving us the means, the encouragement and the inspiration to do it and experiment!

For the shooting, we rented a modest local house from a fishermen family that we were filming with and we all lived together for a month or so, filming, watching the footage, working daily, experimenting, improvising, allowing ourselves to be influenced by the people, the space, the light, the tides... Nuno Carvalho did all the sound recording on location; also there we experimented a lot. What kind of mics, where to put them? we expanded technically always searching to capture sounds in new ways. For the super-8 Footage we recorded little sounds, like we got sand and stones from the street into the studio to re-create a minimalist soundtrack.

Me and my crew in a windy day. Pic by Pedro Hestnes.

The editing and sound design I did it myself. The effect is hypnotic. I had 40 hours of Betacam footage, documentary style, about 2 hours of super-8. I spent very long time watching the footage and taking notes, choosing shots, noting timecodes, imagining the editing, even before stepping in the editing room. Those were different times! I edited most of it in an old Betacam/analog suite. It was a great space at Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, they let us use it for free when they were not using it, it was indeed their reggie, where they filmed and edited the shows at Grande Auditório, we were very high up and could see/hear the rehearsals of all shows, sometimes I would get a call from the Maestro asking me to put my volume down and I wish I could ask the entire orchestra the same :)

To edit the Super-8 footage I started to use a computer (Premiere, which was quite new by then) to allow me a more quick way to experiment different ideas. I was doing it at Paulo Rocha's new suite, at night, when no one was using the computer, then I had to take the timecodes to Gulbenkian and do the final version in analogue. There, in 'my' editing room, I re-filmed a lot of the shots and pre-edited sequences (this time in digital), re-telling the 'story' through a composition of images in 4 screens and including myself reflected on the monitors, putting the process of making the film inside the film, always detouring and adding and re-creating!

Pedro making a box for a portable viewfinder as the one of my camera broke

A shame Pedro is not here anymore to watch all his films, I know he would had like that! Me too, I wish I could have watched my film last night on the big screen, but I am in another country. Thanks to the Cinemateque for showing it, thanks to Pedro and to everyone who helped me making it and to everyone who watched it!

Claudia

see also:
WEBSITE
WATCH EXCERPT OF THE FILM ONLINE

SEPTEMBER - film workshops @ the Lab and OUT

2011-09-05T12:16:00.003-04:00

MUSEUM AS FILM @ VICTORIA and ALBERT MUSEUM

01-02 September | 10.30–17.00

WORKSHOP: Create a short film or trailer set in the dramatic surroundings of the V&A and gain new digital editing skills in this 2 day workshop.

Learn different filming techniques and discover how to use Final Cut Express to edit your footage and combine it with still images, sounds and titles. At the end of the course you will have a DVD of your short film trailer to take away. Led by film makers Claudia Tomaz and Simon Woolham.

CREATIVE EDITING @ SPACE STUDIOS

6 evening sessions
Date: Wednesdays from 21st Sept to 26th Oct
Times: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Price: £175
Tutor: Claudia Tomaz

BOOK NOW and receive a 15% discount. Just enter code Earlybird010 on checkout to receive your discount.

This hands-on creative and technical 6-sessions course on Editing using Final Cut Pro explores the Art and Craft of Editing. It will also give you the editing tools you need for an advanced and professional use. A basic knowledge of Mac OS X and FCP is recommended. Toward the end of the course, delegates can sign on for an additional 2 sessions to work on their own projects. Please see tutor for dates and further info.

Different genres, styles and innovative editing techniques will be discussed through the examples of feature films, documentaries, music videos, opening titles sequences and interviews with editors and film makers. Editing exercises will take place in each session which will allow you to explore editing techniques and experiment how to edit a scene, a montage sequence, create a soundscape for your film or create titles; notions like structure, narrative progression, emotional density, atmosphere, pace and rhythm will be underlined.

FCP topics include: basic setup, settings, formats and files management; capturing and importing video and audio; various editing and trimming techniques; sound editing, sync sound with image and sound-design; create title sequences and subtitles; export the master to tape, DVD and internet.

CREATIVE EDITING - individual classes @ HOLON film LAB

Individual Classes: 2-4 hours
Date: from 19 Sept | on Mondays | by appointment only
Price: £30/hour (includes use of FCP 7 / iMac)
Tutor: Claudia Tomaz

In this version of Creative Editing course, classes are tailored for you and your needs! Start from the beginning or learn particular editing techniques. (See description above for reference)

To discuss your needs and TO BOOK please email holonfilmlab (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk

Classes can be exercise based (I will provide footage) or you can work with your own footage (you'll need to bring an external hard drive). We will work on Final Cut Pro 7. The LAB is in East London, Hackney.

MORE COURSES @ the LAB coming soon...

AUGUST @ the LAB - part 2 - creative collaboration

2011-09-05T08:42:00.005-04:00

A new collaboration started @ the Lab - with my friend Susana Vidal, actress and theatre director working in Lisbon, Portugal. Susana invited me to create the videos for her new stage performance

'Bombs or dying for a week'

Live performance, experimental theater by Susana Vidal with videos recorded through skype (from Lisbon) and made at home (in London). A piece inspired by a tumor, the edge, the inner scream. With women about to explode!

Diary of the process: The creative process is happening over the internet. Yesterday we recorded the images with the actresses through Skype. I am using iShowU HD to capture video from screen.

I projected the images from Skype on the colourful walls of my home and re-filmed part of the footage. Want to have different textures and point of views.

Started editing. Think I will be making 4 micro films, a film for (and about) each actress; plus another film where I want to Remix the individual films using a new editing process I'd like to experiment: Multicam Editing.

Echoing in my mind: 'Persona' by Bergman, 'Joanne D'Arc' by Carl Dreyer, paintings by Francis Bacon.

Films are silent and mainly B&W (working on the shades of blacks, whites and in betweens). Working with time, slow motion, projections, layers, effects...

Today trying out Multicam Editing! You can load up to 16 videos and play them all at the same time and cut between them on the run in real time - ideal for music videos and concerts (when you film with several cameras, but also allows any other videos and syncs with one sound track), in this case I'm working with 3 silent videos. Love it!

Last touch using 'Color'!

Show: Lisbon 02 September - 03 September at 22:30 at Cinema São Jorge by Susana Vidal/B Negativo Teatro featuring these 4 videos I made for this piece. This is the premiere, work in progress will continue... In November new show at Festival Temp d'Images at Teatro do Bairro.

AUGUST @ the LAB - part 1

2011-09-05T08:08:00.004-04:00

Like an hour before the riots kicked off in my neighbourhood I got my refurbished computer delivered! This is a great achievement at the LAB as for at least a year that update was absolutely necessary and essential to keep up with the work. Installed FCP 7, Color, Motion, Adobe CS 5 and more... all running smoothly, a lot to learn! So yeah, I was home unpacking the computer and Riots were happened just around the corner, helicopters by my window... Unexpectedly this was the first film made @ the Lab using the mobile HD and new computer.

Watch more on microfilmswebtv.com

Check out also my interview at Film Annex

A week later, there was a Demo after the riots. I filmed it with the tiny mobile camera (sound needs to be improved!). Video still to be edited...

Saturday 13th August 1pm Assemble at Gillett Square, Dalston, N16. March to Tottenham Green, N15

CREATIVE EDITING COURSE - Day 5

2011-07-26T12:06:00.000-04:00

Last session of this workshop @Space was dedicated to finish the editing projects so most of the time was dedicated to edit! Then I showed how to Export using different settings - for DVD, internet and Master tape; using Final Cut 7 and Compressor.

People also learned how to design a DVD menu on iDVD and got their films burned onto disc. We still had the time for a quick tutorial on Archiving a project + Media Management.

Here are some screen shots of the student's projects - Georgia, Hanna and Laura.

holon film lab's new spaces

2011-07-18T11:00:00.004-04:00

The Holon film LAB has a new home, in a Housing Co-op community in Hackney, East London.

Micro Lab

This is what I call the Micro LAB, it's my home, a space to create, explore, make stuff, let grow, collaborate! It's a space of confluence, to connect the dots, a hub for film projects, DJing, share skills, give workshops, massages and chill out events.

The Chill out room is that space for healing and relaxing. I give Shiatsu Massage to the sound of chilled out DJ mixes I create; Aleksandra gives Holistic Massage.
Check out our website and book a massage!

Chill out room

To work and experiment in film, I often need access to cutting edge equipment which I can't afford to own. So one of my tasks has been to find free access to it in London so I can keep working and keep updated with new software and professional equipment for film and post-production.

In July I entered the 'Business Incubation' programme at RAVENSBOURNE COLLEGE where I can have free use of facilities for experimentation and exploration, access to resources and cutting edge kit (computers, updated software, professional cameras), plus courses and conferences. I call it the Mega LAB!

Ravensbourne College is that building with round windows

I call it the Mega Lab

This programme is run by Ravensbourne and funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Ravensbourne College is internationally recognized as a forward thinking broadcasting and communications centre with its finger on the pulse of new digital technologies.

One of Holon film Lab focus is Creative Education.
From September I will be giving individual classes and workshops at the Micro Lab (TBA soon)!

Currently I am teaching a 'Creative Editing' course at SPACE * in Mare Street, Hackney. This workshop is now nearly over. A new one will start from September. Please check older posts on this blog (June/July 2011) for a summary of each class.

my class room at Space

* SPACE is a a registered charity founded in 1968 as a pioneer in supporting artists and London's creativity. Their mission is to be a radical and innovative organization putting art and creativity at the heart of life. SPACE provides resources, inspiration and opportunities for people to create art, engage with new possibilities and develop their creative expression. Check out Space Studios story and their courses and workshops at the Media Lab.

Thursday 1–Friday 2 September, 10.30–17.00, I will be teaching at the V&A Museum with artist/filmmaker Simon Woolham. Bookings open now for this workshop

screen shot of a student's film. workshop at V&A, Feb 2011

'Create a one minute film trailer set in the dramatic surroundings of the V&A and gain new digital editing skills in this 2 day workshop. Learn different filming techniques and discover how to use Final Cut Express to edit your footage and combine it with still images, sounds and titles. At the end of the course you will have a DVD of your short film trailer to take away'

HOLON FILM LAB on the web > FILMS ONLINE

MICRO FILMS WEB TV

LONDON GROUND channel

CREATIVE EDITING COURSE - Day 4

2011-07-18T08:14:00.000-04:00

Today trainees worked on their own film editing projects. Each project was very different: a documentary about a jazz band playing at marathons in Paris; a found footage, almost music video, project on the theme of traveling, repetition and seeing things differently; and a fiction film's scene in a party, about a girl who can't fit in.

I assisted projects individually and we covered a few more tutorials. How to work with multi-track video to superimpose images, how to change image window size and make use of several image windows in the same screen. Then we focused on Filters, Effects and Color correction. Plus I showed how to create Text on FCP: titles, subtitles and final credits.

We watched a few examples of Opening titles scenes to discuss the impact of those in the start of a film. 'Enter the void' opening titles was one of the examples

We finished the class with everyone sharing their work in progress editing projects.
What's the project about, what FCP features were used, problems, things that worked well...

Only one more class to finish this 5 weeks workshop!

Next workshop starting from September at Space Studios. Watch this space for news!

CREATIVE EDITING - DAY 3

2011-07-12T07:10:00.005-04:00

session 3 of 'Creative Editing' course was dedicated to writing through images and sound design. We started with an editing exercise:

"Use documentary footage to create your own script. Write with images! Based on the footage you chosen, write down a short Outline (script) of your short documentary to help you to find the order of the shots. Then edit your scenes in FCP.

Are you telling the story chronologically? Is the storytelling clear and focused or abstract and poetic? What’s the pace of your film? What editing techniques do you want to use? Are the emotional beats allowed sufficient time to be affecting? This is a free style exercise. Experiment and develop your editing style."

For inspiration I showed 'The wood engine' film-music by M4SK 22 which uses found footage to compose an amazing hypnotic journey

The second part of the class was dedicated to sound and sound design. We watched a short documentary on sound design & effects (how to make sound from scratch). Then analyses of FCP timeline of my film 'Travelogue' along with tutorials and exercises.

CREATIVE EDITING COURSE - Day 2

2011-07-02T05:29:00.004-04:00

This week I started the class with this inspiring video as the focus was on Rhythm, cuts, transitions and time manipulation. There is no movement without rhythm. Film editing it's just like music, the right shot must come in the right moment, in the right note, provoking continuity or change...

Then we watched the 'shower scene' in 'Psycho' and one of the fight scenes from 'Raging Bull' to analyze the editing techniques and tools used.

While watching I asked people to pay attention to a few things...
· Think of how the edits affect the impression of time being lengthened, or shortened, or creating the impression of “real” time. How does the editor achieve that? What impact does that have on the viewer’s? What are the editing effects used for time manipulation? What transitions are used? How is pace and rhythm achieved? What is the emotional impact of the type of editing used?

In Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock's famous shower scene uses a rapid series of extreme close-ups to build suspense and heighten the sense of panic. The pace of the scene is intensified by cutting between long and very short shots, using sharp cuts, music and sounds.

In Raging Bull (1980), directed by Martin Scorsese, edited by Thelma Schoonmaker, all rely on montage and sound manipulation. Extreme close-ups are cut next to long shots; low angle shots are cut next to high angle shots; normal speed shots are cut next to slow and fast motion shots; long camera takes are cut next to split-second shots of camera flashes and subjective sound are some of the techniques used in the explosive fight scenes.

Later on I gave an excerpt of 'Fight Club's script to read. The task was to interpret the script creatively and to re-edit those 2 scenes altering the RHYTHM. Plus working with sound files, use 2 transitions and speed effects which took us to a FCP tutorials.

Nice and challenging!

PS. Unfortunately we had a crash in one of the computers. A hard lesson to tell us: keep saving!

CREATIVE EDITING COURSE - Day 1

2011-06-27T07:55:00.002-04:00

First day of Creative Editing course went fine! all ladies :) started with this clip of inspiring Orson Welles on Editing.

Then we set off to a perspective of film editing through tools and history - from moviola to non-linear editing and Final Cut Pro!

We watched lots of clips from the first film by Lumiere - single shot without editing - to 'Odessa Steps' sequence. This was used for a sequence analysis exercise focusing on the power of cut, rhythm, juxtaposition, parallel action and montage.

Then of course introduction to FCP and tutorials and then editing exercise:

From the 3 excerpts of films given, View, Select, Cut your footage (use the ‘razor tool’ to separate the shots)
Then cut out, rearrange the shots in a different order, play around! Create 1 to 3 different versions out of the original scene or sequence. In each version try to change the story being told. Remember, editing is about the way you combine elements (images, sounds, music), it’s like a puzzle, re-invent your scene!

More next week!

CREATIVE EDITING COURSE @Space Studios

2011-06-27T07:42:00.001-04:00

Teaching Creative Editing course at Space Studios in Hackney, London.

5 evening sessions workshop
Date: Wednesdays from 22nd June to 20th July
Times: 6:30pm - 9:30pm

This hands-on creative and technical 5-sessions course on Editing using Final Cut Pro explores the Art and Craft of Editing. It will also give you the editing tools you need for an advanced and professional use. A basic knowledge of Mac OS X and FCP is recommended. You are welcome to bring your own footage.

Different genres, styles and innovative editing techniques will be discussed through the examples of feature films, documentaries, music videos, opening titles sequences and interviews with editors and film makers. Editing exercises will take place in each session which will allow you to explore editing techniques and experiment how to edit a scene, a montage sequence, create a soundscape for your film or create titles; notions like structure, narrative progression, emotional density, atmosphere, pace and rhythm will be underlined. FCP topics include: basic setup, settings, formats and files management; capturing and importing video and audio; various editing and trimming techniques; sound editing, sync sound with image and sound-design; create title sequences and subtitles; export the master to tape, DVD and internet.

more info here
about SPACE here

LONDON GROUND survey

2011-04-27T15:04:00.000-04:00

As we start preparing LONDON GROUND SERIES 2 we would like to ask you to help us with this Survey. It won't take long! Many Thanks!

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://ctomaz.polldaddy.com/s/contributors-1"&amp;gt;View Survey&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p>

LONDON GROUND DVD coming out soon!

2011-03-24T11:00:00.003-04:00

Hi there! we are now editing the feature version of LONDON GROUND. We're also preparing the DVD of Series ONE (2010). This is a different version from Full online episodes, you'll find new connections between the films and everything will make more sense! Film is now about an hour, plus a few Bonus Features. We want to screen it in London, UK and internationally. If you know about festivals and venues who would be interested in screening LONDON GROUND please get in touch!

We’re pleased to announce that all of you who donated $25 or more (through Indiegogo last year) will receive a DVD soon as our Thank you for your support and contribution!

We are preparing the Second Series which will happen throughout 2011 with new artists and collaborations!

Check out the 10 min trailer for an overview of the First Series and the new films in preparation. To watch full episodes for free please visit our new LONDON GROUND channel which got to 1.000 views last week or our Micro films web tv

LONDON GROUND channel
http://www.openfilm.com/channels/LONDON-GROUND
Micro films web tv
http://microfilmswebtv.com/

All the best,
Claudia

2010 highlights

2011-01-01T13:57:00.013-05:00

2010 was a year of deep transformation, full of projects and innovative ways of doing them, where new experiments begun... LONDON GROUND was the main project, a web series of short documentaries about artists and activists in London; I made 12 films which are online to watch for free. LONDON GROUND will continue in 2011!

This was also the first time I 've put my films online, which fulfilled my dream of being a truly independent film maker / producer / distributor with a direct contact with audience. Also first year using facebook actively to show my work + crowd-funding and DIWO (indiegogo) finding fantastic new ways to collaborate with people.

2010 started in fact with a Lightbox sold! made to measure for a private client with the painting he chose! It looked beautiful! Zoe and I mastered the Lightbox making and design and we are hoping to make more soon.

Later on, my Mutant-paintings had new lives with jams at Holon Film LAB and then the live performance Transient Forms which took place in the abandoned Cinema, home of VHS Basement, a beautiful group of people with whom I've been happy to collaborate.

A special thanks to Chris Dent, who welcomed me in all the squats, to show my films and make new ones! He helped all to happen, without him London Ground wouldn't have happened! He has been the photographer, additional camera and main collaborator! Thank you Chris!

I'm also Cloud 9 (my aka name)! Started DJing (soon will upload some of my mixes on SoundCloud); Also did some performance stuff (like the music video 'Allergic' for Botchit&Scarper made without proper cameras).

Did some experiments in Live cinema and live photography; using projections (video and slide), live cameras and performance! Plus a VJ software which I still need to learn... Ideas which I will develop in the New Year, I wanna go live and do gigs!

This was also the year I started to do guerrilla gardening, to cycle in London, to skip food, to show / make films in squats/social centers. Also interested in bike-powered cinemas, guerrilla projections and film workshops with communities. Not to forget the videos I make (as freelancer) for the charity Sustainable Energy Academy about low-carbon houses.

Well, putting it all together, sounds like a series of breakthroughs in consciousness are happening, connecting my life and work, giving me a sense of place and grounding; with daily life becoming a thrilling education itself. Making relevant films/art as part of daily life progression and what's happening around me now, is what I'm looking for.

Best wishes to the New Year! Embracing the Changes.
Dare to dare!

PS. Note that I have films online at Micro films Web TV (showing my films and trailers 1995-2010) and at LONDON GROUND channel - showing all films from the series. Watch the Trailer for a compilation of what we made in 2010 and a preview of next films. The last film uploaded in 2010 was Timeless Land, a special homage film dedicated to dear Kevin Walsh (musician, Dj, poet) who passed away in December 2008.

NEW LONDON GROUND TRAILER

2010-11-10T12:28:00.004-05:00

LONDON GROUND started off from my curiosity and admiration for other artists’ work and their original practices in the underground scene in London; somehow they reflect and enlarge my own views and actions. A punk-rock DIY sensibility underlines a global community of artists united in the belief that we can change the world and do things in original ways! This film series is also a way to find my own GROUND in London, while discovering, connecting and collaborating with artists!

This TRAILER tells the story of Series 1 - which I filmed in 2010 and gives a preview of next films and the artists we are inviting. There are 12 films to WATCH ONLINE in the brand new LONDON GROUND CHANNEL

ARTISTS COLLABORATING:

in Series 1 (2010) are Chris Dent, Alice da Cunha, Fabba-J, Claudia Tomaz, Kai Syng Tan / Kaidie, Botchit and Scarper, VHS basement.

In Series 2 (2011) we are inviting Dj Flore, Martin Love/ Botchit&Scarper, Mutoid Waste Company, Nick Diezel, Spaceape and Kode 9, The Light Surgeons, Secret Cinema, M4SK22, Emily James, LAB of insurrectionary Imagination.

Check out THIS PAGE for links for Artists's websites, check out what we are doing.

This is an independent film project, we have no funding. If you like the films please GET INVOLVED, click the button below and help fund the next films

THE MAGIC OF NUMBERS IN WEB 2.0.

2010-08-13T13:03:00.005-04:00

This text is a sort of report / balance of the past 10 months. I've been using the internet to produce and show my films independently doing low-budget films, mostly documentary. I'm doing a film series about / with underground artists in London called LONDON GROUND (more).

In November 2009 I've set up Micro Films web tv to show my films online. I started by showing old films (shorts, excerpts of features, remixes from my work since 1995). Film Annex (the host of web tv) shares revenue from ads with filmmakers. In December they made an interview with me and featured my web tv in their front page, with surprising results. Over 1 Million views which resulted in about £3.500. With that money I started producing my new film-series project LONDON GROUND. I film and edit the films myself and upload them online as soon as a film is done, maintaining a close relationship with people collaborating and watching.

Facebook started to be an important tool as well, not only to communicate and put up links to watch the films, but also as a way of keeping a diary of the work in progress, which resulted many times in online collaborations which revealed to be very important and supportive. And some grew into fruitful collaborations (like Kaidie's 2 episodes).

So I use my web tv to distribute and monetize so I can produce new films; my aim is to create a sustainable system where the viewing (for free) creates revenue to produce new films. I also used indiegogo and raised around £200 from people's contributions which wasn't much (goal was $6.000) but it was a very pleasant process as it was a very nice way to connect with old and new friends through film. To help I also do some freelance work as filmmaker and editor.

In total I spent about £7.000, raised about £4.500 through web tv, vote's contest (we won an Award with music video FEEL ME ) and contributions/donations + about £2.500 from my freelance work. We made and shown online 12 new films, created Transient forms (the live performance) and presented a screening of 5 episodes at The Foundry in London.

This is the first time I am working this way, using the Internet /Social media and many times I don't understand what's going on, numbers can be weird or Magic?! Here you can see some examples and the numbers which resulted from this exciting experiment of being an independent filmmaker in the era of Web 2.0.

Hopefully this will allow us to be making films full time -- it's a good idea but still not enough to cover all the expenses of making the films and survive. There's no profit at all so far and I do need to replace equipment, so films have been made with a very low-budget and a lot of struggle. In a next level I would like to find a small crew to work with me on the project and help me develop it; not only the preparation and making of the films, but also social networking, fund raising and organization of events.

Finally, we are again in the process of RAISING funds to complete Series 2 and make Series 3 with another amazing bunch of independent artists in London!

If you can / want to CONTRIBUTE please use the Donation button on my website (payPal and debit/credit cards accepted) we need your support and we say THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Meantime please WATCH the 12 films made so far. More coming soon...

IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS THAT CAN HELP FUND RAISE or SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE PROJECT or WANT TO HELP, PLEASE EMAIL US AT holonfilmlab@yahoo.co.uk

run KAIDIE run is ONLINE

2010-08-02T10:28:00.004-04:00

'run KAIDIE run' is part 2 of KAIDIE and THE MEANING OF LIFE 3.0 and it is NOW ONLINE
Kai Syng Tan is living Kaidie's life and running for real as part of her 1000 days performance. Kaidie's project has a real live aspect while exploring new platforms and technologies. This episode focus on the Running, but online collaborations and GPS maps are part of this multi-layered infinite quest for the Meaning of Life. Follow Kaidie's adventures on her blog and facebook.

These films are part of an adventure / on going collaboration (both in life 1.0 (real life) and online - blogs, facebook, websites, GPSs, email...) between myself and Kai Syng Tan an artist / performer / filmmaker from Singapore living in London.

Watch the films and vote at my web tv http://microfilmswebtv.com

And if you are curious to know how Kaidie and Claudia met and have been collaborating check this

Check out our journeys in Kaidie's text, join our Travelogues here

** screen shot from Kaidie's film 'run for my lives' + blog post

KAIDIE AND THE MEANING OF LIFE

2010-07-21T09:15:00.007-04:00

is the new film of LONDON GROUND series. A generous, fun and inspiring collaboration between Kai Syng Tan aka KAIDIE and myself (claudia tomaz aka cloud 9)! The 12 min film is now ONLINE at micro films web tv to WATCH and VOTE

I filmed Kaidie at work on the 24th June at Slade Reasearch Centre while she was doing her wall map installation. In the film I am also using Kaidie's beautiful layered artwork and 2 excerpts of her films, the one of glowing Kaidie in the underground and Kaidie's
journeys in Second Life! A fascinating RUN indeed!

Kaidie runs in London and online! An immensely poetic, philosophical and fun quest for A Meaning of life 3.0! Meet the multi-talented artist and filmmaker at work, while she makes her wall map installation. Creating and performing Kaidie for 1000 days is Kai Syng Tan! Don't miss this inspiring conversation about Kaidie's runs, maps, journeys, web 2.0 collaborations and more...

If you want to know more about Kaidie visit and follow her runs and adventures in Nondon. You can run into her blog A Rough Guide to (the meaning of) a life 3.0 or ask to be her friend on facebook. Kaidie needs the help of the internet community to find the Meaning of Life in her 1000 days journey.

Episode 2 'RUN KAIDIE RUN' is coming out soon here...

(these photos are screen shots from Kaidie's blog)

THANK YOU / NEW FILM ONLINE

2010-07-16T15:25:00.009-04:00

funding for LONDON GROUND at indiegogo is now closed!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE CONTRIBUTING and joining this adventure!!!!

we got $430 (converted in pounds after payPal and indiegogo fees it's around £200ish), it's far from our goal but a nice little help toward making the films! Little by little... we'll keep going!!! and it was really fun (and at times bit emotional) to connect with people through my films and receive the support of new and old friends! THANK YOU ALL! 18 contributions, here are their names (in chronological order of contribution):

Sandy Lieberson, Daniela Kon, MF. Tomaz, Patrick, Paul Gitschner, Margarida Carvalho, Jill Newman, Justine Cal, Miguel Dias, Kai Sync Tan, James Odling-Smee, David Moss, Rouzie Hassanova, Celine Carlisle, Amy Clay.

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS to Celine Carlisle and Helder Tiago for their generous contributions + Margarida Carvalho and Sandy Lieberson who contributed twice.

Everyone will have their names in a THANK YOU CREDIT in the Next film (Kaidie - episode 2). some will receive DVDs with the films (when released. planned for September / October). Everyone will get updates and invites for screenings.

to celebrate please watch the NEW FILM of LONDON GROUND series: KAIDIE AND THE MEANING OF LIFE 3.0

Kaidie runs in London and online! An immensely poetic, philosophical and fun quest for A Meaning of life 3.0! Meet the multi-talented artist and filmmaker at work, while she makes her wall map installation. Creating and performing Kaidie for 1000 days is Kai Syng Tan! Don't miss this inspiring conversation about Kaidie's runs, maps, journeys, web 2.0 collaborations and more...

TO BE CONTINUED... This is part 1. Part 2 coming soon

Check Kaidie's world here http://3rdlifekaidie.com

please keep following LONDON GROUND:

more films coming soon / watch here http://microfilmswebtv.com
info and links http://www.claudiatomaz.com | join Facebook Group

LONDON GROUND FUNDRAISING ENDS IN 68 HOURS

2010-07-13T06:17:00.002-04:00

we raised $255 now but still very far from our goal...

68 HOURS left to contribute!

Contributions end on 15th July, please hurry up! It's easy, go to this site and choose the amount of your contribution

http://www.indiegogo.com/LONDON-GROUND

THANK YOU everyone who already contributed! we are very happy about it :)) this is a new and exciting way to make and show films!

FUND RAISING for LONDON GROUND until 15th July

2010-07-06T12:12:00.002-04:00

we are trying to RAISE FUNDS so we can continue making films for LONDON GROUND web series! a series of films made by Claudia Tomaz in collaboration with independent artists in London 2010.

This is a community project and we want to do it that way! We are using online platforms to show and fund these low-budget films independently.

We need your help :)

Would you be up to MAKE A CONTRIBUTION?

TAKE ACTION and SUPPORT INDEPENDENT FILMS AND ARTISTS!
Deadline for donations is 15th July 2010

It's really easy to DONATE, just GO to this link
http://www.indiegogo.com/LONDON-GROUND

and choose the amount you want!

for $10 you'll get a THANK YOU in the credits
for $25 a DVD with the films we made (when released)

And everyone receives updates of the work in progress!
THANK YOU!

Last, but the most important, is that the films are made for YOU!
so you can WATCH THE FILMS ONLINE, for free here
http://microfilmswebtv.com/

More films coming soon!

best wishes! happy Summer!
Claudia