Category Archives: documentary

Josh Weinstein – “Cross Examination”

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Cross Examination
Cross Examination (2005, 11.4MB, 5:40 min)

Made in 2005, this is a really extraordinary piece for lots of reasons:

(1) It’s so carefully made ( & must have taken no little work)
(2) The chutzpah quotient is almost 100%
(3) There is more here than meets the eye
(4) The use of music (in its second appearance very reminiscent
of the school of Rifle/Hartley but spot on nonetheless)
(5) The warmth, genuine warmth; the real insight into people

As you see here Josh Weinstein, Brooklyn based film maker
does a lot of work for corporate clients. Hmmm.
Really, all you can think is, on the basis of this, they get way,
way more & better than they could possibly deserve.

Frank Zappa on ‘Crossfire’

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zappa
Frank Zappa on Crossfire (1986, 49MB, 21:17 min)

from – del.icio.us

Making Web MVideo by Michael Verdi

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webmvideo
Making Web MVideo (2011, 51 MB, 5:55 min)

“There was a lot of talk this week about WebM video after Google announced
that they were going to drop H.264 support from Chrome. This is huge news
for video makers, especially since Firefox 4 (which supports WebM) is almost done.
I figured it was time to look into WebM encoding tools again.”..

from Michael Verdi.

Martha Deed – War and Peace

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War and Peace
War and Peace (2006, 35.4MB, 2:34 min.)

Some delicate & tough poetry of the everyday &
the often overlooked (& thence of all we are & of
our place in the natural world too) from Martha Deed in 2006.

Robert Croma – La Descente

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la descente
La Descente (2010, 96MB, 8:21 min)

It’s always great to have a new piece from Robert Croma –
recently this has been an all too rare event.
Great to report that his first in a year is as good as it is.
I know that the people-going-down-steps/up-or-down-escalators/though-doors movies
have come to constitute almost a micro-genre, but this is an exceptionally
meticulous and rich example.
In particular what makes it for me is the decision (wherever – camera, edit – in the workflow
it happened) to leave in the faces who gaze boldly back at the camera.

A lot of Croma’s work employs subtly deployed but thorough post-production
to heighten and poeticize further his material. Here it’s rather his visual acuity
and the years of experience accumulated both in still and moving image which leads
to this simple but devastating handling of his original footage.
Similarly his use of sound is unobtrusive but exceedingly well judged.

I hope it’s not a year to the next one.

Nigel Ayers – War Criminal

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first line
War Criminal (2003 -2010, 22MB, 3:18 min)

When I first saw this piece from Nigel Ayers I assumed, quite wrongly, he
was involved with some heavy duty image manipulation in the cause of a
kind of conceptualist ‘activism’ (and I sat scratching my head at just how difficult it
must have been to get that image onto so many moving figures).

DOH! The facts are much weirder and much, much better…
Great stuff! Hats off! Not worthy, not worthy!

Let Nigel explain…

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molotov_alva

Sun Capture – Julianne Swartz

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suncapture
Sun Capture (1999, 9.6 MB, 1:23 min.)

Transferring the reflection of a natural occurrence (the movement of the sun)
from outdoors to indoors, Brooklyn-based artist Julianne Swartz creates
her site-specific installation “Sun Capture” with existing architecture, metal pole,
mirror, sun, and wind.

Max Moswitzer – Early Videos

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rambo1987
RAMBO (1987, 5.6 MB, 2:32 min)

killmydesire
ZERO ONE KILL MY DESIRE (1988, 7 MB, 3:12 min)

Early videos by Max Moswitzer using found footage material,
video collage, remix and animation.
More Max Moswitzer here.

A Letter From Beirut

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From Beirut
A Letter From Beirut (2006, 36.9MB, 4:41 min.)

This video letter was made on July 21, 2006 at the studios of Beirut DC, a
film and cinema collective which runs the yearly Ayam Beirut Al Cinema’iya Film
Festival. This video letter was produced in collaboration with Samidoun, a grassroots
gathering of various organizations and individuals who were involved in relief
and media efforts from the first day of the Israeli attack on Lebanon. It was
also featured at the Biennial of Arab Cinema, organized by the Arab World
Institute in Paris.

Max Moswitzer – early found footage and remixed videos

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zwischenlagerung
ZWlSCHENLAGERUNG EINER NULLOESUNG (1988, 10.5 MB, 4:47 min)

computergame
COMPUTER GAME (1987, 9 MB, 3:53 min)

Early videos by Max Moswitzer using found footage material, remix
and live performance.
ZWlSCHENLAGERUNG EINER NULLOESUNG was using documentary
films from 1938-1945 and was a live action performance at the
University of Applied Arts in Vienna in 1988.
COMPUTER GAME was exhibited at ARS Electronica in 1987.

More Max Moswitzer here.

Maisie Crow – A Life Alone

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a_life_alone
A Life Alone (2009, 81 MB, 5:08 min)

“Tom Rose, 85, wipes a tear from his eye while reminiscing about
his wife who passed away. The two were married for 60 years,
and Tom continues to struggle over her loss.”

By Maisie Crow.

Max Moswitzer – compa

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companjeros
companjeros (2001, 17 MB, 1:16 min)

loshomeboys
los homeboys (2001, 37 MB, 6:34 min)

Ali el fofo & Don Conejo. unplugged 2001 ticotaco
By Max Moswitzer.

Jon Jost is not making movies

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jost
Jon Jost is not making movies (2006, 36.4 MB, 6 min.)

In 2006, Woods Hole Film Festival featured a tribute
to filmmaker Jon Jost.
I got a chance to talk with him for a few minutes
about his career in film and his commitment to
pushing the medium of digital video. In this video
he gives some great advice to new DV filmmakers,
and explains once and for all 24fps setting on your camera.

By Mica.

Victor Robledo – Diarios de Luz

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DiarioDeLuz #15
Diario de Luz #15 (2006, 5.5MB, 1:48 min)

DiarioDeLuz #3
Diario de Luz #3 (2006, 5.3MB, 3:35 min)

Colombian artist & photographer Victor Robledo made a series
of these pieces in 2006 & posted them on a blog entirely given over to them .
Active since the mid Seventies, Robledo says
“The theme of my work has always been

Tom Frisch – Chicago Messenger

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Chicago_Messenger
Chicago Messenger (1998, 5MB, 2:54 min.)

A short documentary on the joys and hazards of being
a bike messenger in Chicago.
By Tom Frisch.

Pictures of Assholes – Joseph Gordon-Levitt

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rock
Pictures of Assholes (2006, 6.8MB 3.44Min.)

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes on those pesky celebrity-hounding paparazzi
with a novel new approach, his own video camera (and an impressive amount of patience).
In doing so, he manages to turn the entire relationship on it’s head with true situationist flair.
I found it fascinating to experience this from his perspective, and then, I was kind of shocked
that more famous people don’t do things like this and then publish it online?

I mean, if they really want us normal people to feel sympathy for what their fame and our culture of celebrity worship does to their daily lives..
In any case, Levitt is clearly a cut above, go see whatever movies he’s in.

By Mica.

‘ZOOMER’ by Sam Huntley

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zoomer
Zoomer (trailer) (2010, 26MB, 2:24 min.)

ZOOMER is a feature-length documentary about the life of Mary
DeBoutez Zellmer-Fenoglio, an eccentric and charismatic owner
of ‘Zoomer’s Treasures’ in Kansas, USA.
ZOOMER is Sam Huntley‘s first feature-length film and was entirely self-funded.

Derek Bailey & Will Gaines

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Derek Bailey & Will Gaines #1
clip #1 (1995, 7.6MB, 32 sec.)

Derek Bailey & Will Gaines #2
clip #2 (1995, 3.2MB, 14 sec.)

Derek Bailey & Will Gaines #3
clip #3 (1995, 4.1MB, 17 sec.)

Some lovely footage of the great free improv guitarist Derek Bailey,
who died in 2005, working with be-bop hoofer Will Gaines.
As with so much Bailey did, it seems at first deeply
odd & then, in equal measure, wonderful.
Important to understand this wasn’t some sort of gimmick:
Gaines had known Bailey since the sixties & although much of his
fame was garnered firmly in the mainstream, he has spent a great
deal of time working with cutting edge improvisors.
Enjoy two wonderful artists at the top of their game.
From European Free Improvisation.

Edward Picot – Bramble Jelly

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Bramble Jelly
Bramble Jelly (2010, 63MB, 5:14 min)

Lovely little pastoral from Edward Picot, as resolutely
unfashionable as ever and not any the worse for it.
More soon.

KUNSTHAUS TACHELES by Karen Chan

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kunsthaus_tacheles
KUNSTHAUS TACHELES (2009, 24MB, 2:59 min.)

By Karen Chan. Graffiti. Super 8. Shot in Berlin.

Tom Frisch – Rave Culture

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rave_culture
Rave Culture (1998, 16MB, 11:19 min.)

Shot on location at six Chicago parties over the course of a year,
this film explores multiple issues surrounding the rave scene,
including public opinion, promoters, drugs, police, and the culture
created by this phenomenon.
By Tom Frisch.

HOTEL by Karen Chan

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hotel
HOTEL (2009, 24MB, 3:10 min.)

By Karen Chan. Super 8. Superb. Hotel room. Shot in Berlin.

suppendapo – Wreck & Salvage

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suppendapo
suppendapo (2009, 33 MB, 2:51 min)

Are You Alive?
Wanna Stay That Way?

By Wreck & Salvage.

Eileen Maxson – Tonite (Reprise)

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tonite1
Tonite (Reprise) (2009, 13 MB, 3:16 min)

By Eileen Maxson. Exhibited at video_dumbo 2009.

Sebastian Hernandez – DIY or Die #3 – A Month of Sundays

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A Month of Sundays
A Month of Sundays (2009, 65 MB, 4:54 min)

Last &, in my view, the best of Sebastian Hernandez’ DIY or Die
series of documentaries, which we’ve been delighted to
be able to feature here in the past few weeks.
I found them all well made, engaging and informative.
This one I also found profoundly moving.
We look forward to featuring more of Sebastian’s work
in the not too distant future.

Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore – Mark Leckey

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fiorucci_hardcore
Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore (1999, 14 MB, 14:46 min.)

‘Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore’ is a compilation of found footage
from the 70s, 80s and 90s underground music in the U.K.

By Mark Leckey, winner of the 2008 Turner Prize.

Sebastian Hernandez – DIY or Die #2 – Ladyfest

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torc
Ladyfest (2009, 46 MB, 4:39 min)

Second in Sebastian Hernandez’ neat documentary series on DIY/alternative lifestyles.
I like the genuine respect & empathy Hernandez shows for his subjects, which doesn’t,
however, preclude honest & three dimensional film-making.
Once again Hernandez’ technical skills are evident (But not in a look at me! kind of way)
In particular I love the jumpy camera work/edit in the second interview, which manages to be
aesthetically pleasing without detracting from the actual substance of the interview – indeed
it adds to it.
Looking forward very much to seeing the third!

Sebastian Hernandez –Truth or Consequences

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torc
Truth or Consequences (2009, 90 MB, 10:03 min)

Very nicely made and engaging documentary, first of three,
all of which we hope to feature here, by Sebastian Hernandez,
amply fulfilling earlier promise.
Technically this work is even more assured.
I have to say personally I preferred the politics of his earlier work.
(Not that I assume Hernandez views are necessarily to be identified with
those of his subjects, so, to put it better, I preferred the folks
in the earlier movies)

There’s more context here.

‘Plane Days’ by Benjamin Kracun & Ewan McNicol

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planedays
Plane Days (Excerpt, 2009, 6 MB, 1:22 min)

“Old friends. Young friends. Lovers and loners.
They all wait, hoping, to see something they