aemi Rough Cut session – September 2020

Published date: 30 Sep 2020

On 23rd September we were delighted to host the third and final Rough Cut event of the current series. Rough Cut is an aemi initiative that provides film artists with the opportunity to present works-in-progress at various stages of development to a guest curator, programmer, producer, academic or critic in a supportive peer environment. This is a way to get critical feedback or guidance around production, funding and exhibition strategy.

September’s event involved film artists Eavan Aiken and Frank Sweeney. Eavan is developing a film called White Hole, a rich lyrical work that is working through personal thematics and uses hypnotic imagery and the possibilities of cinema sound systems to explore inherited violence. Frank Sweeney presented a rough cut of People enjoy my company,a film he has been working on over the summer that explores the time-period surrounding the privatisation of the state owned telecommunications company Telecom Éireann (Eircom) in 1999.

Joining us a lead responder from London was Kate Parker of City Projects in the UK, who has worked as a producer with a number of artists on ambitious artist moving image projects and commissioned this text by Dan Ward on The Politics of Production. She also wrote this important text on The Conditions For Artists’ Moving Image Production In London Today in 2016.

Conversations with Frank and Eavan about their works in progress were framed around Kate’s experience and values as a producer. Below is a transcription of her thoughts on how to think about making new work:

letting a work enrich your life and others’ lives
making a film ethically
being socially aware
letting a work take you out of your comfort zone
not knowing the work in advance
building a community around a work and its distribution
working within means – so not too much admin
following a work & not what’s in fashion

Rough Cut is part of aemi’s Artist Support programme, more info on how we support artists is available here or email us at [email protected]