Doc./Video Art

Documentary
My most recent filmic obsession has been with the documentary form. I first started experimenting with the form in June 2007 when I attempted to make a film about a Rochester NY hardcore band called How We Are. Not knowing anything about documentary history, creation, shooting ratio, etc. it failed miserably but I had a pretty sweet time. Now some two years later I’ve tried to hop on the documentary train again, this time doing some projects that we are bit closer to home.

Documentary Filmography:

  • Roger Stern At Ithacon 2009 (February 2009; MiniDV) – An interview with classic comic writer Roger Stern about his career and the creation of the Death Of Superman storyline.
  • Ithacon (April 2010; MiniDV and digital photography) – A twenty three minute documentary exploring the comic book industry through different working professionals located around the upstate NY region. Interviews include Steve Wacker (editor for Marvel), Roger Stern (classic comic writer discussing his latest work on Amazing Spider-Man), Mike Borkowski (storyboard artist for Venture Brothers, Big Guys And Rusty The Boy Robot, Scooby Doo, etc.), Joe Orsak (comic artist for the graphic novel The Yellow Rose Of Texas), and Ken Wheaton (inker for Bongo Comics).
  • An Invisible Idol (Started November 2008, still in production; MiniDV, pencil animation, and scanned photographs) – A look into the life of my late grandfather Curtis Richter who passed away before I was born. How has my life changed without ever having him in my life and how is he still with me?
  • Currently Untitled Camp Good Days Project (Started July 2009, still in production; MiniDV and digital photography) – A look into the life of a camper at Camp Good Days And Special Times, a camp for children with cancer and blood disorders.

Ithacon (April 2010, visual and sound)

Video Art/Avant-Garde
I was first introduced to video art and avant-garde filmmaking my sophomore year of college at Binghamton University. I was required to take Cinema 122 which was a class taught by Martin Arnold giving a history of video art and avant-garde filmmaking. I was shown pieces by Peter Kubelka, Michael Snow, Gary Hill, Tony Oursler, Bruce Conner, Stan Brakhage, William Kentridge, and a number of other great experimental filmmakers. Apprehensive as first I wasn’t really sure I could become part of this film work but once I picked up the camera for the first time I realized that this was the type of work I was made for. It resonated with me in it’s ethical beliefs about art and commerce and provided a nice outlet for my ADDified mind.

Video Art Filmography:

  • I Love Nicholson (January 2006, about 1 minutes 30 seconds, MiniDv) – Using footage shot on a tv screen of Jack Nicholson and random I Love Lucy footage I created a very short experimental music video.
  • Playground (February 2006, about 2 minutes, MiniDv) – Editing experiment using footage shot at a park I used to play at when I was growing up in Binghamton, NY.
  • Graveyard (March 2006, Super 8mm) – My first roll of black and white super 8 mm film shooting single frames in a graveyard in Johnson City, NY.
  • Super 8mm Experiment (March 2006, Super 8mm) – A structuralist film created with material filmed off a small television. Unfortunately, this film was lost during a telecine transfer session somewhere in the basement of a Binghamton University lecture hall building.
  • Boston (April 2006, 3 minutes and 0 seconds, Super 8mm) – A one reel condensed version of a family trip to Boston.
  • Structural Fashion (November 2006, about 1 minute and 30 seconds, 16mm) – A structural film using material shot in downtown Binghamton, NY.
  • Constellations (September 2007, about 3 minutes and 0 seconds, MiniDV) – An abstract film creating star imagery with other materials.
  • Untitled Four Screen Installation (November 2007, about 6 minutes and 0 seconds, MiniDV and Super 8mm films) – Transferred and then edited commercial super 8mm films shown on three television and one projector interacting with each other. This installation was displayed at Jungle Science Gallery in Binghamton, NY.
  • S and M (December 2007, about 4 minutes and 15 seconds, MiniDV) – Two television screens with images of rural upstate NY areas allowing the viewer to compare and contrast between true moving and still images.
  • Flash Match (April 2008, about 5 minutes and 10 seconds, MiniDV) – A video board game installation project which consists of the viewers throwing cards at the screen when prompted and obeying a voice narrating the game.
  • Constellation Installation (May 2008, Duration is as long as the project is displayed, MiniDV, DVD player, Projector, Green Turf, Picnic Basket, Sleeping Bags) – Installation recreating the atmosphere of sitting outside looking at the stars. This installation was displayed at Spool Mfg. in Johnson City, NY.
  • Modern Hand Processing (September 2008, 3 minutes and 18 seconds, MiniDV and old horror movie clips) – An attempt to create the same type of unpredictable material that hand processed film can harness but typical digital video can not.
  • Dance Piece 1 (September 2008, 2 minutes and 29 seconds, MiniDV) – A film attempting to choreograph numerous dance sequences at one given time. Screened at University At Buffalo Academic Excellence Gala 2009.
  • French Dance ( October 2008, 3 minutes and 2 seconds, MiniDV and Vinyl Records) – Creating a dance piece with assorted dance material I had filmed. The piece matches a soundtrack I created with augments and partially destroyed “learn to speak french” vinyl records. Screen at University At Buffalo Academic Excellence Gala 2009.
  • Abstract Dance (November 2008, 2 minutes and 16 seconds, MiniDV) – The title says it all. An abstract piece derived from material shot of a dance class. Screened at University At Buffalo Academic Excellence Gala 2009.

Abstract Dance (November 2008, silent with visual)