Publishedonlineat: Scan|JournalofMediaArtsCulture

http://scan.net.au/scn/journal/vol10number1/KatherineBerger.html

DirectOnFoundFootageFilmmaking:Miningthe debrisofimageconsumption&codirectingwith nature KatherineBerger

Itisundeniablethatimagesandthescreendominatemuchofourwakinglives,pilferingoureyes asweprivilegethevisual.However,asthedigitalgainsubiquity,itstheexperimentalfilmartist whominesthedebrisofourimageconsumptiongluttony.Thereisasmallbutrisingcontingent ofcontemporaryfilmartistswhoutiliseandrescueanaloguetechnologyfromitsdemise,namely thelatentarchiveofpreexistingfootage,andreworktheimagesviahandmade,directonfilm animationtechniques.Iamaplayerinthisresurgence,choosingtorehabilitatepastimagesand favourthephysicalobjectoffilm.Although,Itakeadvantageofdigitaltechnology(whenitcomes thecapturing,editinganddisseminationofmyfilms),asacompletecontrasttocreatingimages digitally,amethodofutilisinganaloguefilmincombinationwiththenaturalworldandits elementsisemployed.Thiscontemporaryjunctionisofinterestwheretheproliferationofdigital offersafreedomandeaseformodernfilmmaking,yetthelingeringpotentialsofanalogueand thehandsonbecomesincreasinglypertinentaswemoveswiftlythroughthedigitalera. Firstly,itsinterestingtonotethatthepracticesofusingpreexistingfootage(commonlyreferred toasfoundfootage)anddirectonfilmanimation,bothwhichhaveprevailedsinceearly cinema,haveusuallybeendocumentedasseparatepractices.Seldomhasthisintersectionof bothpracticesbeenexamined,andalthoughhistoricalexamplesofdirectonfilmanimationwere predominantlycreatedonclearleaderoropaque(processed)filmexamplesasfarbackasthe 1930s(discussedlaterinthisarticle)canbeuncoveredwheredirectonfilmanimationhas beenemployedonpreexistingfootage.Sowhilemanycontemporaryfoundfootagefilmmakers haveembracedwhatdigitaltechnologiesoffer(suchasalreadydigitisedvintagefootagesuchas rareeducationalfilms)therearestillanevidentnumberoffilmmakers(moresofromthe1980s tothepresent)whoarestillintentonexploitingfilmsanaloguepropertiesandoftenlaboriously animatingvintage,preexistingfootageframebyframe.Duetothisintersectionofactivity,the neologismdirectonfoundfootageanimationcanbeactivated.

Tocreateadirectonfoundfootageanimation,techniquessuchasscratching,scraping,gluing, cutting,burning,painting,drawing,treatingwithvariouschemicalsorburyingthefilmintheearth tohastenthedecayingeffectsareemployedonthesurfaceoffoundfootage.Thesematerialist investigationswereparticularlyprevalentinthe1960sand1970s(whentherewerestrongavant gardemovementstakingplace,particularlyinNorthAmerica,theUKandalsopocketsofactivity inAustralia).However,whilethesehandsontechniqueswereusedtoreaffirmthephysical presenceoftheartistthroughthedirectrelationshipwiththefilmstrip,theartists(duringthis period)weremoreoftenmoreconcernedwithabstractionandforegroundingthematerialoffilm tobreaktheillusoryfunctionofmainstream/Hollywoodcinema.Whatshouldntbedisregarded iswhentheuseoffoundfootage,inconjunctionwithdirectanimation,isthesignificanceof disruptingthephysicalsurfaceofthefilm,inadditiontodisruptingtheoriginalpreexisting imagesthatlayembeddedwithinthesubstratesoftheemulsion.AsWilliamWees,ahighly regardedproponentofusingrecycledimages,succinctlystated, Whenafilm'sstartingpointisneutral,imagelessleader,theemphasisfallsentirelyonthedance oflines,shapes,texturesandcolourscreatedoutofnothingbythefilmmaker.Whenthe filmmakerworksonfoundfootage,somethingdifferenthappens.Inadditiontotheirinnate interestasgesturesofpersonalexpression,thevisualeffectsaddedbythefilmmakerassertthe individualfilmmakerspowertoreclaimtheterrainofpublicimagesforpersonaluse.Thuseven themostpainterlyandabstractfoundfootagefilmsofferanimplicitcritiqueofthefilmindustrys standardisedrepresentationsoftheworld,andlikeotherkindoffoundfootagefilms,they interrupttheendlesscirculationandunreflectivereceptionofmassmedia.(Wees1993:32) AsWeesposits,somethingdifferenthappens,itsalmostlikethefilmmakerbecomesthatof analchemistwhoturnsleadintogold,takingpartinanalmostmysticalandmetaphysicalevent thatgivesthefilmmakerthepowertoreclaimtheterrainofpublicimages(1993:32). Thus,thedirectfilmartistcancreateworksthatmovebeyondabstractiontobecomeworksthat invertand/orsubvertthepreexistingimagesandoffervariouscommentariesconcerningour imageconsuminglives.Furthermore,asanaloguefilmsuccumbstodecayanddegradation overtime,justlikethehumanbodyorthenaturalworld,thefilmartistcandrawacomparison betweenthefragilebodyofthefilm,thefragilebodyofthefilmmakerandthefragilebodyofthe worldaroundus.Contemporaryexperimentalfilmartistswhoemployhandmanipulation methodswouldarguethatquestionsregardinglife,andultimatelydeath,canbeprosedthrough themediumofcelluloidfilm,includingwhatislifewithouttouch,withoutphysicality?Whatislife withoutdecay?Whathasthemediumoffilmlefttotellus? Howistheobjectoffoundfootageandthepotentialtoinscribeonitviadirectanimation techniquesstillrelevantintodaysdigitalera?Justlikepsychicsproposetobeamedium betweenthelivingandthedeadorthepresentandfuture,themediumoffilmactsasaplatform forcommunicationforthefilmartist. Thesignificanceofusingactualfoundfootageliesinthefactthatitisanartisanalmodethatcan

onlytakeplaceinthereal,physicalworldnotypeofdigitalmachinerycancopythisprocess. Thefilmartistneedsthetangiblefilmtosustainacorporealrelationshipwiththefilmmedium.It alsoensurethatthefilmartistwasindeeddealingwithfoundfootage,asinthedigitalrealm peopleweremakingfilmsoutofreusedmaterialthatwasnotreallyfoundanymore,butperhaps rippedoffaDVDortakenfromarchivesalreadydigitisedonline.Itstheuseoftheactualobject offilmwherethefilmartistcanarguablycommunicatethroughthemediumoffilmandasthe wildconceptmentionedearlier,communicatewiththenaturalworldbyallowingnaturetotake partintheaffectingandanimatingofthefilmstrip.Byrelyingonchanceandrandomnesstoplay apartinhowthefilmisdegradedanddecayed,thefilmartisttakesadvantageofatactileand handsonrelationshipwiththefilmsurfaceandusesthenaturalworldasacodirectingforceto createfilms.AfilmtheoristwhohaswrittenextensivelyondirectanimationandtheNorth Americanavantgarde,TessTakahashi,proposedforherpaper,AftertheDeathofFilm:Writing theNaturalWorldintheDigitalAge,thatthewaysinwhichcelluloidfilmscapacityfor registeringthemarksmadebytheartistshand,naturalelementsandaccidentsfunctionas writing(2008).Therefore,suggestinganewlanguageoraformofcommunication,wherethe naturalworldcantakepart,canbecreatedviadirectonfoundfootageanimation. Byusingthearchivetocreatenewworks,filmartistsarealsocommentingonthephotographed imageashistoricaltruthandreclaimingimagesthatwereonceusedtoshapeoursociety, moralityandworldviews.Furthermore,formingadialoguewithhistoryandwiththepresentworld andcreatingnewnarrativesandnewhistoriesorhistoriographies. Theborrowingandreanimationofthearchivalfragmentbecomesaswayofdisturbingthe smoothstructureofanhistoricalnarrative,inordertoreintroducethepossibilityofotherrealities inthegapsandpauses(Cocker2009). Withtheadvancementsofdigitaltechnologyoverthelastfewdecades,aconcomitantresult,not onlyisanincreaseofpreexistingfoundfilmtobereinvestigatedandreinscribed(ratherthan discardingorsimplyconsigningittovariousarchives),butdigitalsabilitytocapturethesefilms thatareconstantlyinastateofdecayandflux.Thisallowsthefilmartisttostillhaveacorporeal relationshipwiththefilmmedium,whichtheviewerisawareof,whilstcapturingthedelicate decayanddegradationofthefilmimage(whethernaturalorcreatedonpurposebytheartist throughthevarioushandmanipulationmethods).Furthermore,aseachfilmhasalifespan,just likehumanbeings,wecanlookafteritasmuchaspossiblebuteventuallythemementomori andrelentlessmelt(atermcoinedbySontag1997:15)oftheemulsionremainsitcannotlast forever. Justlikethecelldividingandmultiplyingnatureofhumans,notwofilmcellsareexactlyalike. Eachcellofeachfilmisunique.Scratchesandmarksonafilmareakintothewrinklesand scarsonahumanbodyortheringsonatreetrunk,theemulsionoffilmislikealayerofskinthat holdsandprotectstheimageandthehistoryandmemoriescontainedwithin.Theydemonstrate time,reaffirmingthatweareallorganicmatterandbeartheconditionofdecomposition,whichis anatural,inevitableoccurrence.Analoguefilmhasatactilequalitythatinasensebreathesand wobbles(BertrandandRoutt,2007:97)asitconstantlyshiftsintimeanddecays.Therefore,in

aneraofdigitalproliferationofimages,theemphasisingoftheanalogue,thehandmadeandthe photochemicalarekeystrategiesforfilmartiststocreatethoughtprovokingworks.Filmartists areableto,inasense,bringunknowndistantplacesand/orfascinatingcharactersintotheirown worldandallowsthemtoseenotjustoldfilmbutendlesspossibilities,astheimagescontained withineachreelortincouldbegivenanewlifeandcreatedintoanewfilm.AsSusanSontag states,TocollectphotographsistocollecttheWorld(Sontag1977:3).Thefilmartistcango beyondthevisual,the2Dnatureoftheimagesandinanalmostmetaphysicalsensegobeyond theimmediatesurfaceofthefilmanddrivedeeperintoitslayers.Byhandmanipulatingfilm,the filmartistcaninjecttheirselfintoafilmshistoryandcreateanewtrajectoryforthechosen footageviathetouchofthefilmstrip. TolookbackatthehistoryofDirectonFoundFootageAnimationsanduncoverkeyexamples, LenLye,apioneerofdirectonfilmanimation,actuallymadeoneoftheveryfirst DirectonFoundFootageAnimationsin1937called,TradeTattoo.WhilstworkingfortheUK GeneralPostOfficeFilmUnit,LyecreatedthefilmbyusingfoundouttakesfromotherGPOFilm Unitdocumentaries,suchasNightMail(1936).Lyetransformedtheoriginalblackandwhite footageofdullpostalduties,intoavibrant,colourfuldisplayhypingupthelifeofapostalworker toseemsomuchmoreinteresting.Lyewantedtoevokearomanticismabouttheworkofthe everyday(Horrocks2001:151)anddidsobyaddingcolourfulmarkingsdirectlyontothefilm stock,intunewithupbeatmusic.AlthoughoneofthefirstexamplesofDirectonFoundFootage Animation,itsrarelyacclaimedforitsuseoffoundfootageanditssubversionoftheoriginal imagesLyesdirectonfilmanimationtechniqueshaveonlyreallybeenofinteresttodate.

Figure1:LenLyeTradeTattoo(1937)

Anotherearlyexample,priortotheexplosionofvideoanddigitaltechnologieswasafilmbyHy Hirshcalled,ScratchPadfrom1960.Itwascreatedon16mmfoundfootageandwentfor approximately7minutes.Hirshscrapedandscratchedoverfootageofstreetsandurbanareas, abstractingtheimagesanddrawingattentiontothegraphiclinesfoundinurbanareas,suchas theroadsandtelegraphpoles.Hirshsfilm,ultimatelycommentingonindustrialisationandthe newmanufacturedlandscape,whichwastakingoverthenaturalenvironment. Thelate1970stoearly1980ssawanobviousincreaseinDirectonFoundFootageAnimation sincetheadventofdigital,whichhadbeganitsrisetobecomethenewfilmmakingandexhibition format.Asaresult,motionfilmwentthroughaperiodoffutilityandwasoftendiscardedor destroyed,particularlyamongstthebigstudiosthatwereexcitedbytheprospectofdigital.Akey examplefromthe1980sisbytheGermanSchmelzdahinCollectivewiththeirDirectonFound FootageAnimation,StadtinFlammen(1984,5minutes,Super8mm).ThegroupfromBonnin Germanysawthemselvesasfilmalchemistsandwantedtopushtheselectedfootage(mostly foundandsometimesphotographed)intoametamorphosisofearthlydigression.Theyworked, inasense,inharmonywithNatureastheyoftenlefttheirfilmsuptoelementsofchanceand allowedthenaturalenvironmenttomakeitsmarkuponthepreexistingimagesthatlayonthe filmstrip.TocreateStadtinFlammen,thefoundfootageofafilmwiththesametitle(createdonly afewyearsprior),wassubjectedtovarioussubstancesandburiedintheearthorleftinapond forseveralmonthstohastenthedecayofthefilmsoriginalimages.AuthorOwenOToole writes,StadtinFlammenisthemostvolcanicfilmI'veeverseentheemulsionliterallycrawls offthefilmbase,likealavaflowingacrossterrainLikeancientpaintingscrackandfallaway fromtheirsurfaces(O'Toole1989/90).Thisfilmissignificantbecauseofitscollaborationand codirectionwiththenaturalworldintheproductionofthefilm.

Figure2:SchmelzdahinCollective,StadtInFlammen(1984) Fromtheyear2000onwards,wecanfindanumberofexamplesoffilmartistsdirectlyanimating onfoundfootage(newdistributionmethodsandawiderdisseminationoffilmsacrossdigital networkscanaccountforthis).Anexamplefrom2000,isBrianFryesOonasVeil(8mins, 16mm),whereFryetookascreentestofCharlieChaplinswifeOona,heronlyfilmrecord,and reconstructedthefootageintoanintensemeditationonseeingandbeingseen(Diagonal Thoughts2008).Furthermore,theoriginalfootagewasmutilated,exposedtochemicalsand evenburied.Theresultisanunearthlyfilmportrait,withoccasionalspotsofblackemulsion, creatingacontinuouslyshiftingexchangeofglancesbetweentheimageandthespectator (DiagonalThoughts,2008).

Figure3.BrianFrye,OonasVeil(2000) Anotherexamplefromthisperiodisafilmcalled,DECASIA:TheStateofDecay(2002,70mins, 35mm),byAmericanfilmartist,BillMorrison.Morrisonhasmadeanumberoffilmswherethe decayofpreexistingfootageisrevealedwithenormousflair.InregardstohisfilmDecasia, Morrisonwenttovariousfilmarchivesandaskedifhecoulduseanydecayinganddecomposing films,particularlyfootagefromtheconceptionofmotionpictures.Asaresult,Morrisondigitised highlyflammableandseverelydecayednitratebasedfilmsfrom19101918.Thefootagethat Morrisonselectedwereofimagesthatbubbled,twisted,andmorphedonthefilmstrip, otherworldlyimagesthatcametolifethroughthemovementofthedecay.Whereashighly preservedvintagefilmorphotographsseemtosliceamomentandpreservetime,inthis instancethedecayoftheimagesdontletusforgettimesrelentlessmeltviaSontag.Althoughit isthenaturaldecayingfunctionoffilmthatisaprimarypointoffascination,itisconcurrentlythe importanceofdigitaltechnologies,whichisequallysignificant,asitisthroughthedigitalthatthe decaywascaptured.

Figure4.BillMorrison,Decasia:TheStateOfDecay(2002) AnothercontemporaryexampleisbyAustralianFilmmaker,TonyLawrenceandhisfilm,Girlon Fire(2008,2mins,Super8mm).Lawrencepurchasedvintagefootageonlineofagirlwhowas filmedunderwater,seductivelyswimmingonthebottomofapool.However,duetothepoor conditionsofstoringthefilm(wherethefilmrepeatedlygotwetovertheyears),itresultedinthe filmsufferingfiery,amberrustyspots.However,whatissoremarkableisthatitsalmostasif naturechosetoonlyaffectonlythegirlwithrustandasaresult,sheappearsasifonfire.Her youthfulbeautythatshemayhavewishedtobeimmortalisedandseenbymanyonfilm,could notescapetheimpendingireofnatureandtime.

Figure5.TonyLawrence,GirlOnFire(2008) Asignificantartistwhohasmadeanumberoffilmsdirectlyanimatingonthesurfaceofcelluloid filmandincorporatingthenaturalelementsintohercreations,istheCanadianfilmartist,Louise Bourque.Bourqueutiliseshandmanipulationtechniquestocreateherfilms,whichfocuson abstraction,colour,textureandpromoteswhatBourqueseesas,disintegrationas transformation(2004).Joursenfleurs(35mm,4.5minutes,2003)wasthetitleofBourques film,whichreferredtoawomansmenstrualcycle,translatingroughlyasDaysinBloom. Bourquetookpreexistingfootageoftreesandflowersandsoakedthestripsoffilminmenstrual bloodforseveralmonthstocreatethefilmofsparklingandtranslucentpatternsandvibrant colours.ThefilmhasadistinctfeministedgeandasBourquestates,Thefilmcapturesboththe beautyofnatureanditsdestructiveforceIthinkofthefilmasacollaborationwithnature (2004).AnotherinterestingexampleofBourqueworkingwithnatureandthecorporealityofboth herfilmpracticeandherownbodyisthefilm,SelfPortraitPostMortem(35mm,3minutes, 2002).Notstrictly,foundfootage,butfootagethatBourquehadburiedandforgottenabout5 yearspriorofherselfthatwereapparently,capturedbychance(Malone2006).Duringthe productionofoneofherearlyfilms.Bourquereferredtothefilmasanexquisitecorpseand thatshewasonceagainemploying,natureascollaborator"(Malone2006).Inthefilm,the luminousimagesarebeingtakenoverbythedecay,whichnaturepresentsasawaytoinscribe onandtransformthefootageandcreateanunearthedtimecapsule,containinglongburied footageofthemaker'syouthfulself(2006).Thefootagebecomesruminationonthenatureof time,decayandourinevitableaging,whichisalignedwiththenaturalworldthatonedayour

bodieswillreturntotheearth.

Figure6:LouiseBourque,SelfPortraitPostMortem(2002) Trythatwemighttocontrolitnatureisaforcethatwe,asthehumanrace,mustsurrenderto. Whendiscussingthenaturalworldasacodirectorofdirectonfoundfootagefilms,an interestingcasestudyisthesalvagedfilmsoffilmartistHelenHillafterHurricaneKatrina.We canarguethatnatureparticipatedinthecreationofnewworksbetweennatureandHill.Hillhad shootnumerousrollsoffilmpriortotheHurricanearoundthestreetsofNewOrleanswhere childrencouldbeseenplayingandpeoplegoingabouttheirday.Yetafterbeingsubmergedin thewaterforovertwoweeks,thefilmwasnowbeingtakenoverbyapowerfuldisplayofdecay threateningtoswallowupeachframeuntiltherewasnothingleft.Ratherthandisposeofthe films,HelenHilldiscoverednaturehadleftitsmarkonheroriginalfootageanditwasacallto createnewfilms.Furthermore,Hilldiscoveredshehadawayofrepresentingthe unrepresentable,whichwastheforceoftheHurricane.Unlessyoulivedthroughit,itshardto visualisetheferocitysomethingofthismagnitudecancauseexceptthestandardaftermath imagery.Hillsfilmsdemonstratesomethingindescribableandundefinablethroughthewrathfully decayedimagesleftinthewakeofHurricaneKatrina.Asthenaturalworldhasplayedsilent witnesstoeverythingthehumanracehasdonefromthedawnoftime,whatbetterwayto reinscribeandreimaginethehistoricalartefactsofpreexistingfootagethanhavenatureandthe naturalworldtakepartinit?

Figure7:HelenHill,Exampleofwaterdamagedfilm AnoteworthyexampleaboutthepowerfulpoeticsofdecayisinrelationtothefilmTheStoryof theKellyGangfrom1906directedbyCharlesTait.TheNationalFilmandSoundArchive investedalotofmoneysalvagingwhatfootageremainedfrom(whatisreferredtoas)thefirst featurefilmevermade.However,ifwelookbeyondthesectionsthatareseeminglyunaffected byage,whatstandsoutarethepartswherethemovementseemsorganicandanimated, bubblingorpulsing,breathingarguablymorealivethananyrepresentedlife,closerthento cinemalife(BertrandandRoutt,2007:9798).TheauthorsofthebookaccompanyingtheDVD releasegoesontosay,themovementofdecompositionappearsundirected,motivatedbut uncontrolled,confinedbutinfiniteinitspermutationsamanifestationofEisensteinsthreeof fourdimensionalcellularmontage.(BertrandandRoutt,2007:9798).However,ratherthan sayingitappearsundirected,wecouldarguethatnatureandthenaturalenvironmentwas assistinginthedirectionofthefootage,makingitsmarkonthefootagealongwithtime.

Figure8:CharlesTait,TheStoryoftheKellyGang(1906) DirectonFoundFootageAnimationartistsembraceaprocessorientedmodeofproduction,in whichthefilm'sformandsubjectarediscoveredinthecourseofthemaking,ratherthan followingapreconceivedscriptorplananartofdiscovery,then,notonlyofmanagementand execution(Gehman2003).Itisnotthefinalfilmbuttheprocessinwhichitwascreatedthatis thekeyaspecttothisartform.Toworkinthiswayisaprocessofdiscovery,itsakinto performanceandreliesondirectexperienceforthefilmmaker.Italsoreliesheavilyonchance andtheaccidental.Therehavebeenmanyartmovementsandculturesthathaveplacedhigh importanceontheroleofchanceandallowingnaturetotakeitsnaturalcourseinartfromthe ChineseTaoiststoDadaartists.TheDadaistsfeltthattheworkofartwasntandshouldnttry andbeintheartistscontrol,andisawaytheycouldgoagainstwhatwasperceivedaslogical. Dadaartistsalsofounditwasawaytoreturntonatureandthecosmologicalforcesofthe universe.TheDadaartist,HansArp,believedthatthefollowingoflawsofchancecreatespure lifeandgivesusaccesstomysteries.ThisissimilartotheTaoistswhobelieveinchance, spontaneityandtrustingonesintuitiveintelligence,whichultimatelyleadstowhattheyreferredto asharmonywithnature(Capra1991). Todelvealittleintomyownfilmpractice,Iconsiderthepowerandthepoeticbeautyof codirectingwithNature,andsenseareconnectionandrekindlingofarelationshiptoNature throughtheorganicmaterialandphysicalityoffilm.Anexampleisafilmtitled,MotherTongue, createdfrom16mmfilmsourcematerialpurchasedonline(whenIwasstayinginthefarnorthof Canada),Thefilmwasfromthe1950sandwasthecapturingofanInuitfamilygoingabouttheir dayinthefrozenArticmostlikelytakenbyananthropologist.Thefootage,whichoriginally

belongedtotheNationalFilmBoardofCanada,wasamagicaltimecapsuleofapassingwayof lifeduetoclimatechange,industryandurbanisation.Althoughthefootagewasalready impressive,IdecidedtotakethefilmwithmeonatriptoTasmania,andburiedthefilminsome fairlydenserainforest.Ontheoppositeendsoftheworld,industryandthegreedofwealthwas affectingbothlandscapes.Thefootagewasuncoveredagainonlytwomonthslater,andonly verylightlycleanedsothatIcouldrunitthroughaflatbededitorandcapturethedecaying imagesdigitally.Thefootagethatresultedfromthealmostritualisticburyingwasavibrant splashingofcoloursreanimatedonthesurfaceofthefilm.Theimages,whichhadbecomequite mutedintonesovertheyears,werenowburstingwithcolourandmovementduetothe emulsiondecayanddecompositionandtheimageswouldhideandrevealamongstthedecay. Bytreatingthefilmstripasasortofwritingsurface,Naturecanbeseenasinscribingitselfonthe filmandcreatingitsowncommentaryonperhapsthenaturalworldsufferingatthehandsof industrialisation.Furthermore,thereareethicalimplicationsofusingfoundfootage,particularof anativeInuitfamily,wherequestionsareraisedabouttherepresentation(andoftenexploitation) ofindigenousculture.Theworkwascreatedwiththeideaofcodirectingwithnatureinmindand adesiretoopenupadialogueforcommunication,receptionandperceptionoftheworldaround usthroughthemediumofanaloguefilm.

Figure9:KatherineBerger,MotherTongue(2011)

Figure10:KatherineBerger,MotherTongue(2011) Whiledigitaltechnologythreatenstomakeanaloguefilmobsolete,thishasnotstoppedthe ferventexaminationofexperimentalfilmmakerstoseekpreexistingfootagetouseinconjunction withtechniquesofdirectanimation.Utilisingahandsonapproachtofilmmaking,whichhas becomeparticularlymeaningful,aswebecomeincreasingseparatedandfragmentedbyliving ourlivesthroughthescreen.ThesignificanceofanaloguefilminthecreationofDirectonFound FootageAnimations,inahighlyubiquitousdigitallandscape,isitsabilitytooperateasatoolfor communicationandbecomeameetingpointforthefilmartist,thefilmasabody,andtheworld atlarge.Thespectatorcanalsobeassuredthatthefilmmakerhadacorporealrelationshipwith thefilmstripdrawingattentiontothephysicalworldandtheimportanceofourpresenceinit. Thisdirectrelationshipwiththefilmmediumanditsabilitytotransform,mutateanddecayraises pertinentquestionsincludingourephemeralityandalsoourdependenceontheimageas memoryorhistoricaltruth.Furthermore,whiledigitalcinemaismissingthatalchemicaltrace,it hasallowedforthecapturingofvariousstatesofdecayofthefilmimageandallowedfilmmakers toworkwithnatureinwaysthatwemayneverhavefirstimagined.Inthecreationof DirectonFoundFootageAnimations,nolongeristhevisualprivilegedoverothersenses,and whatemergesisamuchneededreclamationandexaminationofouroverconsumptionof images.

References
Bertrand,I.andRoutt,W.D.(2007)TheStoryofTheKellyGang,Victoria:AustralianTeachersof

Media(ATOM)/TheMovingImage. Capra,F.(1991)Taoism,TheTaoofPhysicsTheWayofEasternMysticism, http://www.unigiessen.de/~gk1415/taoism.htm,accessedJune18,2012. Cocker,E.(2009)EthicalPossession:BorrowingfromtheArchives,inScope:AnOnline JournalofFilmandTelevisionStudies,NottinghamTrentUniversity,UK, http://www.scope.nottingham.ac.uk/cultborr/chapter.php?id=9,accessedMay29,2012 DiagonalThoughtsWebsite(2008),GhostingtheImage/ProgramNotes(June4), http://www.diagonalthoughts.com/?p=140,accessedMay29,2012. Fan,L.(2004)LouiseBourque,BeyondtheFringe,FreeOnlineLibrary, http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Beyond+the+fringe.a0126683522,accessedJune10,2012. Gehman,C.(2003)TheIndependentImagingRetreatWebsite, http://www.philiphoffman.ca/filmfarm/Chris_Gehman.htm,accessedJune10,2012. Horrocks,R.(2001)LenLye:aBiography,Auckland:AucklandUniversityPress Malone,M.J.(2006)AConversationWithLouiseBourque(March19), http://www.bigredandshiny.com/cgibin/mobile.cgi?section=article&issue=39&article=A_CONVE RSATION_WITH_18212542,accessedJune10,2012. OToole,Owen(1989/90)StadtinFlammen,ArsenalDistributionWebsite, http://films.arsenalberlin.de/index.php/Detail/Object/Show/object_id/9045,accessedMay29, 2012. Sontag,S.(1977)OnPhotography,NewYork/Ontario:Penguin. Takahashi,T.(2008)AftertheDeathofFilm:WritingtheNaturalWorldintheDigitalAge,Issue 42.1(January), http://visiblelanguagejournal.com/web/abstracts/abstract/after_the_death_of_film_writing_the_na tural_world_in_the_digital_age,accessedMay29,2012. Wees,W.C.(1993)RecycledImages:TheArtandPoliticsofFoundFootageFilms,NewYork: AnthologyFilmArchives.

Filmography
(Inorderdiscussedinarticle) TradeTattoo(LenLye,1937) NightMail(GPOFilmUnit,1936) ScratchPad(HyHirsh,1960) StadtinFlammen(SchmelzdahinCollective,1984) Oona'sVeil(BrianFrye,2000) DECASIA:TheStateofDecay(BillMorrison,2002) GirlonFire(TonyLawrence,2008) Joursenfleurs(LouiseBourque,2003) SelfPortraitPostMortem(LouiseBourque,2002) TheStoryoftheKellyGang(CharlesTait,1906) MotherTongue(KatherineBerger,2011)