Film Poetry for Social Media Short Course
Course description
Course overview
Poetry and film have a long-standing inter-connected history. The two forms are lyrical, rhythmic and evoke emotion. They are simultaneously multi-layered and economical.
Students use visual, audio and editing skills to develop their own film poems for sharing on social media. Students will have the opportunity to either write or select poems to use as a stimulus for poetic filmmaking.
During the course, students are encouraged to become aware of and seek the 'poetry of life' on location in London. The rhythms, emotions, light, colour and music of the city will be edited poetically as short sequences to share on social media.
The course would be an excellent choice for anyone wishing to improve their filmmaking skills for the plethora of new platforms available for showing work beyond selfies.
Students build their knowledge and gain new skills through a combination of practical work and assignments to complete outside of class. By the end of the course, students should be posting more imaginative work on social media than ever before.
This course is available in multiple formats: a 5-week evening course or a 2-day course. If a certain format isn't listed please check back for future dates.
Who this course is for
This course is open to all levels. It would be an excellent fit for open, creative minds and those wishing to upskill and practice lateral thinking when undertaking creative work.
Key information
Topics covered
- Research in writing and reading poetry
- Planning images and sounds to interpret the form
- What are the ideal parameters for short poetic films in social media?
- Poetry and film in terms of its history: from the surrealists - Dali and Bunuel to the avant-garde - Deren, Vigo and more recent filmmakers such as Lynch and Erice
Learning outcomes
- Have developed their camera, sound and editing skills
- Be able to think critically about their own work as well as other films and artwork
- Be able to exchange ideas and concepts and develop collaborative skills
- Develop ideas for new films and an understanding of the relationship between film and poetry
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance.
Materials
Required materials:
- Notebook and pen or laptop/tablet for writing
- Phone with camera
Recommended materials:
- Poems for consideration
- Cameras and sound recorders (if you have them)
Tutor
Mark Aitken
Mark Aitken is an award-winning documentary practitioner of film, photography, radio, written and spoken word, sound, animation and installation. He's currently completing mixed-media works in Lapland about loss, memory and transformative renewal.
Key past works include 'Neighbourhood of Infinity' about confinement and freedom, the multi-award winning 'Dead when I got here' about a Mexican psychiatric hospital run by its own patients; 'Forest of Crocodiles' about a fearful white South African rural community; 'Until when you die' tracing a Vietnamese refugee's journey home and 'This was Forever' about the loss of a community allotment in London. His photo series 'Sanctum Ephemeral' won the UK National Open Art 2017 and Portrait of Britain 2017 and is permanently installed on-site in London.
Mark was a Kone Arts Fellow at the Helsinki Collegium of Advanced Studies and taught film practice at Goldsmiths for 11 years. He ran a non-profit company that produced over 40 films. Mark holds a PhD by Publication entitled 'Emotional truths in documentary making' from Goldsmiths.
For more information about Mark Aitken's education and work, please visit www.markaitken.org and https://polkadotsonraindrops.jimdofree.com
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