Their Attack is Our Escape

LaborBerlin members Anja Dornieden and Juan David Gonzalez Monroy are in China to work on their latest film projects. They will also be in Beijing to teach a workshop at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art and present a film program with films of LaborBerlin members. This project is made possible with the generous support of the Goethe Institute Beijing.

Their Attack is Our Escape. Collage and the Undead Film: A Workshop
UCCA Beijing, China

On August 5th and 6th, experimental filmmakers Juan David Gonzalez Monroy and Anja Dornieden will conduct a Collage film workshop which aims to provide knowledge necessary for the creation of non-camera 16mm films with the use of a variety of collage techniques. Over the course of the workshop, participants will learn to directly manipulate 16mm film by cutting, gluing, taping and transferring images, text and other found materials onto a clear film base. Using newspapers, magazines, color gels, photocopies, and computer printouts each participant will bring these images back to life by creating their own short experimental film. In the course of two 4-hour sessions, participants will first learn about the principles of 16mm film and the history of collage as a filmmaking technique. They will get a hands-on overview of the basic collage techniques, from which they will choose and apply to their own films. Experimental films that use similar techniques will be screened to provide participants with context and examples for their own projects.
Each participant’s finished film will be projected at a screening party at the end of the workshop.

On August 4th, 7pm, Anja and Juan will give a talk about LaborBerlin, the independent lab model, and the experimental filmmaking scene in Berlin.
Click here to read more about the workshop and about the artists

Film program from LaborBerlin
Don’t look Back, Gustavo Jahn & Melissa Dullius, 2009
Easy Glow, Tobias Kraft, 2011
TB TX DANCE, Roger Beebe, 2006
I love Roadmovie, Clara Bausch, 2008
False Friends, Sylvia Schedelbauer, 2007
Amours Fantômes, Sophie Watzlawick, 2003
How To Catch A Mole, Juan David Gonzalez Monroy, 2009
Destination Finale, Phillip Widmann, 2008
Enter, Anja Dornieden, 2010
H(i)J, Guillaume Cailleau, 2009
Awe Shocks, Anja Dornieden & Juan David Gonzalez Monroy, 2011
Ouverture, Christopher Becks, 2010

See some press response here
http://laborberlin.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/anja-and-juan-featured-in-chinese-press/

Meanwhile at LaborBerlin

Cleaning and putting together the Contact Printer

Last week, Mantas, Silvia and Michel worked on the contact printer which was hauled over from l’Abominable a few months ago. They cleaned, and cleaned again, and again cleaned a bit more … and put some pieces together: One of the main missing parts is an electricity transformer, one that will convert 
220V to 110V. Any clues where to get one? Please send us a message!

Our Thoughts Are With You

Sad news reaches us that our friends at l’Abominable have been pushed out from their space. We know how hard it is to find an adequate, affordable home to equipment, machines, cameras, projectors, flatbeds, viewers, animation stands, printers, baths, watering spaces, and communal spaces, and to maintain them all. Our very best wishes in finding a new home, and please know you are always welcome with us in Berlin. Here is the message from Paris:

“15 years after landing in the basement of 30, rue Bernard Jugault in Asnières, L’Abominable has no choice but to free up the space it has been using ever since. Crooks and liars after big money got the final say and we have to free up the space before July 31st.

The situation is the same for Christophe that lives upstairs and has been helping us a million times since he’s been around, and the ten other subletters that battled together with us since last fall.

As for us specifically, with the help of our members, we’ve been taking apart our machines and equipment for a few weeks now in preparation for storage. The six months we spent trying to find a new space were’nt enough to find a place we can directly move in but the city of La Courneuve is offering us crucial storage space. The culture people there would like us to set up in that city and we’re working with them and funding bodies towards such a perspective.

But whatever solution comes through for the complete lab, it will take a bit of time so we’re organizing to have a temporary space where can offer the minimum services in the meantime.

A period in the history of L’Abominable is ending. Once again, thank you to all of you that helped since last November, whether by signing the petition, sending us encouragement, of offering some of his time or ideas.

Be assured that we are determined to set up the lab again, make it even better and pursue our commitment to make production on celluloid possible in future years — one way or another. We’ll find a way !

A new l’ab is to be built.

L’Abominable

Art Eats Brunch

Art Eats Brunch

Tomorrow, Sunday JULY 17 // 12:00-18:00 // at the Node Center for Curatorial Studies // Waldemarstr. 37A, Kreuzberg // What better way to farewell the weekend than with a long, lazy and delicious brunch? Prepared especially by artist-run FOODGASM Berlin and the nowMomentnow team. FOODGASM’s approach takes full advantage of seasonal, locally available ingredients to create unexpected taste sensations. So bring your taste-buds to the table and we will bring the rest, including live music from sweet sensation Jess Lewis, gourmet Australian coffee provided by Ruby Rabbit and a showcase of past and upcoming projects. You can choose to indulge in the set-menu, complete with a complementary prosecco and gift-bag on arrival; or order á-la-carte. No need to RSVP, just roll up with your friends and local drag sensation Mysti will guide you to your table with rooftop views from Node Center’s awesome warehouse loft setting in the heart of Keuzberg.

straight8 Filmfestival

Straight8 Filmfestival

Liebe Film und Musikfreunde,
nach der Uraufführung der besten straight8 2011 Kurzfilme auf dem FESTIVAL DE CANNES und CANNES LIONS ist diesen Samstag BERLIN an der Reihe. Open Air screening bei MBF Filmtechnik Berlin dazu Bier und top DJs von Papierflieger / Daseinsfreude. straight8 ist ein internationales super 8mm Filmfestival. Aufgabe: einen Kurzfilm auf nur einer super 8mm Filmkassette, ohne jegliche Postproduktion zu drehen (max. Länge 3″20′) straight8 2012 MITMACHEN: 45% Rabatt auf die Anmeldegebühr nur am Screeningtag 50€. Die Kassette bekommst du direkt in die Hand und kannst loslegen!

straight8 – super 8mm Filmfestival – www.straight8.net
one cartridge / no editing

Samstag 09. Juli, 20.00h Einlass
Screening ab Dunkelheit

Cannes selection 2011 plus Premiere von 7 brandneuen Kurzfilmen
Lützowstrasse 102-104, 10785 Berlin (bei MBF, 2. Hinterhof) open air, freier Eintritt
—-
we like to help you get films out of your head and up on a screen. we have really hard rules. like no editing, no post-production, shooting on super 8mm film. making original sound. bad deadlines – cos we all need them.

the result is… people – all sorts of people – from all sorts of places – make AMAZING shorts and we show the best ones at the CANNES FILM FESTIVAL.

we screen in all sorts of places, london, berlin, vancouver, toronto and more and we would love to meet you so please come to the premiere if you’d like to hear more.

Live Cinema: W+B Hein & J+T Blue

BACK INTO THE FUTURE // at Veneklasen Werner // Rudi-Dutschke-Str. 26, Berlin // July 6th, 8pm // Wilhelm and Birgit Hein premiere a new 16mm double screen projection with live music by John and Tim Blue. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see these pioneers of German experimental film!

LaborBerlin auf Arte

KurzSchluss # 541 – Zoom – LaborBerlin
Der Film verliert sein Handwerk. Heutzutage wird alles digitalisiert, sind die Kameras digital, ist der Computer ein Schneideplatz und die Filme bestehen aus Nullen und Einsen. Nicht so im LaborBerlin. Der als Verein organisierte kollektive Zusammenschluss von Filmemachern im Berliner Stadtteil Wedding hält die analoge Vorgehensweise aufrecht. Hier ist Handarbeit angesagt. Filme durchlaufen den chemischen Prozess der Entwicklung, Schneidetische rattern, Projektoren flackern und die Vereinsmitglieder unterrichten sich gegenseitig in Workshops. Romantik der Technik oder konsequente Gegenbewegung zum digitalen Anything Goes?
http://www.arte.tv/de/film/Kurzschluss/Diese-Woche/4006338.html

Artikel im Schmalfilm Magazin

Schmalfilm

Entwicklung im Schwimmbad – Besuch bei LaborBerlin
Wozu ehemalige Hallenbäder doch gut sein können! Zum Beispiel, um darin Filme zu entwickeln. Im Februar 2011 feierte das Kollektiv LaborBerlin sein erstes Jahr in den Räumen des Stattbads Wedding. Aus diesem Anlass sprach schmalfilm mit zwei Mitgliedern der ersten Stunde, Michel Balagué und Clara Bausch.

Was ist bei Euch anders als in einem kommerziell betriebenen Labor?
Clara Bausch: Wir sind ein Kollektiv und es geht uns in erster Linie um selbständiges und freies Arbeiten. Man kann bei der Laborarbeit selber auf den Entwicklungsprozess Einfluss nehmen und ist hierbei unabhängig von kommerziellen Entwicklungsfirmen. Es geht nicht so sehr darum, dass es Super-8-Entwicklung nicht mehr geben könnte, sondern um den Freiraum, sowohl vom finanziellen als auch kreativen Gesichtspunkt aus.