I’m Amanda Robertson and I am currently going into my fourth year of studying Film, Media & Marketing at the University of Stirling. This summer I had the opportunity to work with Summerhall TV and help film and edit videos covering the Edinburgh Arts Festival.

The beginning of the Arts Festival in Edinburgh was very exciting. The first thing we filmed was Charles Avery’s Tree. The amount of media covering the unveiling was slightly more than I ever imagined for Waverley Station. However, it was nice to be able to be involved in filming such an important figure in the arts world.

I particularly enjoyed filming in the Dovecot Galleries. Firstly, the art work by Kwang Young Chun was incredible. His detailed work was fun to film and it meant that we could be slightly more creative with the camera to fully capture the intricacies of his work. As it was the launch of the Arts Festival, Dovecot Galleries was filled with different media people as well as art enthusiasts. I was very aware the whole time we were filming that I was most likely photobombing other people’s pictures and videos of the event. I hope they filmed my good side.

In general, the whole process of filming various significant artists can be quite daunting, as well as creating work that they are happy with. However, I feel like along the process I learnt so much about the artists and their work and how to capture the best version of each exhibition. The arts festival is a busy time in Edinburgh but it is extremely exciting. By experiencing the festival from behind a camera, I feel that I was involved in some way in the creative excitement surrounding the city.

///

Luci Wallace, Project Coordinator for Summerhall TV, an arts news organisation based in Summerhall. We make 2 – 3 minute videos covering contemporary arts news and events around Scotland. I coordinate what we shoot, and the content that appears across our websites artinscotland.tv, summerhall.tv and writerstories.tv, as well as our social media channels.

We started the day by visiting Charles Avery’s Tree no.5 at Waverley Station’s concourse. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the press, we grabbed the artist for a quick chat about his work. It was really interesting to see a piece of work like this in the station, and watching members of the public interact with it.

After that, it was a quick jaunt up the road to Dovecot Studios for the Art Festival’s press launch and to interview the festival’s director Sorcha Carey, about the programme. We were introduced to the beautiful work of Korean artist Kwang Young Chun, and spoke to his British representative, Grey Skipwith, about the work as well. One thing I’ve learned from press meets is to always be prepared for extra interviews!

We then made our way down to the Fruitmarket Gallery to meet Phyllida Barlow and talk about her newest exhibition, Set. The work was incredible, filling the lower and upper galleries, and completely transforming the space. We had a lot of fun filming this one as there was so much, and it was great to speak to Phyllida about her work.

Once filming was wrapped, it was back to the office to upload our footage and get to work on editing. A lot to digest but a great chance for Amanda to put her editing skills into practice.

A big thanks goes to Allison Thorpe and Victoria Mitchell from Sutton PR, who pulled together the interviews with Charles Avery and Sorcha Carey, Lizzie Cowan and the Dovecot team for introducing us to Grey Skipwith, and Louise Warmington at Fruitmarket for arranging our interview with Phyllida Barlow.

Find out more about some of the exhibitions currently on at Summerhall:

The Thermos Museum | until 31 August

David Sherry : One Million Years of Laughter | until 5 October

Glyn Thompson : A Lady’s Not A Gent’s | until 5 October

For more art videos, check out SummerhallTV Director Dave Rushton’s Top 5 selection from their archive on Central Station here.

More: Website | Vimeo | Facebook | Twitter

//////

Looking for more articles? Visit here.

Image from ‘TOIL‘. Photo taken by David Liddell.

Ruth Paxton is Scottish filmmaker and visual artist. Nominated one of Canongate Books’ 40 Scottish Storytellers of The Future in 2013, and winner of the award for Best Woman Director at this year’s 12th London Short Film Festival, for her short work PULSE.

Paxton graduated in 2007 with an MA in Film and Television from Screen Academy Scotland, having gained her honours degree at Edinburgh College of Art. Her films are bold and powerful and she has a unique way of visualising, stylising and capturing the intimacy and complexity of people and their stories. Her award-winning shorts have been exhibited and nominated in competition at numerous international events, including prominent film festivals such as Edinburgh International Film Festival, Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival, London Short Film Festival and during Armory and Volta in New York.

Paxton is in development across a number of dramatic projects and is represented by Mark Casarotto of Casarotto Ramsay & Associates.

My Top Five

Ingrid Christie’s Tour of Summerhall

I’d LOVE to have had Christie’s experience touring the disused Summerhall building ahead of its regeneration. Abandoned spaces are wonderlands to me. Abandoned creepy institutional spaces with remains lying about: extra so.

Antonio O’Connell: Virus

It was brilliant to discover the author and genesis of this constructed explosion spilling from the Summerhall façade. It makes me feel sunny whenever I see it. And I love O’Connell’s pitch; that it hints at the vibrant happenings inside, because it does just that.

Ross Hogg: Spectators

I realllllly like Ross’ work.

BIG ISSUE: Pilot Programme

I found this pilot from Gillian Ritch, totally fascinating. I’m guessing the speakers were documented circa 1999/2000? Considering we’re roughly 15 years on from the climate discussed in this clip, concerning the difficulties faced by females working in television, I’d be so curious to know how these professionals view the landscape for female presenters and reporters in British TV today. Here, Edith Bowman tentatively suggests, “it’s becoming less about looks.” I suspect we’ve not moved on quite as far as she might have hoped.

Marcus Pickering: Pickering’s Gin

Because I really like gin, and I have sampled this heavenly variety, and I think it’s completely charismatic that Summerhall – the energetic, constantly evolving establishment – has it’s own Edinburgh distillery.

This is the fourth part of an ongoing series selecting films from SummerhallTV’s archive. Take a look at the first installment by Dave Rushton, the second by Bill Millett and the third by Alex Hetherington. For a chance to curate your very own SummerhallTV film selection, please email Central Station on hello@thisiscentralstation.com.

More: Website | Vimeo | Blog | Twitter

//////

Looking for more blogs? Visit here.

Bill Millett is a visual artist working in video and photography, occasionally indulging in sound. His works focus on the multiple levels of reality, its illusion and construction towards cognitive framing. The images drift towards the abstract and meditative. His works can be viewed on his website.

My Top Five

I have chosen have a human thread running through the works; as you progress the thread will become obvious. Hopefully the chosen works illustrate the importance of documentation that now seems lost as its submerged, in a digital tsunami.

Jessica Lloyd-Jones: Hidden Energies

Lloyd-Jones’ works illustrate the beauty and fragility of the human body through the use of manipulated materials and light to reveal new perspectives.

Thibaut Clamart: Genesis & Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge

I saw this during the festival, thought it the best show. It does what art should confront, and is poignant in relation to the recent global dynamics. I don’t think you will ever see GPO trending.

David Lyons: Eye for an Eye

A precise and empirical use of art and science, illustrating that artwork can be intentionally created to be experienced differently depending on the individual’s visual abilities, perception there is more than meets the eye.

Simon Norfolk: Afghanistan – Chronotopia

I remember seeing a documentary on Norfolk’s work and found it a powerful way of illustrating war in a media stream that has become sanitised. In his works we see a painting of a landscape from a distance. On closer inspection, you start to notice the objects of war. It’s not Stalingrad but just as effective.

Ian Hughes: Unearthed Tongues Set Free

The last is the work of Ian Hughes who recently passed away. This is a powerful illustration of dehumanisation.

This is the second in an ongoing series selecting films from SummerhallTV’s archive. See the first in the series by Dave Rushton here. For a chance to curate your very own SummerhallTV film selection, please email Central Station on hello@thisiscentralstation.com.

More: Website | Facebook | Twitter

//////

Looking for more blogs? Visit here.