Chemical Odysseys In B&W – A Workshop with Klubvizija SC

(Note: this film workshop has already occurred; you can visit our blog entries to see some of the work that was produced: Entry 1)

Chemical Odysseys In B&W – An Abstract:

We’ll begin with light; light falling on our eyes, forming a chemical process; light falling on the film strip, forming a faint silver image. From there, we will proceed into a world of a strange dialect — a world of acids & bases, developers & fixers, and we will document our journey on 16mm print stock, printed over and over again on odd machines and unexpected  inventions. We will add color, subtract emulsion, run in reverse, dissolve in acid. Finally, we will return to light; return to the projector…

In this four day workshop, participants will be given the space and resources to discuss, experiment, and create black & white films on the 16mm format. Topics that will be discussed are the anatomy of film & light as well as the dialect of photochemistry. Processes that will be covered including black & white negative development, printing, toning, reticulation & etching. At the end of the course, participants will be able to project and view their work.

Attending the Workshop [Dates, Fees & Requirements]:

This workshop will be occurring between April 27 and May 1, 2:00PM- 8:00PM (Central European Time).

This workshop is being produced by Klubvizija SC, and as such all inquiries regarding attendance should be handled through Klubvizija SC:

• Klubvizija SC Website

There are no additional requirements for workshop attendance.

Selected Screenings:

(Note: not all works will be shown in their entirety, or perhaps even at all. Additionally, we will not be able to secure prints for this workshop, unless otherwise noted)

• At Hand (Andrew Busti, 2004)
• Buffalo Lifts (Christina Battle, 2002)
• Water & Power (Pat O’Neill, 1989)
• Passion (Jürgen Reble, 1999)
• I Swim Now (Sarah Biagini, 2010)
• Various technical documentations

Further Readings & Online Resources:

Copies of these books & articles will be provided during the workshop and can also be secured at various local libraries and on the web:

• The Master Photographers Toning Book (Tim Rudman)
• Developing (C.I. Jacobson)
• Mordancage Alternative Printing Process (Elizabeth Opalenik)
• Recipes for Disaster: A Handcrafted Film Cookbook (ed. Helen Hill)
• Unblinking Eye: Mordancage

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: I’ve never worked with motion picture film before. Will that limit my experience?

A: No, experience with motion picture film is not necessary when participating in the workshop and we will try and accommodate as many questions you have possible before, during or after the workshop.

Q: I have some film I would like to bring into the workshop to work with. Is this okay?

A: Yes, but there are a few things you should keep in mind when bringing in film for this workshop. First off, because we will be limited on time, your film should already be processed. This will not affect your ability to work with any of the techniques presented in the workshop per say. Second, it is recommended that you avoid bringing in a film of particular value or significance as we cannot guarantee that it will not be damaged or ruined beyond a usable extent. This is, after all, a workshop on essentially destroying film — so the choice is entirely yours.

If you do decide to bring film, there are a few things you should keep in mind: first, while it is possible to exercise some of the techniques reviewed in this workshop on all varieties of film, the majority of the techniques work best specifically with an image formed of silver. What this means is that black and white film (which is typically formed solely of silver) will be the most versatile stock to bring, where as color stocks will be more limited (as they typically have the silver removed in processing). The only exception to this is in regards to color film that has been bleach-bypassed, a specific lab technique which retains the silver in the dense regions of the color emulsion; if the utilization of color film in this workshop is of particular interest to you, than email us to discuss the topic further — additionally, we will be discussing it in the workshop itself.

As for film guage (i.e. super-8mm, 16mm, 35mm, 70mm, etc), we will have equipment to deal with all shapes and sizes of celluloid, so this should not be of a concern…

Q: I would like to travel to attend the workshop, but I’m not certain if I can afford housing accommodations. Do you provide scholarship?

A: No, and because this workshop is taking place abroad, we do not have a pool of volunteers to draw from to help with accommodations. Our best suggestion would be to contact Klubvizija SC with any advice and to look into couch surfing.

Q: I missed the opportunity to attend this workshop. Will you be running it again?

A: If the demand exist, absolutely. Send us a message requesting it.