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Man Machine
Posted by: David Keech on 24th Jun 2008 in Creative Report
At last someone has taken on the formidable task of making a film about one of the 20th Century's true creative spirits, Sir Eduardo Paolozzi.
The someone is hijack, an independent production company whose speciality is making films about the arts. Hijack are particularly well qualified to take on the challenge as both their director Gilly Booth and writer Chris Horrocks were RCA graduates at the time of Paolozzi's residence there, and Gilly was a personal friend of the great man. This is important as the film is driven by their passion to portray the full spectrum of Paolozzi's prolific creativity as well as provide an insight into the mind of an incredible and fascinating man.
Those of you who know me well know that I spent many a happy hour being taught by, working for, eating, drinking and laughing with Eduardo (occasionally until I cried), and therefore jumped at the opportunity to get involved in the film and air some precious memories. This took place at Da Mario restaurant, off Gloucester Road; one of the habitual places where Eduardo held court. As I'm sure all the other speakers in the film have found, once the camera started rolling, I felt I could have talked all night, so rich and profound is the impression that Eduardo leaves. Occasional prompts from Chris and Gilly kept the balance between personal reminiscences and thoughts on his work and working methods.
hijack's most recent project is a series of documentary films exhibited in Richard Rogers touring retrospective which opened at the Pompidou Centre, Paris and is now at the Design Museum, London before travelling to Spain, Italy, USA and the Middle East.
The Paolozzi film is a one-hour arts documentary and is currently in its production phase, with additional locations, archives and interviewees still to go.
This major film on this important artist aims to re-establish his reputation and show his huge influence on today's art world. Man-Machine has gained unique access to special archives, and interviewed people who have not shared their views on Paolozzi and his art on camera before. As such, Man-Machine will be the definitive document on Paolozzi, appearing at a time, four years after his death, when his real impact on the British and international art scene is gaining increasing recognition.
Hijack have filmed interviews with David Hare, Terence Conran, Christopher Frayling, Nicole Fahri, Richard Rogers, Colin Renfrew, Sandy Wilson, Patrick Bade, Cathy Ward, Angela Flowers, Frank Whitford, Sophie Morrish, David Queensberry, Rosa Nguyen, Peter Boizot, David Keech, David Gifford and Miriam Stoppard. Further interviews are scheduled with Damien Hirst, Grayson Perry, Freda Paolozzi, Caroline Cuthbert, Martin Bax, Malcolm McLeod, Murray Grigor and others.
These contributors talk about Paolozzi's interest in technology, toys, engineering, science fiction, surrealism, collecting, anthropology, comics and the philosopher Wittgenstein, and combine to provide a mosaic of Paolozzi from the perspective of those who knew him.
Using original location footage and archival material from Paolozzi's upbringing in Edinburgh, Man-Machine documents his beginnings as a Scottish-born son of Italian immigrants, his summer late-childhood trips to Italian Fascist youth camps, internment in 1940, early education in art, and his service with the Pioneer Corps (getting as far as the Slough Football Club pitch billet). Using the reminiscences of a generation who made a great impact of post-war Britain, the film charts his emergence via the Parisian art scene of the late 1940s, the vibrancy of the1950s early Pop-art scene, and the white heat of 1960s technology as a formidable and contradictory presence on the cultural landscape.
The film will be distributed internationally for TV, cable, satellite and theatrical by Hewitt Limited and Celluloid Dreams. A 35mm print will be screened in the first instance at the Curzon cinema, Soho, London and at documentary film festivals. The film will also be exhibited in relevant galleries, conferences and museums (e.g. the forthcoming This is Tomorrow 2 exhibition).
So far the film has been supported by academic grants, the Paolozzi Foundation, V&A, British Library, Soho Images, Fuji Film, Angela Flowers, and individual creatives.
The following months will see location shooting in high definition: London, Munich, Italy and Scotland, for example Rheingarten project in Cologne or 'Piscator', Euston Square in London.
Man Machine
Production Team
Director - Gilly Booth
Writer - Chris Horrocks
Executive producer - Kasper de Graaf
Graphics - Paul Plowman, Anthony Burrill
Sound recordist - Pasha Shilov
Sound archivist - Johnny Trunk (Resonance fm)
Researcher - Liza Honey
Production assistant - Rosa de Graaf
Legal consultant - Mauny Wright
Posted by: David Keech on 24th Jun 2008 in Creative Report
At last someone has taken on the formidable task of making a film about one of the 20th Century's true creative spirits, Sir Eduardo Paolozzi.
The someone is hijack, an independent production company whose speciality is making films about the arts. Hijack are particularly well qualified to take on the challenge as both their director Gilly Booth and writer Chris Horrocks were RCA graduates at the time of Paolozzi's residence there, and Gilly was a personal friend of the great man. This is important as the film is driven by their passion to portray the full spectrum of Paolozzi's prolific creativity as well as provide an insight into the mind of an incredible and fascinating man.
Those of you who know me well know that I spent many a happy hour being taught by, working for, eating, drinking and laughing with Eduardo (occasionally until I cried), and therefore jumped at the opportunity to get involved in the film and air some precious memories. This took place at Da Mario restaurant, off Gloucester Road; one of the habitual places where Eduardo held court. As I'm sure all the other speakers in the film have found, once the camera started rolling, I felt I could have talked all night, so rich and profound is the impression that Eduardo leaves. Occasional prompts from Chris and Gilly kept the balance between personal reminiscences and thoughts on his work and working methods.
hijack's most recent project is a series of documentary films exhibited in Richard Rogers touring retrospective which opened at the Pompidou Centre, Paris and is now at the Design Museum, London before travelling to Spain, Italy, USA and the Middle East.
The Paolozzi film is a one-hour arts documentary and is currently in its production phase, with additional locations, archives and interviewees still to go.
This major film on this important artist aims to re-establish his reputation and show his huge influence on today's art world. Man-Machine has gained unique access to special archives, and interviewed people who have not shared their views on Paolozzi and his art on camera before. As such, Man-Machine will be the definitive document on Paolozzi, appearing at a time, four years after his death, when his real impact on the British and international art scene is gaining increasing recognition.
Hijack have filmed interviews with David Hare, Terence Conran, Christopher Frayling, Nicole Fahri, Richard Rogers, Colin Renfrew, Sandy Wilson, Patrick Bade, Cathy Ward, Angela Flowers, Frank Whitford, Sophie Morrish, David Queensberry, Rosa Nguyen, Peter Boizot, David Keech, David Gifford and Miriam Stoppard. Further interviews are scheduled with Damien Hirst, Grayson Perry, Freda Paolozzi, Caroline Cuthbert, Martin Bax, Malcolm McLeod, Murray Grigor and others.
These contributors talk about Paolozzi's interest in technology, toys, engineering, science fiction, surrealism, collecting, anthropology, comics and the philosopher Wittgenstein, and combine to provide a mosaic of Paolozzi from the perspective of those who knew him.
Using original location footage and archival material from Paolozzi's upbringing in Edinburgh, Man-Machine documents his beginnings as a Scottish-born son of Italian immigrants, his summer late-childhood trips to Italian Fascist youth camps, internment in 1940, early education in art, and his service with the Pioneer Corps (getting as far as the Slough Football Club pitch billet). Using the reminiscences of a generation who made a great impact of post-war Britain, the film charts his emergence via the Parisian art scene of the late 1940s, the vibrancy of the1950s early Pop-art scene, and the white heat of 1960s technology as a formidable and contradictory presence on the cultural landscape.
The film will be distributed internationally for TV, cable, satellite and theatrical by Hewitt Limited and Celluloid Dreams. A 35mm print will be screened in the first instance at the Curzon cinema, Soho, London and at documentary film festivals. The film will also be exhibited in relevant galleries, conferences and museums (e.g. the forthcoming This is Tomorrow 2 exhibition).
So far the film has been supported by academic grants, the Paolozzi Foundation, V&A, British Library, Soho Images, Fuji Film, Angela Flowers, and individual creatives.
The following months will see location shooting in high definition: London, Munich, Italy and Scotland, for example Rheingarten project in Cologne or 'Piscator', Euston Square in London.
Man Machine
Production Team
Director - Gilly Booth
Writer - Chris Horrocks
Executive producer - Kasper de Graaf
Graphics - Paul Plowman, Anthony Burrill
Sound recordist - Pasha Shilov
Sound archivist - Johnny Trunk (Resonance fm)
Researcher - Liza Honey
Production assistant - Rosa de Graaf
Legal consultant - Mauny Wright
Comments
Posted by David Keech on 26th Jun 2008 09:46 AM
For more information and images of Paolozzi's work go to the links page of this website. There are links to the Wikipedia Profile, the Tate Collection and the Government Art Collection.
If you are not familiar with his monumental works around London, look at: The fabulous mosaics at Tottenham Court Road tube station, the huge cast iron 'Piscator' - just in front of Euston Station, 'Head of Invention' - another big one in front of the design museum at butler's Wharf, and the iconic 'Newton After Blake' which sits in the forecourt of the British Library.
For the more keen eyed among you there is my favourite - 'The Artist as Hephaestus', at 34-36 High Holborn; a bronze self portrait nestling in an alcove. Also an earlier yet classic Paolozzi; very easy to miss - cooling tower panels. These are cast iron reliefs that cover the tube ventilation shaft, above Pimlico station. I used to live in Pimlico but haven't been there for a while. Are they still there?
For more information and images of Paolozzi's work go to the links page of this website. There are links to the Wikipedia Profile, the Tate Collection and the Government Art Collection.
If you are not familiar with his monumental works around London, look at: The fabulous mosaics at Tottenham Court Road tube station, the huge cast iron 'Piscator' - just in front of Euston Station, 'Head of Invention' - another big one in front of the design museum at butler's Wharf, and the iconic 'Newton After Blake' which sits in the forecourt of the British Library.
For the more keen eyed among you there is my favourite - 'The Artist as Hephaestus', at 34-36 High Holborn; a bronze self portrait nestling in an alcove. Also an earlier yet classic Paolozzi; very easy to miss - cooling tower panels. These are cast iron reliefs that cover the tube ventilation shaft, above Pimlico station. I used to live in Pimlico but haven't been there for a while. Are they still there?
