Six cutting-edge filmmakers create works for release of ‘Path of Totality’ on Whirlwind Recordings
It’s been a thrill to see six filmmakers each interpret a track from my new release ‘Path of Totality’ on Whirlwind Recordings
The sixth and final film, ‘Orbital Resonances’, is by filmmaker/musician Trent Freeman! It explores celestial mechanics and features the stellar drumming of both Kenny Wollesen and Nate Wood
Always, thanks to the amazing musicians David Binney on alto sax and Matt Mitchell on piano
You can check out the series of six films here Thanks to all the filmmakers for their original work, fascinating to see as a collection: Lee Hutzulak, Anne Beal, Udo Prinsen, Gita Blak, JiYe Kim and Trent Freeman
Six cutting-edge filmmakers create works for release of ‘Path of Totality’ on Whirlwind Recordings
The fifth film, ‘Toy Piano Meditation’, is by NYC-based filmmaker JiYe Kim! Inspired loosely by John Cage‘s Suite for Toy Piano, it is a mediation on his music and ideas.
Always, huge thanks to the amazing musicians: David Binney, Matt Mitchell and Kenny Wollesen. Thanks to guest musician Mark Duggan, layering to create a percussion ensemble of marimbas, vibraphones, glockenspiels, crotales and Tibetan singing bowls.
Six cutting-edge filmmakers create works for release of ‘Path of Totality’ on Whirlwind Recordings
The fourth film, ‘March Macabre’, is by NYC-based filmmaker and animator Gita Blak! It features tap dancer Orlando Hernández in both the film and music. Exploring themes in the current political climate, immigration, order and freedom, it is not coincidentally premiering on April Fools’ Day.
Always, huge thanks to the amazing musicians: David Binney, Matt Mitchell and Kenny Wollesen. That’s Kenny Wollesen’s March Machine heard in the opening. Thanks to the guest musicians layering to create a Big Band: Carl Maraghi, Dan Urness, Matt Holman, Ryan Keberle and Alan Ferber.
Six cutting-edge filmmakers create works for release of ‘Path of Totality’ on Whirlwind Recordings
The third film, ‘Splatter’, is by Dutch filmmaker and animator Udo Prinsen! It was shot in the Arctic, accompanying a scientific expedition. The music was developed and recorded at the National Music Centre in Canada, during an Artist-in-Residency, and makes use of their extensive keyboard and synthesizer collection.
Always, huge thanks to the amazing musicians: David Binney, Matt Mitchell, Nate Wood and David Travers-Smith! (That’s Matt Mitchell tearing it up on the harpsichord and David Travers-Smith with a plethora of synthesizers!)
Filmmaker Udo Prinsen talks about the experience: “When Quinsin and I first talked about the design and mood for a short film for one of his tracks we met in similar thoughts about Nordic atmosphere,” says Prinsen. “The mystic of the arctic, the half time between the sun and the moon, mist, water and mountains all seemed to connect with one or the other of his tracks. The choice fell on Splatter, like all the tracks it has a storyline hidden within, but the quirky beginning had a sense of character that I could work with. The build-up of the track, even within 2 minutes, brings about an energy that moves and disturbs. Starting with very distant sounds it’s almost like a world is waking up, we are slowly traveling towards a land that’s gaining strength and speed and turning into a chaotic whirlwind of elements. The pace of the music was my guidance in what the shape of events was going to be. I was picturing a distant foggy world divided into two horizontal sections that come clearer and closer to one another during the film, while player of animation would bring life to the edit.”
“At the time we started our collaboration, I was about to take a photographic journey with sailing vessel Noorderlicht in the area of Spitsbergen. This brought about the opportunity to shoot footage in the arctic for our film….Back home the music track of Splatter dictated the edit and the ideas for a layer of animation started to grow. This intuitive approach gave birth to small wobbly creatures that live on the edge of reality and fantasy, old and new. The film, to me, feels like we are witnessing the end of one world and the birth of a new.
“Quinsin’s music is diverse, difficult, daring, and above all, very inspiring. What he has boldly decided to do, to commission 6 filmmakers to create 6 art tracks fitting to his music is a great example of a modern, global approach for creating art. Even though I haven’t met Quinsin in person yet, we have been able to find common ground in a visual and musical rhythm that feels like the beginning of a long friendship and hopefully inspires other artists to find similar collaborations.”
Six cutting-edge filmmakers create works for the Feb 8 worldwide release of ‘Path of Totality’ on Whirlwind Recordings.
The second film, ‘Path of Totality’, is by Brooklyn experimental animator Anne Beal! This piece, featuring two drummers, uses the Total Solar Eclipse of 2017 as its inspiration.
Always, huge thanks to the amazing musicians: David Binney, Matt Mitchell, Kenny Wollesen and Nate Wood!
Film 1/6 – Bounce – Film by Lee Hutzulak – Music from Quinsin Nachoff’s Flux: Path of Totality
As part of the Feb 8th worldwide release of ‘Path of Totality’ on Whirlwind Recordings, I commissioned six cutting-edge filmmakers to create an original work in response to a miniature version of each composition.
The first film is ‘Bounce’ by Lee Hutzulak, a filmmaker, artist and musician based in Vancouver, Canada! This piece uses the physics of a bouncing object as the inspiration – thank you to Dr Stephen Morris at University of Toronto Physics for his computer programming and collaboration on this piece!
And always huge thanks to the amazing musicians: David Binney, Matt Mitchell and Nate Wood!
