FILM
SCHOOL
#4
December 2023 - May 2024
Online and in person
Baltic Analog Lab announces the fourth edition of our BAL Film School - a five-month course in experimental analog filmmaking this year in collaboration with another film lab - Filmwerkplaats in Rotterdam. The school will be open for both international and local participants providing regular online meetings with filmmakers from all around the world, teaching in-person workshops and providing a full assistance in film production.
In this edition, the course will run for five months hosting filmmakers and film researchers from all around the world as well as providing three practical in-person workshops in Riga and Rotterdam. We will provide facilities and equipment for those living in Latvia, as well as help find equipment for those living elsewhere. Each student will be given a film stock of their choice and will be developing their project during the school.
The final film processing will happen in May at Baltic Analog Lab in Riga with the assistance of the local tutor.
The online meetings will happen weekly via Zoom, allowing participants to join from any location and engage with filmmakers as well as fellow students.
Applications are open until (December 22, 2023) extended to December 24
Participation fee: 550 EUR for national participants
600 EUR for international participants
The course starts on January 2024 and ends at the end of May 2024.
Supported by the Latvian State Culture Capital Foundation
Guest Speakers
Regulations
Anyone over the age of 20 can apply to the school.
Participation fee for the full course:
600 EUR (or 120 per month) for international participants
550 EUR (or 110 EUR per month) for national participants
Participation fee only for online lectures: 350 EUR (or 70 EUR per month)
The full course fee includes participation in 3 creative workshops, attendance of at least 20 online meetings, film stock and chemistry for their own final work and usage of lab premises and equipment. Each lecture will be recorded and available to all participants, in case they cannot guarantee their presence at the scheduled meeting.
The meetings will happen once a week in the evenings at 7 PM CET with some exceptions for overseas visiting lecturers.
NB! We only accept 20 people for the full course due to the limited capacity of the mentorship and the ability to host no more than that in our lab.
Programme
The course aims to teach and aspire students to learn about various ways of working with analog film in the field of experimental filmmaking. By meeting various filmmakers across the world, we will get to know their unique approaches to experimental filmmaking. We will meet filmmakers that have established their place in the experimental film scene by working with analog film for over decades, creating unique films that have been shown across many film festivals, art-house cinemas, contemporary art museums, and galleries as well as underground cinemas and artist-run laboratories.
We will also meet film researchers and curators who will tell us about the history of experimental film, as well as its place in the modern film industry.
Amongst confirmed speakers and lecturers, will be
Peter Tscherkassky (AT), Emmanuel Lefrant (FR), Ben Rivers (UK), Esther Urlus (NL), Karl Lemieux (CA), Bryan Konefsky (USA), Richard Tuohy, Dianna Barrie (AU), Dagie Brundert (DE), Ben Russel (USA), Sally Golding (AU), Zachary Epcar (USA), Jan Kulka (CZ), Azucena Losana (AR), Viktoria Schmid (AT) and others.
Apart from the weekly Zoom sessions, there will be three in-person workshops - the first in February at Baltic Analog Lab introducing students to practical skills in shooting with a 16mm film camera and processing film in a darkroom. The second one on March at Filmwerkplaats in Rotterdam led by Esther Urlus and teaches skills of working with film machines such as contact printers, using low ISO film material, and the third workshop will happen at Baltic Analog Lab in April with another guest filmmaker teaching more advanced skills in more creative and expanded approaches to analog film.
Since this year's main focus will be on creation of new films, all students will have to dedicate their time in May for processing their films either at Baltic Analog Lab or elsewhere.
Each student will be given a film stock and there will be film chemistry available to process their films, as well as edit them for analog projection.
We will also organize an event in Latvia during summertime to show the outcome of the created works.
The course will be moderated by BAL founding member Ieva Balode (LV) and a freelance curator, member of Filmwerkplaats Erwin van 't Hart (NL)
The school is supported by Latvian State Culture Capital foundation.
Schedule:
2 - 22 December 2023 Open call for applications
(applications EXTENDED to 24 December 2023)
30 December, 2023. Announcement of the participants
10 January, 2024. Start of the school
January-May 2024. Weekly meetings and lectures with filmmakers
Last week of every month – Wrap-up meetings with fellow students
February 2024. Workshop at BAL in Riga by Ieva Balode
March 2024. Workshop at Filmwerkplaats in Rotterdam by Esther Urlus
April 2024. Workshop at BAL in Riga. Teacher to be announced
May 2024. Film processing at BAL in Riga.
Applications are closed!