Watch Overheated Symphony

Hi All

Yes its finally online! After all the blood, sweat and tears here is the final edit of Overheated Symphony an innovative cinematic symphony of women’s voices from around the world, as created by celebrated artist and film director Sarah Turner and sound designer Annabelle Pangbourn during the Birds Eye View Film Festival 2008 www.birds-eye-view.co.uk.

A big thanks again for all the inspiring and original mobile films submitted. Enjoy....

Final deadline here - and a message from Sarah Turne

Well, we're here - 50 great films, an excited film-making team, and a big day on Sunday. Here's a message from Sarah:

In the Overheated Symphony we wanted to provide a platform that would create a dialogue of women’s voices from around the world: an interactive project where women could contribute a part to a larger whole.

The idea of the symphony was inspired by Walter Ruttman’s 1927 film, Berlin, Symphony of a City. In this film, a team of photographers shot imagery of the city for over a year. Ruttman edited this footage into a whole by imposing a structure that simulates the passing of a single day. The ideas in the film are linked through composition, motion and theme.

Our theme, Overheated, was designed to provoke a response. That response might be to fears of global warming, domestic frustrations, or any situation that provokes heat!

We wanted to develop the idea of a symphony by using traditional symphonic structure: a piece of (visual) music in four movements. The editing will sample elements from each of the submitted films and link them through composition, motion and theme. The movements will loosely build to a musical crescendo...

During the live edit, Annabelle and I will of course be improvising; riffing around the work that contributors have sent in. Through what I’ve seen so far these are the main themes that have emerged: Domestic technologies (cooking/boiling etc), Sun/ light, Burning/fire,'Pressures of life': routine/work/transport, etc

So, let’s see what emerges ….……

We look forward to seeing you if at all possible in the ICA Bar on Sunday afternoon - be there by 7.30pm if you want to see the final screening of the OVERHEATED SYMPHONY!

Deadline Extended - past the 40 videos mark and still going...

Dear symphonic people,

Thanks for all the entries that came in over the weekend - we pushed past the 40 mark and got some real beauties (including a few from festival director Rachel Millward, how's that for dedication to the overheated cause!)

Here's another great entry, a witty and dark treatment of a barbie doll...



Now, seriously. Sarah Turner & Annabelle Pangborn, who are creating the overheated symphony live in the ICA bar on Sunday, are thrilled with the range and quality of materials uploaded so far, but they would love a bit more material. It could be a short burst of temper, it could be a sunset, it could be as simple as you like... Don't forget you can email it directly to us at overheatedsymphony@gmail.com.

More details will follow later in the week about the final edit and screening event.

Wow, that's pacy / what are you tagging?

Another great, great submission, this one from Luvia Geneviève Sauvé in Montreal, Canada. Check it out...



Now, we love this - it's pacy, witty, cool, and HOT. We're a bit worried, though because Luvia has tagged it with Overheated, not OVERHEATED SYMPHONY...

An urgent reminder - if you've shot a video, either upload to YouTube with OVERHEATED SYMPHONY in the tags, or email the video to us at overheatedsymphony@gmail.com. Either way, we need your name, nationality, and email address.

Thanks to all the contributors - deadline is in 3 days...

Message from Sarah Turner - 5 days to go!

Here's a message from artist Sarah Turner, who (along with sound designer Annabel Pangbourne) will be creating the final edit of OVERHEATED SYMPHONY during the festival:

"Many, many thanks for all the submissions so far. I'm REALLY impressed by the quality of all the submissions; - there's so many conceptual artists out there..
I'm particularly excited by the formal elegance, political engagment and sheer talent that's evidenced in the majority of the work. Very simple ideas, beautifully executed.

Just to reassure you all - everyone's work will be sampled. I can't say at this stage quite how this will work, but just think abstraction and repetition, feelings or moments that build to a symphony of voices, a dialogue between all of you, myself and Annabelle. Some submissions could play out in their entirety, others we'll maybe snatch a sound loop and use that to structure or pace one of the movements.

Also to say, we love both the lo tech approach and the highly crafted work. Don't be afraid to improvise or to sample more sounds of your everyday ecstasies and frustrations... The hottest moments. Have fun....."

So. Filmmakers of the world... The deadline for the project is March 2 - that's THIS SUNDAY. We would love some more films for the project - so if you think you've got a submission in you, or you know someone who's been thinking about doing something, now really is the time to act!

Eerie scene

The prolific and talented Debbie Radcliffe has no less than four films up for the OVERHEATED SYMPHONY... Great work! We have about an hour of material uploaded to the site now, but with just a week to go this is now an urgent call to action - get your films uploaded on to YouTube, tagged OVERHEATED SYMPHONY, or if that's too tricky mail them to overheatedsymphony@gmail.com and we'll do it for you.

Here's our pick of Debbie's films - an atmospheric scene in more ways than one. It pricks my curiosity to think of what might have generated this image.

Whodunnit?

Wow, the standard of entries continues to astound and amaze... check out this mini-noir-masterpiece (narrative! sound design! wit! in 17 seconds!)from Tracey Paddison...



Someone give this woman a short film budget. Unless Tracey Paddison is the nom de overheated of an already-famous film director? Who knows...

Rock and Roll

A hard rocking entry from Ami Carter of Bite TV... Jimi Hendrix eat your heart out!



If you like that you should check out Bite TV, Channel 4's new online show. I think they are doing an interview about Overheated Symphony sometime soon....

More great stuff, RSS Feed now live

Hi all,

A work of great beauty and imagination from a Canadian film-maker. But we don't know who you are! For reference, we would like names and email addresses from all contributors so that we can credit you in the final production.

Here's the film.



We'd love to know your thoughts on the film - what does it provoke in you? How do you think it relates to OVERHEATED? Comments please...

when your phone gets overheated

Some great stuff came in over the weekend. We need MORE though, so get shooting. If you have any queries about the process then don't hesitate to mail us at overheatedsymphony@gmail.com. We're happy to help and taken any questions.

First really interesting video of the weekend - Polly Read's MARGATE RISING. What's brilliant about this is the way Polly creates such a startling vision of the landscape in-camera - the phone can't take the sunlight so the image distorts. Is that a mushroom cloud appearing on the horizon, or a hole in the atmosphere? See for yourself...

Operatic Meltdown

The end of week 1 of our search for inspirational films from around the globe and things are starting to heat (excuse the pun) up nicely... We've got culinary frustration, standby power, and now we have melting frogs.



A truly operatic take on OVERHEATED. Congratulations Hanna!

The Medium is the Message

Here's our pick of the first day's videos uploaded to YouTube:



OK. Things we love about this. First - it's a simple idea, executed really well. Second - it's got a story! In one shot! Third - it's a nicely abstract take on the concept of OVERHEATED, but one that made us think. Congratulations Rosie - great work.

See how easy it is! You don't need people, or editing, or scripts. Look around you. Where you are right now. Think about OVERHEATED. Shoot the first thing that comes into your head.

OHS - Making it Easier

So, we got our first videos up online today! BEV stalwart Rosie has done a load of cool films and we have our first overseas contribution from Zuzana Jochman. We're thrilled. Now that some people have tried out the process and given us some feedback, we've decided to come up with some ways of making it simpler for you to get involved. Here they are!

1. If you don't have a cameraphone, don't worry - we will accept footage shot on any camera. We like the raw aesthetic that you get from a phone or a home digital camera but hey, if you decided to get overheated in HD, that's cool with us.

2. If you're finding the whole uploading-to-Youtube thing a bit daunting, you can email the file (don't forget the title and your contact details) to overheatedsymphony@gmail.com and we'll upload it for you.

3. Keep checking in at the blog for sources of inspiration - we're going to post a film or an idea every day to inspire you . Starting in a minute!

Welcome to Overheated Symphony

If you've made it this far, congratulations! You're one step away from taking part in an experiment in the future of interactive filmmaking. Here on the blog you can read hints and tips, check on the legal stuff, and be inspired by films from around the world as (we hope!) they arrive...

'Overheated' suggests so many different things - we can't wait to see your take on the word. What are you waiting for! Go make your film!

Transferring Your Film from a Phone to a Computer

TRANSFERRING YOUR FILM FROM A PHONE TO A COMPUTER

• Either:

o Bluetooth the film into the computer
o Save the film as a movie file onto your desktop
o Upload the film onto Youtube, following their ‘Upload’ instructions

• OR:

o Connect a video transfer cable into your computer
o Connect the other side to the phone
o The phone will ask: what do you want to do? You select ‘file share’ or ‘file transfer’ (the phone will have its own phrase)
o The phone will appear as a folder
o Open the folder and inside will be your movie
o Copy and paste the movie or drag it onto the desktop
o Upload the movie onto Youtube, following their ‘Upload’ instructions

BIRDS EYE VIEW FILM FESTIVAL: OVERHEATED SYMPHONY - What's it all about?

Photograph: Harsha Khorana

BIRDS EYE VIEW FILM FESTIVAL: OVERHEATED SYMPHONY
A groundbreaking international, interactive mobile-phone filmmaking project

Calling all women everywhere – join us in the hottest international interactive mobile-phone filmmaking project…

Be a part of an OVERHEATED SYMPHONY: an innovative cinematic symphony of women’s voices from around the world

FESTIVAL
Birds Eye View celebrates international women filmmakers at a major UK film festival, London, March 6th-14th 2008. www.birds-eye-view.co.uk

But we don’t want to stop at watching movies. We like to get our hands dirty. And ladies, wherever you are, whoever you are, we want you to join in…

FILM
We invite you to participate in a groundbreaking film project, by making a quick flick, between 40 seconds and 4 minutes long, on your mobile phone, on the theme: OVERHEATED.

OVERHEATED
Feeling a little hot under the collar? Concerned that the planet is getting warmer? Struck by the overwhelming heat of passion? Filled with a blazing rage? Tell Auntie BEV all about it.

We don’t mind what and we don’t mind how – if it’s hot, we’d like to see it. What’s more, we’d like to work with you as co-creators of a sizzling symphonic film.

UPLOAD
Once you’ve made your phone-film, please follow our instructions (below) and upload it to www.youtube.com with the tag: OVERHEATED SYMPHONY, making sure to put your name and contact information in the description box so that we can credit you and keep in touch. We’ll then download your film and convert the file ready for sampling.

DEADLINE
Films must be uploaded by Sunday March 2nd.

LIVE EDIT
On Sunday March 9th, between 2pm and 8pm at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London (www.ica.org.uk), celebrated artist and film director Sarah Turner and sound designer Annabelle Pangborn will sample and edit the mobile-phone films submitted by women around the world into one fiery flick.

SYMPHONY
Sarah and Annabelle will edit samples from the mobile-phone films using the symphonic form – which is based around 4 movements of different paces and moods. It usually goes: quick; slow; a dance (e.g. a Waltz) and then finally either quick or slow again. The first movement sets the theme, the others have different takes on it. We’ll see where Sarah takes it on the day…

The finished film will be screened at 7.45pm, and later published online via the Birds Eye View website www.birds-eye-view.co.uk and on www.youtube.com/birdseyeviewfilmfest

During the edit, your film will be projected in full in the ICA bar.

Overheated Symphony - Welcome!

Welcome to the 'Overheated Symphony' Blog !

Please feel free to leave a comment -

I hope you all enjoying making your films...