Material culture is an often underrated aspect of creative production. Despite diligent efforts, an artist may struggle to build a project beyond conceptual exploration without adequate tools. In the realm of time-based media, the right gear and suitable equipment can be vital to getting a project off the ground.
A skilled practitioner's relationship to material involves intimate knowledge of surface texture, as well as sensitivity to form, pressure, and technical operation. Through year's of practice, an artist or designer may develop, what Tim Ingold (116) describes as "gestural synergy of human being, tool and material".
Camera gear and equipment—the material resources of filmmaking—are among the many things offered by The Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta (FAVA). As one of the oldest artist-run co-ops in Canada, FAVA offers an abundance of material to learn the craft of filmmaking—providing the basis through which to build synergy with the tools of the trade. As a long-standing FAVA member, I have been fortunate to work with a talented community of Edmonton-based artists on various film projects over the last 15 years. In a recent FAVA interview I discuss my experience of working with FAVA, as well as memorable collaborations in the Northwest Territories. These and many other projects resulted from creative collaborations as well as the availability of material resources—tools that facilitated the making of films. Through extensive use and intimate knowledge, a tool can become more than a practical object—a tool can become an extension of the imagination.
Reference
Ingold, T. (2013) Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art and Architecture. London: Routledge.