Event | RMeS & NICA Workshop: Live cinema workshop with Vincent Moon
Event | RMeS & NICA Workshop: Live cinema workshop with Vincent Moon
Date: 18 October 2024
Time: 10.00 – 13.00
Location: University of Amsterdam, BG 1 – room 0.16 (Turfdraagsterpad 9, Amsterdam)
Organisers: Prof. dr Patricia Pisters (UvA) and Dr Amir Vudka (UvA)
Registration: here (registration is now closed)
Credits: 1-2 ECTS, see instructions below
The introductory lecture by Amir Vudka/Patricia Pisters will set the stage by discussing the theoretical underpinnings of Vincent Moon’s work. Topics will include Gilles Deleuze’s concept of the time-image, Paul Schrader’s transcendental style in film, and the elements of psychedelic cinema.
Following the lecture, students will engage in a dynamic Q&A session with Vincent Moon, including a live demonstration of his mixing and editing techniques of live cinema. The discussion will delve into the nuances of live cinema, Moon’s stylistic blend of ethnographic and poetic documentary modes, the integration of shamanic and animistic traditions into “trance-cinema,” and the exploration of what constitutes psychedelic cinema and how film can act as a conduit for altered states of perception and consciousness. Moon will share excerpts from his work, illustrating how he manipulates his recordings live to create ecstatic effects.
This event offers a unique opportunity to understand the theoretical frameworks that inform Vincent Moon’s innovative approach to filmmaking and to experience firsthand the enchantment of his live cinema techniques.
Vincent Moon is an innovative multimedia artist, independent filmmaker, and sound designer renowned for his pioneering work in live cinema and ethnographic documentary filmmaking. He gained initial recognition as the principal director of the Blogotheque’s Take Away Shows, a web-based project capturing intimate field recordings of musicians ranging from indie rock bands to mainstream artists such as Tom Jones, R.E.M., and Arcade Fire.
Moon’s journey transcended the conventional music video scene as he delved into the spiritual and ritualistic dimensions of filmmaking. Traveling the world with a camera in his backpack, he became an audio-visual ethnographer of global religious practices. His project, Collection Petites Planètes, documents sacred music and religious rituals, offering a rich tapestry of short films and music recordings freely available online. His full-length documentary, Híbridos: The Spirits of Brasil (2017), co-directed with Priscilla Telmon, explores Brazilian spiritual traditions and is accompanied by an extensive online archive.
Deeply influenced by shamanic and animistic traditions, Moon’s live cinema performances are immersive, ritualistic, and ecstatic, often inducing altered states of perception. Using real-time mixing and editing techniques, he transforms his recordings into a vibrant “cosmic soup” that blends art, ritual, technology, and magic.
Vincent Moon continues to push the boundaries of cinema, creating experiences that transcend traditional storytelling and immerse audiences in the spiritual and ecstatic realms of his subjects. His work is a testament to the power of film as a medium for spiritual exploration and transformation.
Readings:
Two articles about Vincent Moon and one introduction about the psychedelic revival.
- Araújo de Siqueira, Matheus (2020) Vincent Moon in(-between) Brazil: An Aural Approach to Intermediality. Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, 101–123,
- Vudka, A. (2023) Cooking the Cosmic Soup: Vincent Moon’s Altered States of Live Cinema. Deleuze & Gattari Studies, 17(4), 561-582.
- Pisters, P. (2023). Introduction to Deleuze and Guattari and the Psychedelic Revival. Deleuze & Gattari Studies, 17(4), 457-466.
Viewing:
Vincent Moon’s website: https://www.vincentmoon.com/ and checking out (what ever is available) his film: https://hibridos.cc/
Credits and assigments:
To receive the 1EC credit students write a blog post (max 500 words) or create a small film (of about 1 to 2 min.) that reflects what they have learned/were inspired by during Vincent Moon’s workshop. Please send it to Amir Vudka (a.vudka@uva.nl). Students are also invited to join some of the lectures or Vincent Moon’s live performance in EYE. This is not obligatory but can be reflected in the final assignment as well. See for information: https://patriciapisters.com/