Becky

Lichtenfels, Alex; Powell, Teddy; Zibell, John; Churchill, Joe

Abstract

Contextual statement:

Becky is a durational, score-based film. Stylistically, it aims to adapt the theatre work of Samuel Beckett for the cinema, whilst also drawing on peformance traditions such as the work of company Forced Entertainment. Eschewing traditional narrative structures, in favour of planned moments and happy accidents, the film aims to engage its audience by asking them to attend to duration itself, as well as the rhythms, movements and interactions of the performers as materials. As such, it is hoped they discover and experience affective resonance, rather than a largely predetermined and manipulated set of emotions.

The film draws on a devising tradition developed by John Zibell, originating in theatrical processes developed by Konstantin Stanislavski and Paul Sills. This tradition has been further developed as a cinematic practice by Zibell, Alex Lichtenfels, Joe Churchill and Teddy Powell over the course of four week-long workshops between 2018 and 2023, which also aim to bring more traditionally technical roles – such as camera operators, into the devising process. Rather than a script, the film originates from a score, which is devised for a camera and three performers. The instructions given to participants (camera and performer) are to follow the score until it is impossible to do so, and at that point to keep going – we call this the machine that breaks itself. Through this machine breaking, new affects and engagements emerge for the viewer, where the viewer is encouraged to deal with moments that challenge their ability to articulate what they feel when they see them. As such we hope that the viewer will convoke themselves to the logic of the piece, rather than reduce the piece to their own logic, developing aesthetic traditions of audience engagement found in the theatrical work of Samuel Beckett, or the cinema of Jean-Luc Godard.

Role – Producer and Collaborator

Citation

Lichtenfels, A., Powell, T., Zibell, J., & Churchill, J. Becky. [Film]

• Digital Artefact Type: Video
• Deposit Date: Nov 8, 2023
• Keywords: Duration Devising