Humanity Hallows Issue 5 Out Now
Pick up your copy on campus or read online
By Salman Shaffi
I had wanted to make films for some time but did not find a method or form which accurately translated my ideas on paper. After exposure to experimental film, mainly 1960s New York amateur film, I had a better idea of how to make a film with the equipment I had: a DSLR camera and paint.
I shot the film in Hebden Bridge, at Lyme Park in Stockport and in Manchester. Before I began filming I explored the core concepts I had in mind for the film. Through writing a story for the main character, which included themes of meditation and anxiety in freefall within the mind, manifesting through movements in nature. At this point, the film began to develop.
Next, I began painting the animation sections on 8x8mm grids on transparent paper to achieve an effect akin to painting directly on super 8 film. This encouraged me to look at how frames per second (fps) would affect the rhythm of the film. With this in mind, I took a closer look at the frames in the video shots at 24fps and the frames in animations converted from photographs. The overall effect of these different rhythms combined – painting, photographs and video – allowed me to create a visual atmosphere with specificity as I could break down the given 24fps and take control of frames through a series of continuous or slightly altered photographs.
The film lacks a conventional narrative. I wanted to embrace the visual quality of a film, so including the main character in the simple form of a laugh provided space for a visual narrative told through nature. The narrative then takes form in multiple layers and imposes a visual concentration on the viewer. Louis Palfrey, an MA student and Lo-fi musician, worked on creating atmospheric music through every draft of the film to create sounds flowing with the film, which allowed an audio-visual relationship that worked. Music for the film was composed by mouthless.bandcamp.com
Salman Shaffi is currently studying English at Manchester Met. He is writing his dissertation on how visual language operates in a film to explore inner spaces and consciousness. He released his first film in February and is currently working on a new film ‘A Wanderer’s Meditations’ composed almost entirely of animated paint.
Featured image: Molly Goble and Nicola Henry In the last five years, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people have risen by 112%, underscoring the critical need for safe, inclusive spaces where queer individuals can find a sense of belonging. Amid this crisis, Queer Lit has emerged as a sanctuary in the form of a literary refuge…
By Evie-Iris Atkins and Megan Levick. Featured image: UNITOM. As part of our new series In Print: Celebrating Print Culture in Manchester, we speak to UNITOM head publishing buyer Tim Bell. “Celebrating the worlds of visual culture” is what Northern Quarter magazine and bookshop UNITOM does best, says head publishing buyer Tim Bell. With an…
Featured image: Ruby Sharp Good food has the power to bring people together, and in Manchester, this couldn’t be more true. We explore how family-run restaurants are going above and beyond for their community. Since opening in 2019, Fress, located in the Northern Quarter, has made a name for itself not just for its food,…
Featured image and gallery: Gracie Hall Gorilla gets its brains rocked out by Lambrini Girls. The Brighton-based punk duo who are touring their debut album, Who Let The Dogs Out, blend riot grrrl and neurodivergent humour to form a chaotic but inclusive evening. With Phoebe Lunny on vocals and guitar, Lilly Macieira-Boşgelmez on bass and…
Leave a reply