A Body Appeared at the Lake Today
Director: Brian Ratigan
WINNER: Best Brooklyn Project
Crew:Writer: Daniel DeVaughn. Music: John Touchton, Jeremiah Johnson
Email:nonfilmsinc@gmail.com
Web:non-films.com
Synopsis
A found footage examination of what happened at the lake today. Where were you? An exquisite corpse by Non Films.
Images randomly selected from found footage; poem written without images; music written without images or words.
A collaborative work by Non Films.
Poem by Daniel DeVaughn.
Music by John Touchton & Jeremiah Johnson.
Directed by Ratigan.
Special Thanks to Alex Faoro.
8mm found footage: New York, 1953. Assembled in Brooklyn. ©MMXXII Non Films
About the director
Brian Ratigan is an award-winning animator and director. He is the founder of Non Films, a label for ephemeral animation and experimental cinema in New York City. Ratigan is established in the film festival circuit as a programmer and jury for Slamdance Film Festival, Chicago Underground Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, and the London Indie Festival, among others. Ratigan serves as Director of Animation for Kumar Pictures and co-manages Chaotic Cinema.
Filmmaker's note
Our short film “A Body Appeared at the Lake Today” is a collaborative work in the style of an exquisite corpse: the images are randomly selected from found footage, the poem was written without the images, and the music written without seeing the footage or the poem.
The 8mm found footage was a gift from a fellow filmmaker in a box that read “Party — lousy.” Without funds to properly digitize the film, I loaded it into a projector and shot it digitally off a wall in my apartment.
This is the third in a series of collaborative films that have been constructed the same way. I really enjoy making films with my friends, sometimes even miles apart. The previous chapters can be seen by request if you are interested.
I appreciate the Brooklyn Film Festival bringing experimental, underground, and independent films to an open audience.
Thank you,
Brian Ratigan // Non Films