Young Warhol film project

Between 1st – 29th September 2008, Dutch artist Marjolijn Dijkman and British film-maker Chris Keenan collaborated with a group of young people from Birmingham to produce three short films inspired by The Eternal Now, an exhibition of film works by Andy Warhol at Ikon Eastside.

Reflecting the location of Warhol’s Silver Factory, the project was located in a disused factory space in Digbeth and provided the starting point for the collection of short films Shiftwork. This film screen tests the location in which the project was delivered, exploring various filmic techniques to highlight interesting spaces and features.

Exploring Warhol’s Screen tests each participant was asked to make their own version of these iconic films, electing their location and being left alone for four minutes with the camera. Over the course of the project the young people learnt how to use a wide variety of film equipment and editing software to create the final films. Participants took inspiration from Warhol’s films, collaboratively responding and developing ideas before finally shooting and editing their own footage.

Inspired by the ideas behind Andy Warhol’s Screen tests, Seen In Birmingham reflects Warhol’s interest in the everyday elements of life and the socio-political questions raised by the presence of CCTV. In a world where he said that everyone would be famous for 15 minutes, how would Warhol react to the 24hr supervision of contemporary life?

The resulting films reflect Warhol’s fascination with the everyday and his use of the camera. Documenting life as it happens. Shiftwork and Seen In Birmingham will be screened as part of Artsfest 2009 at the Crescent Theatre at 12pm on Sunday 13th September in the Ron Barber Studio.

This project has been supported by the Lottery through the UK Film Council’s First Light Movies initiative, Gallery 37 Birmingham as part of Portrait of a Nation, the Norton Foundation, the George Fentham Birmingham Charity, the Baron Davenport Charity, the Douglas Turner Trust and the Bryant Trust.

Directed in collaboration by:

Ashley James
Daniel Newell
Daniel Harris
Perrina Allen
Leo Lamb
Shaun Tulloch
Taja Christian
Joel Ryan
Jermaine King
Craig Bush
Naziah Caval Begum
James Cangiano
Denzil Peart
Marjolijn Dijkman
Chris Keenan