Film, composition unite during IU Cinema event

The IU Cinema featured a one-of-a-kind “Double Exposure” screening this Sunday.

The film was a celebration of the talent of film students, instrumentalists and musical composition students, said Susanne Schwibs, a Department of Communication and Culture faculty member.

“Tonight, we celebrate not only the talent of these gifted students, but the special relationship between film and music,” Schwibs said.

“Film operates very much like poetry, unfolding through time, and I am very happy to say that IU students were the ones who worked so hard to put all these wonderful pieces together for tonight’s show.”

Students worked together to create pieces that expressed thought-provoking ideas, haunting images and juxtaposition and meaning.

Student Composer Association President David Roberts thanked the many people involved who made “Double Exposure” possible and introduced the show.

“This has been a colossal task of getting everyone together,” Roberts said. “Thank you to all the musicians, composers and filmmakers for your hard work and endurance. So, without further ado, let’s see some films.”

The short films were screened, each one edited and accompanied by live musicians from Jacobs.

One of the pieces, titled “Of Rock and Water,” created by Seth Mutchler and Ben Taylor, consisted of different shots of the old quarry and a creek. The piece was a juxtaposition of stasis and motion, reflecting both the director and composer’s interests in minimal elements.

“I started working with Seth in September 2011, where we met during a meeting between potential composers and filmmakers,” said Taylor, a doctoral student in composition. “We shared our ideas to each other and quickly saw that we both wanted something non-narrative and non-plot-oriented. We wanted to make something that would be more meditative and thought provoking.”

The piece consisted of small, subtle changes in both the film and music, in which the fluidity of motion and the appearance of stasis were captured.

“We wanted something relatively static, but with intricate details that are constantly moving,” Taylor said.

“Midnight,” by Emily Erotas, Kevin McClatchey and Naewon Kim, embodied the idea of possession.

“This film was highly experimental,” junior filmmaker Erotas said. “We wanted to have a strong visual appearance, and we weren’t afraid to be experimental because we might not ever get the chance to do something like this again.”

Erotas and McClatchey used the actual film technique of double exposure to create a ghost in their piece.

“Creating a ghost on film is very difficult,” Erotas said. “We spent around 12 straight hours filming, which was worth it in the end.”

Erotas described the process with which she and McClatchey selected a composer as “speed dating.”

“We all got together and talked to different composers and heard their musical tastes,” Erotas said. “We were matched, and the process began. Our composer, Naewon Kim, is fantastic, and she worked really hard. I’m glad we got to work with her.”

The piece captured the audience’s attention with the intense drama that unfolded as film and music came together to enhance the struggle of a girl being haunted by a departed lover.

“I believe this is the first time that film students have ever worked together with the music department, and it was a great experience,” Erotas said.

The evening concluded with a piece titled “Resonance” by Molly Rose, Sahar Pastel-Daneshgar and Ezra Donner. It’s a suspense thriller inspired by a basement, in which a child’s psyche walks the fine line between real and imaginary as the actress in the short film realizes that memories can be forgotten, but not completely buried.

“I came to support the work of the students I know and helped,” said Michael Lahey, Department of Communication and Culture instructor. “This is really nice. It’s been a great turnout.”

Once every piece had been shown, the filmmakers and composers were summoned to the stage to take their final bows.

“It’s good to see the film and music departments talking to each other and working together so nicely,” Lahey said. “Something like this has never been done here before, and I think it has gone very well.”