Claire Marshall

I am thrilled that my dance film Shift was selected for the 27th Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) and is screening on Friday the 29th of October. I never thought I would have one of my dance films accepted into BIFF. Home turf can be tough. Plus, dance film does not often get much a of a look-in with the mainstream festivals, particularly given a dance film with a 32 minute duration.

Shift was made as an experiment as a part of my studies at the VCA, University of Melbourne. In late 2019 Shift previewed in Brisbane, and in July 2020 premiered at the 48th Dance on Camera Festival, New York where it won ‘Best of Fest’ in the 20-40 minute category. Following this, Shift won the cinematography category in the Silk Road Film Awards, France, won the Close:Up San Francisco Short Film Festival, USA (experimental category), won the Obskuur Ghent Film Festival, Belgium (dance film category) in 2021, won the Open Vision Film Festival, Moscow, Russia (dance film category), and won the dance film section in the Kadoma International Film Festival, Osaka Japan. Shift was also a finalist for an Australian Dance Award in 2020. 

Shift has been screened as a featured work at The Dance (Lens) Festival at Dancehouse Melbourne, and programmed as an official selection in the Cascadia Dance Film Festival, Canada, Birmingham International Dance Festival, England, Mill of Performing Arts Festival, Larissa Greece, Defy Film Festival, Nashville Tennessee, and at The International Meeting on Videodance and Video Performance (EIVV, Valencia, Spain), dually with the Festival International de Vidéo Danse de Bourgogne (Burgundy, France). Shift was selected again for the 49^th Dance on Camera, New York, programmed with significant films over the 49 year history of the festival and most recently at the prestigious London International Screen Dance Festival in August 2021.

The screening at BIFF is the absolute icing on the cake at the end of an amazing 18-month run of the film with 18 screenings over the globe commencing and concluding in Brisbane at BIFF. Shift screens in BIFF’s ‘Australian Festival Highlights’ at the Palace James St, New Farm. Congratulations to the team involved: Richard Causer, Lucy Hood, Kevin Holloway, Amelia Le-Bherz and the fabulous extras too. 

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Two trailers I’ve cut for LOVE SONG featuring ‘Tension’ and ‘Disco Diabolo’ by Tycho Brahe.

The full film was the fourth project made as a part of my MFA at the VCA. Love Song was an honour to make in collaboration with dancers Richard Causer and Anthony Trojman.

From here the film will be screened and I will submit it into some film festivals. It will be interesting to see how this usual aspect ration is received.

I will also cut a music video using some of the footage for the composers who kindly created so much amazing music for the score – a nice agreement for a low budget film.

LOVE SONG is a story of a relationship of constant flux, where deception and emotional manipulation occurs, implemented for each persons’ agenda. LOVE SONG unfolds in a parallel structure, exploring two perspectives of a relationship concurrently.

LOVE SONG features dancers Richard Causer and Anthony Trojman, as well as Matthew Overberg and a cast of other super swell people. Cinematography by Saroj Kumar Chauhan, Hair and Makeup by Amelia Le-Bherz, and Score by Ken Evans for Tycho Sound Design. 

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LOVE SONG is a story of a perception in a relationship of constant flux, where deception and emotional manipulation occurs, implemented for each persons’ agenda. Featuring dancers Richard Causer and Anthony Trojman as two men in the ever shifting relationship, LOVE SONG unfolds in a parallel structure, highlighting two sides of a relationship that unfold concurrently. 

Along the way, several challenges, including a shift from a traditional cinematic aspect ratio of 2.39:1, (or CinemaScope), allowed the investigation to lead rather than remaining fixed on the original idea, and opened up the idea of presenting two stories at once to investigate how a parallel tandem structure as a split-screen story could enable a deeper exploration of the role of perception in conveying the relationship between two dancers. While editing was initially a secondary aspect of this investigation, it eventually became a prominent element as the parallel structure presented problem solving challenges, requiring new aesthetic and editing decisions.

The techniques used to present these two perspectives that occur in duality range from subtle, to oppositional in style to show contrasting stages of the story and chronology manipulated by: cinematography styles, editing techniques, and with some consideration of location.

The idea to present LOVE SONG in parallel structure opened up the idea to enhance the idea of alternative perspectives in a relationship and provide the viewer alternative perceptions of the characters and story. While each upper and lower frames occur individually the audience may wish to just follow one story, however, both stories are ideally absorbed concurrently – permitting the viewer’s eye to follow what they wish and their ‘perception’ to inform their experience of the story. 

Below: stills showing the parallel structure that eventuated.

Cinematography by Saroj Kumar Chauhan, Hair and Makeup by Amelia Le-Bherz, and Score by Ken Evans for Tycho Sound Design. 

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Drawing conceptually from the idea that vision and perception is altered through the camera and film lens, Love Song explores perception and deception in a relationship – from what we can’t see when blinded by love, to what we can only see when there’s fear or trust is betrayed. Love Song is a story of a relationship in constant flux; where a where a game of manipulation, deceit and revenge unfold.

Initially the idea began using the lens and forced perspective entirely to create a story around the idea of perception in a relationship, however with intermittent rehearsals spread over a longer time frame due to the constraints of COVID-19, through conversations with the dancers, the story narrative as seen through the lens became the most important part of this project.

Reuniting to work with Richard Causer and Anthony Trojman was a wonderful experience, and despite months or even years in between projects, it felt like time had barely passed working together. Furthermore, after this crazy year of Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions, the opportunity to create in a studio was something I will never take for granted. 

As the complexity of the story developed, using the split diopter lenses, tilt shift lens and forced perspective techniques became a secondary consideration. The precise focus required for these lenses was not exactly suited to dance and meant the dancer in the foreground had to remain almost still. but almost felt naïf, and I needed to find another way to implement them for storytelling purposes.

Furthermore, the use of found moments when filming such as in mirrors and reflections became more interesting than warping the scale of the images with the lens particularly as the story became more focused on the idea of deception.

The shoot was a very long four days which probably could have been a five or even six day shoot. Below are some stills from various scenes.

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We commenced rehearsals in August at Mill Street Studios with some time in between rehearsals and filming in September/ October. Due to COVID 19 and the enforced restrictions saw some new collaborations, and allowed time for the idea to evolve over a longer rehearsal period. Over rehearsals discussions with the dancers became informing the story of Love Song and the idea became more about perceptions in the character’s relationship rather than my previous idea of exploring particular elements of the lens.

Following rehearsals, filming occurred over a number of locations for four long days. While filming some ideas were scrapped as instead I saw potential in other locations such as the reflections in the hotel scene. In some locations such as the hotel, there was time to work with the choreography on set.

Here’s a few iPhone photos taken during rehearsals and at some of the locations.

THANKS: Just a little note to say thanks to everyone who was on board this project – from jumping in as extras at the bar, and discotheque, delivering missing props and cables, helping with the costumes and more. Sincere thanks to Amelia Le-Bherz – amazing makeup as always and stepping into many other roles to help, Matthew Overberg, and Saroj Chauhan stepping things up on this second collaboration. 

Most of all, heartfelt thanks to Richard Causer and Anthony Trojman for their collaboration and contribution to this story. Our long history of friendship and years working together enabled sharing so much in rehearsals as we reflected on our lives in a way you can only do with your oldest friends. We experienced a rollercoaster of emotions making this project with some physically gruelling and emotionally taxing scenes for Anthony and Richard, and I am so appreciative of their investment in this project. It is always an honour to work together, but more than ever, I am totally in awe of them both!

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On Friday the 24th of July 2020, I learned that my dance film ‘Shift’ took out the ‘Best of Fest’ (20-30 minute category) in the 48th Dance on Camera Festival NYC. I was absolutely thrilled!

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