Open Studio Day: Mapping the Local Infrastructure for Analogue Film

To start the day, please join us for an open studio at not/nowhere (46c Brooksby's Walk, London, E9 6DA) to discover more about the film co-operative’s history and infrastructure, the cameras in the collection and the lab equipment that is being restored. You will learn about the equipment you can borrow, and the facilities and training available. You can also hear a presentation from studiomates, the feminist film collective Cinenova, about their archive, experience a short screening of not/nowhere workshop participant films on 16mm and learn about the exciting not/nowhere spring 2025 workshop programme.

This open studio aims to generate a conversation about artist super8 and 16mm filmmaking and increase the accessibility of not/nowhere’s facilities and equipment. This event is for artists who would like to experiment and practice on analogue film, as well as for technicians, practitioners and curators working in the medium of analogue film to meet each other.  

• 10:00am - Doors Open 
• 10:20am -  Prompt start
• 12:30pm -  Close

At 12.30 we will head over to the Lecture Theatre (Room 118) at UCL East in the Olympic Park for an afternoon of talks and activities. We have a much larger capacity (121 people) so all are welcome. If you were not able to get into the morning session you can still come to the afternoon session. 

We will look at mapping the ecosystem looking at infrastructure for artists working in 16mm film in terms of: 

• Equipment and training
• Laboratories,
• Repair and maintenance of equipment,
• Suppliers of equipment and consumables,
• Distributors, curators and screening spaces,
• Preservation, archiving and conservation. 

We will hear from a panel on notions of obsolescence and the persistence of analogue film as an artistic medium.

We will invite those who make up parts of this ecosystem to help us create an incomplete provisional map of our local infrastructure for analogue film.

Finally, there will be a chance to participate in an experimental film workshop delivered by artist Lynn Loo and visit UCL’s Media Conservation Studio and see their Film Scanner in action!

There are only 10 spaces available for Lynn Loo’s workshop so please indicate that you would like to join this from 4-6pm. 

All activities will finish by 6pm.

• 13.30 – 14:45 Panel Discussion The Ecosystem Supporting Artist Filmmakers. This panel will look at the eco system for 16mm and super 8 artists film and discuss its robustness and fragility. 

Chair: Brian Castriota (Lecturer in the Conservation of Contemporary Art and Media/ Time-based media conservator. UCL)
David Leister (Artist/filmmaker/technician)
Cici Peng (film writer, film curator, film producer and a programmer for Sine Screen)
Jennifer Martin (Artist filmmaker/ writer, not/nowhere) 
Kieron Webb (Head of Conservation, BFI)
Sean Burns (Artist/filmmaker/writer)

• 14:45 – 15:00 Break
• 15:00 – 16:00 Mapping Exercise – led by Daniel Owusu (not/nowhere)
• 16:00 – 18:00 Experimental Film Workshop for 10 people in the Culture Lab UCL East led by artist Lynn Loo
• Or 16:00 – 18:00 Introduction to UCL East’s Black Magic Film Scanner – Media Conservation Studio

This day is supported by UCL’s Community Seed Fund.

Any questions please contact Pip Laurenson: p.laurenson@ucl.ac.uk

Space at not/nowhere is limited so please register.