The animated film, Tidal Choreography was made public at Film Geographies, an online platform for films about geography and geographers who make film - https://www.filmgeographies.com/?s=tidal+choreography
It is part of a short film screening festival started in 2016 via AAG shorts, set up by Jessica Jacobs as part of the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting https://www.filmgeographies.com/about-2
This meeting is the largest international conference in the discipline of Geography that attracts approximately 10,000 participants. Tidal Choreogaphy was submitted to AAG Shorts, 2020 in the category Environment. The film is also hosted on the platform Vimeo https://vimeo.com/374575983
Research statement
Research Background
Films have become established visual forms that creatively articulate ideas on environmental change & justice. Experimentation with 3-D animation, however, that focuses on relearning from Indigenous, Black & southern worlds in exploring multispecies justice raises ethical questions. Rather than framing justice in terms of normative or static values, Ruha Benjamin calls for design that can craft worlds that are open to ‘other ways of being human’. These insights are important in producing films that go beyond captivation & develop ethical relationships with the diversity of human/more-than-human worlds.
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Research Contribution
In terms of genre and form, the 3D Animation film Tidal Choreography addresses the question of multispecies justice in the colonial Anthropocene. The film experiments with sociotechnical imaginaries of multispecies justice by co-mingling saltwater worlds on the edges of the Indian Ocean in Northern Australia & Eastern India. Ecological intimacies emerge by mingling stories with computer generated images & sound design in a saltwater milieu that centres crocodile-human becomings and co-becomings.
Research Significance
The value of the film in creating a visceral ecological experience is attested to by its review and hosting on Film Geographies, an on-line platform that is part of the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting/Short Film screening festival. This film was also screened at international/national forums e.g. The Promise of Multispecies Justice on-line forum (March-October, 2020) convened by Dr Karin Bolender, Dr Sophie Chao & Assoc Prof Eben Kirksey. The film elicited positive comments by Ken Wissoker, Managing Editor, Duke University Press & Prof Macarena Gomez-Barris, Chairperson of Social Science & Cultural Studies, Pratt Institute, New York & intl scholars from USA, Japan, Australia and Canada who participated in the forum.
Publication classification
JO1 Original Creative Works – Visual Art Work
Scale
NTRO Minor
Extent
2:50 min 3D animation short film
Publisher
Film Geographies, Association of American Geographers Shorts, 2020