Erin Gee
Canadian media artist
—>
biography
—>
Interview:10 questions
1. Tell me something about your life and the educational background
I live in a relatively isolated prairie environment in Canada – lots of beautiful open spaces and not very much obscuring the sky. I have two degrees, one in music and one in visual art. I am happiest when I can combine my interest in both areas, creating musical compositions with heightened social dimensions through visual and/or interactive interface.
2. When, how and why started you filming?
Film is a way for me to express social information related to performance and composition that isn’t communicated through the electronic recording alone. I enjoy filming singing and choral compositions because I find the presence/absence of the body in a vocal recording very curious.
3. What kind of subjects have your films?
I am currently interested in representing the human voice, but I am also interested in all forms of representing the subject. I like the human voice because it is personal, hidden from view, interior, and also the main method of interpersonal communication. I am also interested in the replacement of the voice with written words and technological stand-ins. Film is a good visual tool for exploring these interests.
4. How do you develop your films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
I create work that bests suits my musical composition, so sometimes this is in film, other times in sculpture, live performance, or drawings.
5. Tell me something about the technical equipment you use.
I use Final Cut Pro and After Effects, also I have access to a multichannel recording studio where I do my sound recording, and that studio is equipped with Nuendo.
6. What are the chances of new media for the genre film/video in general and you personally?
I am very interested on how technology shapes and is shaped by human dreams, hopes, fears, and so I am interested in continuing to use all forms of technology and media to express these developments.
7. How do you finance your films?
I been fortunate to obtain professional employment over the years that does not interfere with my art practice, so I don’t mind financing my own work. The Saskatchewan Arts Board has given me grants from time to time, and I am lucky to have access to those kinds of resources.
8. Do you work individually as a video artist/film maker or do you work in a team? if you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
I prefer the freedom of working individually, but I have often collaborated with other artists on projects that I find interesting. I am sensitive to my choices in working with singers, and often work with the same group of singers because I feel that I can trust that they understand the aims of my work, and that this mutual understanding is important to the final product.
9. Who or what has a lasting influence on your film/video making?
There are many artists who inspire me, I feel particularly indebted to an artist named Genevieve Favre-Petroff. Once I saw her work on her website which I found by chance while surfing the web, I really was inspired to follow my instincts in art creation and sound. I would love to meet her someday. I also feel inspired by the work of Yoko Ono, as well as visual artist Mariko Mori.
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a film/video maker?
I have so many ideas and dreams that I want to investigate, they all seem to take a long time to perfect, I am glad that I am young!
Can works of yours viewed online besides on VideoChannel? Where? List some links & resources
Yes, I have a website at http://www.eringee.net
Also I wrote an article on the voice and electronic recording that was published by the Canadian Electroacoustic Community’s journal, a link here:
http://cec.concordia.ca/econtact/12_3/gee_voices.html
And I also organize a Midwestern Canadian audio curatorial collective called “holophon.ca” – we have regular local, national and international calls for submissions that we post on holophon.ca’s website, but for more up to date information, I recommend that you friend us on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=48112523448&ref=ts
holophon.ca is interested in a broad range of electronic music and sound art – curatorial proposals are warmly welcomed for upcoming years, as well as proposals for shared festivals, partnerships, etc…