Chris Koelsch
US film- and videomaler
Interview: 10 questions
1. Tell me something about your life and the educational background
I have lived in Toledo, Ohio for almost my entire life. I have always had an affinity for photography and video, even as a child. I graduated Bowling Green State University (2010) with a BFA in Digital Arts.
2. When, how and why started you filming?
I don’t know the exact date or even the reason, but in grade school I spent a majority of my time with my friends making short videos with my parent’s Panasonic. Since then, video has been a constant part of my life and only continues to expand.
3. What kind of subjects have your films?
I have always had a wide range of interests. None of my films are ever quite the same. Most of the time it just happens to be in reference to what inspired me that day. I really enjoy sarcasm and cynicism. I love taking something from pop culture and spinning it into something else.
4. How do you develop your films, do you follow certain principles, styles etc?
Every film is different therefore every development is different. I certainly have styles that I am drawn to but I am constantly being inspired by new things every day so there is no specific regiment that I follow for creating a film.
5. Tell me something about the technical equipment you use.
I have used many cameras including the HD GoPro, Panasonic AF100, and Canon 7D. I edit in Final Cut Pro, do color correction in Apple Color, and create motion graphics and After Effects and Apple Motion.
6. The field of “art and moving images†(one may call it videoart or also differently) is is manifesting itself as an important position in contemporary art. Tell me more about your personal position and how you see the future of this field ( your personal future and the future of “art and moving imagesâ€)
I see that the field of videoart has been growing in contemporary art and found more and more frequently in galleries. I hope that in the future there will be more diverse bodies of work in this field. Most of the work I see in galleries focuses on the abstract and weird, but there is a lot more to this genre and I am hoping it comes through.
7. How do you finance your films?
Mostly every video I make costs me nothing. I don’t do many films that require a budget, mostly because I have no way of financing them. Everything I make is shot and edited by me.
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 work individually. At my professional job I work with a team of about 4 people, but when I create my personal work I tend to work alone in my free time. I like working in a team because you can get more accomplished and often get better shots, but working alone allows my fully creative voice to come through, and I enjoy that.
9. Who or what has a lasting influence on your film/video making?
I don’t know if there is anyone but myself that truly has an influence on my video making. I do it simply because I love it.
10. What are your plans or dreams as a film/video maker?
I would love for one day to be sought out for my creative excellence. I would love to be creating and producing music videos for various artists and genres.
Can works of yours viewed online besides on CologneOFF or VideoChannel? Where?
List some links & resources
My Blog: http://tandtfy.blogspot.com/
My Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/thisnthat
My Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskoelsch/