F O R K B E A R D : USE OF FILM 1
Forkbeard Fantasy are a multi-media theatre company.
“Keepers of the flame of English surrealist lunacy” The SCOTSMAN
Over the years Forkbeard have entertained their audiences with many ways of interacting with film. "Crossing the Celluloid Divide" has become one of the main trademarks of a Forkbeard stage show. In its simplest form it is the trick of merging from stage to screen and vice versa. But Forkbeard have taken it to wild and fantastical levels in the years since they first hit upon the technique.
"A Serious Leak" Painting by Ray Smith
FORKBEARD’S FEEL FOR FILM PART 1
It was their father Jim’s film making and delight in cinematic trickery and illusion that fired Chris and Tim’s enthusiasm for seeking ways of using film in their shows. But film was expensive. The digital age was yet to come and you couldn’t project early video. Besides, it was very poor quality compared to the richness of cine. So the first ‘film’ they showed on stage was a series of 35mm slides projected very fast to create the illusion of film (‘On and Uncertain Insect'
1978).
Their first 16mm movie was an animated cartoon called ‘Could a Whale Fly?’ in ‘The Clone Show’ in 1979 with which Tim performed, talking to the cartoon characters. This was Forkbeard’s first ever live interaction with film.
