Jesse Bellon - Queenspark, west 33rd, lg
3:23, 2006DirectorJesse Bellon
Edition2006
< overview
Who is Jesse Bellon?I was born into this world on February 14 1982 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I am an experimental video artist in the "emerging" stage of my career. I received a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from the University of Windsor in June 2005 and currently pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts degree at York University in Toronto. I am also a musician, but not in an academic setting.
Why filmmaking?When I was studying in Windsor I was really into lithography, but about halfway through my degree I had an opportunity to try video. I quickly got addicted to it because the professor was very open to experimentation and non-narrative forms of video art. The concepts and theories I learned in that class were very engaging. It blew everything wide open for me in terms of the possibilities in video art.
My work is about...My current series of videos explore the nature of western urban environments, juxtaposing and superimposing the sights and the experiences of the everyday within a single plane. I create a new (super)reality by collapsing (references to) the conscious and (non-representational elements that create the) subconscious. By working with these two opposites it allows for a dynamic play within my work: real vs. Representation, repetition vs. Uniqueness, improvisation vs. Calculation, etc. My videos look collage-like; they are flat and are made up of many different layers, giving a disjointed effect because of the spatiotemporal relationship between the layers of captured footage within the piece. These compressed instances of the everyday produce a concentrated space that alludes to (and is also an allegory of) our environment and existence. We are constantly immersed in media and technology-its immanence and speed is compressing time and space. Technology is everywhere and nowhere. In creating an intense fabricated reality (with the use of repetition.etc) it again alludes to, mimics, concentrates, amplifies, and simulates feelings of the everyday.
Financing your movie?One of the joys of being a student is access to the school"s equipment for shooting and editing.
New Media; a challenge for film makers?New media democratizes information and makes it very accessible. The internet is great because it makes events like The Streaming Festival possible and exposes people to interesting underground films and video art--stuff one would not be able to see everyday.
Which film related websites do you frequent?Vtape.org, post-videoart.com, videoart.net, interaccess.org, terminus1525.ca, youtube.com
Individual film making or co-operation?I"ve never collaborated with anyone on a video before. It is something that I would definitely consider. But I usually do all of the camerawork, editing, and concept myself with occasional help from other artists and video artists.
In the future...My ambition is to continue creating videos and installation work when I am finished my masters. I think it would be interesting to eventually create a feature-length experimental non-narrative video. Or a popular coming-of-age teen comedy.
Digital or classic?I"ve only really used mini-DV at this point in my career. I have a Super 8 camera but I never got around to buying film and using it yet.
View the works of Jesse BellonI currently don"t have any videos online. Perhaps in the near future I will make a proper video website but at the moment it is not feasible for me to do so. I can make a DVD of new work for anybody that wants one.
< overview
< Artists interviews
Edition2006
< overview
Interview
Why filmmaking?When I was studying in Windsor I was really into lithography, but about halfway through my degree I had an opportunity to try video. I quickly got addicted to it because the professor was very open to experimentation and non-narrative forms of video art. The concepts and theories I learned in that class were very engaging. It blew everything wide open for me in terms of the possibilities in video art.
My work is about...My current series of videos explore the nature of western urban environments, juxtaposing and superimposing the sights and the experiences of the everyday within a single plane. I create a new (super)reality by collapsing (references to) the conscious and (non-representational elements that create the) subconscious. By working with these two opposites it allows for a dynamic play within my work: real vs. Representation, repetition vs. Uniqueness, improvisation vs. Calculation, etc. My videos look collage-like; they are flat and are made up of many different layers, giving a disjointed effect because of the spatiotemporal relationship between the layers of captured footage within the piece. These compressed instances of the everyday produce a concentrated space that alludes to (and is also an allegory of) our environment and existence. We are constantly immersed in media and technology-its immanence and speed is compressing time and space. Technology is everywhere and nowhere. In creating an intense fabricated reality (with the use of repetition.etc) it again alludes to, mimics, concentrates, amplifies, and simulates feelings of the everyday.
Financing your movie?One of the joys of being a student is access to the school"s equipment for shooting and editing.
New Media; a challenge for film makers?New media democratizes information and makes it very accessible. The internet is great because it makes events like The Streaming Festival possible and exposes people to interesting underground films and video art--stuff one would not be able to see everyday.
Which film related websites do you frequent?Vtape.org, post-videoart.com, videoart.net, interaccess.org, terminus1525.ca, youtube.com
Individual film making or co-operation?I"ve never collaborated with anyone on a video before. It is something that I would definitely consider. But I usually do all of the camerawork, editing, and concept myself with occasional help from other artists and video artists.
In the future...My ambition is to continue creating videos and installation work when I am finished my masters. I think it would be interesting to eventually create a feature-length experimental non-narrative video. Or a popular coming-of-age teen comedy.
Digital or classic?I"ve only really used mini-DV at this point in my career. I have a Super 8 camera but I never got around to buying film and using it yet.
View the works of Jesse BellonI currently don"t have any videos online. Perhaps in the near future I will make a proper video website but at the moment it is not feasible for me to do so. I can make a DVD of new work for anybody that wants one.
< overview
