Artist and Filmmaker Esther Johnson (MA, Royal College of Art) works at the intersection of artist moving image and documentary to create poetic portraits focusing on alternative social histories and marginal worlds. Recurring themes include personal histories, heritage, tradition, folklore, regeneration, and exploration of architectural vernaculars and the inhabited environment. The repositioning of archival material is explored as a way of looking at intangible cultural heritage and, of addressing the relationship between memory and storytelling. Projects include the feature film Asunder; and short film works Alone Together: the Social Life of Benches; Chalk Trace; The View From My Window Tells Me I'm Home; Analogue Kingdom and It’s Quicker by Hearse: The Tale of the Petitioning Housewife, the Protesting Schoolboy and the Campaign Trail Student. Current work includes feature film DUST & METAL and, audio-visual installation Liberation Radio, these projects have both been produced in Vietnam with the support of the British Council.
Films have been exhibited internationally in 40+ countries, and broadcast on BBC and Channel 4, with audio works aired on ABC Australia, BBC Radio 4, Resonance FM and RTÉ radio. Esther is former recipient of the prestigious Philip Leverhulme Research Prize in Performing & Visual Arts and, is Professor of Film and Media Arts in the Art and Design Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
Links: linktr.ee/BlanchePictures
Instagram: @Blanche_Pictures
Twitter: @BlanchePictures
Films have been exhibited internationally in 40+ countries, and broadcast on BBC and Channel 4, with audio works aired on ABC Australia, BBC Radio 4, Resonance FM and RTÉ radio. Esther is former recipient of the prestigious Philip Leverhulme Research Prize in Performing & Visual Arts and, is Professor of Film and Media Arts in the Art and Design Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
Links: linktr.ee/BlanchePictures
Instagram: @Blanche_Pictures
Twitter: @BlanchePictures
Debbie Ballin is a filmmaker, writer and academic working across a number of forms including documentary, audio, interactive media, fiction and memoir. She has an interest in the way oral history testimony and archive material can be used to construct compelling resonant stories about the past. Her work explores memory and identity and the way we narrativise and mythologise our personal histories. Recent research projects focus on histories of childhood: including historic childhood hospitalisation and isolation due to tuberculosis and the experiences of children whose parents were protestors. Projects include The Fence; Ogmore ’74; Me and My Hair; Being Here Now; Teenland and Knitting A Love Song (BAFTA-nominated).
Ballin is interested in the intersections between documentary film, memoir, oral history and historical fiction and recently completed an MA in Creative Writing at Sheffield Hallam University. Her work has been broadcast in Europe, Canada and the US, and exhibited internationally including BFI London Film Festival; Burning Man, Cannes Film Festival; Clermont Ferrand; Cork Film Festival; Encounters Festival; Foyle Film Festival and the ICA. Commissioners include the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Screen Yorkshire and the UK Film Council. Ballin is a Senior Lecturer in Filmmaking at Manchester Metropolitan University and a Fellow of The Higher Education Academy.
Website: debbieballin.weebly.com
Instagram: @debbie_ballin
Twitter: @BallinDeborah
Ballin is interested in the intersections between documentary film, memoir, oral history and historical fiction and recently completed an MA in Creative Writing at Sheffield Hallam University. Her work has been broadcast in Europe, Canada and the US, and exhibited internationally including BFI London Film Festival; Burning Man, Cannes Film Festival; Clermont Ferrand; Cork Film Festival; Encounters Festival; Foyle Film Festival and the ICA. Commissioners include the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Screen Yorkshire and the UK Film Council. Ballin is a Senior Lecturer in Filmmaking at Manchester Metropolitan University and a Fellow of The Higher Education Academy.
Website: debbieballin.weebly.com
Instagram: @debbie_ballin
Twitter: @BallinDeborah
Copyright © 2015 Esther Johnson and Debbie Ballin. All rights reserved worldwide.