WHAT IS POETIC FILM SCHOOL?
POETIC FILM SCHOOL are unique delivered workshops in poetic filmmaking; about who and what we are expressed through the lens of our people-place relationships. It’s a way of ‘seeing’ ourselves in our immediate environment and that place within the wider world.


WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
I embraced this way of ‘seeing’ in the far North Highlands of Scotland, where I was born and brought up. It’s a built upon spoken and written traditions stretching back many centuries. Its origins are rooted in the BARDIC (Gaelic) and SKALDIC (Norse) poetic art forms; a specific Celtic fusion that is only found around Northern Scotland and Ireland. I call this creative way of ‘seeing’, BARDSKALD.




WHAT IS BARDSKALD? 



The ancient written and poetic works found in the far North of Scotland was produced by the fusion of two major cultures:
1. The BARDIC way was of professional poets to the great Clan families and Nobles of old Scotland who documented heroic and praise style stories.
2. The SKALDIC way was of lengthy mythological poems, such as Odin, the Raven God. These poems are said to be ‘the drink’ of Odin.



Both the BARDIC and SKALDIC ways were oral traditions passed down the generations. Both of these ways share a highly visual style of story telling and the thematic use of poetic narrative and imagined story to carry the ‘seeing’ of life. Each also uses older myths to develop new mythologies. The Norse Sagas, Ossian, Highland poet Rob Donn, as well as Ceol Mor (big music) played on the Clarsach and Bagpipe; all these expressions of poetic form share a thematic and variation system of story development that I have influenced my own filmmaking principles.


WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF POETIC FILM SCHOOL
?
From the cultural BARDSKALD fusion I have created and developed my own central principles that I now teach including:
1. Eco- and/or Geo-poetic themes
2. Heavily linked people-place story
3. Strong thematic and variation system of story development
4. A non-possessive natural world
5. Mythologising of past myths to illuminate on the world around us anew

With these principles I have also developed my own filming techniques:

1. Deep focus - all is relevant in the frame
2. Visual Contrast - the drama of life is all about contrast
3. Image Energy  - images need a life force to be felt by the viewer
4. Longer takes - slower edits can have an immense power
5. Poetic Scripts - poetry its the lifeblood to the BARDSKALD film style

TUITION


There is a legacy of ‘seeing’ as poetics in my tuition which has been at the core to the far North Highlands oral and written culture for centuries. In all my workshops I cover the principles I have developed over the past 10 years. Attendees will also look at BARDSKALD literature, and other poetic forms, and examine how this can inform their own creative work. I also cover how to develop your own ‘film style’ and ‘poetic voice’ using images.



Participants in POETIC FILM SCHOOL are the pioneers of a new poetic wave of ‘seeing’ themselves, their immediate environment and that place within the wider world. These workshops are an ideal opportunity for people of all ages to voice and express their own people-place relationships.



POETIC FILM SCHOOL is designed to be delivered where ever you live; Scotland, UK or anywhere on the globe. Its purpose is to embrace your unique locality and environment. If you would like to book a POETIC FILM SCHOOL workshop, please get in touch here.