All the Other Shots

I grew up knowing that the orange scissors were the ‘good ones'. We saved those scissors for special projects, scrapbooking and sewing.

My whole family was extremely crafty, and we all had a different hobby. I got a taste of embroidery, macrame, quilting, scrapbooking and card making. As I grew up it turned into making my own shirts and duct tape backpacks (not recommended to do using the good scissors).

I’ve always been struck with the power that intentional meaningful moments can possess. Scrapbooking always felt like such an important aspect to memorialize and also process these impactful moments. Not only to show off pictures and create a montage of feelings, but the creator becomes a part of the work in the act of making it.

In college I did a variety of art projects, focused mainly on film. Actual 8mm and 16mm film, where we would hand process, cut and splice the film stock together for the edits. I loved the tactile nature of creating videos and images this way.

Some of my favorite experimental filmmakers would write on, and cut their film frame by frame. Splicing parts from here to there, leaving finger prints and actually becoming a part of the work.

I became fascinated with incorporating the analog nature of film and scrapbooking, with the unknown digital realm that was emerging and starting to replace these older methods.

I created a ‘digital scrapbook’, where I would combine real scrapbooking methods (i.e. paper edging scissors) along with some digital scans and effects.

I was trying to flow from literal pictures on the wall, into a mush of pixels and endless imagery.

Along with that, I created actual 35mm film strips that ran along the image.

There is also an experimental short film to encapsulate these thoughts. It is called All the Other Shots, you can view it above

In this film, I was processing family relationships and importance of living in the moment. There are lots of examples of how I cut and combine the film by hand. In the film, at 4 min 25 seconds, is an example of this. My image is superimposed along my families. This is done by cutting out a small section of the film while I’m shooting it, then double exposing the actual film later on with another piece that I cut out. I definitely used the ‘good’ scissors when doing these small cuts.

This film is very impactful for my family and continues to be more and more special as the years go on. Recently, we have lost family members and siblings unexpectedly. Seeing and hearing their voices again in this film is incredibly moving.

I’m applying to this Create Your Happiness Fiskars Challenge, to hopefully use the funds to make another version of this film. It’s been nearly 15 years since the first one and I would love to encapsulate our family as they are again. I would buy film and do a similar hand process with it. I’m planning to create this film regardless, but when I saw this challenge it seemed to perfect to pass up. I’m debating on having each family member create a meaningful craft on camera, showcasing their passions and highlighting who they are.

I’m still very intrigued by the idea of a ‘digital scrapbook’, which meshes the handmade with the complexities of the modern world. Above is also my creative showreel, so you can see more of my work and style.

Thank you for hosting a this opportunity for people to share meaningful expressions of how they create. It is inspiring to see the impact that can form based around a common item like scissors. But I guess you already knew they were more than that; those are the good scissors, they’re special.