Why use film in a clinical setting?

Making films is becoming more and more accessible in art therapy and offers a compelling and engaging medium for clients. For clients, film can be a way to take some control and tell the story they wish for themselves. For therapists, film can be part of your reflective practice or can be used to tell your own stories when needed.

Film potentially encompasses all art forms: images, colour, mark making, rhythm, animation, text, sound and music etc. To make a film can take a long time but can also be done spontaneously, intuitively and quickly in clinical settings.

This one-day course follows Tony’s popular presentation at the British Association of Art Therapists 2024 conference; ‘My dark shadow and other stories: an enduring account of animation films made in forensic settings and the value of an audience.’

What you will learn

During this one-day course, you will make a short film (maybe a few films) using simple software on smart phones or tablets. We will use colour, mark making, sound, rhythm, still and moving images, and see what narrative unfolds from this process. We will think about the importance of finding the ‘starting point’ (often a challenge in art therapy and arts projects). The film you make might well surprise you and give you the confidence to take this method into your clinical work.

The course covers:

• Making a short experimental film (or films) on your smart phone or tablet using a variety of techniques to build confidence in using these skills in a clinical setting.
• Experimenting with several techniques in a way that is dynamic, intuitive and fun.
• Understanding the concepts of emergent and embodied narratives.

Tutor:

Tony Gammidge