Sound/Sample/Cinema

Michael Fairlie and David Shea have created a new montage to showcase the unique film works of Canadian film maker Arthur Lipsett. Lipsett was one of the most innovative experimental film makers, yet remains one of the least known. His film works influenced and were admired by George Lucas and Stanley Kubrick. Lipsett created explosive visual and sound collages using found sound and film footage, photographs and film especially shot for use in his films. Bizarre and ordinary everyday events are collaged together with music, sound and dialogue edits that give them a new and powerfully profound presence. His films had a uniquely structured chaos, which were superbly timed and flowed like avant-garde compositions. Lipsett produced most of his works for the National Film Board of Canada but also made some of his films independently. In 1961 his film Very Nice, Very Nice was nominated for an Academy Award. Michael Fairlie has edited footage from Lipsett’s film works in much the same way Lipsett edited found content in his own films. David Shea has taken samples of Lipsett’s groundbreaking soundtracks and reworked them into a sound and music composition. He thus explores Lipsett’s life and personal obsessions through a combination of a new electronic score and original Lipsett soundtrack choices. (EC)