Inspiration: a functional approach to creative practice.

9.1.1 Actions1 – individual

The first group of actions, Actions1, consists of my first two films, videos made of paper presentations, as well as the actual conference paper presentations (November 2005 – October 2006), and the first interviews with poets.

The initial use of colour was through graphics of solid blacks, red, and blues, that facilitated certain strong statements (films Quantum Words, Prince of Hampshire). This enabled me to come up with strong and prominent ideas which helped in ‘advertising’ the thesis within academia, getting the word ‘out there’, so to speak, at the start of this thesis, through my first four paper presentations and the publication of my first paper (December 2006). Strong graphic colours, were joined by decisive lines, which appeared as a form, for example the light glare in the film Quantum Words is made of gradating thick lines that receive the weight of a form. This decisiveness symbolised my definite ideas, which shaped the initial approach that I took with the first interviewees. Using some clear ideas, to begin with, I inspired the first interviewees to allow me to interview them.

The early use of texts in Actions1 was still as a parallel to the images of the films, as if they were separated.

Movements in Actions1 were minimalist and precise, as can be seen in the film Quantum Words and in the body gestures observed in my presentations. This kind of movement was set to portray a thought that was in my mind, and then was acted directly. I have used movement as a tool to illustrate inner reality and bring it out.

Initially the presentation of the notion of the self was as an individual. The films portray single characters at the centre of the scenes, and at that time I was working alone. This was suitable to this stage in which my inner reality was being expressed, for the purpose of showing it, externalising it, and by this means inspire others to find their own inner self.