City Symphony Live Music & Film with post-rock band hazards of swimming naked

Production still from Man with a Movie Camera 1929 / Dir: Dziga Vertov / Image courtesy: mk2

Production still from Man with a Movie Camera 1929 / Dir: Dziga Vertov / Image courtesy: mk2 / View full image

The launch of our new event cinema series kicks off on Sunday 26 February and runs across 10 unique screenings and music performances until 26 November 2023. Our ‘City Symphony’ Live Music & Film series will start with a screening of the iconic Man with a Movie Camera 1929 paired with Brisbane based post-rock band hazards of swimming naked who have crafted a new live score for the film.

Live Music & Film #2: ‘Lines’ accompanied by Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra

On Sunday 26 March, our second Live Music and Film screening Lines 2021 will be accompanied by Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra. Program curator Rosie Hays interviews Matt Hsu from Obscure Orchestra about crafting the live score for Lines and his approach to making music. Read more

Get tickets to City Symphony Live Music & Film series

hazards of swimming naked playing live at GOMA

Brisbane based post-rock band hazards of swimming naked playing live at the Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA during ‘City Symphony’ Live Music & Film series / Photograph: C Baxter © QAGOMA

Brisbane based post-rock band hazards of swimming naked playing live at the Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA during ‘City Symphony’ Live Music & Film series / Photograph: C Baxter © QAGOMA / View full image

Brisbane based post-rock band hazards of swimming naked playing live at the Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA during ‘City Symphony’ Live Music & Film series / Photograph: C Baxter © QAGOMA

Brisbane based post-rock band hazards of swimming naked playing live at the Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA during ‘City Symphony’ Live Music & Film series / Photograph: C Baxter © QAGOMA / View full image

Brisbane based post-rock band hazards of swimming naked playing live at the Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA during ‘City Symphony’ Live Music & Film series / Photograph: C Baxter © QAGOMA

Brisbane based post-rock band hazards of swimming naked playing live at the Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA during ‘City Symphony’ Live Music & Film series / Photograph: C Baxter © QAGOMA / View full image

City Symphony film movement

The ‘City Symphony’ film movement began in the 1920s. It was a period of rapid urbanisation and with all that movement to cities, people were thinking about the built environment and how that influenced their daily lives.

The 1920s was also at the beginnings of filmmaking as an artform. This was the era of silent cinema — Charlie Chaplin’s comedic style was swelling in popularity around the world. There were also a number of directors exploring differing styles of camera framing and editing techniques. City Symphony films are playful cinematic experimentation — part documentary, part film poem.

Man with a Movie Camera is one of the most beloved City Symphony films for its fresh, joyful, and rhythmic approach to filmmaking as well as its camera trickery — in one scene the central character towers over a city like a giant then in another he’s small enough to fit into a frothy beer mug (illustrated).

Director: Dziga Vertov ‘Man with a Movie Camera’ 1929

Production still from Man with a Movie Camera 1929 / Dir: Dziga Vertov / Image courtesy: mk2

Production still from Man with a Movie Camera 1929 / Dir: Dziga Vertov / Image courtesy: mk2 / View full image

Production still from Man with a Movie Camera 1929 / Dir: Dziga Vertov / Image courtesy: mk2

Production still from Man with a Movie Camera 1929 / Dir: Dziga Vertov / Image courtesy: mk2 / View full image

Brisbane based band hazards of swimming naked were a great fit for such a treasured film as they have a wealth of experience accompanying screenings at the Australian Cinémathèque, Gallery of Modern Art. Their moody sound and attention to creating a fulsome, sonic atmosphere will complement the big vision of the film.

We asked Adrian Diery from hazards of swimming naked about the crafting of this live score.

Rosie Hays / What were your first impressions of the film ‘Man with a Movie Camera’ and what did it inspire?

Adrian Diery / When I first saw the film I was struck by the adventurous approach to film making. The brothers [the filmmaking duo director and cinematographer are siblings] seem to be following their instincts in capturing everyday life, pushing the limits of their equipment, themselves, innovating camera techniques and setups. We get to see the world through the man-with-a-movie-camera’s lens, but we we’re also shown how he’s capturing the images, and then how the editor (the director’s wife) organises and pieces the film together.

Man With A Movie Camera is an incredible document of an almost blissful moment in time, it’s in the early days of the Soviet Union, after the end of the Russian Civil war, between the two World Wars, and in the very early days of Stalin before he became truly monstrous. Throughout the film there is a pervading sense of progress and hope. The streets are bustling, the everyday people are championed; in the chapters on leisure and entertainment there’s evident joy and wonder on the faces of children and adults as they swim, engage with sport and athletics, watch a magic show, attend the ballet or cinema. There’s also a spirit of adventure as the filmmakers cling to the side of train, climb into precarious positions atop of tall structures, or play with stop motion and camera tricks.

RH/ What instruments will the band play?

AD / Space is at a premium when we perform at GOMA’s Australian Cinémathèque. In the past we’ve managed to squeeze some extra personnel into the corner with us, but we’re sticking to our regular line-up of guitar, bass, drums/percussion, and synth/keys. Some of the pieces we will be playing will be augmented by string and electronic arrangements we have produced specially for the performance.

RH / What kind of mood should the audience expect for your musical accompaniment?

AD / We decided to think about the film as a time capsule, we wanted to evoke a sense of nostalgia for a world lost. There’s this air of peace, civility, normality which is far removed from what we are seeing and hearing about Ukraine and Russia at present, and for us it was difficult to escape that sense of tragedy, and loss of peace. We tried to balance that sense of loss with the spirit of optimism and wonder in the film. There are also moments of high energy which we pair with the experimental sections of frenetic editing. The film also treats the medium of cinema as almost magical, and we wanted to reflect the sense of wonder that early cinema audiences may have felt. We’ve worked with you before to accompany silent films in the past. It’s rare that a band accompanies a silent film.

RH / What’s your approach to crafting a musical response to a film?

AD / Previously we have created entirely new music for our live performances for The Passion of Joan of Arc, The Last Laugh, both of which had strong characters and narrative structures. With this film, even though there is no narrative, it is organised into 6 chapters, plus a prologue, and opening credits. This gave us a strong structure to work with, inside each chapter there we identified smaller sequences, to which we could attach a single musical piece. This film was cobbled together from an abandoned project and new footage filmed, and we have adopted a similar approach, repurposing some of our existing material, and creating some new pieces specifically for this film and performance. Typically we view the film to identify scenes, characters, or motifs to which we can attach musical ideas. We will try a few ideas against scenes and quite quickly identify if something is working, or to what tempo the sequences respond well. In some cases we had an existing piece that worked well for one sequence, we could then craft a complementary piece which rounded out the remainder of the chapter. We also developed one or two novel musical motifs which could recur throughout the film to help reinforce the sense of an over-arching theme and cohesion.

RH / You’ve previously worked with filmmakers to create a film score. How is this process for ‘Man with a Movie Camera’ different to scoring a film? Is it different?

AD / Often, but not always, with scoring a contemporary film, the filmmaker will provide some direction for the music they want in their film, and editor will have worked with a “temp score” to help them pace a scene, or emphasise moments of emotion or action. Silent films were usually soundtracked by a live ensemble in the theatre, but a few recordings exist of these. So, when we sit down to score a silent film, we’re beginning with almost zero musical direction, certainly not from the filmmaker themselves. Rather than scoring precise moments, we’re instead trying to create a sustained mood or transition in moods throughout a sequence. The structure and pacing of silent films is typically slower than contemporary films and allows us the accompaniment to take more time to develop and to resolve in more a musically intuitive manner.

Rosie Hays is Associate Curator, Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA

Upcoming live music & film

Live Music & Film: Man with a Movie Camera 1929
Live Music & Film: Lines 2021
Live Music & Film: Harlem Streets to Stockholm Symphony 1937
Live Music & Film: City Visions, Cairo to New York 1930–2019
Live Music & Film: People on Sunday 1930
Live Music & Film: The Poetic Cities of Joris Ivens 1929
Live Music & Film: Calcutta 1969
Live Music & Film: Berlin, Symphony of a Great City 1927
Live Music & Film: Nothing But Time 1921–2012
Live Music & Film: Man With a Movie Camera (with violin) 1929

City Symphony special ticket offer

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Buy 5 to 9 tickets and receive at 10% discount.
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    Live Music & Film: Man with a Movie Camera meets Man with Violin

    Live Music & Film returns to the Australian Cinémathèque, GOMA at 11am on Sunday 25 February 2024 with the joyous Man with a Movie Camera 1929 and a live score played on stage by Jonny Ng from Camerata — Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra. Shot by a Polish filmmaker in Moscow as well as Odesa and Kyiv (both then in the USSR, now in Ukraine), the film was initially labelled ‘cine-hooliganism’ for its bold filmmaking. Man with a Movie Camera delights in the possibilities of cinema, embracing the roles played by those making the films as much as those in front of the lens. The cameraman is celebrated as a heroic innovator, who daringly shoots from the top of a moving train or cranks the camera while riding in an open-top car capturing the traffic and the people travelling around him. Our musician Jonny has crafted his live score which, like all our performances, will be partly improvised and partly pre-prepared. We asked him about the film and the music he’s planning to play. Get tickets Man with a Movie Camera Australian Cinémathèque, GOMA 11.00am, Sunday 25 February 2024 Rosie Hays / What were your first impressions of the film ‘Man with a Movie Camera’ and what did it inspire? Jonny Ng / Man With A Movie Camera was truly captivating on first watch. I marvelled at the technical skill and artistry that went into its creation and found the experience a joyous one, a celebration of everyday life and a glimpse into a window of time in history. Although filmed in Soviet Russia a century ago, it was intriguing how relevant and relatable this film is now and how Dziga Vertov had such a masterful eye to provide such timeless insight into humanity. There are some very poignant moments scattered throughout the film, for example one scene cuts between a couple getting married, a woman giving birth, and a funeral procession. There was also at times an enigmatic feeling I got from the film which I hope to explore in my musical response. Rosie Hays / What kind of mood should the audience expect for your live score and what music and / or instruments can the audience expect for this performance? Jonny Ng / I aim to capture the energy of the film through a mix of Russian folk music, cinematic soundscapes and minimalism, and of course Russian Soviet music from the time of the film. The mood will primarily be passionate and joyful but will also flicker between being reflective, darkly chromatic, and wistful. In addition to playing violin, viola, and piano live, all other music will be recorded by me on piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, percussion instruments, as well as other peculiar items from around the house like a biscuit tin, Lindt bunny bells, my mobile phone, kitchen utensils. I will also be using prepared piano to add further texture and percussive effects to the score. Rosie Hays / Did you watch the film with its soundtrack, or do you prefer to encounter it without sound when you start to think about what music you’ll make? Jonny Ng / Watching the film in its original silent form was important to me. I wanted the first viewing to be unadulterated which would allow for musical ideas to form in my head while experiencing the film. I also find that music in a film can at times be quite distracting as I am always instantly drawn to the music and trained to actively listen with a critical ear so I wanted to eliminate that distraction. I also wanted to be free from influence of other musical interpretations of the film so the final result was more authentically my response. Rosie Hays / In your role as Principal 2nd Violin with Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, you’ve previously performed live scores for films. Is this process for ‘Man With a Movie Camera’ similar or quite different? What’s your approach to crafting a musical response to a film? Jonny Ng / The process is very similar here but the only difference is that I am responding to the entirety of the film. In past responses with my Camerata colleagues, we have very democratically divided up the response in equal portions of the film which we were able to stitch together to create a beautifully cohesive score. This film does have 6 very distinct sections which helps make the process easier. I first noted down what I thought was the general feeling or mood of each section. Then, I flagged specific scenes throughout the film that elicited strong responses in me so I can try and highlight these moments with my musical choices. I have a long list of existing compositions that I feel could marry well with the film so it will be a delightful puzzle of mixing and matching parts of these works with my own composition and improvised music. I will be sat at the piano with violin and viola at the ready and play while I am watching the film to see what works. Rosie Hays / You’ve mentioned in a previous interview that music gives us the ability to connect with people as well as greater empathy and sensitivity to emotions. ‘Man With a Movie Camera’ strikes me as a film that is very interested in the human condition and perhaps has almost an awe for the capabilities of humanity. I’m curious to know if you intend to heighten audience sensitivity or build empathy with a particular aspect of the film. Jonny Ng /Music has the power to cross boundaries, to create change, to build community, to endure and it is my belief that music is an art form that represents humanity distilled into its essence. So, I really hope that I am able to add to the audience experience of this enduring film and provide a unique interpretation of it through my own...
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    Fairy Tale Live Music & Film: The Adventures of Prince Achmed

    Join us for a magical fairy tale event on Sunday 3 December at 11am — the intricate and enchanting 1926 silent film The Adventures of Prince Achmed will feature a live score performed on stage by music duo Dva — Linsey Pollak and Tunji Beier. Screening as part of the ‘Fairy Tale’ film program, The Adventures of Prince Achmed is a journey through the tales of the Arabian nights by director Lotte Reiniger who crafted the film across three years. An ornate animation that is bathed in exquisite colour tinting, the story includes a flying horse, a wicked sorcerer and a brave prince. RELATED: Journey through the Fairy Tales exhibition with our weekly series ‘Fairy Tales’ Assistant Curator Sophie Hopmeier spoke with percussionist Tunji Beier about the forthcoming Live Music & Film event for The Adventures of Prince Achmed. Sophie Hopmeier / Firstly, I’m intrigued to know what you both thought when you encountered ‘The Adventures of Prince Achmed’. Tunji Beier /We were quite intrigued by the look and technique of the film. Although using traditional shadow puppetry it has a very contemporary feel to it. Sophie Hopmeier / You and Linsey both mention that collaboration with other musicians is a part of music-making that lights you up and gives you joy. When we brief musicians about the process for creating a live score for a silent film, we often ask the musicians to think of the film or the filmmaker as a creative collaborator. The intention of this framing is to start musicians thinking about the film as a creative piece to listen and respond to, we find that creates a deeper, more nuanced engagement. How did you start to think about the music for this film when it’s not possible to have a conversation with the people who made it and it was produced almost 100 years ago? Tunji Beier /The way we work is very much to respond to the images and story, we use improvisation to find tones and textures of music that we feel is right. Improvisation is our form of expression, initially just looking for combinations of instruments and sounds and then formalising it to go with the scenes of the film. Formalising in a very broad sense, we find a mood and a collection of sounds and then improvise from that point. We only mark scenes and what instruments or sounds we want in that scene, the rest is free. This way of performing helps us to keep it spontaneous, fresh and exciting. Sophie Hopmeier / ‘The Adventures of Prince Achmed’ reflects an interesting range of cultures. It is inspired by the stories of Arabian Nights, it is made by a German animator, Lotte Reininger, and the exquisite imagery is reminiscent of both Hans Christian Andersen’s paper cuts and the Indonesian tradition of shadow puppetry Wayang. Your performances draw from many different music traditions, I wondered if there were particular music styles that you felt suited this story, what were they and how do you blend them? Tunji Beier /There have been some moments that lend themselves to a particular feel like the festival scene at the beginning of the film, here we are using an up-tempo Punjabi style groove with the Medieval Shawm — from the oboe family. Sophie Hopmeier / Dva is a duo. I’d love to hear about the different musical sensibilities you each bring to the performance and what instruments or mood the audience might expect. Tunji Beier /Dva’s music is unique in its own way. Our performances are fully improvised, not knowing what instrument will be picked up next, or who will start, or what time signature or key it might be in. Sometimes changing time signatures a few times in a piece of music. As we have been playing together for over 25 years it makes this kind of spontaneous playing possible. It is hard to define Dva’s music but we can say that Macedonia, India, West Africa and the Middle East play a big role in how we create our music. We often use drones and our music is mostly in modes (scales) from form the Middle East to India. Dr Sophie Hopmeier is ‘Fairy Tales’ Assistant Curator and Assistant Curator, Australian Cinémathèque, QAGOMA Get tickets | Upcoming ‘Fairy Tales’ Live Music & Film Live Music & Film: Claire 2001 11.00am, Sunday 3 March 2024 | TICKETED Organist David Bailey will provide newly composed live accompaniment to the film on the Gallery’s 1929 Wurlitzer organ. Live Music & Film: Häxan 1922 6.30pm, Friday 5 April 2024 | TICKETED Post classical composer Madeleine Cocolas will provide newly composed live accompaniment to the film. View the Fairy Tales Film Program The ‘Fairy Tales’ exhibition is at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Australia from 2 December 2023 until 28 April 2024. ‘Fairy Tales Cinema: Truth, Power and Enchantment‘ screens at the Australian Cinémathèque, GOMA from 2 December 2023 until 28 April 2024. The major publication ‘Fairy Tales in Art and Film’ available at the QAGOMA Store and online explores how fairy tales have held our fascination for centuries through art and culture. The Australian Cinémathèque The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) is the only Australian art gallery with purpose-built facilities dedicated to film and the moving image. The Australian Cinémathèque at GOMA provides an ongoing program of film and video that you’re unlikely to see elsewhere, offering a rich and diverse experience of the moving image, showcasing the work of influential filmmakers and international cinema, rare 35mm prints, recent restorations and silent films with live musical accompaniment by local musicians or on the Gallery’s Wurlitzer organ originally installed in Brisbane’s Regent Theatre in November 1929.