Festival 2007 Special

“The Editing Doctor is In”

Stumbed by structural questions in your works-in-progress, scripts, and concepts?
Now is your chance to ask all the questions you never knew whom to ask. Bring your video and questions to Karen Pearlman, the dance video doctor, for one-to-one mentoring sessions in the privacy of DFA’s library.

Each 45-minute session will involve viewing your work with Karen, and talking about your intentions and visions. She will make observations about the work’s structure, emotional impact and flow of images. She can comment on scripts or concept documents, view rough cuts, fine cuts or finished films up to about 15 minutes.

Background on Karen Pearlman

Karen Pearlman, PhD., co-director with Richard James Allen of Australia’s acclaimed Physical TV Company, has edited, produced or directed a dozen award-winning productions, and danced with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. Karen is the author of “Cutting Rhythms”, a doctoral thesis which compares the art of editing to the art of choreography. Next year she will take up a position that has been specially created for her unique combination of skills at the Australian Film, Television andRadio School. Karen was the project mentor on the multi-award-winning short film TOGETHER shown at Dance on Camera Festival 2004, director of DOWN TIME JAZ shown at Dance on Camera Festival 2006, and she is the producer and editor of THURSDAY’S FICTIONS.

Karen’s comments go beyond the realm of “it works” or it is “not working” to clear articulation of what in particular is effective and how the effective aspects of a film can be enhanced and centralized. Her approach is unfailingly positive and supportive and her advice is practical and takes on board the project’s production constraints and possibilities.

What others say

“The sessions were an unqualified success and the feedback I’ve had from the directors has been excellent. They were enriched and inspired.” 
Donald Crombie, Head of Directing, Australian Film, Television and Radio School

“A nuanced, insightful and highly articulate dialogue.”
Madeleine Hetherton, Director of Together,