Some works are more pivotal for an artist than others. In 2010 I made a film called Of Unknown Origin, a short experimental animation about a paranormal researcher from the North of England and the extraordinary tape recordings he made in the 1970s. It marked something of a breakthrough for me in a number of ways; it began a new phase in my work and in its short production period I discovered key techniques and methods which I am still exploring today.
In this article I’m going to dig into some of the process, background and context of the film, in the hope that it might open up some productive thoughts and ideas for others1.
Of Unknown Origin (2010) by Edwin Rostron
“We stand at the threshold of new discoveries and a breakthrough may occur at any time.” - Raymond Cass, EVP researcher
Of Unknown Origin was made as a commission for Animate Projects in 2010. They asked for “experimental works that explore the theme of the ‘rough machine’ … We’re looking for crafty provocations - antidotes to digital perfection.” The brief seemed unusually relevant to my work and so I submitted a proposal: