Talking about… Elliot Caplan.

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In December 2002, whilst attending IMZ Dance Screen in Monaco, I interviewed dance film-maker Elliot Caplan as part of the research that I am doing for ‘Making Video Dance’, the work-book for dance on screen which I am currently writing.

During our chat, Elliot came up with many words of wisdom, filled with insight and inspiration, many of which will appear as quotes in the book. However, as there is unlikely to be room for them all, here are a few extras that I’d like to share with you.

First of all, however, a word or two about the artist.

Elli ot Caplan was film-maker in residence at the Cunningham Foundation in New York between 1983-1998, during which time he collaborated on many projects with Merce Cunningham and John Cage.

Highlights include the 35mm film ‘Beach Birds for Camera’, the feature length documentary ‘Cage/Cunningham’ and ‘Points in Space’, a dance for television commissioned by the BBC.

A fine art graduate, Elliot has also designed and directed theatre and created multi-screen projections for performance and video installations. He is also in great demand as a teacher, lecturer and panel member.

For more information on Elliot Caplan’s work, visit

www.picturestartfilms.com

Thoughts on making work. Elliot Caplan in conversation with Katrina McPherson, Monaco, December 2002.

On working with Merce Cunningham:

'When I was working for Merce, people always asked me “Are you doing the things you want to do?” and I actually was, but also, he was an important choreographer and the idea of only interpreting something my way wasn’t the goal. I knew I had to do something that was clear with his work, something that would last. I wanted those films to be the testament to his choreography after he’s gone.’

On collaboration:

There are many things I learned from my years with Merce and one of them has to do with flexibility. It’s not about insisting on having your way. It’s about taking in the kind of things that come your way and working with a variety of options. They might not all be good options, you might need to reject them, but some of them might be good. And then those things become part of the work. You incorporate them in the work.’

On creating beauty:

'What I bring to the things that I do has to do with my seriousness at wanting to do something that’s good. And part of “good” to me is beautiful. I actually like to make things that are beautiful, and I’ve always felt that way.”