Baltic Analog Lab invites you to a two-day creative workshop using our very special Neilson-Hordell optical printer, led by the wonderful film artist and master of photochemical techniques RioJim (Etienne Caire) from Grenoble, France. This intensive, hands-on workshop will offer an in-depth exploration of special effects and creative possibilities using this rare piece of equipment.

During the workshop, we will create film copies using found or participants’ own black-and-white and colour 16mm film footage, which will be optically printed onto colour print stock. Through this process, we will explore the fascinating relationships between film, light, and chemistry.

We will then experiment with editing and printing techniques to create different variations of the original footage, transforming it into new narratives, images, and sensations. By playing with chemical processes, exposure, light, creative arrangements, and other experimental approaches, we will work with short film fragments to construct film loops.

Participants will learn how to operate the optical printer and explore its wide range of special effects, as well as how to produce 16mm film duplicates from various types of film material. By transferring these images onto colour print stock, we will experiment with achieving vivid, saturated colours and striking visual effects reminiscent of graphic art and printmaking techniques. Alongside optical printing, we will also explore colour photochemistry and hands-on film processing in the laboratory.

Finally, by projecting our short film loops using 16mm film projectors, we will enter the world of expanded cinema, experimenting with multiple projectors simultaneously to create layered, immersive moving-image experiences.

Étienne Caire (France) is a filmmaker working with photochemical processes and live expanded cinema performances, often under the pseudonym RioJim. He is particularly drawn to abstract animation and to physically transforming film images through creative chemical processes. With over 20 years of experience in experimental cinema, RioJim has been a member of L’Abominable’s “102” space dedicated to experimental art and a co-founder of MTK, one of Europe’s first artist-run film laboratories, based in Grenoble.

Participation fee: 60 EUR
Participation is limited to 8 participants.
Registration by email: balticanaloglab@gmail.com
The workshop will be conducted in English.

Supported by Latvian State Culture Capital foundation and Riga City Council