Hi! How are you? We’re back! In this issue:
Subways of the world
Back in the Dazed
Bradford Movie Makers
Bop to the top
As a kid I was always mesmerised by city life; gazing out at a traffic jam from a hotel room in Barcelona, or squinting at the lights to make an in-camera (eye) bokeh when dad was driving us out of London. Even growing up in leafy Baildon, I could see the flash of the train passing up the road like a long exposure (if I proper craned my neck out my bedroom window). And what’s more emblematic of city life than the thundering, rumbling, screeching rhythms of a subway system? Here, some postcards from travels past.
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There’s a Rankin retrospective at 180 Studios where the influence of Dazed slaps you in the face; every pic is iconic af. Emulated to this day, it’s a salient snapshot of British youth culture between 1991-2001, and honestly can make you realise the influences you hold inherently, seeing the world in new ways through the lens. What more could you ask for? Especially as, as my friend Nina put it, the beautiful dichotomy of editorial photography in everyday settings is basically everywhere you look now.
Back in the Dazed is at 180 Studios, The Strand, London. But hurry! Ends June 23.
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Recently, my friend Will rightfully chastised me for not having seen A Bunch of Amateurs, which I’ve since rectified. A heartwarming and often hilarious documentary about a long-running group of amateur filmmakers in Bradford; I guess I have a personal connection to it as I was once asked to present some of my shorts and music videos there as a guest speaker, way back in 2011. It was super early in my career, and a real honour to be asked as I was essentially screening a bunch of films I made with my mates, but they were all very warm, welcoming and graceful about it. The standout character from the doc is possibly Harry, who was also the memorable guy from my own evening there - he complained quite loudly about all young people overusing jump cuts to signify the passage of time; I found a follow-up email from the group that made me laugh.
A Bunch of Amateurs is a wonderfully well-made film about a pivotal time for the group who are relentlessly maintaining the upkeep of their little space in a fairly random part of town. It’s such a refreshing reminder that inspiration, passion and ambition can be untethered to competition and industry-driven measures of success.
Watch it on iPlayer and if you like, one of the videos I showed all that time ago.
I’ve done you some little bops that might evoke at least a shoulder shimmy.
That’s all folks. Don’t forget to email me if you like the newsletter, recommend a song for the playlist or just say hi: jenmorrisjenmorris@gmail.com.
Until next time!