HI SEBASTIAN
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT TAP?
Since around early 2019 as I recall.
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERED MEDIUM? HOW DID YOU COME ABOUT USING IT?
I predominantly work with 16mm film, specifically through curation and projection rather than the creation of original material. How exactly I got started with it is a bit of a long story but I've long held an interest in presenting artisanal filmmaking in my community, so it was inevitable that I would gravitate towards the hands-on aspect. In recent years I've been fortunate to become the caretaker of a significant archive of film prints.
IS THERE ANOTHER MEDIUM THAT YOU'VE
ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY?
I would like to learn to handle and project 35mm film at some point in my life.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A STUDIO/ CREATION IN YOUR LIFE?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF YOUR STUDIO?
That I have within reach anything I could possibly need. Not only is there a workbench where I can inspect, repair and assess film prints, but I had previously set up the space to host small scale presentations as well. There's also an extensive library I can utilize to conduct research through a variety of texts, catalogues and rare ephemera.
The studio serves as an ideal space in which I can hone my craft and refine suitable techniques and practices for film preservation and curatorial research while also housing the bulk of my 16mm film archive.
ARE THERE ANY FUN STUDIO HABITS THAT YOU HAVE DEVELOPED?
Organizing the chaos.
HOW LARGE IS YOUR COLLECTION?
At TAP alone, I have well over a thousand reels of film.
WHAT FILM IN YOUR COLLECTION HAS INSPIRED YOU THE MOST?
Some of the documentaries on Canadian painters & sculptors have made an incredible impression on me.
WHAT ABOUT MEDIA ART INSPIRES YOU?
I'm not certain I can articulate that in words, but the possibilities for expression truly are boundless.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR ARTISTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO YOU AND TO THIS ARCHIVE OF FILM HERE AT TAP'S CREATIVE HUB?
It's an important collection and deserves an audience within the community. Even beyond the artist-made works of the avant-garde or animation that encompass my own expertise, I've assembled extensive holdings in a wide range of subjects pertaining to the humanities including films on visual art, photography, poetry, literature, theatre, music & dance in addition to various documentaries examining global issues of injustice, civil rights, poverty, community organizing, feminist milestones, Indigenous subjects and the natural world. There's something for everyone and these works need to be seen and revisited. While the majority of this material was produced anywhere from 30 to 60 years ago, so much of it is as equally relevant today.
