“Humanity’s self-alienation has reached such a degree that it can experience its own destruction as an aesthetic pleasure of the first order.”

― Walter Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

The Learning Co-operative is delighted to be running a ‘radical approaches to filmmaking’ course beginning in late May 2022. To give people an idea of what they can expect, we’ve organised a taster session with the course conveners, Úna O'Sullivan and James Redmond.

Filmmaking through the years has been a tool of social upheaval and social cohesion. Its possibilities have left the hands of industry professionals using expensive equipment, to the hands of anyone with a smartphone. What does this mean for filmmakers today, and how can we use the ubiquity of these tools to revive the potential of what was once seen as the birth of a cultural revolution?

In this ten-week course, participants will discuss radical perspectives on classic and contemporary cinema, and we will explore a practical approach to filmmaking using whatever technology you have available, with a view to finishing and screening a short film by the end of the course.

Join our one-hour taster session on Thursday 19th May, 7pm-8pm BST, to meet the course conveners and find out more.

If you want to discuss the course you can get in touch with the conveners: londonlearningcoop@gmail.com.

This event is being held online via Zoom. It is free to attend, but you are welcome to buy a solidarity ticket if you can afford it. Any money raised will go towards sustaining the Learning Co-operative.

Úna O'Sullivan is an Irish filmmaker and editor of music videos, documentaries, and works of fiction. Lately, she made a film with Cut-Through Collective which was screened as part of the People's Summit for Climate Justice at COP26, about the role of science in allowing us to understand and overcome the climate crisis. She's also been working on an animated documentary about the impact of algorithms on society, with Studio RGL. Her films have appeared in festivals including Berlin Lift-Off, DisDance Film Festival and Montreal Independent Film Festival, and she has been supported by Screen Scotland.

James Redmond is a freelance digital media practitioner based in Dublin. He has previously worked as Communications Officer for Comhlamh, an organization representing returned development works in Ireland. For several years from 2009 he was a key member of staff in Dublin Community TV, an upstart attempt at building a viable outlet on the cable network. He also directed the cult feature length Notes On Rave In Dublin, and was a co-founder of rabble magazine.