Running away and documenting the circus might not quite fully conjure the romance of the original phrase, but it’s not a bad way to spend a week…
Back To Ours was established by Hull 2017 as a programme of world-class cultural events taking place in community venues across the city – and they chose Nova to follow the transformation of Archbishop Sentamu Academy on Preston Road into a circus venue to house Circus Lost In Translation’s performance ‘Hotel Paradiso’.
Nova’s Harriet Jones and Josh Moore were the crew who got the job.
“We were there on-and-off for pretty much a whole week to make a film that not only showed that transformation,” explained Harriet, “but also to capture the school and community members who volunteered as performers, the way they worked with circus professionals, and all of the excitement of the event.”
Nova have a strong portfolio in documenting and promoting arts events, having worked with the British Council, the City of Culture team, Freedom, Oxford Contemporary Arts, the Ferens Art Gallery, Spencer Tunick and many others.
Why make this kind of work? Arts funding is seldom guaranteed, and arts organisations need to prove that the work they are doing reaches an audience and has the ability to affect their lives.
A well-produced, pacy, thorough short film with participants and audience talking about the work provides the kind of lively, engaging, first hand accountability that a written report simply cannot achieve.
