This is a film about Plato’s ideas. It is about Stanley who thinks things into existence. He thinks of fire and fire appears. He thinks of rocks, water and trees and they too appear. He even manages to think a horse and a baby boy into existence. Or does he? While Stanley is busy concentrating, his reflection is behaving inappropriately. The two begin a dialogue in the tradition of Socrates and his pupils. The reflection proves the wiser and though Stanley believes himself to be the ‘real’ Stanley and the other the reflection, he discovers that this is not the case after all.
A mind’s eye , 35mm, 2009, 12 mins
Writer & Director: Joanna Callaghan
Cast: James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Roger Hammond
Composer: Peter Coyte
Cinematographer: Joachim Bergamin
Editor: Jaime Estrada Torres
Produced: Heraclitus Pictures
Funded: Arts & Humanities Research Council & University of Bedfordshire
Screened: Whitechapel Art Gallery, hat Factory Luton, Nottingham Playhouse, 50+ academic presentations
Review: Cecilia Wee on AP Engine
Published: Screenworks Volume 3
Exhibited: Ikonoklash, Centro Cultural de Lagos, Portugal
Exhibition catalogue:
Inquiry Through Practice – Making of Documentary
HDV, 2009, 10 minutes
This making of documentary examines the research and background to the 35mm film ‘A mind’s eye’ written and directed by Joanna Callaghan. Through interviews with the director, actors, crew and students an insight is provided into practice-based research processes.
Directed: Craig Rook
Camera & Editing: Rob Munday
Produced: Heraclitus Pictures
Funded: Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning, University of Bedfordshire