This was the film that spiked my interest when I found it in a shoe box, with a collection of other family movies. Google wasn't too helpful in discovering the background on this, although a Facebook conversation with somebody with insider knowledge has helped piece together the back story. The train in question was number 43121 (for all you train enthusiasts out there), which had derailed itself and some wagons north of Bedford Station, blocking the station entrance and some sidings. The event is documented here under the 1962 heading.
There's other footage also from around Bedford Station in my edit, including footage of the Midland Pullman, which gave it's name to the track (and artwork) from my Railwave album.
My Video
I decided to use this footage in an edited form, and processed using the VJ software package Resolume. The clips are structured and edited taking footage from two cine reels (Rail Crash & London & Bedford 1963), before being processed using RGB animation effects in Resolume to give some extra movement to the footage. The soundtrack was specifically composed for the video and went through a number of edits and reworkings before I was happy with the end result. I started improvising using some chord effects in Ableton, with orchestral sounds being used, creating an effect almost like the layered textures used by Steve Reich in Different Trains. I then recreated this arrangement in Logic, but using a range of synthesiser parts, almost chiptune in nature, to give an electronic edge. The version in the video below is not quite the finished audio track, you can listen to that here.
The Original unedited footage...
A little background to my 8mm Film Project
Whilst taking a look around Castle Road Bargain Alley, a local aladdin’s cave, I noticed a shoebox on the floor. Curiosity got the better of me so I took a closer look. Inside were a collection of 8mm home movies from the 1960’s. I was intrigued by the titles, so bought them and had the footage processed. I’ve begun to utilise this found footage as a visual source and inspiration for my music.
Some of these are heavily processed and almost music video in style. Some of them have light editing and FX in order to add some style and motion to the footage, and some of them are untouched, and used simply and inspiration for music.
