Screen Magazine - Index

Screen Magazine - Screen Magazine: Vol. 29, Issue 20 - Index

Kai Harding’s “.butterfly.” Sets A Muse in Motion
By: Matt Fagerholm
In the brooding
darkness of an empty
soundstage, a young
man is visited by the
luminous apparition
of a young woman.
She dances before
him, striking poses
in mid-twirl as her
movements forge an
ominous duet with
his poetic stream
of words. Is she the
ghost of a former
lover or the idealized
embodiment of his
artistic muse?
This is one of many
questions viewers may
have while watching
the intriguing new
short “.butterfly.”
from production
company Kai Harding
in Chicago. It is also
the latest project from
filmmaker Chris Olsen,
who has served as
producer, director
and visual effects
guru for Kai Harding
since August 2005. The
company has specialized
in everything from film
design and visual effects
to 3D animation and
interactive development.
“Our specialty is best
summarized as motion
over time with design,”
Olsen said. “I look at every
project with completely
fresh eyes to determine
what is the right way
to tell this story, and it
might not be through
filmmaking. It might be
an improvisational acting group on a subway station, or a print for
a giant billboard.”
Olsen’s love for the performing arts is clearly reflected in “.butterfly.”
which tells its story through a mixture of dance, lighting and a
theatrical monologue delivered by the male character. Yet Olsen
insists that cinema was the only medium in which this story could
be told, since the cinematography and editing were integral to the
storytelling process. The absence of a musical score allows viewers
to focus solely on the sounds made by the two performers.
“I wanted every sound that was natural to that environment to be
there,” Olsen said. “The room is like a void, and [the actor’s] voice
drives everything.”
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His previous directorial effort for Kai Harding was the Emmynominated
documentary, “The Artsiders,” which featured a
diverse group of Midwestern sculptors, dancers, actors and
performers who use art as a form of self-expression. Olsen
says the film reflects his own beliefs about the transformative
power of the artistic process.
“I think so many people in the performing arts enjoy what
they’re doing because it allows them to be alive and
maybe go outside their comfort zone,” Olsen said. “That’s
also what relationships are like too, when you’re falling in
love you’re sharing things about yourself that not everyone
knows. It’s about that opening up and feeling alive.”
This idea is at the heart of “.butterfly.,” which parallels the
passion brought about by love and art. The film will screen
three times at the Chicago International Film Festival,
which runs from October 16 through 29, as part of the
“Illinoisemakers” shorts program.
For his future work at Kai Harding, Olsen says that he will continue
to encourage free expression, finding storytelling techniques
that are both innovative and strategic, and crafting a rewarding
experience that stays with the viewer. He feels that it’s an
especially important time for the arts, considering the current state
of the world.
“Art helps us remain human,” Olsen said. “It’s about appreciating
all the wonder that the world has to offer.”
//www.kaiharding.com
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