Victoria folk musician Oliver Swain sums up Scene + Heard SCORED as an interesting and complex project. His musical task involved weaving in and out of the performances, augmenting mood and connecting one story to the next. While composing on bass, guitar and mandolin, Oliver immersed himself in the magical world of moving pictures. “I was like a kid in a candy shop,” he says, “awash in the rich, tactile imagery of the films and incredible commentary.”

www.oliverswainmusic.com

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Kate Cino previewed arts events for 18 years at Boulevard magazine. She has a History in Art degree and a Public Relations certificate from the University of Victoria.

kate-cino@shaw.ca  250 598-4009

Oliver has just returned from touring with Big Machine, his new six-piece band

that includes world music and original tunes. The busy man is also Artistic Director of the Lower Island FolkFest Society. Oliver is interested in the multi-media communication found in Scene + Heard SCORED. “It’s a challenge to move forward,” he says, “without loosing our valuable traditions.” In performance, Oliver integrates state of the art sound equipment with 100 year old instruments.

Rob Hunter (right) collaborated with filmmaker Scott Amos in Between.

After researching his roots, Rob envisioned three ancestors from his Cree/Métis/Scottish heritage. He asks them questions: where are they and what do they have to share?

Rob’s family research generated many new stories and fostered a sense of resilience and self-respect. “Through all the changes and upheaval,” he says, “my people still managed to find joy and give love.”

Rob’s great-great grandmother Kokûm, a Cree woman from Saskatchewan, communicates her love by making bannock. His rollicking Métis grandfather clears away all the furniture in the house so they can dance. (Rob plays a trombone and step dances in this lively section.)The Scottish ancestor, who settled in Saskatchewan and ran a horse stable, prescribes good manners and respectful behaviour.

Filmmaker Scott Amos draws from a diverse pool of archival images. Scott is a graduate student and TA in the Creative Writing department at UVic. He calls himself a “mad scientist type” who combines wind-up film and cutting edge technology in search of happy accidents and unusual phenomenon. www.oilyfilms.com

Scott Amos in dark room lab with red lighting.

“Rob is an amazing story-teller,” says Scott, “very articulate and animated. He manages to narrate, sing, dance, play the trombone and hand-drum.” Running his film through a musical keyboard allows Scott to synchronize his images with the speaker’s rhythm.

For example, when Rob blows on the fire of his Cree relation, the film image brightens.

At other times, Rob’s hand drum activates the images. Each performance varies slightly and requires both artists to be present.

Lina de Guevara founded the PUENTE Theatre Society in 1988. As an immigrant to Canada she felt compelled to tell her story and connect with the Victoria arts community. Puente is the Spanish word for “bridge”.

Lina is proud of the success of Puente Theatre and feels it’s a good time to step aside and welcome a new Artistic Director. “At 77, I have a hard time thinking ahead five years,” she says. “But I’ll continue to teach, direct and mentor.”

“This is an unusual project with fantastic music,” says Lina. Oliver Swain’s live score contributes fresh insights, atmosphere and continuity to the 75 minute performance. She’s impressed by the talent found at CineVic: Society of Independent Filmmakers. The oldest form of storytelling and the modern genre of film are complimentary.

All performances at Metro Theatre Studio, 1411 Quadra at Johnson. Friday Feb 25, Saturday Feb 26 and Sunday Feb 27 at 8 PM. Saturday matinee at 2 PM. Tickets: $15.  Info at: 250-590-4083 or visit www.puentetheatre.ca

Film image by Scott Amos from Between.