Death Breathing

The changing focus in this film imitates the act of breathing, particularly my own, as I was changing the focus of the lens in time with my own slow breath. I wanted to capture the claustrophobic version of living that cities often demand from us. Coincidentally a crow landed on the building outside and this reminded me of the many ancient myths and beliefs we attribute to them. Crows are often seen as the bringers of death (one crow for sorrow etc.), hence the title being ‘Death Breathing’. This also links to explorations of the death of the mind and ego, which can come about through mindful breathing and meditation. In my eyes, the strange juxtaposition of claustrophobic buildings and expansive breath meditation creates an unsettling atmosphere in the film.

The music was created from layers of bass viol, which I recorded individually myself. Some layers relate purely to the focus motion and others are linked to the birds (mostly seagulls!) flying overhead.