Behind the Scenes: Pick

Through the use of an 8mm camera and heavy emphasis on abstract imagery, Benjamin Ross Hayden depicts the shattered lives of two souls trapped in purgatory in his experimental film, Pick. Hayden bestows tribute on the city of Calgary and its rich history by paying homage to the violent riots that swept the streets of downtown Calgary on Oct. 11, 1916. His movie has received much recognition from various Calgary newspapers and festivals. In a Dali-esque fashion, Pick will immerse viewers, even shock some, but undeniably provide a glimpse in to the meticulous and creative realm of Hayden's mind; which is what filmmaking is ultimately all about. Benjamin Ross Hayden was able to answer a few of Inside Beat's questions about Pick.

Inside Beat: How did you initially come about with the idea for Pick?

Benjamin Ross Hayden: My concerns about purgatory and perpetual realms sparked the idea for Pick. When thinking about the afterlife with regard to environments charged with ghostly presence; I wonder what the ghosts are thinking? How are they unaffected by our idea of chronological time? How does their universe operate?

IB: Why did you specifically call your film Pick?

BRH: The pick is a symbol for the "inter" aspect of a pick's main function, insertion. It is a physical metaphor for dimensions. The characters are the pick and the ice is the purgatory, they are frozenin time.

IB: Why did you decide to use abstract images as symbols of the violence of the riot?

BRH: I have a spiritual connection with artifacts. To me, they become charged when experiences occur around that item. …It is a concept any storyteller can empathize with.

IB: Did any films/directors influence your style for Pick?

BRH: Maya Deren's Meshes of the Afternoon is an inspiring experimental film distinct from any conventional narrative model … Guy Maddin's film My Winnipeg mythologizes his hometown. I am also interested in experimentally referencing my city, Calgary, while doing so from the basement of a forgotten boudoir. Salvador Dali's Un Chien Andalou holds an abrasive moment in film history; a damsel's eye is slit. I am captivated by that visceral moment.

IB: What is the main message you want to convey to your audience?

BRH: I want to convey the possibility of realms beyond our living experience. I want to tell a ghost story in a way operative to how a ghost would experience it. I want audiences to open their minds to alternate modes of storytelling, to appreciate cinematic form and its potentialities.

Be sure to catch the premiere of Benjamin Ross Hayden's Pick at the 2011 United States Super 8 Film & Digital Video Festival in Voorhees Hall Room 105 on the College Avenue campus at 7 p.m. on Feb. 8. Tickets are $9 for students. For more information, visit njfilmfest.com