Labor In A Single Shot
Students are asked to engage with a poetic and cinematic exploration of labor through the creation of a single-shot video. Inspired by the global workshops initiated by Antje Ehmann and Harun Farocki, the project challenges students to create 1- to 2-minute videos using a single, unbroken shot. Whether the camera is static, panning, or traveling, the absence of cuts pushes filmmakers to explore the interplay between structure and spontaneity in their storytelling.
Informed by selected writings of Hito Steyerl, the focus of the project is labor in all its forms—paid or unpaid, traditional or modern, visible or obscured. From the intricate choreography of manual work to the unseen processes shaping our world, this project asks participants to investigate what defines and distinguishes labor across different contexts.
The single-shot format raises questions about cinematic technique and narrative form. Students must consider how to begin and end a sequence, whether to let the camera remain still or follow the action, and how to let the natural rhythm of labor guide the composition.
By exploring labor through this focused lens, students discover how even the simplest acts can carry suspense, surprise, and narrative depth. The project fosters a heightened awareness of the world’s hidden dynamics, urging students to not only capture motion but also to understand its context and meaning.
Ana Richards, BFA ‘27
Lila Condie, BFA ‘27
Sawyer Wiggins, BFA ‘27
Students are asked to engage with a poetic and cinematic exploration of labor through the creation of a single-shot video. Inspired by the global workshops initiated by Antje Ehmann and Harun Farocki, the project challenges students to create 1- to 2-minute videos using a single, unbroken shot. Whether the camera is static, panning, or traveling, the absence of cuts pushes filmmakers to explore the interplay between structure and spontaneity in their storytelling.
Informed by selected writings of Hito Steyerl, the focus of the project is labor in all its forms—paid or unpaid, traditional or modern, visible or obscured. From the intricate choreography of manual work to the unseen processes shaping our world, this project asks participants to investigate what defines and distinguishes labor across different contexts.
The single-shot format raises questions about cinematic technique and narrative form. Students must consider how to begin and end a sequence, whether to let the camera remain still or follow the action, and how to let the natural rhythm of labor guide the composition.
By exploring labor through this focused lens, students discover how even the simplest acts can carry suspense, surprise, and narrative depth. The project fosters a heightened awareness of the world’s hidden dynamics, urging students to not only capture motion but also to understand its context and meaning.
Ana Richards, BFA ‘27
Lila Condie, BFA ‘27
Sawyer Wiggins, BFA ‘27