Our man with the camera, Todd Raviotta, is really carving out a niche for himself with his photoanimations documenting the goings-on in the RVA art scene. These combinations of thousands of still photos into videos that come damn close to approximating the speed and smooth movements of film never fail to capture my attention. And of course, it's always gonna be even better when said photoanimation features lots and lots of fire. Todd's blurred still images, which retain the trails of bright, rapid movements, do a better job of capturing the intense, flowing beauty of the fire dancing regularly performed by Party Liberation Front members at Gallery 5-based First Friday events like this one. It's awesome to watch in person, but Todd's video is every bit as cool, and crams an amazing amount of action, movement, and artistic cameraderie into what is barely more than two minutes of footage. Check it out.
PLF Full Moon April Foolishness 2012 from Todd Raviotta on Vimeo.
And as a bonus, we have Jim Nelson's film of the same event, which is a conventional moving image video. It captures a whole different side of the same event, bringing in a moodier, more contemplative feel than that of Todd's rapidly flowing photoanimation. Nelson is able to linger for longer over some of the performances, and does a great job of documenting some of the more insane feats of the evening--fire-spitting, of course, as well as two-person juggling and baton-tossing, both involving objects engulfed in flames. But this performance was about more than just fire, and Nelson's video also features an extended belly dance sequence. All in all, both of these videos are equally worth watching, so make sure you check them out.
First Fridays, April 2012 from Jim Nelson on Vimeo.
Also, be sure to mark your calendar for PLF's next big First Friday Street Jam, happening on May 4 at Gallery 5 (200 W. Marshall St.). If you think these videos are cool, then you shouldn't miss the opportunity to make the scene in person. And keep up with everything the Party Liberation Front has going on around town by clicking HERE.
Videos by Todd Raviotta and Jim Nelson
Top Image by Joshua Cunningham
Words by Andrew Necci