The Making of FQ, or How to Pick up Pellets of Information in the Clouds of Fantasy

Abstract

In an attempt to look at how content could be developed in dialogue with the use of visual documentary material, this article traces key ideas and references that were important to the making of an animation “FQ”. A research blog, personal notes and references are used to reflect on the work. The animation was based on historical portraits of the Norwegian political pioneer, Fredrikke Marie Qvam (1843-1938), and created for outdoor screening in the main square in her home town. Research and documentary material formed a base for an animation that was conceptually inspired by photo theories from diverse sources as well as feminist film theories of the gaze. In the process, imagination and fantasy plays into the treatment of the documentary material while the local viewing situation anchors the work in a biographical context.