Satellit

Three colourful characters attempt to communicate with each other across time and space. It doesn’t always work out because sometimes there’s noise on the line, and sometimes things go wrong. But the movement forms a choreography in the end.

CONCEPT

The narrative of Satellit was based on a feeling of isolation. Each character is placed in its own inner world from which it tries to communicate with the other two. None of the characters can see what is going on inside of the others.
The narrative is build around the choreography, that has three layers:

1. The dance in front of the camera.
2. The movement of the camera in relation to the dance in front of the camera.
3. The camera movement that travels across the edit.

The choreography is based on extensive research on how to reestablish the kinaesthetic experience on screen, that one can have while watching a live performance. Through the body movement and filmic elements, we wanted to make a film that is dancing in every element to let the audience feel the film.
The dance material is initiated by the extremities of the body: fingers, head and feet, that function as antennas. When the dancers receive a signal, the body reacts by shaking, jumping, turning, falling, sinking or another movement, that develops the next signal to be send.
The camera movements across the editing was developed alongside the dance. In order to have continuous directions, we edited all rehearsal material before we filmed the actual footage.

The aesthetics of the film is inspired by TV for children and computer games, accompanied by a music score and sound design highly inspired by 8-bit used in older computer games.

Satellit won the category ‘Best Experiment’ at the Ekko Shortlist Awards 2014, and was nominated for two categories ‘Best Editing’ and ‘Best Original Music’.

Claus Christensen, editor-in-chief Filmmagazine Ekko, 5/8/2013:
There is probably no subject, that interests me less than modern dance, but the production company  Friishaynes has decided to revitalise dance film in a way that is deeply catching and fascinating… with Satellit they have taken a step further and produced choreographer and director Maia Elisabeth Sørensen, who has created a complete, abstract dance film filled with humour.
The dancers are Nanna Schaumburg-Müller, Kristina Skovby and the director herself Maia Elisabeth Sørensen. Nevin Eronde debuts as a film composer with music, that plays congenially with the images and is half the experience…

Supported by:
Filmworkshop/Danish Film Institute, Danish Actors Association, Danish Film directors, Danmarks Nationalbanks Jubilæumsfond af 1968.

Screenings:
Sneakbar/Danish Filminstitute’s Cinemateque (Premiere), Copenhagen 2013
Trailerpark Art and Music Festival, Copenhagen 2013
Ekko Shortlist, online 2013
Kort at Kino Kino, Norway 2013
VideodanzaBa, Buenos Aires 2013
Sneakbar Nørrebro, Copenhagen 2014
Cinedans Dance on Screen Festival, Amsterdam 2014
Loikka Dance Film Festival, Helsinki 2014
InShadow Festival, Lisbon 2014
Festival de videodanse Bourgogne, Burgundy 2014
Agite y Sirva, Mexico 2014
Loikka Kick Off, Helsinki 2015
Homester (online platform) 2020 and more…

Credits:
Performance by: Nanna Schaumburg-Müller, Kristina Skovby, Maia Elisabeth Sørensen
Choreography: Maia Elisabeth Sørensen in collaboration with performers
Assistant Choreographer: Kristina Skovby
Director of photography: Mathias Tegtmeier
1st ACs: Daniel Bezaras, Mathias Wandel
Editor: Carla Luffe
Assistant editors: Stephanie Bruhns, Benjamin Nordsø
Composer: Nevin Fronde
Sound designer: Toke Gelardi
Additional sound design: Camilla Barratt-Due
Sound recordist: Kathrine Kastholm Vimpel
Costume design: Line Frank
Tailor: Anna-Maria Barse
Hair and make-up: Maria Østergaard
Online and color grade: Ricco Højland Hansen
Graphics: Kim Lykke Jensen
Production manager: Nanna Dahm
Runners: Henrik Arnrød, Mattias Agerskov
Producer: Mille Haynes
Executive producers: Maja Friis, Mille Haynes, Friishaynes APS
Written and directed by: Maia Elisabeth Sørensen