Abstract

This was a paper given at Attention: Detail symposium at Nottingham Trent University as part of Summer Lodge on Friday 3rd July 2015.
"For several years I was a projectionist and this time has had a major impact on how I look and think as an artist. The projectionist has a unique and rather strange way of viewing films. As the end of the reel approaches the projectionist forensically examines the film, keeping a watchful eye out for the cue-dots. These tiny, round scratches or holes appear in the right hand corner and tell the projectionist that they must start the motor of the machine and get ready for the ‘changeover’. As they only appear for one-sixth of a second, there is an enormous amount of attention focused on this point. Time slows down and the sense of heightened awareness overcomes the projectionist, this is how I feel in front of a piece of art that really ‘works’. "