Chrys Salt
I am in the process of making a forty minute artists’ film based on my narrative poetry sequence Skookum Jim and The Klondike Gold Rush (Indigo Dreams Publishing 2020). It is the collaborative work of Scottish artist and film-maker Ken Smyth, composer and musical director Richard Ingham, a five piece band with readings by me and Canadian actor and broadcaster Peter Marinker.
The film, Skookum Jim and the American Dream, explores the impact of the Klondike gold rush on both the indigenous people of Yukon in north-west Canada, and on the fake-news-inspired stampede of get-rich-quick prospectors. It raises issues of racism, cultural imperialism and environmental destruction.
We plan to offer it for free, as a download to venues and Festivals world-wide but we are also offering a number of live performance options depending on budgetary constraints. We have already received some very encouraging letters of interest!
This from composer Richard Ingham in response to his work on the film. ‘ I’m glad you like the music. It’s been a blast writing it, working with some of my favourite musicians and editing and mixing. And the team you have brought together is a joy to work with. I’ve learnt a lot about studio techniques in the process. As an unexpected spin-off of lockdown ‘needs must’ has provided ongoing skills development which will bear fruit in subsequent projects’.
Thanks to this generous funding from Creative Scotland eight talented creatives have been gainfully employed in an exciting and innovative project that has kept their creative juices flowing in one of the most difficult or years for the arts. We have learned new skills, built creative alliances which we will certainly carry over into fresh initiatives. We hope to the film will be available for ‘general release’ by the end of June.
