Elemental

Interview with Elizabeth Wadium

Director Elizabeth Wadium
Directors of Photography Elizabeth Wadium & Aaron Granat
Choreographers Solomon Roller
Dancer Solomon Roller
Composer Aaron Granat

Elemental is a reframing of the natural world through movement and a reframing of movement through novel environments. Madison, WI based hip-hop dancer Solomon Roller interprets beautiful Wisconsin nature through dance, a form of expression he has been developing and refining for over a decade. The original soundtrack features audio samples taken on location and molded into a composition that evokes the geography and sharpens the emotional undertones of Solomon’s movements. Through cinema, Elemental explores the versatile power of hip-hop to channel and illustrate the natural environment.

Awards Elemental received the 2018 StandardVision Showcase Award for Artistic Merit, and was shown continuously on an outdoor screen in downtown LA this past summer.

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Describe, in as many or as few words as you see fit, the genesis of or inspiration behind your film.
The inspiration for Elemental was twofold. I am from Wisconsin and like incorporating the landscape into my work, as the natural world is a huge source of inspiration to me! Additionally, about a year prior to shooting Elemental I had worked on an outdoor screendance and absolutely loved the experience of filming movement outdoors. So when Aaron and I decided to collaborate, I knew I wanted to shoot a screendance in Wisconsin, but do something a bit out of the ordinary: improvised hip-hop, using the structures in the landscape as inspiration for the movements.
What is interesting or intriguing to you about engaging with dance for film vs. dance for stage? Or, if you are coming from a film background and working with dance is a secondary medium for you, what drew you to wanting to capture and work with dance?
As a filmmaker, I am very drawn to non-narrative work – what engages me most in a film is beautiful visuals and a palpable mood. Screendance is the perfect medium to capture both of these things!