The Aftermath of Apocalyptic Experience —OPHIDIAN
Artist Series: Adam Cahoon
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Artist Series: Adam Cahoon 〰️
Photo by Jorge Wunch on April 16, 2022
Q&A with Filmmaker Adam Cahoon & MMAC Co-Executive Director Faiza Kracheni.
Last weekend, Austin Cinemaker Space was honored to host & help curate the transformative apocalyptic wasteland premiere of experimental short film Ophidian — local filmmaker Adam Cahoon’s sci-fi brainchild.
More than just a film screening, the evening was an interactive experience for the public to see, touch, and play.
Attendees were able to take a glimpse at the movie magic with a curated gallery of onset photography and props from the film. Cahoon meticulously dubbed VHS tapes of his short complete with trippy artwork and an insert.
Following lots of good food, drinks, and an explosive pre-show of curated trailers from around the vast world of underground indie cinema was the main event. The film, now viewable to the masses on youtube takes viewers down a hole of deception, color, and lots of blood. We caught up with Cahoon before the premiere to explore his brain on Ophidian. Read all about it below!
Photo by Isaac Rowry
Attendees enjoying the Ophidian premiere exhibition at Austin Cinemaker Space.
THE INTERVIEW (PART DEUX)
Can you tell me a little about Ophidian? What was your role?
Writing, directing, camera operator, some lighting and special effects, editing, some sound design, color grading, some costuming. I learned how to do all those things for the first time.
Tell us about your artistic process?
Photo by Isaac Rowry
Q&A with Filmmaker Cahoon & MMAC Co-Executive Director Kracheni.
Photo by Jorge Wunch on April 16, 2022
Adam Cahoon and Hayes Morrison at the Ophidian premiere.
I started writing the project while on breaks at my factory job, then at night I’d start constructing all the elements I’d need. I had about four days off around Christmas break of 2019 that I could shoot so I had to be ready and get everything done right then. Around the time I finished and began editing.
The pandemic hit and I got laid off after 10 years. It was a nightmare, but it at least allowed me a little extra free time to learn how to edit. The project was way beyond a beginners skill set so in between finding a new career it took me almost two years to learn and complete everything.
What do you shoot on?
The oldest and cheapest black magic pocket camera I could find on eBay
How has the project changed since its development?
Budget and time constraints really hacked into the story I had developed so a lot of exposition was unfilmed, which actually makes it better I think. My lack of skills accidentally worked in my favor in some ways.
Do you plan to continue this project, if so, how?
It’s complete unless SYFY channel accidentally thinks it’s a TV pilot and gives me money.
How does this project impact your artistry and future projects you may engage in?
I learned a lot just in general, it’s definitely made me more aware of every aspect involved in filmmaking and where I want to go next.
Why did you make Ophidian?
To create something on as large a scale as possible and blindly dive into it to see what I was capable of.
Cahoon’s Ophidian is available to stream on Youtube here.
With the city reopening again, Motion Media Arts Center will be holding more free and open to the public events. Our next event will be Sabrina Dennis’ Opening Photo Exhibition and Member Meet. You can RSVP for that event here.
Written by Emma Johnson (they/them), Social Media intern
Emma Johnson is a 20-something year old white, queer, nonbinary filmmaker who is interested in independent film engagement and marketing. Their films and creative work center queerness and question how systems of racial capitalism affect interpersonal relationships. They have a background in Sociology and are interested in creating art that questions dominant power structures such as whiteness and heteropatriarchy. Their creative content includes visual poetry, narrative, and documentary film styles as well as poetry and film photo collage. Outside of film and writing, they enjoy bike rides, reading memoirs, and sharing food with loved ones.