Black Hole Collective Lab

Vision

• Celluloid film development lab
• Communal workspace
• Film screenings and workshops

Lab / Machines provided to the community:

• • 1x film processor
  • 1x contact printer
  • 1x optical printer
  • 1x flatbed editor
  • 1x sync machine
  • Multiple Rewinds
  • Splicers
  • Multiple film projectors
  • Many more devices to enable celluloid film production
  • Multiple film enlargers

Resources provided to show films at the omni

• • 1x Xenon 16mm film projector (very bright :)
  • Digital HD video projector
  • Some equipment augment existing sound system

Screenings

• Can bring screenings of filmmakers & films to the space

Collective Members

• 1. Tooth
• 2. Matt Christiansen
• 3. Jason Wade
• 4. Isaac Sherman
• 5. Lauren O'Connor
• 6. Chloe Minervini
• 7. David Keenan
• 8. Niko Kommodore
• 9. Gui Komel
• 10. Vanessa O'Neill
• 11. Kent Long
• 12. Michael Bucuzzo
• 13. Christina Kolozsvary
• 14. Zach Iannazzi
• 15. Sarah Watlington
• 16. Brooke Porter

Financial Contribution to OOC

• BH was originally offered free space by OOC as a member collective to incubate their community resource. To start, we propose to contribute our share of utilities up to $200 per month for the first 2 months beginning April 1st, while we improve and invest in basement infrastructure (mold abatement, new drywall, additional plumbing, improved ventilation, as well as installing improved projection facilities in Ballroom & Disco Room)
• After two months of working on the space, we can commit $400 rent and better accommodate new contributing members
• We will contribute more financially as our project and membership grows and infrastructure is established.
• BH is fully commited to financial transparency.

Floorplan

• Proposed use:

• Shared area: Contribute to A/V equipment areas for the ballroom and disco room. We will contribute analog and digital film projection equipment as we can for use in the Ballroom and Disco Room, so that all Omni member collectives and the community at large can present film and video screenings (with some training.)

• Dedicated areas:
• We propose two areas to accommodate community film production and processing; a 'wet' area and a 'dry' area.

• The 'wet' darkroom will be in the basement in the NW corner (see attached floor plan). We will complete installation of ventilation and run plumbing to accommodate darkroom sinks and drainage at our expense.

• We propose a 'dry' area as a dedicated film workspace in Bunker 2 containing irreplaceable, delicate film editing equipment, and sharing a third of Bunker 1 immediately outside the door to bunker 2, that would have some work tables.

• The Bunker 2 area is an ideal space for BHCL as it is an existing room wherein we can secure irreplaceable film equipment and it provides needed dark space. It is important for those donating equipment to know that this equipment is kept safe and secure. The equipment is not in manufacture anymore and to secure equipment donations, we need to have a secure space.

• The work tables set up in the Western third of Bunker 1 would be privileged for film production use - including for equipment such as lightboxes, edit tables, and so on.
• This west portion of Bunker 1 could be demarcated by a temporary, freestanding partial partition (such as a 'cube' wall) that could still allow access to the rest of bunker room area, while blocking sound and so on.

• We had earlier discussed using the east hallway as workspace, however we recognize that there may be code compliance issues around actively using this space at present before our final Fire Life & Safety inspection has been performed, or a final building inspection, in which we are told, it may be best if this area is kept open and unused. However, in order to move in as soon as possible, and to allow fire inspection to move forward smoothly, we would like to leave that space open.

Form questions

1. Mission statement

What do you do? What happens in the world because you exist? (1-3 sentences)

By creating an artist-run film lab and workspace/screening space we will be enabling a large community of people working in photochemical celluloid filmmaking (motion picture and still photography), a unique resource, to bring their work through all stages of creation, production, and exhibition in an encouraging community atmosphere. The importance of this is manifold in that it would be the only entity of it's kind in the western United States, and that it will be part of a growing community of small artist-run labs worldwide that are providing the ability to work in a format that is being forcibly rarified towards extinction due to the dictates of industrial capitalism which no longer see the medium as profitable. By reclaiming the modes of celluloid production from this rapidly crumbling industry, we will not only be both keeping the art form alive and accessible but also by providing a space to make works outside of the artistic, ideological, and financial compromises inherent in a commercial market.

2. Origin and group history. How did you start? What have you done? (1-3 sentences)

Black Hole Film Collective is a more recent formation of a looser group of filmmakers with roots in the larger experimental/avant-garde filmmaking community of the bay area. We have been brought together by shared affinities, ideologies and working methods fostered within Black Hole Cinematheque and the constellation of local microcinemas it is a part of. Black Hole Cinematheque has been operating as 16mm archive since 2009 and running free weekly screenings regularly since 2011. These similar affinities led us to a natural merging with the still photography collective to communize our resources and work against an atmosphere of increasing endangerment.

3. Participation in the Omni

Why are you interested in becoming a member? How does your group intend to use the space? What are your needs? (less than 5 sentences)

We see the Omni project as an important entity of resistance and community and it seems the perfect place to get involved! Our group intends to use two spaces in the basement to set up a wet lab for processing and printing of still and motion picture film, and a dry work space for editing and post production. We fixed the ventilation for the darkroom and the larger common space downstairs.

We also intend to outfit the ballroom and disco room for various sized screenings, including setting up a projection booth with multiple playback formats (16mm, 35mm, digital video), a new projection screen, and chairs, all for community and event use. Exhibition is an important way to showcase the collectives’ work, as well as the larger international community of filmmakers. It also functions as an educational resource, workshop asset and infrastructural upgrade to all. The screenings will provide funding for our collective and the Omni costs at large. By outfitting common spaces for cinematic presentation, we will be transforming them into a greater community asset for the film collective as well as the Omni.

4. Group finances and paying rent

What does your group do to support itself financially? What is your best plan for contributing your potential share of rent to the Omni? (less than 5 sentences)

We propose to have a two month time frame of paying utilities only as we build our spaces out. After this timeframe, we can commit to $400 in rent as development continues. We will increase incrementally, with a goal of $600/month. Our collective members will pay a monthly fee to cover rent costs, with the future plan that as more people join, we can contribute more. We also want exhibitions and screenings to contribute to infrastructure, supplies and rent costs. We plan to have a multi-tiered membership engagement/payment model.

5. Dedicated space

If your group would like some dedicated space at the Omni, what square footage and what features are you looking for? Which specific rooms do you feel might be suitable? (1-3 sentences)

Two spaces in the basement on the east and west sides, keeping wet and dry rooms separate. We have two options for where the dry space can be located in the basement, based on Omni members' input. Please see floor plan for details. We would need some dedicated space in the ballroom and disco room to create projection booths, and secure projection equipment. This would function as part of the common space, but be maintained and managed by the Black Hole Collective.

6. Additional

Is there any other information that you think would be useful for us to know about your group? (as many sentences as you like)

Our collective is a group with vastly different skills to share and trade. We represent a wide breadth of knowledge and through workshops and educational events, can share these skills and talents and promote arts in our community.

BHCL education program

The Black Hole Collective seeks to engage community youth members through an educational outreach program. This program would involve teaching young adults about traditional photographic practices, both through the camera and by working in the darkroom. In a world dominated by fast pace technology we aim to provide a space in which analog processes can be preserved. Harnessing interest from our community’s youth will help to preserve these traditional forms of art and create a deeper understanding for modern technology and its influence in both film and photography.

Improvements BHCL hopes to make for building

• Outfit Ballroom & Disco Room to accomodate professional sound screenings
  • Lets work on both at the same time

Ballroom - professional film screening setup & prep

• Acquire big screen
  • Should be able to retract (roll up) to protect it
  • Should be mounted to come down near front (not back) of stage

Disco Room - professional film screening setup & prep

• Allowing for a dark space: Flame-retardant theatre curtains that also function as blackout curtains (curtains that could also be pulled aside to allow in light)

• Meeting notes - misc
  • Another flatbed is being donated (from B.)