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Title: FIRST REELS INTERVIEW: Susan Montford, Hairpin

Reference number: 8083

Date: 1993, September 23

Sound: sound

Colour: col

Running time: 7.00 mins

Description: Raw interview footage with director Susan Montford, concerning her short film HAIRPIN, made under the Scottish Film Council and Scottish Television's First Reels scheme.

National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive does not currently hold the complete film (correct at February 2010)

First Reels - a joint short film initiative from Scottish Screen (and its predecessor body the Scottish Film Council) and Scottish Television. First Reels was launched during 1991 by Scottish Film Council in response to a perceived need for small grants to help young and first time film-makers to make or complete their first film or video project. Scottish Television came in as co-sponsor at an early stage and as well as contributing to half the funds they have given the scheme a tremendous public relations boost by running three half hour documentaries showing excerpts from the First Reels. Applicants were invited to submit projects in any format and on any subject they chose. All entries were considered by a jury and thirty five projects were given grants varying from £50 to £2000. On show at the GFT are a representative selection of the best of the films and videos supported by the scheme. [Editorial from Scottish Film Council held in paper archives]

Credits: [interviewee Susan Montford

camera Stephen O'Donnell
sd. Stuart Major]

Shotlist: Raw interview footage with director Susan Montford, concerning her short film HAIRPIN, made under the Scottish Film Council and Scottish Television's First Reels scheme.

Discusses: HAIRPIN is a cerebral and hypnotic film, based on events that actually happened to film-maker in a hotel in Lisbon. It has a very simple event structure:- Man approaches woman in hotel lobby, but, unable to communicate, steals a hairpin from her hair, and later uses it to pick the lock of hotel room. A black and white silent film, it does have one line in it: "He who looks is always led to lay down his glance" - a Jacques Lacan text. She chose the slowness of it as that reflects the infuriatingly controlled environment of high fashion, the enormous effort on looks and lifestyle. Reflects slightly altered state of mind from which the woman was suffering.

[continued on Tape 2]
Interesting to have a cinematic version of oneself. How she worked with Mike, he helped her as it was her first film, and Michael's third. Very 'surface', underlying elements complete distance and self detachment. Looking at people and wanting them to act in certain ways. No real sympathy for any of the characters.