Photo credit: Dom Moore
BEEF Make Film
Bristol Experimental Expanded Film (BEEF) Lab is a formalised group of artists working with 16mm film who are dedicated to skill sharing, preservation of resources and equipment in photochemical practices.
BEEF have a 16mm film darkroom at our home in Jamaica Street Studios, Stokes Croft, Bristol. The darkroom is used by members and for workshops, for developing and printing motion picture film, with equipment for handling and processing film in the absence of light; safe light, splicers, drying racks, sink etc.
BEEF LAB have started compiling a comprehensive internal system of knowledge sharing including LAB members attending numerous workshops and courses, to feed into our collective knowledge. Group members have pooled resources, and assessed, researched and compiled the photochemical equipment available to all members through an internal database. This database is an accessible and ever growing resource for all our members. It also provides the basis for future public facing BEEF LAB work, such as workshops and publicly accessible online resources, further sharing this wealth of collective knowledge.
Our recent acquisitions include a set of Steenbeck flatbed 16mm Editors & splicers which are rare and essential for working in film. BEEF LAB members have received first hand tuition in the upkeep and servicing of Steenbecks, which is a hugely important development, as the knowledge is specialist and will be carried forwards within BEEF LAB and beyond in the future.
If you are interested in using our facilities or would like to speak to us about how to get involved, please email: beefbristol@gmail.com
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Steenbeck move in action. Photo credit: Beavis
We would like to thank the support of the legend that is Lew from Clevedon, Matt Davies from BEEF and the National Film and Television School for this venture. The setting up of BEEF LAB was supported by funding from ‘The Brunswick Club’ Arts Council England grant.