With its easy flow and footage from multiple sources, the structure and aesthetic of Philip Dadson: Sonics from Scratch beautifully reflects Dadson’s calm personality and career-long commitment to collaboration. The film is beautifully shot, and the addition of Dadson’s own video art provides quirky interpolations of how he sees the world.

Though Dadson’s obsession with sound is its focus, the visual medium of film draws attention away from the audible, its focus on invention giving his process visual representation. For some, the film’s slow pace may bore, but its lack of urgency seems well-suited to convey a sense of Dadson’s person.

A wonderful example of how to make a filmic portrait, Philip Dadson: Sonics from Scratch is a beautiful, intriguing, and endearing watch.

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Simon Ogston, Orlando Stewart

CAST: Philip Dadson

SYNOPSIS: A portrait of New Zealand performance artist Philip Dadson.

The screening of Philip Dadson: Sonics from Scratch was kindly provided by The New Zealand Film Festival.

About The Author

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A year after finishing formal education I started to itch with the need to produce film analysis once more, and thus, found a place here. I love film, I will watch any genre, in any language, but have a particular enjoyment of the beautiful and strange. The first film I watched at the cinema was the Disney Hercules, I got to leave kindergarten early, this became the first sacrifice I happily made for my love of the silverscreen