The format of L’Acadie is an album-like collection of nine personal reflections on various aspects of the French Acadian region of Louisiana. Each of these reflections, or what I term “Ektachrome Sketches," consists of a single subject which undergoes a series of ongoing structural transformations. These transformations substantially alter the field of vision by adding a subjective layer of meaning to the dramatic content of recorded reality. Basically then, my aim is to investigate, within a purely artistic context, the cinematic potential of themes and subjects which are indigenous to this region. L’Acadie is also, in part, a reaction against the stereotyped imagery which is so often associated with French Acadiana and which has contributed to reducing the iconography of this area to picturesque tableaus and nostalgic symbols. These superficial stereotypes, which convey nothing about the unique ambience of this region, have been perpetuated over the years and have created a real need for a renewed sense of vision and a fresh approach to imagery.
The techniques used in making L’Acadie range from an informal and often unorthodox approach to camera work, to methodical frame- by-frame copying or refilming procedures. All of these techniques, however, are part of a larger process which is simultaneously concerned with the inherent properties of film and the emotional content of subject matter. The principal mode of structure used throughout L'Acadie is based on a multi-stage process which was formed to exploit and articulate the regenerative possibilities of the medium. Everything that was filmed in the field was subsequently processed at the lab, then projected frame-by-frame in my studio and refilmed. In order to precisely control and shape visual effects, the single-frame technique of animation was used to copy the original footage. This technique of refilming, as opposed to conventional types of cinematography, breaks down the illusion of reality to create a more abstract and graphic form of imagery. As a result, phrases of movement and descriptive subject matter are removed from their customary connotations so that new and subjective filmic interpretations can be explored and confirmed. Essentially then, this amalgam of techniques and processes was designed not only to analyze perceptual and cognitive relationships, but to create a new sensory experience which reflects a personal perspective of real or outer-world experiences.
The sound track for L'Acadie is composed entirely of insect sounds recorded in the Acadiana region of Louisiana. Like the visual images in the film, these natural sounds have also been stylized by using a variety of recording techniques. Sound amplification, looping, and speed changes, for example, were used in the recording process to create textural effects of varying densities each segment of the film. Basically, these sonic textures were used to reinforce the visual rhythm of the film and to intensify the emotional impact of the imagery.
Notes taken from Robert Russett: A retrospective survey, University Art Museum, University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1989.
