Handmade Emulsion:
Creating Black and White Film Stock From Scratch

Workshop ran by Alex MacKenzie, visiting filmmaker!

10am - 4pm (1 hour break for lunch)

The alchemical nature and serendipity of the handmade image are explored in this immersive how-to of hand-brewed emulsion. In this workshop a simple raw low-ISO black and white film stock suitable for contact printing will be created, using three key ingredients in the production of a silver based emulsion: gelatin, potassium bromide, and silver nitrate. A basic chemistry lesson will be provided to introduce the essential make-up of film emulsion, followed by a discussion of technique including a contextual screening of examples, and the creation of the emulsion in a darkroom. A variety of application methods are explored including dipping, painting and rolling, followed by contact printing, hand processing, and assessing the results. The workshop is aimed at both experienced practitioners and beginners, and includes all film stock, chemistry, and supplies. It is also recommended that you bring small objects of 16mm width or less and filmstrips for photograms onto the emulsion.
No prior experience is necessary.