In the framework of a partnership between Edinburgh University and IUCN Urban Alliance, students of Edinburgh College of Art have created a series of experimental short films exploring the theme of ecological urbanism. The trailer and synopsis of one of the films are outlined below. The full-length films will be screened at the Urban Planet Pavilion during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France, in September 2021.
Logline
A delicate balance between celestial light sources and terrestrial objects, interrupted by human induced light pollution.
Background
The daily cycle of light and dark has remained constant for all of evolutionary time. This short film explores artificial light pollution as part of the urban ecologies and the direct impacts on life in the light-flooded city.
One of the predominate issues light pollution causes is the obscured view of the night’s sky, with the sky transforming from pitch black to orange/brown hues. Through this, we lose a sense of the vastness that our universe holds and we become fixated on the small, brightly lit planet we inhabit.
Statement by the team
Throughout human history, we have been utilising the night sky and constellations. It is an important part of astronomical, navigational and religious purposes, highlighting the inseparable connection between humans and the observable universe. The same goes for the animals whose life depends on navigating via the night skies, either following specific stars, Moon, or parts of the Milky Way galaxy. For some of the nocturnal creatures, the city night-scape is restricting their only way of navigating, by diffusing natural light sources from the sky or luring them to misleading artificial lights in the cityscape such as road and traffic lights, neon signs, windows of a store. By creating this artificial environment, animals’ survival rate is in danger, but above all, biodiversity is at a loss. In the great hierarchical scheme of the city’s ecosystem, human dwelling areas are becoming areas solely for humans, leaving no space for other species, influencing already disturbed cosmologies we share in the human/nature complex. By not including any human characters we imply their presence through light without explicitly depicting them. However, the film is not without a protagonist, which in this case is light itself, portrayed as illusive, sometimes mesmerising and often overwhelming. A combination of still shots of various lengths emphasises the uninterrupted omnipresence of the main protagonist, while chaotic footage portrays the natural balance of night and day being out of sync.
Ultimately, the film explores how our planet depends on the various influences from the inner and outer space objects, and how humans, although the most advanced species on Earth, are constantly disregarding this fact.
Credits
Director: Harmony Bury, David Kramaric
Editor: Harmony Bury, David Kramaric
Original Score & Sound Design: Oliver Harris
Technical details and further information
Genre: Experimental / Art film
Runtime: 5:05 min
Aspect – Ratio: HD – 16:9
Frames/sec: 25
Colour: Colour
Location: City of Edinburgh – Holyrood Park, Blackford Hill Local Nature Reserve, Portobello Beach, various neighbourhoods, Scottish Highlands