Motionpoems | To Be of Use

Motionpoems | “To Be Of Use” Video Poetry

Motionpoems is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit arts organization dedicated to facilitate multimedia collaborations by pairing up poets with filmmakers. I had the pleasure of working with Director Tamika Miller on this experimental poetry film.

Inspired by the poem “To Be Of Use” by Marge Piercy, this film pays homage to our heroes - our farm workers, sanitation workers, doctors & nurses, and psychotherapists - especially during the time of COVID-19. It also pays tribute to the women and men fighting for equality, for a world free from discrimination and persecution. And to our ancestors — who have been fighting the fight long before us.

To be of use by Marge Piercy The people I love the best jump into work head first without dallying in the shallows and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight. They seem to become natives of that element, the black sleek heads of seals bouncing like half-submerged balls. I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart, who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience, who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward, who do what has to be done, again and again. I want to be with people who submerge in the task, who go into the fields to harvest and work in a row and pass the bags along, who are not parlor generals and field deserters but move in a common rhythm when the food must come in or the fire be put out. The work of the world is common as mud. Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust. But the thing worth doing well done has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident. Greek amphoras for wine or oil, Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums but you know they were made to be used. The pitcher cries for water to carry and a person for work that is real.

Client: Motionpoems

Animator & Designer: Margaret To

Film Direction: Tamika Miller

Choreography & Dance: Kara Jenelle Wade

Cinematography: Danny Toback

Editor: Alisa Banks

Color Correction: Colin Trenbeath

Music & Sound Design: Cary Daniels / Shindig Music + Sound

THE PROCESS

Visual Style:

I worked closely with director Tamika to concept the visual imagery and symbolism that represent the world of essential workers. We were inspired by the work of Romare Bearden and Miwa Matreyek. It was the first time for me to merge dance performance (live action) with animation, and each frame was deliberate and with intention. The dancer was the thread connecting all of these worlds, as she travels through the world of our psychologists, farm workers, sanitation workers, nurses and doctors, and our ancestors.

The film is currently screening on Motionpoems homepage, and has been featured on Adstasher, SHOOT, and Creativepool.