Chris Cairns

Interview with Chris Cairns

- Can you tell us a little bit about what you do and your role within Darkroom?

C: I started doing a languages degree at university but whilst I was there, I started to do a lot of flyer designs for friend’s nights and realized that this is more of what I wanted to do. So I did an Art Foundation in Manchester and then did a Graphic Design degree at St.Martin’s in London. When I graduated, I worked for the now defunct Oil Factory, an agency that exclusively dealt with music videos (MV) and hired many talented directors, notably Shynola. I was doing a variety of work, from creating DVD showreels to computer-based, general admin type stuff, whilst doing music videos and visuals for my friends. Darkroom is a special projects division of Partizan UK which deals with visuals that aren’t Music Videos or Commercials.

Matt Tucker gets us projects like Virals that allow us to be more creative. Most times for an MV or Commercial, you are given a script or an aesthetic that the client wants whereas for our work, people come to us who want us to produce an interesting idea. For example, I did a viral for a crossfader company called Pro X Fader and we created a turntable from a roundabout and it was really well received.

- Who or what have been some of your influences over time?

C: Definitely a direct influence were alot of the artists working for Oil Factory, I was really lucky to have all this access to their work and to be able to see all their test material was really good.

Youtube : Asics "Block Party"

Wiz, a very well-known MV director (he made the Dizzee Rascal "Sirens" video) is also another influence on me; he would let me work with him on his shoots and recognized the fact that this was the kind of work that I wanted to do. He was always happy to give me help and advice. When I was more into my Graphic Design, Designers Republic were a huge influence on me and getting to work with really respected artists really inspired me too. I love the stop motion work of Jan Svankmajer and Norman McLaren as I am a big fan of hands-on craft and these guys were some, if not the best animators of their time.

Youtube : Going Missing - Maximo Park

- Would you say that you have a certain style/aesthetic that you try to be recognised by or does your work vary alot?

C: I like to keep it very varied as I enjoy experimenting with different ways to create visuals; from creating images from magnetic tape, to shooting character-driven live shots. If you are working on a feature length film, it can consume your life for up to two years, whereas with the kind of work I make, it allows me to think intensively about one idea for one month and then be able to move onto the next project for another couple months and so on.

Youtube : Daft Punk is playing at my house - LCD Soundsystem

- Your work for the Pro X Fader video promo is extremely well-known, can you describe the project for us?

C: E4, the channel station were running a competition where people could submit interstitial stings, or channel idents and I decided to try it out. I had the idea of turning roundabouts into turntables previously, so my friend and I drove around Milton Keynes and Hemel Hampstead looking for the perfect pair. We eventually found them in Acton, north London and after filming and submitting the video, it was aired. Pro X Fader really liked it and decide to use it for their promo and it then found its way into the internet where it received alot of attention.

Youtube : PROXFADE

- Can you tell us what projects you are working on?

C: For the last six months, I have been working on a project with a turntable crew using rappers heads as the turntables and drums and manipulating the scratch samples and it should be pretty dope when it is released. The video will be called "Talking Heads", so check it out.

Youtube : Cadbury Creme Eggs'Chocolate Creme Suicide'

Website : Darkroom

Written by Selph