STRAIGHT TALK
with Phil Hastings
By Julia Buntaine
Editor-in-Chief
JB: Science and film share the quality of recording
natural phenomenon. As a filmmaker, what about
scientific topics and nature inspires your cinematic
eye?
PH: I am drawn to many things in science
and nature, but two fundamental concepts
that inspire my work are movement and
transformation. On a very basic level, it’s
because these two concepts are best understood through the moving image. Locomotion of animals fascinates me, especially
when looking at small-scale locomotion of
insects and arthropods, mollusks, and other
aquatic creatures; they all engage my sense of
wonder. I remember watching time-lapse and
high-speed films shot by Oxford Scientific
Films as a child and being amazed at what
this group was documenting. At that time,
this type of work was rare and extremely
Untitled - Video Still, Threshold Series (2013 –Present) Dimension
Variable, High Definition. All images courtesy of the artist.
difficult to produce. I am also influenced
from childhood experiences. Growing up on
a small farm, exploring the abundant nature
around me, seeing the life cycle process in
everything, and having a father who taught
biology and environmental sciences, all form
a solid foundation for the imagery that I am
interested in and create. Ultimately, it’s about
understanding our relationship in and to the
universe.
JB: Your piece Sexual Cannibalism features the
notorious drama of praying mantis reproduction.
Despite its familiarity in concept, the film is truly
terrifying to watch and creates a palpable amount
of suspene. What was your experience making this
film? Did you learn anything you didn’t expect to
or encounter any problems or surprises?
PH: The Sexual Cannibalism video was a lot
of fun to work on. It was also a labor-intensive project that required a lot of patience
and problem solving. There was a strong