Article about Under your Skin film in Europe’s largest student newpaper London Student

London Student, Europe’s largest independent student newspaper has published an article about the recent film project ‘Under your skin‘ by Yuval Gerstein and Cristina Picchi.

The article includes an interview with Yuval Gerstein and tells the story of how the film was created after the artists won the ‘x factor’ style judging panel. It also mentions the upcoming Making Tracks event at Richmix this week in London (October 21st), in which the film will be screened and accompanied by a live band playing a new score to the film. They called the film ‘Under the skin’ instead of ‘Under your Skin’ but if you ignore that it’s a great article.

Under your skin article by Student London newspaper

It may be difficult to read the article from the photo so you can read it online here (Page 4), or read the transcript below;

Goldsmiths students go ‘Under the Skin’ of London 2012 hopefuls

Writer- Hattie Williams, News Editor.

Students from Goldsmiths, University of London have had their multi-media projects showcased at the National Portrait Gallery as part of the Olympics-inspired exhibition, ‘Road to 2012‘.

Competitors were asked to create a digital project experimenting, exploring, and reflecting on the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the importance of the event to individuals, communities and neighborhoods in east London.

The winning postgraduates Yuval Gerstein and Cristina Picchi pitched before an ‘X factor’ style judging panel in February 2011. The student’s work ‘Under the skin‘- a film following the life and training of prospective 2012 athletes-was selected by judges Brian Griffin, Martyn Ware, Anne Braybon and Julian Henriques.

These artists behind the ‘Road to 2012‘, a three year project run by the National Portrait Gallery, set the competitive commissions in November 2010. Photographer Griffin, sound artist Ware and commissions manager Braybon gave a presentation at Goldsmiths, setting a live project brief.

“We are looking for exciting and interesting stories connected to people and the changing landscape of East London 2012 games”, said Braybon.

Gerstein, a music postgraduate and sound artist for ‘Under your skin’ explained: “Cristina and I basically presented two different projects but in the turn of events the judges proposed that we join our talents and work together. We were pretty amazed and we did not know each other at all but we agreed and we’re both ever so happy that we did.”

“This immersive audio-visual project sets out to explore carefully chosen Olympic sports from a fresh angle” he continued. “We are capturing portraits of local London-based athletes and revealing a world which sports fans do not normally have access to in television broadcasts and interviews.”

Goldsmiths college explained: “He used binaural recording techniques to allow viewers access to “hidden sounds” and experience a sense of being in someone else’s shoes.”

Picchi, who is studying for an MA in screen documentary, filmed the athletes during training. The footage is reflecting the intensity of physical exertion, with HD GoPro cameras tied to the Olympic hopefuls hands and legs as they leap over hurdles and swing from the bar.

The film has been selected to be part of ‘Making Tracks‘ event at the Wirlygig cinema at Richmix centre, east London at which a selection of short films will be re-scored live on the night in front of their filmmakers.