Kathy Hansen (now Kathy Hansen-Butler), born in Seattle, Washington, has lived in various parts of the world and now resides in Fairfield, Iowa with her husband Bob Butler.
Her film collection represents works she made as an undergraduate at Stanford University and afterwards with Entheos Communication Corporation, (a creative co-operative founded by Steve Wilson and Kathy Hansen), between the years of 1968 and 1972.
Betsy Blackmer and Kathy Hansen
Kathy Hansen’s film, Pour, made with Betsy Blackmer and Martin Bresnick, is a defining work in her career.
Betsy Blackmer behind the camera
Pour is a poetic film essay documenting the artistic processes and philosophy of sculptor Merrill Bickford, or Stewart Harwood as he was later known in life.
(Merrill Bickford, 1968 – on the set of “Pour”)
The film uses immersive cinematography techniques and voice over comments from Merrill to describe his multi-dimensional concepts for bronze casting. Her films Death Mask and The Foul Up were made while Kathy taught at the progressive Peninsula School in Menlo Park, California. Kathy often led her students into film collaborations where the freedom to express their own stream of consciousness was not only encouraged, but actually structured and drove the films. Kathy continued her film-making with Steve Wilson in their educational film company Entheos Communication Corporation. Entheos’ films were focused on environmental concerns such as the conflict of competing forces in the natural politics of land use and the implications of factory farming. Her forward thinking, introspective films led Kathy into an inward journey of teaching and research in Transcendental Meditation. After years of deep meditation, Kathy moved to Fairfield, Iowa to help create a living utopian vision of an ideal society. Kathy and her husband Bob continue their transcendental meditation practice daily.
Collection acquired and all writing on this page thanks to Caitlin Denny.
THE FOUL UP (1968)
16mm COL 7 min (Transfer from original 16mm Ektachrome print)
A romantic, silly super-hero narrative co-written, and acted by Hansen’s students at Peninsula School. Commentary by the students over the length of the film add to the layered modes of production in this film which also include still photography and animation.
Director and Editor: Kathy Hansen
Shot at Peninsula School in Menlo Park, CA in 1968
DEATH MASK (1968)
16mm B/W 7 min (Transfer from original 16mm B/W print – no original elements known to exist)
An immersive journey into getting a plaster mold of one’s face made. Voice over in the film is used as reassuring guide through closing off one’s senses from the outside world in order to make the mask.
Director and Editor: Kathy Hansen
Additional Photography: Urs Trepp
Shot at Peninsula School in Menlo Park, California in 1968
POUR (1969)
16mm COL 19 min (Transfer from original 16mm Ektachrome print)
A poetic portrait of sculptor and artist Merrill Bickford, or Stuart Harwood as he was known as for the latter portion of
his life. Bickford recounts parts of his formal education in bronze casting, only to extend the traditional methods into
a more crude and experimental form of casting. Pour represents one of composer Martin Bresnick’s earliest film scores
using computer music.
Director and Editor: Kathy Hansen
Director of Photography: Betsy Blackmer
Original Musical Score: Martin Bresnick
Shot in Los Altos and Pescadero, California in 1969.
IT’S HARD TO HEAR A GOOD ELK’S CALL THESE DAYS (1971)
16mm COL 13 min (Transfer from original faded 16mm Eastman print – no original elements known to exist)
The conflicts between nature, human, and inhuman come to the front in this experimental film. Moments of anthropomorphism, and extreme nonhuman distance stand side by side in attempt to decenter the human perspective and give voices to those on Earth who cannot speak for themselves.
Edited and Co-Directed by Kathy Hansen
Photographed and Co-Directed by Steve Wilson
Shot in Bainbridge Island, Washington in 1971
Entheos Communication Corporation
A POND (1972)
16mm COL 6 min (Transfer from original faded 16mm Eastman print – no original elements known to exist)
A rhythmic cinema poem set in a day in the lives of animals who live in a pond..
Edited and Co-Directed by Kathy Hansen
Photographed and Co-Directed by Steve Wilson
Shot in Bainbridge Island, Washington in 1972
Entheos Communication Corporation