A Colour Box
Synopsis
Music is key to Len Lye's A Colour Box - not only because the whole film is accompanied by a jazzy Cuban tune, but because all the visual elements follow the idea of a composition: Images become notes, sequences becomes tunes, colours become moods, the movement of a graphical element becomes the change of pitch, film becomes visual music. Everything we see has originally been handpainted by Lye directly onto the frame of the film strip, making sure that the image forms a dialogue with the music. And while this might seem like an experimental film at first, it was actually shot on behalf of the British Grand Post Office as an advertisement for their low fares.
Director: Len Lye
Country: United Kingdom
Year: 1935
Production: G. P. O. Film Unit
Length: 3 minutes
Image/ Sound: colour/sound
Music: Don Baretto and his Cuban Orchestra
Projection format: 35mm, 1,37:1
Film and education materials
Download education materials
- Hand out for pedagoges (EN, GE, SI, PT, EST, NL)
- Activity card for children (EN, NL, GE, SI, UKR, RUS, PT, EST, FR, ITA)
Some more languages might be available in the future. We also provide an open design file for the activity cards to make your own translations.
Request access
The method and materials are free, accessible for educational purpose and for partners, request the password and you can get started right away.
Browse more Films
< go back to the film catalogue or use the previous / next links more films below: