FREE FILM : USA
August - December 2019 Prompt: Red, White, and Blue
Cities: DETROIT, MI | MILWAUKEE, WI | KANSAS CITY, KS | DENVER, CO | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | PORTLAND, OR | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | LOS ANGELES, CA | SANTA FE, NM | AUSTIN, TX | NEW ORLEANS, LO | BIRMINGHAM, AL | ASHEVILLE, NC | BALTIMORE, MD | PHILADELPHIA, PA | BROOKLYN, NY
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In 2019, WORTHLESSSTUDIOS embarked on a road trip across the United States in an Airstream-turned-darkroom with the FREE FILM team. The project, titled FREE FILM: USA, distributed nearly 1,600 rolls of 35mm film to image-makers in 18 cities to respond to the prompt, “red, white and blue.” Throughout the project the team developed over 40,000 images, which revealed how photographers perceived and documented the country.
The project took place in a 1973 Airstream trailer that has been converted into a professional darkroom and traveled across the country from August to December 2019. The trailer will stopped in 18 destinations, asking participants to take photographs based on their interpretation of the prompt on Tri-X 400, 35mm film.
Photography’s ability to capture a singular, unaltered moment in time is one of the most powerful tools of documentation. The medium’s history in America is particularly noteworthy. Introduced in conjunction with the westward expansion of the United States, photography has immortalized many of the most significant moments in the span of our country’s modern history. Though nearly 200 years old, film photography continues to be celebrated in this technological age for its raw, unfiltered and poignant ability to archive instances otherwise lost.
FREE FILM : USA’s celebration of film photography is specific to its goal of capturing an unbiased look at the country. Participants were given free rein to interpret the words ‘red, white and blue’ as they see fit – whether focusing on its ties to patriotism and the experience of being American or how the words more broadly fit into their lives. Through this method of crowdsourcing, FREE FILM : USA documented an impartial, multifaceted, and well-rounded glimpse into present-day American life.
Get an in-depth view into the project through our video series THE PHOTOGRAPHERS.
Participants picking up film in Austin, TX.
HOW IT WORKED
Step 1: Airstream arrives in city. We park in front of a local partner organization. Host launch party to give out film — photographers fill out a sign-up form to join and film is given out on a first come, first served basis.
Step 2: Participating photographers have a week to shoot their roll of film on the prompt of “RED WHITE AND BLUE.” Participants are asked to interpret the theme however they see fit.
Step 3: Once they have shot their film, participants return their roll of film (with their name written on it) by the deadline and fill out the return form to ensure their film is processed. There is a drop location that can receive film at all times!
Step 4: WORTHLESSSTUDIOS processed all film and scans were emailed FOR FREE to photographers, whether or not they choose to have their negatives returned.
Step 5: We packed up and traveled to the next destination.
THE FREE FILM : USA BOOK
FREE FILM USA: A selection of images from our road trip come together for the first time in this limited edition photography book with unique behind the scenes documentation, and gorgeous full bleed black and white photographs that put you behind the lens of over 900 photographers across the country. Text includes an introduction by Kai Carlson-Wee and a poem by Guggenheim-award winning writer Janice Harrington. Included in the book is a digital access code to access the entire library of over 35k+ images from the trip.
Purchase yours today in our Shop.
THE AIRSTREAM
A 1973 Airstream trailer was restored and converted into a fully operational and professional grade darkroom. The Airstream mobile darkroom has every element necessary to develop any commercially available black and white film, including running water, a temperature controller to achieve proper developing temperatures, a drying cabinet, and space to store and mix all necessary chemistry. Equipped with two printing stations (two enlargers: one Beseler 23C and an Omega type D), the darkroom allows creating silver-gelatin prints up to 11”x14”, with a print washer and a drying rack to maximize space and room for the team to work comfortably. All necessary items, such as a light table, contact proofer, grain focusers, film holders and different lenses, are available for printing both 35mm and medium format film.
THE FREE FILM TEAM
Left to Right: Sean Jackson, Free Alexander Tripp (and dog, Salton), Neil Hamamoto, Caroline Doyle, Scott Keenan. FREE FILM : USA Team arrives back in Brooklyn, NY after 4 months of traveling across the USA.
FREE FILM : USA Team drives through Valley of the Giants National Park, located in coastal Oregon, on their way to down to stop 8: San Francisco.
FORD SPONSORSHIP
Ford is the quintessential American car brand and in keeping with the project theme of ‘red, white and blue,’ we secured two Ford F150s as tow- and follow- vehicles during FREE FILM : USA. In exchange we provided Ford with journalistic profiles, all shot on film, of Ford owners we met in our travels across America.
