Malibu/Old Topanga Fire Timelapse Video
Wildfires are devasting the Western US these days. This is film is a reminder of the power of this devastating force of nature.
1994, Eames DemetriosOriginal Film Runtime: 8:05 Total Runtime: 11:35
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| Today, wildfires are scorching the Western United States and it has put in me in mind of a film I made almost 15 years ago. On November 2, 1993, a fire broke out near Old Topanga Road between Malibu and the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. It was a hot, windy day and soon the fire was out of control. I remember seeing the smoke and sensing that it was much worse than any fire we had recently seen. Hugo Schoener and I put out a timelapse camera near PCH in Pacific Palisades, and within 12 hours the fire had traveled over 5 miles—making it all the way to the ocean. Three days later the fire was finally out and we developed the film. It was so beautifully terrible and transfixing that I decided that the found object — the film we got out of the camera— WAS the film. And so what you see is quite raw, but quite real as a result. The film was first shown in Topanga, at an exhibition of art that came from the fire—we donated a portion of th proceeds to Fire Relief. (Today, learn more about the Red Cross and donate to them as they are often the first line of defense for refugees). Be as generous as THIS community.) |
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interesting view on the fires, I never knew how intense it was.
It’s scary and beautiful.
— hotfunk Jul 22, 07:27 #thanks for your comment. That is the strange power of time lapse—by compressing things it captures aspest that don’t come across in the footage on the nightly news.
— eames Demetrios Jul 25, 01:37 #impressive, thanks
— Fanna Apr 13, 02:18 #thnak you .very useful
— MBT shoes store Jan 26, 04:04 #Hi, my family’s home burned up in that blaze! (Las Flores Canyon) Wow. I’ve never seen footage like that. I was watching it from Venice, and couldn’t really fathom the 150 ft. flames my brother Tom talked about navigating through to get out of there. My Dad stayed with his house into the early evening that first nite to try to save it. The entire neighborhood was supposed to be air lifted out by helicopter, but the plan was aborted because the smoke was too thick. Dad stayed longer than he should have & was lucky to survive. He also managed to save a lot of things from his home! Packed to the last minute. Thanks for submitting your work. It’s epic. Love the soundtrack. My other brother, Tim, is now a firefighter with the Pt. Dume station. Best Regards, Kim
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