Saskia Holmkvist

Role Control, Video, 8min, 2008 / In Character, Video, 9min, 2008

The films Role Control and In Character, both from 2008, are complementary in as much as they reciprocally develop a narrative investigating social strategies and role-play. The two films originate in four kinds of ‘conversation situations’ with diametrically opposite aims; the job interview, the interrogation, a therapy and diplomacy/political mediation.  During the course of the films a meta-narrative is developed dealing with methodical similarities used in these different situations i.e. the intersubjective position within these professions dealing with the format of the interview in one or another way.

The manuscripts that the films are based on are written from research and meetings with persons in these professions. During the course of the films, the actors gradually swap positions and force the conversation over a boundary where the dialogue changes meaning and forces the viewer towards a new interpretation of the situation. By using the same actors the shift could be made in a more subtle way as they could slide into a quiet different setting having a similar structure.