Documentary screening Saturday, Jan. 23 at Columbia Bible College with alums Scott T. Currie (2012), Steve Dahl (2012) & David Dueckman (2011) of local folk band Oh Village
The band Oh Village is the subject of a new documentary from Abbotsford filmmaker Aaron Dawson. {pictured are Scott Currie (2012 alum), Steve Dahl (2012 alum), Matthew Janzen and David Dueckman (2011 alum).
Playing folk songs may be easy but creating a documentary isn’t necessarily so, as Abbotsford filmmaker Aaron Dawson discovered this year.
The upcoming documentary Playing Folk Songs is Easy about the band Oh Village was nearly a year in the making and a labour of love for Dawson, who calls the band members friends.
The film will have its debut screening on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. in the chapel at Columbia Bible College, 2940 Clearbrook Rd.
“Making a documentary is so different from creating a narrative film because it’s not scripted,” Dawson said. “You know what you want as a filmmaker but you don’t actually know what you’re going to get. It’s a little scary.”
Dawson said that same quality also makes for an interesting process because it leaves room for surprises.
He didn’t really know what the film was going to be like until he was in the editing phase, putting it all together. While knowing his subject matter personally was an advantage, Dawson said he was surprised by the way the film came together, and he’s pleased with the result.
“I was surprised by the different answers I got from each of the band members,” he said. “It was really interesting to hear their different views on elements of their music. Sometimes they were completely in sync, sometimes they were drastically different. I think fans are really going to enjoy this film.”
Along with interviews of the band members, the documentary also includes footage of the band recording at Afterlife Studios (formerly Mushroom Studios) in Vancouver as they worked on their sophomore album, Ocris.
Scott Currie, lead singer and keyboardist for Oh Village, said the documentary will give fans much of insight into the band.
“When I watched it, it felt very much like the way we are as a band,” he said.
Having a good friend create the documentary meant that the band members could be themselves and not feel that they had to impress the filmmaker in any way.
“I think fans will see how much we care about what we make and how much time it takes to create what we do,” Currie said. “I think the interviews also tell a lot about us.”
The screening on Jan. 23 includes an acoustic set of music from some of the Oh Village band members and a question-and-answer session with the band and filmmaker.
Cost is $7 at the door. The new album Ocris will also be available for purchase. For more information, visit ohvillage.com.
Source: The Abbotsford News
