Rebecca has collaborated with a number of film-makers and directors to create atmospheric and contemplative soundtracks that are sympathetic to the words and images, enhancing the production to create a striking effect.

 

Falling Dance (1991) Dir. Suzanne Cohen

Suzanne's first animated film was premiered at Hull Odeon and subsequently bought by BBC TV animation series 'Stay Tooned'. Scored for chamber ensemble, the soundtrack is also available as a two-movement piece for concert performance. 

 

The Anatomy of a Waterfall (1993) Dir. Chris Dooks

This was the first collaboration between Rebecca and film director Chris Dooks. A live string quartet with accompanying electronic rhythm track mirrored music with atmospheric film visuals on the big screen in a ground-breaking way that was extremely well-received in a packed concert hall.

First performed Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh 23/04/93

 

The Sound of Taransay (1994) Dir. Chris Dooks

An early Chris Dooks film, The Sound of Taransay was premiered at Edinburgh Filmhouse in 1994 and later shown on Scottish Television. Scored for three cellos, this sparse, evocative music emulates the meditative quality of the film along with the barren, wild landscape of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides.

This piece of work appears for the first few minutes at least, to be a rather prosaic documentary on the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. But a few minutes into the 30 minute piece we quickly discover a melancholy and immersive piece of televisual meditation. The Scottish press were split, it was called "lavish, affecting" but also that the original ideology of the film "was dire."

https://vimeo.com/8182511

 

 

Prodigal (2010) Dir. Alastair Cook

Scottish filmmaker Alastair Cook developed his filmpoem series specifically to explore and illuminate poetry and the spoken word in visual forms. Prodigal is a film of Kona Macphee's poem for the second Hidden Door festival, held in Edinburgh in October 2010. Alastair recorded his reading of the poem and commissioned a cello soundtrack which he and Rebecca performed live at the Poetry Association of Scotland's meeting on 9th March 2011, at the Scottish Poetry Library.

Prodigal is a film of Kona Macphee's poem, which was born from Andrew Philip's project for the second Hidden Door festival, held in Edinburgh in October 2010: I was asked to record a reading of the poem. As I read it, I felt it's power and resolved to make a filmpoem. I commissioned a cello piece from Rebecca Rowe and we performed this live at the Poetry Association of Scotland's meeting on 9th March 2011, at the Scottish poetry Library. A new direction for these perhaps, the addition of live performance...but the work is as dark and mercurial as ever. http://alastaircook.com http://konamacphee.com/ http://poetryassociationofscotland.org.uk/ http://rebecca-rowe.co.uk/

https://vimeo.com/20672570

 

 

 

How Well It Burns (2012) Dir. Alastair Cook

This filmpoem was produced for Absent Voices, a group focused on the celebration of the vast and semi-derelict Greenock Sugar Sheds on the river Clyde. It is the second soundtrack composed for Alastair and the second collaborative work Rebecca has composed which sets Brian Johnstone's haunting poetry. (See also Choral works.)

How Well It Burns is the third in a series of six Filmpoems commissioned by Alastair Cook in collaboration with Absent Voices, a group focused on the celebration of the vast and semi-derelict Greenock Sugar Sheds. How Well It Burns is by poet Brian Johnstone, erstwhile Director of StAnza, the Scottish Poetry Festival and a widely published poet; the other poets in the series are John Glenday, Vicki Feaver, Sheree Mack, Jane McKie and Gérard Rudolf. This series was screened at Body Electric in Colorado and Filmpoem Festival in Scotland; the series of six was performed live at the Scottish Poetry Library, a review is here: http://www.scottishreviewofbooks.org/index.php/editorsblog/entry/event-review-alastair-cook-s-filmpoems-06-12-12