Three Chords and the Truth

Heath’s research enquiry as Director, along with Atkinson as Writer, is to explore how techniques of poetic documentary filmmaking can be used to interrogate the relationship of cigar box guitar making to the idea of ‘DIY as Resistance’ against consumerism, mass production, lack of authenticity and throw away culture. The starting point for the research is Paul Atkinson’s journal article (Hairy Men in Sheds – SHURA http://shura.shu.ac.uk/22093 ) and Heath’s directorial approach is to use the medium of film to further interrogate the way participants hand-manufacture these unique musical instruments in an experimental ‘no rules’ environment, that are then used to create elements of their own self-identity. The film explores how Cigar Box Guitars act as markers of inclusion and exclusion, defining both makers and players as members of a subcultural group based around the shared social activity of musical performance. The research method is an iterative process of filming the activities, gestures, dedicated hand crafting and performance by the makers and players of unique Cigar Box Guitars. The approach is to weave spoken reflections together with the musical fabric and visual rhythm of the film, encouraging a poetic, philosophical approach in tune with the originality and musicality of the instruments created. The very uniqueness of the instruments encourages experimentation and finding new ways of playing. The film also explores the strange dichotomous relationship between going back to low tech musical instruments but using high tech social media to grow the global movement.