Experiencing Interruptions?

Rattle

The poem ‘Rattle’ which my poetry film is based was written with my 'Street Poetry' process whereby I interact with the public who can request a spontaneous poem on a subject of their choice, in this case ‘Peace’ was the subject given. I then compose a poem directly onto a typewriter and read the finished poem to the participant.

I then used result to inspire ‘Rattle’ which is about maintaining empathy, tolerance and the elusive nature of peace. It's about feeling connected and at times disconnected when we feel that the narratives that we are expected to live within are too simple too neat and too safe.

  • Mark Niehus
    Director
  • Mark Niehus
    Writer
  • Mark Niehus
    Producer
  • Lachlan Pierce
    Key Cast
    "Mr Rattle"
  • Mark Niehus
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Web / New Media, Other
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 15, 2017
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Lift-Off Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    April 15, 2019
    Lift-Off Sessions April 2019
  • ANAT : Luminosity
    Adelaide
    Australia
    January 15, 2018
    Luminosity
  • DELETE TV
    Vienna
    Austria
    April 18, 2019
    European Premiere
    DELETE TV season 2019
Director Biography - Mark Niehus

Poet and Artist Mark Niehus combines his poetry with digital art, video and music to create outcomes that capture and expand the mood, rhythms and meaning of his writing. Always seeking to discover new ways to apply his experimental ethos to engage audiences and push the boundaries of his art, Mark’s work illuminates and transforms urban environments and internal spaces into captivating visual canvases and poetic soundscapes.
After spending years abroad, travelling, studying creative writing and working as a new media designer in London, Mark returned to Australia to publish his first book of poems in 2008 and to focus his artistic practice to create high quality artworks integrated with his writing. Over the last 10 years Mark has conceived and delivered an array of poetry films, projection art, street art, illustrations, installations and composed spontaneous poems for the public on his typewriter for Local Government, Arts organisations, festivals and numerous solo exhibitions.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I write quickly and instinctively, allowing an interplay between my subconscious and conscious mind until the narrative appears. Writing for me is a very visual experience resulting in vivid imagery which easily translates to film giving the poem another life beyond the page and provides another layer for me to guide the audience’s interpretation of the text. Composing music for my films ties these two elements together, creating a mood that reflects the world in which the poem lives. My work often explores the human experience and the friction between ideals and the status quo. I have an intimate relationship with my art, I measure myself against it and I strive to narrow the space between me and it.