“The interviews are trimmed to perfection, the photo among the finest I’ve seen. ”Test Site” is pure television poetry.” DN
”The evocative beautiful “Test Site” contains fourteen interviews with people who think and act out their fantasy of emptiness. The documentary-eye and ear are cautious and flexible.” TIDNINGEN KULTUREN
“The film is filled with breathtaking desert landscapes from Utah to our own backyards of the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin. If the majestic imagery doesn’t draw you in, the personal stories — offering intimate looks at characters who would fit in a new-age Mark Twain novel — will.” CV INDEPENDENT
TEST SITE is a documentary by Jesper Wachtmeister about what goes on in the outskirts of civilization – where freedom is given, and taken, to express and experiment in ways not permitted in the urban world.
Temporary communities, artistic experimentation, nuclear tests, musical- and spiritual exercises where noise, size and laws don’t matter. A place that permits experiments of all kinds. Speed, art, science, weapons, music, religion, and law – it s all going through the test here.
TEST SITE is a documentary about people living and working in the North American desert. As a means of escaping the noisy and restrictive life found in more urban environments, many people move out to the desert in an attempt to unshackle themselves from the burden of social expectation and find peace to pursue their own creative endeavours. Director Jesper Wachtmeister speaks to some of these people and gains an insight into how this harsh and unforgiving landscape has become such an important part of their lives.We meet folksinger Katie Lee, medicine man James ”Flaming Eagle” Mooney, archaeologist David Nichols, Karen ”dezert nymph” Reynolds, ex-homicide detective Pat Dingle, writer William L. Fox, Area 51 expert Glenn Campbell, bar owner Pat Laudenklos, artist Bobby Furst, desert rave organizer Willy (Electronarcosis), musicians Mario Lalli and Tony Tornay from Fatso Jetson, drummer Johnny ”Sticks” Hilliard and poet Richard Corsano.
Test Site
Documentary
Duration 52min.
Director Jesper Wachtmeister
Producer Jonas Kellagher
Co-Producer SVT AB, AVRO, SBS
© Solaris Filmproduktion, Eight Millimetres AB & SVT AB
Distribution DR TV International Sales
DIRECTOR & EDITOR
Jesper Wachtmeister
PRODUCER
Jonas Kellagher
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Thomas Hencz
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Jesper Wachtmeister
SOUND
Raimonda Tamosauskaite
Thomas Hencz
Alexandra Wachtmeister
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Bodil Markendahl
ASSISTANT EDITOR & COMPOSIT
Christoffer Boman
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Petra Backhaus
ANIMATION
Veronica Wallenberg
Kristof Kolacz
GRADING
Mike Cosola
ON-LINE
Jonas Eriksson
SOUND DESIGN
Jakob Myrman
ART DIRECTOR
Sophie Månsson
COMPOSER
Benny Nilsen
CELLO
Hildur Gudnadóttir
ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Hallberg Dadi Hallbergsson
Produced by Eight Millimetres in collaboration with Sveriges Television AB/Kultur
Solaris Filmproduktion with support of Svenska Filminstitutet/Tove Torbiörnsson
Nordisk Film & TV fond/Karolina Lidin and Film i Väst.
A co-production with Solaris Filmproduktion, SVT, YLE/FST
© Eight Millimetres AB, Solaris Filmproduktion & Sveriges Television AB
