Influences

I have been a practitioner of Kendo on and off for about three years. I have trained with many different people and had the honor of sparring with Kendoka’s right out of Japan. Throughout my training there has been a bond between each practitioner of hard work and respect for one another. There had been times when I have spared where there seemed to be nothing else around me. I was wholly dedicated to the challenge in front of me; time seemed to slow down.

Within Kendo, there are forms of positioned exercises called Kata's. These Kata's explain different positions and why they are used. I have always seen these Kata's and thought it would good to see them juxtaposed on to a scene of Kendoka actually using the same form of Kata in a sparring fight.

I have also admired the spirit of Kendo in which all Kendoka's hold. It is very difficult to create a form of experimental film when the context in which you are working in contains hundreds of years of pre-established history and culture. None the less, I believe it feasible to create an experimental film that works in harmony with cultural restrictions.