Intermodal Transportation
(2021) Directed & Edited by Hillary Carrigan | Music Composed & Arranged by Skyler Hagner
A composition by Skyler Hagner for nine musicians (a nonet), Intermodal Transportation was written as an homage to his lifelong obsession with transportation. The title plays on the dual meaning of modes which are both found in transportation and in music.
Intermodal Transportation was created under the direction of Hillary Carrigan and released in May 2021. Utilizing archival footage from The Library of Congress, the piece was cut from a single source. A corporate short film intended for use at schools screenings or assemblies (originally filmed in 1938 and directed/ edited by Sidney Meyers) is re-imagined with a goal of visually transcribing music. Film tinting, a concept often utilized during the Silent Era of film, plays a role in this reimagining; specific color changes not only suggest mood, they also have a practical purpose of distinguishing different sections within the musical composition.
Skyler Hagner and Hillary Carrigan have collaborated twice before on Frank R. Lautenberg Rail Station (2020) and SECRETS (2020). Viewers who enjoy Intermodal Transportation must seek out Daybreak Express (1953) filmed and edited by D. A. Pennebaker which features Duke Ellington's tune of the same name against images of New York City.
A Conversation.
Director/Editor Hillary Carrigan and Composer Skyler Hagner talk about the creation and design of the video for Intermodal Transportation. Topics include coloring of archival footage, mapping out musical sections to edit the video with, development of the titles, and early approaches to the work.
