Brent Green with Jeremy Gara and Howe Gelb

All Brent Green knows about the film and visual arts world is what he has to do with it. “I never watch films and, really, I’m not interested in visual art at all,” the filmmaker says. The self-taught movie man is known for his stop-motion short films; one of them, Hadacol Christmas, was recently featured at the DiverseWorks “Flicker Fusion” exhibit.

Green’s use of hand drawings, scotch tape and found objects creates a homemade, DIY aesthetic that has captured the attention of critics, not to mention festivals like Sundance. But as appreciative as he is of the recognition, Green is mostly interested in music, which he employs during screenings of his works.

“When you finish a record, you go on tour. So when I finish a film, I take it on the road,” he says. Every screening is accompanied by a live band that improvises the soundtrack. Today’s screenings of Carlin, Paulina Hollers and Susa’s Red Ears feature narration by Green and an improvised soundtrack by Arcade Fire drummer Jeremy Gara and Giant Sand frontman Howe Gelb.

Green says he was able to attract indie giants like these because he started out knowing so little about the movie business. After he completed his first film, his peers encouraged him to send it out. “Now I realize they meant festivals and stuff, but I didn’t know what those were, so I just sent it to my five favorite [music] artists,” he says. The result? Dozens of performance collaborations.

The ever-rotating music lineup and the improvisation create an environment that never gets old. “I don’t just want to play the same soundtrack every night. That’s really boring to me,” he says. “I want it to be this crazy thing that’s on the verge of collapse every time.”

Green’s spontaneous spectacle is perfect for Aurora Picture Show’s Media Archeology, its yearly installment of works by artists who include audio/video technology in their performances. 8 p.m. Through April 19. Today’s screenings are at the Orange Show, 2402 Munger. For tickets and a complete schedule, call 713–868-2101 or visit www.aurorapictureshow.org. $8 to $12.
Fri., April 18, 8 p.m., 2008