Originally made in 1971, then re-edited in the 1990s for release, this is very much a product of the experimental film movement of that era. The concept behind this film is highly self-reflective. Beavers takes as his starting point, the notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci, particularly his focus on the city of Florence. Beavers sets out to capture on film what Da Vinci drew and described, perhaps to uncover Da Vinci's artistic process. By way of extending this exploration of an artist at work, Beavers incorporates his own process. Shots of Florence (and other elements explored by Da Vinci), are proceeded by Beavers own notes, describing how he intends to film (angles, camera movements, lighting, filters, etc.). Shots also often include glimpses of Beavers himself, emphasising to the audience that the filmmaker is always present.
This is high concept, experimental filmmaking. There is no story, no characters, no dialogue, just a montage of images, accompanied by ambient sound, exploring an idea. At a glance the film seems very abstract, but in many ways the process it follows is very literal, making it more accessible than a lot of experimental films. At 50mins, this probably outstays its welcome, but there is a coherence that keeps it watchable.
