Abstract
"Coch Bach Y Bala: On The Trail of The Welsh Houdini" is deeply rooted in a practice-research methodology, where the act of filmmaking itself becomes a mode of historical inquiry and interpretation. The research began with archival work, piecing together the fragmented life of John Jones (Coch Bach Y Bala) from newspaper accounts (evident from the visual inclusion of clippings and Welsh-language articles), prison records, and local folklore, as the narration itself alludes to the "myth," "half-truths, exaggerations, and complete works of fiction" surrounding him.
This project consciously experiments with telling and showing history by employing a distinct visual aesthetic—vintage film effects, sepia tones, and staged re-enactments that evoke early 20th-century cinematography, hinting at the use of period-appropriate camera techniques (like the Kodak Specialist camera shown). This isn't a straightforward documentary; it's an attempt to feel the past, aligning with the concept of "hiraeth"—a deep, often melancholic, longing for a Wales of the past.
The film reimagines biography by focusing on a "history-from-the-ground-up" perspective. Coch Bach Y Bala is not a statesman or a conventional hero but a "petty thief," a "rogue," and a "Welsh Houdini" whose notoriety stemmed from his numerous escapes and clashes with the British justice system.
By centering his narrative, the film empathises with an individual from a caste often marginalised in traditional historical accounts, exploring his motivations, the societal context of his crimes, and the public's dichotomous perception of him as both admired and hated. The chaptered structure of our film ("Disjointed Fragments," "The Escape," "Sarah Jones," etc.) further attempts a non-linear, more impressionistic approach to biography, reflecting the often-incomplete nature of historical records for such figures and allowing for a more thematic exploration of his life and legend. The research, therefore, is not just about presenting facts but about creatively and empathetically reconstructing a life from the available, often folkloric, remnants.
This project consciously experiments with telling and showing history by employing a distinct visual aesthetic—vintage film effects, sepia tones, and staged re-enactments that evoke early 20th-century cinematography, hinting at the use of period-appropriate camera techniques (like the Kodak Specialist camera shown). This isn't a straightforward documentary; it's an attempt to feel the past, aligning with the concept of "hiraeth"—a deep, often melancholic, longing for a Wales of the past.
The film reimagines biography by focusing on a "history-from-the-ground-up" perspective. Coch Bach Y Bala is not a statesman or a conventional hero but a "petty thief," a "rogue," and a "Welsh Houdini" whose notoriety stemmed from his numerous escapes and clashes with the British justice system.
By centering his narrative, the film empathises with an individual from a caste often marginalised in traditional historical accounts, exploring his motivations, the societal context of his crimes, and the public's dichotomous perception of him as both admired and hated. The chaptered structure of our film ("Disjointed Fragments," "The Escape," "Sarah Jones," etc.) further attempts a non-linear, more impressionistic approach to biography, reflecting the often-incomplete nature of historical records for such figures and allowing for a more thematic exploration of his life and legend. The research, therefore, is not just about presenting facts but about creatively and empathetically reconstructing a life from the available, often folkloric, remnants.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Type | Coch Bach Y Bala: On The Trail of The Welsh Houdini |
| Media of output | Practice-as-Research Documentary |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Feb 2025 |
