It’s just so eerie and beautiful. “Got a window? Got a camera? No time to lose, send in your view now”
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Be part of a unique, global, collective filmmaking experience with the artist Gillian Wearing. We want to capture a snapshot of views from people’s homes all over the world and this can only be done with YOUR help.

The idea is very simple; film a very short clip of either curtains or blinds opening to reveal the view from a window, preferably without showing hands or arms. We are looking for a wide variety of views from an urban perspective to a more remote countryside view. This can be shot from any window in your home, whether it is your living room, bedroom, attic window etc. You can also send more than one view.

The idea is that the view will be revealed like a curtain going back on a stage or at a cinema. The camera needs to be static but the view need not be, i.e. cars passing. It is important the film just registers what’s outside but does not tell a story.

If you don’t have curtains or blinds then we welcome another creative way of revealing the view. Films that don’t start this way unfortunately cannot be accepted. If you are filming a window that has curtains or blinds etc, please ensure the curtains are closed at the start of the filming.

You do not have to have experience as a filmmaker to participate; we are accepting raw footage filmed on phones, video cameras or in more professional formats. We only ask that the shot is static and is shot on a horizontal and you follow some simple instructions so all the clips are similar in specification.

When you have finished filming follow the simple instructions below and upload the file to this site.

Extracts of this footage will be shown in art museums, broadcast television and online.

Without your clips it would be impossible to gather the quantity of window views required from around the world so we thank you ahead of time for your valued contribution.

Instructions for Window Shot

1/ Compose a nice shot looking at the view through a window.

2/ Try and exclude the windowsill and any parts of your surrounding home, the window frame is fine.

3/ Use a tripod or some other means of fixture so that your camera remains steady. If you do not have a tripod then you could steady your camera by leaning it on a chair with some books on it for instance. If you are shooting on your own, it’s best to secure the camera somewhere so that you can be free to open the curtains or blind.

4/ Manually focus your camera and then try and focus on an object outside like a building, tree or wall that is part of the view. If you can manually expose, then expose your camera for the outside view.

VERY IMPORTANT
Before you shoot please have the blinds, shutters, curtains or any other form of material that keeps light out of your room closed before you begin filming. The idea is to open the shutters, curtains or blinds to reveal the view. If you don’t have any thing to cut out the light then start with your camera underexposed till the complete image can be seen.

*PLEASE ONLY FILM YOUR VIEWS HORIZONTALLY*

5/ Start recording, run the camera for about 10 seconds with the curtain or blind down before revealing the view.

Try to stay out of the shot, ideally we will not see how you open the blind or curtain, try to do it from the side so that your arm is not in the frame or if you have automated shutter blinds that can be operated remotely.

6/ Open the curtains or blind with a steady quick motion and leave the camera to record the view for another 7 or 8 seconds unless something relevant or interesting happens, in which case stop recording when you feel the shot has come to a natural end.

7/ Follow the simple instructions to upload your file.

Please see example of video above.

Here is an example of two views

From a home in Hong Kong (left) and from an apartment in Amsterdam (right)

Information on the Artist
Gillian Wearing is an internationally acclaimed artist who won the Turner Prize in 1997 her work has been seen at many museums including Museum Modern of Art New York, Tate Modern, Pompidou and also at film festivals including SXSW in Austin Texas, London Film Festival, LA Film Festival. She is currently having a retrospective exhibition at the Museum Brandhorst in Munich, and prior to this the exhibition was as K20 In Dusseldorf and the Whitechapel Gallery in London.