Index / Methods
Methods
Fort Dee’s work is shaped by research-led methods that combine moving-image practice, immersive technologies and site-specific enquiry. Methods are developed iteratively, responding to context, material and collaboration rather than fixed production pipelines or predetermined outcomes.
Virtual Production
Virtual production techniques are used as tools for experimentation rather than spectacle. LED volume environments are employed to explore relationships between subject, camera and space, allowing visual elements to respond in real time to movement, gesture and performance. This approach enables testing of spatial ideas during filming, rather than deferring visual decisions entirely to post-production.
Place-Based & Site-Specific Practice
Fort Dee’s methods are grounded in place-based practice, with projects shaped by the specific social, historical and material conditions of a site. Rather than applying generic visual frameworks, methods respond to local context, geography and use, allowing place to inform both form and process. This approach supports storytelling that is rooted in lived environments and cultural specificity.
Archival & Contextual Research
Research is informed by archival material, folklore, oral histories and existing documentation relevant to each projects context. Archival research is treated as a generative process, providing cultural and historical grounding prior to visualisation. Care is taken to interpret source material responsibly, particularly when working with heritage content and collective memory.
Non-Invasive Capture Techniques
Where projects involve cultural, historical or site-sensitive material, Fort Dee prioritises non-invasive capture methods. Techniques such as photogrammetry and documentary recording are used to document spaces and objects without physical intervention. This supports ethical engagement with heritage sites while enabling detailed spatial and visual study.
Collaboration & Research Process
Work is developed through collaboration with artists, technologists, researchers and partner organisations on a project-by-project basis. Collaboration is embedded within the research process, with methods shaped through shared experimentation, testing and dialogue. This approach allows technical development and enquiry to evolve together.
These methods operate across Fort Dee’s research and project work, allowing experimentation to inform applied projects and applied work to generate further research questions. Methods are treated as a flexible framework that continues to evolve through ongoing practice.