ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the use of moving image and sound, the process of filmmaking and the results of a documentary film in identifying how everyday environmental assets are used in supporting individual well-being, revealing aspects which otherwise remain invisible. Revolving around the micro-space of the humble bench, it considers how the experiential capacity of film is used to highlight themes such as the feeling of being in a space and the rhythm and flow of visitors to a place. The original 18-minute poetic documentary made by Johnson uses a series of oral testimonies in order to illuminate the thoughts of frequent users of two public spaces in London. As such, the underpinning research tests how making a film can help tell detailed and nuanced stories about encounters, exclusion and well-being in outdoor spaces, this chapter providing a discourse regarding the approach, its impact and importance to the well-being agenda.
