Partly inspired by the programme of Capitaine Futur, this selection of films seek to explore the magical world around us. From dream-like, microbiological art to the visualisation of birdsong, a visit to some friendly alien planets and a secret labyrinthine world hidden behind the city walls of Jodphur, we zoom back down to earth to enjoy some cat-inspired swing jazz.
A selection of films by Claire Spencer Cook
First selection : Abstract (on the foyer historique side)
- Atyp: XxDr UK 2014 (01:20)
Set in an unseen microscopic landscape, the animation for this journey has been created without key frames, utilising a dynamics engine that is activated and recorded. Essentially the film has decided itself to a large degree; the 'atom' is fired and what results is an affected simulation simply observed by a single camera locked in close proximity.
- Masanobu Hiraoka: In the Sea and Near a Girl Japan 2014 (01:08)
A kaleidoscopic splash of colour, summoning up images of seaside romances and holiday laissez-faire. One in a series of visual moving image paintings, including an honourable mention from Ars Electronica earlier this year, single handedly created by Hiraoka in his Tokyo-based animation studio.
- Andy Thomas: Nightingale and Canary Australia 2014 (02:30)
Australian artist Andy Thomas specializes in creating ‘audio life forms’: beautiful abstract shapes that react to sounds. In this animated short, he visualizes two recorded bird sounds from the archives of the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision in Hilversum.
- Ben Ridgeway: Cosmic Flower Unfolding UK 2013 (02:00)
This moving image installation depicts a constant flow of emerging and dissolving oceanic, futuristic, and mandala forms. It is a tribute to organic abstraction, re-imagining a luminescent microbiology at its most magical.
Second selection : Narrative (on the concert hall side)
- Factory Fifteen: Chupai Chupan UK 2014 (08:00)
A group of children play a hyper-real version of ‘Hide and Seek’ up and down the vibrant, labyrinthine streets and alleyways of an ancient Indian city. Through secret gestures, they are able to unlock magical hidden doors, leading to an Escher- inspired walled garden.
The project was originally developed for the 'Future Perfect' exhibition as part of the 2013 Architecture Triennale in Lisbon, Portugal and was presented by DAZED as part of the Visionaries series.
- Anthony Blades: Car Park UK 2013 (01:30)
A trip to the shops goes horribly wrong when a man confronts an angry dog, locked in the car next door. But this dog has initiative.
A gem of a ‘micro short’ and a massive YouTube hit of over 4 million views, this is a scenario many supermarket shoppers will be able to relate to!
- Andy Martin: The Planets UK 2014 (12:00)
‘Illustrated Aliens’ and this accompanying short film is a 12 month project, whereby Andy Martin designed a new alien character every day, then created a 1 minute animated world for them to live in, at the end of each month. A true labour of extra-terrestrial love, the resulting 12 films explore alien life forms as diverse as 8-bit proto digital creatures, loved-up robots and a ‘Groundhog Day’- style planet where every day is the same as the last.
- NobUmichi Asai (P.I.C.S): Omote Japan (02:30)
Originally conceived as a technical demo of real time facial projection mapping (Omote means ‘face’ or ‘mask’) this film also deserves to be watched as a visual artwork. The actress remains still, gently moving her face which morphs and transmutates into different characters, some classically Japanese in visual style, some truly anticipating the sci-fi of the future. An intriguing and impressive ‘masking’ technique, which could pave the way to real-time animated theatrical performance.
Project Omote is a collaboration between Japanese media artist Nobumichi Asai, makeup artist Hiroto Kuwahara and French digital image engineer Paul Lacroix.
- Benjamin Arcand: Wackatdooo Canada 2014 (06:00)
With echoes of ‘Tom and Jerry’, and as a complete antithesis to the previous short, this is a nostalgic and joyous musical film, coloured with crazy swing jazz and pure animation frenzy. Cat cannot wait to leave work, get home and put on his favourite record. He wont stop dancing until it is time to go back to work.
claire cook
Productrice et commissaire dans les domaines du film et des projets interactifs, notamment autour d'installations, d'évènements ainsi que sur le web et les mobiles.
Actuellement chez Nexus Interactive Arts, Claire a été productrice pour le BBC Film Network de 2006 à 2010. Collaboratrice du festival onedotzero, elle a coordiné et programmé pendant 5 ans leur festival d'images animées digitales, la tournée internationale, le label DVD et la distribution des court-métrages. Elle a également développé et fait des commandes de web-séries pour MTV Italie, a été productrice chez Stink Productions et a commencé sa carrière en distribution chez atomfilms, après avoir étudié le Français, l'Allemand et le cinéma européen à Cambridge University.
