SHORT FILM DOWNLOAD & INSTRUCTIONS
A STRANGER IN THE STREET AT THE EDGE OF THE EARTH
- SHORT FILM DOWNLOAD -
THIS SHORT FILM IS A COMPANION TO THE EXHIBITION CATALOG, WHICH TAKES FORM AS A 10” AUDIO PICTURE DISC.
THE PICTURE DISC CONTAINS A MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT BY JOSEPH STOCKER COMPOSED OF TONES USED IN THE CREATION OF A SYNTHESIZER MADE FROM TWELVE 16mm FILM PROJECTORS. THIS PARTICULAR SYNTHESIZER WAS BASED ON AN EARLY MAGNETIC TAPE SYNTHESIZER CALLED A MELLOTRON. RATHER THAN LOOPED SAMPLES RECORDED TO MAGNETIC AUDIO TAPE, THIS ONE USED LIGHT THROUGH OPTICAL AUDIO FILM TO PRODUCE SOUND.
THE TWELVE PROJECTORS ALSO PLAYED A SELECTION OF TWELVE DISCREET MOVIE SCENES, EACH PLAYING ON LOOP AND EACH CONTAINING A MUSICAL TONE. MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE CREATED USING A MIDI-PROGRAMMABLE SOUND CONTROLLER, WHICH ALSO ALLOWED IT TO BE PLAYED LIVE LIKE AN INSTRUMENT.
THE ENTIRE APPARATUS WAS SET WITHIN A SCENIC DIORAMA RESEMBLING A MOVIE STUDIO SOUNDSTAGE. IT INCLUDED A CAR, FOLIAGE, TAXIDERMY COYOTES, AND OTHER SCULPTURAL ELEMENTS RELATED TO THE FILMS. THE FILMS WERE PROJECTED ONTO THE SURROUNDING WALLS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, ALLOWING THE VIEWER TO CONSTRUCT THEIR OWN ARRANGEMENT OF THE SCENES. THE RESULTING AUDIO COMPOSITION WAS INFINITELY VARIABLE SUCH THAT IT COULD NEVER REPEAT.
PRODUCTION STILLS AND EXHIBITION DOCUMENTATION CAN BE VIEWED HERE.
INSTRUCTIONS:
CLICK THE BUTTONS BELOW TO ACCESS THE FILM ON VIMEO;
SET YOUR RECORD PLAYER TO 45 RPM;
PLACE PICTURE DISC ON RECORD PLAYER (BOTH SIDES CONTAIN THE SAME SOUNDTRACK);
ENTER FULL SCREEN MODE ON YOUR VIDEO DEVICE;
PRESS PLAY. A COUNTDOWN WILL BEGIN;
JUST AFTER THE COUNTDOWN REACHES ‘2’, PLACE THE NEEDLE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RECORD;
ENJOY.
* THE AUDIO VOLUME BUILDS UP SLOWLY ON THE RECORD. PLEASE TEST AUDIO LEVELS ON YOUR SYSTEM BEFORE SYNCING TO THE VIDEO.
** THE VIDEO MAY ALSO BE PLAYED ON A TV USING AIRPLAY OR THE VIMEO APP. THE FILM MAY ALSO BE SAVED TO YOUR OWN VIMEO ACCOUNT USING THE ‘WATCH LATER’ OR ‘HEART’ BUTTONS.
PRODUCED BY:
WITH SUPPORT BY:
