Fractal Film

Fractal Film

Delphine Doukhan and Antoine Schmitt
2013

Generative video
Specific program, computer, video projector.
Duration : infinite

Infos : fractalfilm.net

Synopsis

The generative video installation Fractal Film proceeds to an exhaustion of the view on a given scene : an autonomous programmed camera explores and shows us the same scene indefinitely and always differently. Projected in large format, the short cinematographic scene plays, over and over. Although in a loop, it is never seen with the same angle, the same camera position, movement and behavior.

The scene, written and shot by Delphine Doukhan, is a short but complex drama with multiple plot levels, a wordless burlesque huis clos involving six characters during a troubled reception with a sense of tacit ritual. This very precisely choreographed scene was shot in very high definition (5K) at eight different angles. At exhibition time, a software-based camera, designed and written by Antoine Schmitt, navigates by zooming inside this source video material to explore and display of the scene in infinitely various ways. To do so, it follows written rules of movement, defined by the authors, and drawn from cinema language, from animal behavior, from mathematics and physics. Some of these rules explicitly leave freedom of movement to the camera, within certain limits. At each scene occurrence, the camera chooses one rule at random and follows it. The result is an infinitely variable way of looking at a given scene.

Fractal Film articulates the concepts of generative art with the language of cinema. It is a collaboration between video artist Delphine Doukhan and generative artist Antoine Schmitt.

Exhibition

Fractal Film is designed to be shown as a gallery installation in a dark room on a large projection HD screen with seats and quality sound, in a cinema-like atmosphere. The duration is infinite, the audience comes and leaves freely.

Crew

Authors : Delphine Doukhan and Antoine Schmitt

Dancers : Laurent Cebe, Thierry Champion, Cédric Cherdel, Chiara Gallerani, Vanessa Granjon, Carole Perdereau

Director : Delphine Doukhan
Programming : Antoine Schmitt

Director of Photography : Bertrand Latouche
Camera assistant : Adeline Moreau
Sound engineer : Yannick Le Coz
Key grip : Fabrice Pucel
Location manager : Wilfrid Jaunâtre
Stage lighting : Sarah Lebreton
Key light : Mickaël Fauchoix

Set design : Jérémie Joubert
Costumes : Aurélie Dewitte
Makeup/Hairdresser : Sylvie Aubry

Camera RED : Sprayfilm

Executive production : Stereolux and Les Films du Balibari
Co-production : l’Ososphère, Arte Creative
Funding : SCAM, DRAC Pays de la Loire, Région des Pays de la Loire, Galerie RDV, DICRéAM (CNC)

Delphine Doukhan’s web site

Making of Fractal Film

Photos on Flickr