Database Cinema

Tuesday / Thursday 9:00-11:45AM



Instructor: Christiane Paul
E-mail: Christiane_Paul@WHITNEY.ORG


TA: Lior Bar
E-mail: bar.lior@gmail.com


Course Description: The seminar and production class will explore the ways in which the digital medium has affected and reconfigured the moving image and redefined the very identity of cinema as we know it. The focus of the course will be on the database as a new cinematic framework. The digital medium does not rely on the ultimately linear structure of the film frame or electronic image but transforms the image itself as well as image sequences into discrete units that can potentially be remixed in new constellations, be it through software processes or interaction by the viewer. Digital interactivity is inextricably connected to the concept of databases, the possibility of assembling and reconfiguring media elements from a compilation of image sequences.

The class will outline and discuss the characteristics of the database and its impact on cinematic language from a practical and aesthetic perspective. The class will investigate the effects of software and information technologies on subjectivity and the construction of architectural space in cinema and explore how database aesthetics becomes a conceptual potential and cultural form -- a way of revealing (visual) patterns of knowledge, beliefs, and social behavior. The works of artists who have employed databases for the creation of cinematic and cultural narratives will be used as case studies and analyzed in-depth to identify technical and aesthetic approaches to database cinema. These contemporary works will be contextualized by earlier experimental films that play with structural conventions of film and the relational use of film sequences.

Students will also investigate the possibilities of database cinema on a practical level. Over the course of the semester, they will complete several assignments and short films that explore diverse aspects of filmmaking rooted in the logic of the database.

Among the topics covered will be the construction of non- linear narratives, relationships between the database, temporality, and spatiality, as well as the use of autonomous agents and artificial intelligence in the creation of cinema. The class will discuss strategies and effects of using software to assemble elements from a media database and edit movies in real time on the basis of the instructions given by the artists and their software.

Attendance Policy: Attendance will be recorded for each class. Unexcused absences and lateness will negatively affect students' grades.

Final Grades: Grades will be based on attendance and participation in class discussion; as well as completed assignments.

Required Course Work:
  • complete the series of short assignments posted on the syllabus (TK)
  • develop a project proposal of your choice throughout the semester. Proposals will be discussed in class during the course of the semester. The final proposal should be a sketch, mock-up, or prototype for your project. It does not have to be a fully developed project.

    The following syllabus is subject to change.





    Week 1 | What is Digital Cinema | Database Cinema?

    Tues 1/22

    Introduction to course: topics and course work.



    Thurs 1/24

  • Lev Manovich, Database as a Symbolic Form (1999)

    Projects:
    "Database Logic":
    Mike Figgis, Time Code
    Christian Marclay, Video Quartet
    Perry Bard, Man with a movie camera
    Peter Greenaway, Tu lse Luper Suitcases
    Jim Campbell, Accumulating Psycho






    Week 2 | What is Digital Cinema | Database Cinema?

    Tues 1/29

  • Lev Manovich, What is Digital Cinema? (1995)
  • Lev Manovich, Cinema and Digital Media (1995)

    Projects:
    Immersive Panoramic Film Installations:
    Michael Naimark, Interactive and Immersive Film Installations | 1977-1997
    Jeffrey Shaw, Place Ruhr / Place - A User's Manual / Eve

    Resources:
    Danube TeleLectures #4 => REMIXING CINEMA: FUTURE AND PAST OF MOVING IMAGES (Lev Manovich / Sean Cubitt)



    Thurs 1/31

  • Lev Manovich, Cinema and Telecommunication/Distance and Aura (1999)

    Projects:
    Early Telecommunications Art:
    Overview (Media Art Net)
    Liza Bear, Willoughby Sharp, Sharon Grace, Carl Loeffler, Two-Way Demo: Send/Receive (1977)
    Kit Galloway / Sherrie Rabinowitz, Satellite Arts Project 77
    Douglas Davis (with Nam June Paik, Joseph Beuys et al.), Last 9 Minutes





    Week 3 | Database | Cinema | Software

    Tues 2/5

  • Daniel Coffeen, Making Sense of Database Discourse: Distributed Grammar, the Event, and the Limits of Syntax

    Projects:
    Lev Manovich, Soft Cinema
    Thomson & Craighead, Short Films about Flying (Template Cinema)
    David Blair, WAXWEB
    Nick Crowe, Discrete Packets



    Thurs 2/7

    Introduction: MySQL and Java Training / DB Cinema
    The training is intended for students who are not familiar or have very little familiarity with Java and programming principles.
    The purpose is to give students an understanding of the concepts of relational databases, programming process and Object Oriented programming, in particular; and to provide hands-on practice in designing and creating a MySQL database and accessing it via a Java application.

    Recommended MySQL documentation: MySQL's online Reference Manual (5.0)

    Introduction to MySQL:
    A brief history of relational databases
    The relational model
    SQL - the interface to RDBS-s
    MySQL

    DOWNLOAD POWERPOINT

    Home assignment: design a database.





    Week 4 | Database | Cinema | Software

    Tues 2/12

  • Daniel Coffeen, The Death of the Reel: Harnessing the Image in Marc Lafia's Permutations
  • Daniel Coffeen, Film, Play, Power and the Computational, or Byting Celluloid: On Marc Lafia's and Fang-Yu Lin's The Battle of Algiers
  • Cistiano Poian, Investigating Film Algorithm


    Projects:
    Marc Lafia & Fang-Yu Lin, The Battle of Algiers
    Marc Lafia, Permutations
    Brendan Dawes Cinema Redux
    Jennifer & Kevin MCoy, 201, A Space Algorithm / Soft Rains ( Flickr) / Every Shot, Every Episode / Every Anvil / How I learned



    Thurs 2/14

    Practicing SQL (using MySQL)
    Implementing the design made at home on MySQL.

    Home assignment:
    Bruce Eckel, Thinking in Java, 1: Introduction to Objects

    Recommended Java book:
    Bruce Eckel's Thinking in Java (4th Edition)
    -> For java basics: Thinking in Java, 3rd Edition Revision 4.0 - November 20, 2002
    -> For database connectivity (JDBC): Thinking in Enterprise Java Revision 1.1 - May 6, 2003
    [Both are .zip archives containing html pages.]





    Week 5 | Database | Cinema | Software

    Tues 2/19

    Introduction to the Java language:
  • Source code overview
  • Class files
  • The Java Runtime Environment
  • The Java Development Kit
  • A Java Development Environment: Eclipse
  • A basic ("Hello World") program

    DOWNLOAD JAVA POWERPOINT I

    Home assignment: download and install Eclipse, create and run the "Hello World" program.



    Thurs 2/21

    Getting into the source: explaining a simple program.
  • The Class
  • Blocks and scopes
  • Variable declarations
  • Methods
  • Expressions

    DOWNLOAD JAVA POWERPOINT II







    Week 6 | Database | Cinema | Software

    Tues 2/26

  • Control-flow statements
  • Arrays
  • Reserved words
  • Commenting
  • Basic debugging

    DOWNLOAD JAVA POWERPOINT III

    Home assignment:
    Create a class that receives input of in the form of
    X + Y
    X - Y
    X p Y
    (args[0], args[1], args[2])

    Note: X p Y is X to the Yth power - X multiplied by itself Y times.
    Your output should be the result of the mathematical action specified in the input.



    Thurs 2/28

    Object-oriented programming:
  • Objects
  • Packages
  • Applying meeting II topics to objects
  • Numbers and Strings
  • A brief explanation of the Object-oriented principles (less relevant for this program's audience): encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism

    DOWNLOAD JAVA POWERPOINT IV

    JDBC:
  • Database manipulation via Java's interface to databases
  • MySQL connectivity





    Week 7 | Database | Cinema | Software

    Tues 3/4

    JDBC:
  • Database manipulation via Java's interface to databases
  • MySQL connectivity

    DOWNLOAD JAVA POWERPOINT V





    Thurs 3/6

    JDBC cont.





    Spring Break | 3/10 - 16





    Week 8 | Database | Cinema | Software

    Tues 3/18

    Assignment 1 implementation cont.



    Thurs 3/20

    JDBC cont.





    Week 9

    Tues 3/25

  • Intro to Processing (Ian Bartholomew)
    DOWNLOAD SAMPLES:
    animation.pde / animation.rtf
    mouse.pde / mouse.rtf
  • Presentation Assignment 1

    DOWNLOAD PROCESSING MANUAL



    Thurs 3/27 | Narrative and Non- Narrative Interactive Film Installations

  • Christiane Paul Expanding Cinema: The Moving Image in Digital Art (2006)

    Projects:
    "Visceral Cinema" / Non-Narrative Film Installations:
    Scott Snibbe, Visceral Cinema: Chien
    Marie Sester, BE[AM] / Threatbox.us





    Week 10 | Narrative and Non- Narrative Interactive Film Installations

    Tues 4/1

  • Lynn Hershman, The Fantasy Beyond Control (New Media Reader: 44|643)

    Projects:
    Narrative Film (Installations):
    Raduz Cincera, Kinoautomat
    Lynn Hershman, Lorna
    Graham Weinbren, Erl King, Sonata
    Toni Dove, Artificial Changelings / Spectropia / Sally
    Julia Heyward, Miracles in Reverse
    Luc Courchesne, The Visitor, Living by Numbers (go to Installations)



    Thurs 4/3

    Using AI and bots in the filmmaking process.

    Projects
    Heide, Onesandzeros, Pocock, Stehle, Unmovie
    Michael Mateas, Facade

    Resources
    Chat bots:
    Eliza
    Eliza, Computer Therapist
    Alice IA Foundation

    Projects:
    Lynn Hershmann, Agent Ruby
    Ken Feingold, If/Then (2001), Sinking Feeling (2001)






    Week 11 | Machinima / Virtual Worlds / Game Engines

    Tues 4/8

    Machinima:
    www.machinima.org

    3D Worlds:
    Digital Space Commons / Traveler
    Active Worlds
    Second Life

    Projects:
    Making Movies in Virtual Worlds:
    Donato Mancini, Jeremy Turner and Flick Harrison, Avatara
    Jason Spingarn-Koff, SL: A Second Life Documentary
    China Tracy, i.Mirror

    Second Life art projects:
    Jakob Senneby & Simon Goldin, The Port
    Eva and Franco Mattes, 13 Most Beautiful Avatars / Annoying Japanese Child Dinosaur / Synthetic Performances
    Second Front, Spawn of the Surreal and Imaging Place SL: The U.S./Mexico Border
    Will Pappenheimer and John Freeman, Virta-Flaneurazine-SL

    Resources:
    Space Between People - How The Virtual Changes Physical Architecture
    SL discussion on the empire mailing list, August 07



    Thurs 4/10

    SL Resources:
    Photos and Machinima Blog
    Machinima Wiki

    Basic instructions for in-world capture

    Recording Tools:
    Alt-Zoom Machinima Starter Kit (in Lukanida)

    Cameras:
    Alt-Zoom Camera (from Starter Kit)
    Filming Path Camera (sold by Geuis Dassin)
    Joystick Fly Cam (open client menu, choose Joystick Flycam); walkthrough

    Sound:
    Freesound Project

    Other Capture Tools:
    Fraps (PC)
    Snapz Pro / iShowU (Mac)

    Facial Animations:
    Reallusion's CrazyTalk





    Week 12 | Machinima / Virtual Worlds / Game Engines

    Tues 4/15

    SL / Machinima cont. - Assignment 2



    Thurs 4/17

    SL / Machinima cont. - Assignment 2





    Week 13 | Machinima / Virtual Worlds / Game Engines

    Tues 4/22

    SL / Machinima cont. - Assignment 2



    Thurs 4/24

    Intro to game engines and the moving image.

    Projects:
    Making Movies in Game Environments:
    Eddo Stern, Vietnam Romance / Sheik Attack
    Cory Arcangel, Super Mario Movie

    Game Engines and the Moving Image
    Mary Flanagan, [domestic]
    Margarete Jahrmann, Max Moswitzer, nybble-engine-toolZ
    John Gerrard
    Jodi, Max Payne Cheats Only
    Alex Galloway, Prepared Playstation





    Week 14 | Machinima / Virtual Worlds / Game Engines

    Tues 4/29

    Assignment 3: Develop a proposal for a short machinima film based on 'footage' from games.



    Thurs 5/1

    Production





    Week 15 | Machinima / Virtual Worlds / Game Engines

    Tues 5/6

    Final project presentation / critique



    Thurs 5/8

    Conclusion