Midnight Snack: The Video Synthesizer. Exploring a Lost History of Electronic Animation

Abstronic

Hand-coloured and from the mind of one of the 20th century’s most innovativeabstract filmmakers, “Abstronic” combines abstraction and electronics to produce a playful flow of images reminiscent of an abstract painting in motion. Bute, who was also a painter, created the film using electronic images which were produced by a specially designed oscilloscope and combined with traditional animation. Direction Mary Ellen Bute Duration 6' Language English Country United States Year 1952

The Dynne

Direction Lee Harrison III Duration 1' Country United States Year 1968

Astroman

Direction Lee Harrison III Duration 0' Country United States Year 1968

Mr. Computer Image

Direction Lee Harrison III Duration 1' Country United States Year 1968

Turn on Dancer

These films show the capabilities of the Animac analogue computer, predecessor to the Scanimate videosynthesiser which would later kickstart a new era in motion graphics during the 1970s. The Animac’ssweeping and fluid forms, created using manually controlled cathode rays which drew on screen in real time, give an early example of electronically designed and animated characters. Direction Lee Harrison III Duration 1' Country United States Year 1969

Cycles

A union between two artists and their two mediums of expression: celluloid film and electronic video. Beck, the young inventor of his own video synthesiser, and Belson, a famed abstract filmmaker and animation artist twice his age, spent two years working together on this journey through spheres of thought, mysticism and form. Deeply psychedelic and yet with all the weightlessness of light. Direction Stephen Beck Duration 10' Country United States Year 1974

Heartbeat

An experiment to “explore thecontrol of video images through physiological signals”. This short was made using Bill’s Rutt/Etra video synthesiser, connected to a biomedical heart monitor which tracked Louise’s heartrate. A representation of Louise’s heart is created on screen using the synthesiser and modulated in real time, following her heartbeat as the film unfolds. Direction Bill Etra Duration 1' Country United States Year 1973

Mona Lisa

Japanese artist Toshio Matsumoto uses the Scanimate video synthesiser to take the Mona Lisa on a surreal journey through landscapes that are both real and artificial. In doing so, he projects a kind of fantasy world of electronic images, exploding colours and movement onto his subject, animating her as a shimmering psychedelic vision and accompanied by her own abstract electronic soundtrack. Direction Toshio Matsumoto Duration 3' Country Japan Year 1973

Drug Abuse

Originally intended as an anti-drug public service announcement for local television, this short, 60-second film instead takes us on a trippyride through Day-Glo colours and Pop-Art visuals, all melting into each other with the help of the Scanimate video synthesiser. Although one of her earliest films, it was also one of Lehman’s most successful, going on to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival. Direction Pat Lehman Duration 1' Country United States Year 1972

Five-Minute Romp Through the IP

Video artist and physics graduate Dan Sandin takes the viewer on a short tour of the Sandin Image Processor (IP), a modular video synthesiser that he invented himself. What starts as a serious technical introduction to the synthesiser slowly spaces out into a visual experiment with colour and effects as Dan, wearing what appears to be a Catholic cardinal’s hat, tries to remain focused. Direction Dan Sandin Duration 7' Country United States Year 1973

Electronic Masks

Sykes, a master craftswoman of electronic visuals, manages to wrangle the abstract into the familiar. Bending and warping the raw colours and shapes of the Sandin Image Processor, she creates a series of images that seem to emanate from some ancient subconscious. Mixed together tightly with a percussive soundtrack, the film is a vibrant experiment in visual music. Direction Barbara Sykes Duration 6' Country United States Year 1978

Vocabulary

A study on texture, amorphous forms and the body viaimage processing and video synthesis. Beginning as a simple exercise in contrast and keying effects, the electronic eye of the video camera begins to hallucinate more and more as it tracks the artist through a series of oblique experiments, before finally breaking down completely, recreating reality as a vibrating electronic mesh. Direction Woody Vasulka Duration 4' Country United States Year 1973

Aquarelles

DeWitt, Sorensen and Winkler were a dream team of artist-engineers; a talented group whose fluency in new media and technology would go on to win them numerous awards and accolades. Their skills in videosynthesis and processing are clearly visible in this dreamy, psychedelic drift through synthesised new age landscapes made of vapourwave colours and swirling, fractal-like shapes. Direction Vibeke Sorensen Duration 8' Country United States Year 1980

Sun Ra's Calling Planet Earth With the OVC

Bill Sebastian’s Outer Space Visual Communicator (OVC) was constructed from lights, mirrors, projectors and video effect and mixing equipment, and could be played like a live instrument with hands, feet and even the mouth! Here we get a glimpse of the OVC’s kaleidoscopic visual effects, which were used by the Sun Ra Arkestra to “visualize soundwaves” as part of their touring cosmic stage show. Direction Bill Sebastian Duration 16' Country United States Year 1986