A lot of bleedover from Structures today (as usual) since Carl is teaching both classes. Not that anyone has a problem with that. today we continued on the topic of detournement by watching the 1927 Soviet remix of cinematographe footage of the Romanovs and other (German, Austrian, English, French) imperialist warpigs: the first remix of film against the intentions/worldviews of the people who shot it, which practice is common (and delicious) now. i recorded audio of today’s and yesterday’s classes for Eric so if anyone else (from class*) wants it, ask.

Er…what then…we got to talking about theater. Carl gave a detailed description of a Sankai Juku show he saw some years ago, which revealed itself so slowly, enrapturing the audience so thoroughly that when a number of digital watches in the audience chimed the hour, no one knew what hour it was. i thought, ‘god, i love good theater.’

Somehow I got to thinking about the elaborate, profuse apologies that philosophers and composers (e.g., Descartes, Leibniz) used to put at the beginnings of their works, letting their (usually royal) patron know how meager their efforts were in comparison to the generosity and magnificence of that patron. Then I considered all the times I’ve heard people apologize for their [sketch|photos|videos|drawings|hairstyle] before presenting it to their [comedy group|class|parents]. I’d like to do a formal apology (in period dress and diction) in prelude to a sketch show.

We showed the rest of our screentests (a Warholian, co-instructive exercise in learning how to use the cameras, lighting kits and Final Cut Pro (‘course I know this stuff backwards and forwards heh heh bleh)). Seth shot his with two cameras about 30 degrees apart. I suppose he intended to sync them perfectly but there was a lag so that one Seth would turn his head and smile 5 or 20 seconds (he messed with it) before the other one. Why did we laugh; what was funny about it? Hmmmm. It got Carl talking about widely divergent audio and video in film…how your brain works 3 and a half times as much constructing relations between the two than when the foley artist goes ‘clop’ each time the horsie’s hoof hits the ground. This got me thinking about how to use the delay inherent in telepresent improv.

I was pleased with the reception of my screen test, which was one long drooltake set to Eno’s Thursday Afternoon as I gazed at the spinning stars, my philosopher stick figure and, finally, the IDMI logo. When the logo appeared,

CARL: “you’re getting beat up at recess.”

How was the drool done? last week I had a bad canker sore and bought this carbamide peroxide foamy stuff to clean it out. It made for some great drool. I put a bunch in my mouth, started the camera and slowly drooled for five minutes. Only a few people from class (and Carl) saw it so it was a good surprise.

HOMEWORK: TWO ASSIGNMENTS DUE IN TWO WEEKS on the subject of “Perfection.” One written (for philosophy), one made (for structures).

* sorry, non-IDM grads. you no get to listen. i got a lot of work and no time to run a bootleg university. :p