Tonyconradtheflickerremake

REMAKE OF TONY CONRAD'S THE FLICKER - ABSOLUTE FLICKER, DIGITAL VERSION, EXACT COPY BUT WITH PURE BLACK/WHITE FRAMES. DIGITAL FORMATTED INTRO TEXT CREDITS. NO GRAIN, NO DIRT, NO SCRATCHES - The Flicker is a 1966 experimental film by Tony Conrad. The film consists of only 5 different frames: a warning frame, two title frames, a black frame, and a white frame. It changes the rate at which it switches between black and white frames to produce stroboscopic effects.

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REMAKE A OCCHIO - STEP BY STEP FRAME BY FRAME

SOUND?

Conrad spent several months designing the film before shooting it in a matter of days. He produced and distributed The Flicker with the help of Jonas Mekas. The film is now recognized as a key work of structural filmmaking.

https://ubu.com/film/conrad_flicker.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flicker

The film starts with a warning message, which reads:

WARNING. The producer, distributor, and exhibitors waive all liability for physical or mental injury possibly caused by the motion picture "The Flicker." Since this film may induce epileptic seizures or produce mild symptoms of shock treatment in certain persons, you are cautioned to remain in the theatre only at your own risk. A physician should be in attendance.

The warning is accompanied by the ragtime tune "Raggedy Ann" played on an old gramophone. The film then goes on to a frame that says "Tony Conrad Presents," and then to a frame that says "The Flicker," at which point it starts. The screen goes white, then after a short while, the screen flickers with a single black frame. This is repeated, at varying rate, again and again until it creates a strobe effect, for which the film is titled. This continues until the film stops abruptly.

(veeeery interesting description - use it somehow?)

I wanted to understand flicker effect/device in experimental film. Why not to make a cover/copy/exact reproduction of The Flicker? Just like young painters/sculptors used to copy masterpieces from the past.

ctrl c ctrl v

copy and paste

frame by frame, no cheating

the same process, in digital

made me think of Interface by Farocki, should watch it again?

The usual (?) - recurrent filter-ing through the digital - remediation / shift between technologies

Conceptual take

Appropriation

UPDATE: FEBRUARY, FRIDAY 17TH - DAVINCI PROJECT FILE IS CORRUPTED I CANNOT OPEN IT ANYMORE - I HAVE TO DO ALL THE WORK ALL OVER AGAIN

I am making it for the second time. This time I am trying to be more analytical. Break down the structure, counting every frame, how many times each part is repeated. What changes happen. I might want to write an accurate account of this. As a self-standing piece? A description, a score, a set of instructions to remake the flicker.

(tautology - descrip[tion)

also:

a series of short loops for every white/black flicker sequence of the film)

UPDATE: FEBRUARY, MONDAY 20TH - DAVINCI PROJECT FILE IS CORRUPTED I CANNOT OPEN IT ANYMORE - I HAVE TO DO ALL THE WORK ALL OVER AGAIN - THIS DID NOT HAPPEN TO TONY CONRAD FOR SURE - IS ANALOG FILM SAFER?

list of outcomes from this work

an excel file as a visual score

a text with precise information about the sequences that make the film. their composition, number of frames, timecode, as specific as possible

a series of video loop, for every sequence of the piece. ideally displayed in the order they are in the film, but on separate screens, one next to the other

the full remake version of the piece

a written reflection of the process? a breakdown of the piece? a lecture-performance?