Rough Sketch, proposal
Two identical helicopters facing each other rise straight up until they reach sufficient altitude that nothing is visible out their front windows aside from the other helicopter and empty sky. They then begin to slowly rotate in opposite directions facing each other periodically. The footage is shot from a fixed position inside each helicopter pointing directly out the front window parallel with the axis of the helicopter. The two films are projected side by side on a suitably large wall.
Potential points of interest:
1. The Eames description: “Starting at a picnic, the camera zooms to the edge of the universe; then the journey is reversed, ultimately reaching the nucleus of an atom. Literally a sketch and essentially black-and-white, this is the first version of Powers of Ten.”
2. The music composer for the Eames’ film is Elmer Bernstein. The music composer for Antonioni’s Blowup is Herbie Hancock.
3. Consider the piece in relation to Steve Reich’s use of looping. Cycles of sound are obvious; nevertheless, the beginning and ending points of the loop are difficult to ascertain. In regards to Blowup, something divorced from its context, or fixed point of reference, has no meaning. The “something” has no meaning or value – “a great Kantian definition of art.” The quote source is unknown.
4. The site for the Eames’ film is of significance, or not. The Eames’ site (Soldier Field in Chicago) is dubious, as indicated by the postcard. Utilize the slippage of truth as criteria for site choice. Above what?
5. It is a loop, yet it is a real-time loop. The moments of re-cranking and loading may feature as an element.
Image: Charles and Ray Eames filming Rough Sketch of a Proposed Film Dealing with the Powers of Ten and the Relative Size of Things in the Universe
