Comments on: Cinema Redux

Cinema Redux

steef — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 08:12:46 -0800

Cinema Redux creates a single, complete image of a film, second by second, minute for minute, producing a "fingerprint" or a "sort of movie DNA showing the colour hues as well as the rhythm of the editing process."

By: anathema

anathema — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 08:36:57 -0800

If the sampling is off at all the "fingerprint" is going to be completely different. I wonder if he gets indentical results using the same software and hardware. Even a slight time differential could leave you with an entirely different overall image. I would think the difference would be even more dramatic with more contemprary quick-cut films. As far as showing the rhythm of the editing process, this is pretty cool.

By: Jairus

Jairus — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 08:50:47 -0800

It would be much more interesting if it averaged the frame data for each second, instead of taking a sample of one frame per second. With that said, it's still pretty nifty.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 09:12:19 -0800

Pretty neat. I'd be tempted to by one if they were the same size as a movie poster (27x41), which I think would make more sense for a project like this. The thing that freaked me out is I've watched all those movies (except Road to Perdition) in the past 10 day. Weird.

By: obfusciatrist

obfusciatrist — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 09:56:51 -0800

What's interesting is that if you take one frame of film, every second from a movie, make it really small and string them together that you end up with something that really looks like one of the $1.99 rugs you can buy at Ikea. Also, most films are apparently very gray. I'd find it more interesting if the frames were a bit largers so that color were a bit more apparent. Next on my list for this guy would be something like Wizard of Oz or Pleasantville, where color is very intentionally played with throughout the film.

By: banished

banished — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 10:13:45 -0800

What about copyright? 1. Take one frame of film, every second from a movie, make it really small and string them together 2. Set up Cafepress store to sell the poster of the images for $199.00 3. Profit!!!!

By: moonbird

moonbird — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 10:15:46 -0800

you end up with something that really looks like one of the $1.99 rugs you can buy at Ikea. The French Connection would go smashingly with the Anja Rand, darling.

By: anathema

anathema — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 10:36:28 -0800

What about copyright? Definitely a problem. If they were one-offs and not prints he would have a better chance of getting away with this. Copyright law tends to be kinder to one-offs, evidenced by the dearth of case law. But as far as multiple prints like this the outcome is uncertain. Since he has already admitted copying, he is already in the hole and would have to legally rely on one of the defenses to infringement. And it's not that he is necessarily that he is making money that is the problem. That is not the legal test. To me this seems analogous to some of the cut-up music of Akufen and Kid 606 etc., using very small bits of looped sampled sound to create rhythm and melody.

By: billsaysthis

billsaysthis — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 10:42:38 -0800

I wonder if he got a license for each of the films to make the sales legit...

By: gwint

gwint — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 12:20:49 -0800

Also see: Jason Salavon.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 14:24:27 -0800

He's not infriging on copyright, to my knowledge. Copyright is only a problem if he's using an "'official" still from the film. A person can do a screen grab of any image from a movie and print it up without breaking copyright. I believe this was mentioned in a recent ask thread.

By: seanyboy

seanyboy — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 14:55:13 -0800

Probably not breaking copyright, but couldn't the DMCA be made to apply?

By: anathema

anathema — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 15:28:20 -0800

dobbs, you have received some seriously faulty information. Email is in my profile if you want more info.

By: klaatu

klaatu — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 16:16:59 -0800

Wonder if rugs could be made to those patterns?

By: dg

dg — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 20:41:46 -0800

Very cool. Not useful at all, which is one of the best things about it.