"ILLU:ZYON"

Video/Animation Installation on convergence of dreams and real life

Main idea of the project:

Dreams and realities are not two separate entities. Dreams look surreal and disconnected. However, since the creators of the dreams are ourselves, the origin of the dreams comes from the realities of the waking life, such as passions, fear, emotions etc.

To show this idea:

We want to create an environment where reality and dreams are connected. We are aiming to create this environment so that it fully gives the feeling of a different dimension, one that combines our two basic forms of consciousness: dreaming and waking life.

In our environment, we are going to have two projections on the ceiling. One depicting the reality, and the other depicting the dreams. We are going to place a pillow on a circular wood panel with wheels in the middle for the viewer to lie down and move and view the projections in the way he/she prefers. This way we give the freedom to the user to view this two seemingly separate but very connected pieces, and also to better give this dimensions sense.  The environment will be dark. 

To do this we are thinking about using the room in Cummings Building Room 102 – A, although we also looking for other possibilities that might be more suitable.

• Dream projection: This projection is going to be composed of a mixture of animation and video. Based on dream research, we are going to depict dreams that we see in different stages of sleep in sequence. There are three major stages:

  At first stage, we see visions (also called “hallucinatory dreams”) which lack narrative complexity and emotional resonance of dreams encountered in deeper stages of dreams.  For this stage we create images of patterns, designs, formless shapes of pure color.

  The second stage could be thought of the collection of REM (rapid-eye movement) stages we go through during our sleep. For this stage we create a dream sequence with a narrative.

  The third and last stage is similar to the first stage, only it is very likely to see elements of the real environment where we sleep combined with visions.  

2. Reality projection: This projection is going to be composed of a series of images or short clips of videos, from different sections of one's day. It is going to be edited in a discontinuous and non chronological way from the first person's point of view.

How we connect the Dream and Reality projections?

The two projections are going to be connected to each other visually and narrative-wise. We are trying to achieve the visual connection of the projections by using similarities with the objects, or geometric shapes, or colors we use in each projection. The narrative connection is more hidden in the imagery, just like in dreams. The emotions, thoughts, or reactions to events we see in reality projection will have relative presentation in the dream projection as well, but not necessarily at the same time or consecutively. It will be left to the user to realize this connection.

 

* This project is my senior project for the Ammerman Center of Arts and Technology (information aabout the center could be found at the above link.

* I am collaborating with another senior student from Film Studies department to create an environment that puts dreams and reality togehter.