Video projection, 6:39 mins, 2003
work in progress

A projection consisting of 42 individual images shows all scenes of James Cameron's film The Terminator simultaneously. Individual scenes have been selected strictly according to their dramatic aspects. The longest scenes are located in the center of the projection, and accordingly, running time reduces gradually towards the edges. After a scene has finished, its frame turns white. Inside this order, I have included some inconsistencies in order to aestheticize the overall impression of the work. This manipulation was intended to heighten excitement and give the work a more sensory appeal.

Each scene is shown in its entire length and accompanied by the original sound-track. As the scenes come to an end, the sound goes silent as well. Interestingly, the end titles are by far the longest part of the entire movie - they remain in the final frame.

The white background of the projection may understood as a  light table, which is used by photographers for viewing and ordering negatives. At the same time it creates a neutral background for the projection.

I am intending to continue this work with material from another film. Terminator 2 would apparently be a possible choice. Also directed by James Cameron, Terminator 2 takes up the futuristic scenario and the attempts at philosophy featured in the previous film only in a rudimentary way. While the ideas of the second part are not particularly new, the visual effects and action elements are much further developed. Almost ten years have passed between the realization of both films.

The continuation of this work should be presented in an exhibition together the first version. Such a presentation would intensify the meaning of the projection: In other works of mine I am usually interested in the filmed image, the photographic image expanded into time. Analogous to this in Scenic reading I am intending to work with the temporal axis of the individual images. in a further version, each individual image of the projection will be stretched to span the amount of time between the releases of both Terminator films.

I have chosen The Terminator as the raw material for my projection, because as an exceptional representative it improved the style of the entire genre.