Scenes from Turbulence
Computer Generated Animation. Copyright 1994 Jon McCormack.

DESCRIPTION

TURBULENCE is a menagerie of computer synthesised forms, based on the new science and philosophies of Artificial Life - the digital formation of life-like forms and processes from materials other than those found in nature. By synthesising organic geometry the work alludes to poetic relationships between logic and function.

Using genetic algorithms to produce artificial life forms whose form and behaviour are the result of 'algorithmic ecosystem', TURBULENCE develops and examines abstractions of life-like processes, visualised as geometric entities manufactured from a deterministic sets of digital instructions applied millions of times by the computer.

In many ways TURBULENCE is a type of futuristic natural history film made visible through the synergetic combination of mind and machine - a document of a type of life that exists only within the abstract pluriverse of computational space.

Everything develops in a space somewhere between composition and adventure, between chance and destiny, between intent and invention.

CREDITS and ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The full work, over three years in production, contains more than 30 minutes of 3D animation stored on the laserdisc. This animation is accessed by touching visual and lingual icons on a small touch-screen. Scenes from TURBULENCE contains a short excerpt from the animation on the laserdisc. A stereoscopic HDTV version also exists, first shown at the Siggraph 94 Electronic Theatre.

Software for the project was written by the artist.
Rendering software was supplied through artistic grant programs from Wavefront Technologies. Software, script, animation, music and direction by Jon McCormack. Animation created on Silicon Graphics Personal Iris and Indigo computers. With special thanks to Gary Warner. Commercial sponsorship: Wavefront Technologies, Inc. USA, Pixar, USA, Silicon Graphics Australia. Video and animation facilities: CIPAG, Monash University.

Produced in association with the Australian Film Commission.



Here is a brief Quicktime movie (5.35Mb) from the animation.

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