John Whitney Sr.

Several well-known and pioneering abstract filmmakers discuss the history of non-objective cinema, the works of those that came before them and their own experiments in the field of visionary filmmaking.

A Personal Search For the Complementarity of Music and Visual Art (1992) uses the concept of complementarity to make sense of the confusion that existed between fine art and technology in the late 20th century.

John Whitney's pioneering work of computer animation, Arabesque, from 1975. This flowing, abstract short film is a wonder to behold, a work of art. Like many other computer graphics pioneers, this film suggests roots in psychedelics and spiritual quests as much as engineering and mathematics.

A silent black and white computer graphic short film specially made to accompany John H. Whitney's Lecture on Digital Harmony at Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada, in 1973.

An abstract computer-generated animation set to music by Terry Riley.

A piece of abstract cinema by John Whitney. A series squares follow a 3-dimensional track, each one with a slight delay after the other.

John H. Whitney Sr. explains the graphic art potential of the computer and the methods and philosophy involved in his computer filmmaking.

John H. Whitney Sr. explains the graphic art potential of the computer and the methods and philosophy involved in his computer filmmaking.

John H. Whitney Sr. explains the graphic art potential of the computer and the methods and philosophy involved in his computer filmmaking.

An experimental short film by John Whitney Sr. which combines animated shapes and colors; Computer graphics as dynamic, swirling art.

Collection of Computer Graphic effects.

Directed by John Whitney.

Short film by John Whitney.

Short film by John Whitney.

Early 'visual music' film by John Whitney.

Opens with a short canonical statement of a theme upon which the entire film is constructed. The canon is repeated in contrasting variations by means of color. A second section poses the same image in deep film space. The image unfolds itself repeatedly, leaving the receding image to continue on smaller and smaller.

The entire film is divided into four consecutive chosen approaches—the fourth section devoted to a reiteration and extension of the original material.

Two short fragments resulting from experiments in controlling the mechanical development of the instrument.

Begins with a three beat announcement drawn out in time which thereafter serves as a figure to divide the four sections. Each return of this figure is more condensed, and finally used in reverse to conclude the film.

First film by the Whitney brothers.

John Whitney, Sr. one of the early pioneers in films made by computer-driven cameras explains and demonstrates his work. Shot on location at Whitney's home in California, includes excerpts from his films "Matrix 3", "Catalog", "Permutations" and "Lapis." 1975. Making abstract motion in time, and impinging directly on the viewer's emotions as music does -- these were among Whitney's early goals. "Music organizes time in a special way, creates tension in us, then satisfies, gratifies. We can do the same for patterns-- something is going to happen, make it happen in a way you don't expect. Film permutations can be parallel to tones in harmonic sequence; dominant chord resolves into tonic chord." To do this, says Whitney, "we need new tools, and to learn how to control them. They're unlike musical instruments which we have been practicing on for 300 years. We have to start from scratch. " - Stephan Chodorov, Writer.

(ca.1949, 16mm, b/w, sound, 3min.)

Moon Drum offers an impressionistic evocation of the mood, color and feel of native American art created by computer graphics.