Phosphene (1971)

Phosphene features colorful negatives of erotic imagery. Scenes in the film display flashes of sexual intercourse and vibrant inkblots (similar to those seen in Inkaboos). During the creation of this film, Byron was fascinated with the degenerated images in old film footage. He went on to obtain pornographic films shot in 8mm. He photographed individual frames using a still camera with high magnification and further exaggerated the grain and the contrast. Prints of these frames were re-photographed on kodalith negatives and then fastened like animation cels. Colored gels were placed beneath the kodaliths on a light box and the sequences re-animated. The film was screened at the 9th Ann Arbor Film Festival in 1971; however, it was nearly rejected due to its erotic imagery. The music in this film is from the Grateful Dead song, “Viola Lee Blues”, and can also be heard in Fotogrammar. -Chicago Film Archives