Better Living Through Circuitry
Encyclopedia
Better Living Through Circuitry is a 1999 documentary
directed by Jon Reiss
about the Electronic Dance
movement of the 90's. The documentary is considered the first full-length film that goes behind the Electronic Dance
scene and uncovers the culture it has spawned. The film presented aspects of rave culture such as empowerment through technology, the DIY (do-it-yourself) ethic, and the flowering of a new spirituality embracing transcendence through sound and rhythm. A cross-section of the techno subculture is represented as ravers, DJs and musicians speak for themselves about their music and ideals. Produced by Cleopatra Pictures and Entertainment Group, presided by Cleopatra Records
founder Brian Perera.
, DJ Spooky
, "Superstar" DJ Keoki, the The Crystal Method
, Roni Size
, Electric Skychurch
, Carl Cox
, Franky Bones. "Better Living Through Circuitry" equally emphasizes graphic designers, promoters, fans and other essential components of the scene, such as Mike Szabo whose NASA flyers are part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum and the Pure Children Collective who worked and lived communally in a New York City loft space from which they created graphics, promoted raves and managed their own record label.
.
In keeping with the theme of "empowerment through technology" Better Living Through Circutry utilized some of what was considered, at the time of production, the latest digital film-making equipment. It was all filmed on a tiny Sony
VX1000 digital video camera
which was usually taken by the director into raves
in a backpack.
non-linear digital editing system and utilizing Adobe After Effects
software on a Power Macintosh
computer.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by Jon Reiss
Jon Reiss
Jon Reiss is an award-winning producer and director, named one of "10 Digital Directors to Watch" by Daily Variety. His work has screened at prestigious film festivals around the world, including Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Tribeca, Los Angeles, Rotterdam, Seattle, New Directors/New Films, and Sao...
about the Electronic Dance
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
movement of the 90's. The documentary is considered the first full-length film that goes behind the Electronic Dance
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
scene and uncovers the culture it has spawned. The film presented aspects of rave culture such as empowerment through technology, the DIY (do-it-yourself) ethic, and the flowering of a new spirituality embracing transcendence through sound and rhythm. A cross-section of the techno subculture is represented as ravers, DJs and musicians speak for themselves about their music and ideals. Produced by Cleopatra Pictures and Entertainment Group, presided by Cleopatra Records
Cleopatra Records
Cleopatra Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label.- History :Founded in 1992 by Brian Perera, it specializes in gothic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and reissues of out-of-print music...
founder Brian Perera.
Participants
The documentary features in-depth interviews with MobyMoby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, DJ Spooky
DJ Spooky
Paul D. Miller , known by his stage name DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid, is a Washington DC-born electronic and experimental hip hop musician whose work is often called by critics or his fans as "illbient" or "trip hop". He is a turntablist, a producer, a philosopher, and an author...
, "Superstar" DJ Keoki, the The Crystal Method
The Crystal Method
The Crystal Method is an American electronic music duo that was created in Los Angeles, California by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland in the early 1990s. The Crystal Method's music has appeared in numerous TV shows, films, video games, and advertisements. The most prominent is the US television...
, Roni Size
Roni Size
Roni Size is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent, a drum and bass collective...
, Electric Skychurch
Electric Skychurch
Electric Skychurch is an electronic or acid trance band based in Los Angeles, California. It was formed in 1991 by composer and producer James Lumb, who initially involved vocalist Roxanne Morganstern and percussionist Alex Spurkel in the project. Over time, Electric Skychurch has also included...
, Carl Cox
Carl Cox
Carl Cox is a British techno and house music DJ.-Biography:Cox grew up in Oldham, Lancashire, before attending Glastonbury High Boys secondary modern school on Glastonbury Road in Morden. Cox began his career as a hardcore and rave DJ in the mid 1980s...
, Franky Bones. "Better Living Through Circuitry" equally emphasizes graphic designers, promoters, fans and other essential components of the scene, such as Mike Szabo whose NASA flyers are part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum and the Pure Children Collective who worked and lived communally in a New York City loft space from which they created graphics, promoted raves and managed their own record label.
Filming
Filming started in March 1997, with a budget of $100,000, at the Winter Music ConferenceWinter Music Conference
The Winter Music Conference is a weeklong electronic music conference, held every March since the mid-1980s in Miami, Florida, United States. Venues are hosted primarily in Downtown Miami and Miami's South Beach...
.
In keeping with the theme of "empowerment through technology" Better Living Through Circutry utilized some of what was considered, at the time of production, the latest digital film-making equipment. It was all filmed on a tiny Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
VX1000 digital video camera
Video camera
A video camera is a camera used for electronic motion picture acquisition, initially developed by the television industry but now common in other applications as well. The earliest video cameras were those of John Logie Baird, based on the electromechanical Nipkow disk and used by the BBC in...
which was usually taken by the director into raves
Raves
Raves can refer to:* Rave party* Raves, Vosges, a commune in the Vosges département in France* Raves , a 1980s power pop group from Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
in a backpack.
Post Production
Virtually all post-production including editing, on-line, titles and effects were all performed in a spare bedroom of the producer's apartment using the Media 100Media 100
Media 100 is a manufacturer of video editing software and non-linear editing systems designed for professional cutting and editing. The editing systems are currently all based on OEM AJA Kona boards, with the exception of the Software-only Producer and Producer Suite, and run exclusively on Macs...
non-linear digital editing system and utilizing Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects is a digital motion graphics and compositing software published by Adobe Systems, used in the post-production process of filmmaking and television production. Its main uses are the origination of 2D and 2.5D animation, visual effects compositing and finishing...
software on a Power Macintosh
Power Macintosh
Power Macintosh, later Power Mac, was a line of Apple Macintosh workstation-class personal computers based on various models of PowerPC microprocessors that were developed, marketed, and supported by Apple Inc. from March 1994 until August 2006. The first models were the Power Macintosh 6100,...
computer.
See also
- ModulationsModulationsModulations is a multi-media exploration into the history of electronic music, consisting of a documentary film, its soundtrack album, and a book...
- GrooveGroove (film)Groove is a movie released in the year 2000; it portrays one night in the San Francisco underground rave scene. Through a single email, the word spreads that a huge rave is going to take place in an abandoned warehouse...
- http://www.7thart.com/current/better/betterliving.html