Phonographantasmascope

June 23, 2008 12:38 AM

Record player + video camera = Phonographantasmascope, animator Jim LeFevre's extension of the zoetrope. "It is all live action and works by using the shutter speed of the camera rather than the rather irritating stroboscope methods other 3D Zoetropes use."
posted by nthdegx (15 comments total)

Very cool! I remember once years ago my friend Dave and I playing with his strobe light and turntable. I think we were able to sync the flash rate of the strobe to the rotation of the LP so that we could more or less read the record label. Then we decided to "take it to the next level" and see if we could get one of the then-new "laser etched" LPs to do the the same thing. I think it was an early Split Enz album.

We slowly increased the flash rate of the strobe and the record seemed to slow down until it appeared to stop completely. It was so utterly static that it seemed sort of mind-blowing. Then we discovered that we had inadvertently turned off the power to the turntable, and so the record was in reality totally motionless...
posted by Tube at 1:06 AM on June 23, 2008 [11 favorites]

Awesome work!
posted by pantufla at 2:24 AM on June 23, 2008

I'm liking the mix of music and chattering too - charming.
posted by forallmankind at 2:30 AM on June 23, 2008

I thought it was OK, until the little stick men started jumping hurdles. Then I thought it was completely awesome.
posted by louche mustachio at 3:38 AM on June 23, 2008

I'm enjoying the sounds too. Had to favorite this vid. Thanks nthdegx.
posted by premiumpolar at 3:39 AM on June 23, 2008

That was great... I love to have a go at making one of those.

I remember fancy record players have those lights on the side and the various markings round the edge, presumably so that audio nuts could check that the it was revolving at exactly 33/45 etc.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:42 AM on June 23, 2008

Tube's comment reminded me of the time when my friend and I took his adjustable strobe light and synchronized it with the ceiling fan in his room so that the fan appeared motionless yet still produced a breeze. Pretty trippy and very entertaining when one of us put our hand up to touch the "motionless" blade...
posted by Ron Thanagar at 6:34 AM on June 23, 2008

Is the warp in the wood composite disk an essential element, or am I being too picky? I mean he goes to an incredible amount of work, you think he'd use a composite disk that isn't warped.
posted by mygoditsbob at 6:53 AM on June 23, 2008

I don't think it's essential, but it kind of adds to the lo-fi charm of the project.

Ironically, this all makes me want to go get an adjustable strobe light, the very thing this fellow disapproves of.
posted by echo target at 7:29 AM on June 23, 2008

I thought the warp in the wood was sync'd to the animation - the 'jumping guy' sort of gets bumped into the air by the warp - same for the characters below. Or maybe I'm over-analyzing.
posted by CaptApollo at 8:01 AM on June 23, 2008

I take it you were at Interesting2008 too!
posted by alby at 8:30 AM on June 23, 2008

I'd like to see the technique used on this zoetrope.
posted by bonobothegreat at 9:23 AM on June 23, 2008

Yes, seconding CAPTapollo, it's obviously intentional, the guy gets bounced in the air, and the other image looks like that of a group in a bumpy car ride viewed through the windshield. The little box passers were my favorite. Very neat work.
posted by JBennett at 10:02 AM on June 23, 2008

alby - yup. I have 3 weeks worth of mefi posts ;)
posted by nthdegx at 11:47 AM on June 23, 2008

Dammit, another stoned idea stolen. That was really cool and amazing and I can't wait to see if I can try it. Thanks for pointing this out, nthdegx.
posted by sleepy pete at 4:08 PM on June 23, 2008