CORPORATE UNCONSCIOUS AND THE VIDEOWALK FORMAT
1.1 Background and Context
1.2 Research Question
1.3 Objectives and Scope
1.4 Structure of the Thesis
2. Corporate Unconscious 2.1 Credits
2.2 Description
2.3 Video Documentation
2.4 Synopsis
2.5 Full Text
3. Theoretical framework 3.1 Videowalk: Exploring the Format
3.1.1. Walking as a type of art.3.1.2 Audiowalks
3.1.3 The emergence of Videowalk
3.1.4 Choosing the format3.2 Site-Specific Art and Spatial Narratives
3.3 Engaging Audiences in a Constructed Reality
3.3.1 Illusion and Engagement: The Rubber Hand Effect in Theater
3.3.2 We should invent reality before filming it
3.3.3 Simul Entertainment GmbH3.4 Meta-Score
4. Creative process 4.1 Concept Development
4.1.1 Synchronicity and simultaneity.
4.1.2 Corporate Language as a Narrative Tool4.2 Space research
4.3 Development of visual, auditory and performative identity
4.3.1 Corporate Identity
4.3.2 Art Direction and Stage Design
4.3.3 Performativity
4.3.4 Costumes
4.3.5 Music composition
4.3.6 Cinematography4.4 Dramaturgy and Script Development
4.4.1 Narrative Layers
4.4.2 Storytelling
4.4.3 Dramaturgical arc
4.4.4 Space Score and Timing4.5 Videowalk Production phases
4.5.1 Creation of Fake Historical Footage
4.5.2 Videowalk Filming
4.5.3 3D Modeling and Scanning of the Space
4.5.4 VFX Development and 3D Animated Scenes
4.5.5 Documentary Development4.6 Performance and Participation4.6.1 Installations & self-reflective moments
4.6.2 Leveled performances
4.6.3 Fake participants and recursive participation
4.6.4 Easter eggs4.7 Multimedia Techniques
4.7.1 LiDAR Scanning and As-build modeling
4.7.2 On-site shading and texturing
4.7.3 Character and animations
4.7.4 Camera tracking and VFX compositing
4.7.5 Virtual production and "inverse virtual production"
4.7.6 Video Game development
4.7.7 Spatial audio
4.7.8 AI text models
4.7.9 iOS playback app
5. Conclusion
6. Acknowledgments
7. References
The approach to corporate language in Corporate Unconscious materialized from an in-depth exploration of the physical space where the narrative happens. My observations, rooted in nearly three years of studying within these confines, drew attention to the environment's stark, clinical nature, reminiscent more of a hospital than a music school. The white, sterile corridors and the heavy, silent doors painted a picture of an experimental, almost laboratory-like setting.
This backdrop became the canvas for the fictional narrative of Simul Entertainment, conceived alongside Robin Plenio. We immersed ourselves into the hypothetical: envisioning the space once inhabited by a company or organization, inspired by the real-life presence of Gyorgy Ligeti at HfMT Hamburg until 1989. We imagined the aftermath for Ligeti's disciples left leaderless, their endeavors in electroacoustic music studies morphing into a collective quest. Thus, Simul was envisioned as an entity formed from these disciples, striving to harness a product that could control "synchronicity" itself—a concept gradually unveiled throughout the narrative, reflecting the elusive nature of corporate objectives.
In constructing Simul's world, we adhered to the meticulous processes a real company would undergo: strategic planning, defining missions, visions, and even preparing marketing materials such as flyers and corporate jingles. This process aimed to encapsulate the operational ethos of a 1989 company, blending historical context with speculative fiction.
My fascination with corporate language—despite its not being inherently appealing—stems from its ubiquitous presence and the patterns it creates. Corporate language, particularly in the context of startups and corporations, aims to sell products or ideologies with a blend of grandiloquence, simplicity, and attractive visuals. This language creates identifiable patterns, an aspect we incorporated into the narrative fabric of Corporate Unconscious. The phenomenon of corporate language and visual bombardment is notably prevalent in Chile, one of the world's most neoliberal countries. Here, advertising permeates every corner of daily life, from airplane cabins to metro floors, leading to an overwhelming sensory and cognitive experience. This saturation raises critical questions about our ability to discern and trust the visual and textual information that floods our senses.
In Corporate Unconscious, corporate language becomes more than just a backdrop; it's a narrative tool that reflects and critiques the pervasive influence of corporate culture. Through the lens of Simul Entertainment, the project explores how corporate language shapes perceptions, behaviors, and even realities. It dissects the allure and manipulation inherent in corporate communications, questioning the authenticity and intentions behind the polished veneer of corporate discourse.
The 1990s were a distinct era in corporate advertising culture, marked by a fervent embrace of emerging technologies and a forward-looking optimism. This period saw companies leveraging bold visions of the future to sell products and lifestyles (and ideologies). Advertisements from this era, characterized by their vibrant enthusiasm and sometimes over-the-top promises, reflect a unique blend of optimism and commercial aggression. Companies like Microsoft and Apple were at the forefront, crafting narratives that positioned their technologies as gateways to a new and exciting world. These advertisements often featured sleek, futuristic visuals alongside compelling narratives that promised empowerment, efficiency, and connectivity. This corporate advertising culture provides a rich context for the piece; the fictional company's marketing materials and overall aesthetic draw heavily from this period's corporate ethos, emulating the techno-optimism and the sleek, persuasive language that defined the decade's corporate landscape.
The narrative of Corporate Unconscious uses corporate language both to construct its fictional world and to prompt reflection on how such language informs and distorts our understanding of reality. By embedding this language within the art piece, the project invites participants to navigate and decode the corporate lexicon, mirroring the broader challenge of navigating the corporate-influenced landscapes of our daily lives.