University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Of gods & golems

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Of gods & golems

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Content OF GODS & GOLEMS
by
Greg Nishikawa
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF FINE ARTS
(INTERACTIVE MEDIA)
May 2012
Copyright 2012 Greg Nishikawa
Abstract
lntro
The Artist
The Golem
Interlude
The Viewer
The Demigod
Outro
Bibliography
Appendix
Credits
iii
1
2
5
8
9
12
15
16
20
24
Of Gods & Go/ems is a video installation and performance piece,
exploring altered perceptions through the medium of stop-motion.
Participants are invited to interact with a life-size puppet (a "golem"),
which is immersed in their world.
The golem experiences the flow of time differently, and a space is created
to examine that tension.
�·,�
The Artists knew that the task they had set
for themselves would lead down a difficult path.
The stop-motion temporal dimension had only
been discussed in theory, and nobody had ever
provided physical evidence for its existence.
Furthermore, it was the prevailing belief among the
rest of society that such imaginary pursuits were
more suited to the purview of entertainment, not
art or science. Thus, the Artists accepted that their
goal could easily turn out to be unobtainable,
rendering their hard work a wasted effort.
Yet they clung to the hope that one day real
contact would be possible. Though the
proliferation of stop-motion people had so far
never revealed any consciousness, it could be true
that it had simply evaded observation. After all,
any thought from such a temporally-altered source
would be so slow as to be nigh imperceptible. So
the Artists pushed on, faithful that, one way or
another, their journey would find its end.
The Artist
I've been researching for a while, and I think I've found a way to
realize my theories. I know the stop-motion dimension exists, but I'd
assumed that to see it, I had to be patient, waiting just as slowly as it
must move. It's clear now, however, that interaction is necessary.
The problem lies in determining how to combine the passive
stop-motion life with the active life of the rest of reality. It would be
trivial to attach it to an existing type of creation, but that would
relegate it to secondary importance. I need to find a way to place it
as the centerpoint, and bring its unique qualities to the fore. Rather
than focusing on the content, I should emphasize the physical
artifact of the puppet, the linear frame-based process of his
construction, and the relationship between him and myself.
If I can manage this, will it be enough to create a new life? I know
my hand will direct his artificially-created existence, but that
shouldn't invalidate his existence or claim
sentience.
There are so many ways that I could design my creation, and though the
standard method would be easy, I feel I can draw inspiration from other mediums.
Artificial humanoids have been constructed before, from robots and androids
to theatrical-based puppets and marionettets. But my creation will be built from
the earth, organic in nature, so designing a construction out of metal and
machinery seems incongruent. He will also need to support himself in his actions,
so I can't let him rely on me or anyone else to hold his strings.
For he'll need to be able to explore on his own, if I ever succeed in making him
fully conscious. Although he won't literally come from any other world,
he'll essentially be a foreign character placed into reality.
Like a child, his surroundings will no doubt
confuse him.
ability to learn, so that he will be
able to understand
environment, not just
inhabit it.
The Artist
The Artist
As my creation takes shape, I fear for what may happen if he truly
becomes independent, like those in ancient mythology. The huge,
hulking brutes of Jewish folklore often turned on their masters, and the
original humans created in Christian stories disobeyed and ran away.
Ideally, though, my creation will be something new and unknown
even to me, and I hope there will be more wonderful things to discover
than things to fear. We don't devalue normal people for their disorders,
and I shouldn't devalue my creature simply for its method of creation.
In fact, my work in this area may yield even broader results. Making
contact with a stop-motion person would be a major breakthrough in
temporal research. Studying their behavi or, and learning from them,
could give us new insights into our own interpretations of the nature of
relativity and space-time. I'm almost giddy with anticipation as I prepare
The Golem
I've been awake for only a short time, and I already feel
ignored. I know I can appear to be slow, but my mind
works as well as anyone else's. I can ponder the stars as
they spin around the sky, and appreciate the translucent
fog of a river as it rushes past. I see the same world that
everyone else does; I just see it a little differently.
In that way, I'm not so dissimilar from most people;
everybody experiences their own version of reality. I do
enjoy that, because life would be boring if everyone
thought the same. But it also causes problems for me,
since nobody else shares my view.
That's why a lot of people could benefit from seeing
through my eyes, since they would gain a new
understanding of the world around them. Furthermore,
the contrast between their viewpoints and mine would
create an interesting tension. Then all of us, myself
included, could learn something new
exploring that intersection.
The Golem
How best can I convey my perspective to the people racing around me? I have
no sophisticated tools nor technologies, and my environment changes too quickly
for me to make use of it. All I really have control over is my own body.
I think that could be enough, though. My body is just as real as theirs, it's about
the same size, and I think I can move a little faster so that they can see. There are
also enough similarities in behavior that relating to each other won't be too difficult.
What will be hard is getting any of them to respond. My appearance doesn't
inspire intimacy on any level, and I'm usually avoided outright. If I'm going to get a
reaction, I'll need to appear in places that they won't expect. That way, the sheer
surprise of finding me immersed in their world will result in genuine responses.
Once I'm there, though, I'll still need to entice them to interact with me
somehow. Getting a one-way response will be wholly insufficient in creating the
necessary tension for meaningful
The Golem
Picking the right locations to appear will be of the utmost importance. If I
choose a place with people completely uninterested in me, then it'll be a waste.
I think there are two types of places which will be the best for acquiring
positive reactions. The first is simply out in the open, where people aren't
otherwise engaged If they're mainly there for rest and recreation, then it would be
an ideal spot for me to grab their attention. Secondly, if I can find a location where
people gather for the sole purpose of viewing and appreciating objects like me,
then I won't have to make much effort at all to inspire interaction.
I still have my work cut out for me, though. The
people around me are always moving so
incredibly fast, that it'll be difficult to engage them
in any kind of dialogue. If I fail in this
endeavor , then I suppose I' II have to
accept that I forever be alone in a
storm of ing blurs.
Interlude
Undoubtedly, the greatest challenge the Artists faced in
pursuing their obsession was the fact that nobody else had
tried it before. Without the confidence of emulation, they were
unsure if they would cause the entire framework to crumble.
Such fear would consume them utterly if they allowed it,
however, so they focused on the parts that inspired awe.
They studied the theory of temporal perception that was a
core part of the stop-motion dimension; it was by making this
perception a tangible reality that they could prove the validity of
their work. They prepared themselves for the drawn-out
interaction that was required for communication; it would be
physically demanding, but well worth it. They sought the
Gestalt Shift that would enable them to perceive their
stop-motion brethren as true people; this required the most
effort, for they were poignantly aware of the actual origins of
their own creations.
I've been hearing about the existence of a stop-motion dimension for a while,
but I never took it very seriously. Last October, though, I stumbled across
something that's starting to change my mind.
I can only describe it as similar to a window. I looked through it, and on the
other side I saw a strange person moving in a disjointed way. He seemed to be
frozen most of the time, only moving a tiny bit every second. I don't think he knew
I was watching, and it definitely appeared as if he was searching for something.
The remarkable thing about it was that I could see him move in his own
time-frame. I watched him, while simultaneously watching him watch himself. It
was hard to wrap my head around, but the juxtaposition of the two perceptions put
me into a very meditative mood. Instead of trying to focus on what might happen
next, 1 simply allowed events to proceed at their own P· �a�ce:·�-��'r;:��?J�
The Viewer
I kept my eyes open for other stop-motion windows. I didn't know what I'd
do if I found one, but the sole window I'd seen couldn't be an isolated event.
My suspicions were proven correct last December, when I found a stage with
a large window hovering next to it. Unlike the one from before, however, this one
was viewing my world from the perspective of the stop-motion people. Instead
of watching one of them moving around, I was able to watch myself moving
around the stage. It was an odd experience, like looking into a twisted mirror. My
actions were so warped by time, that I couldn't resist playfully acting.
I wasn't the only one there, either, and when we were all moving on the stage,
I felt the same kinds of heightened emotions as I when I'm dancing. That gave
me hope, because I thought a similar state of altered consciousness could occur.
I waited, but nothing happened beyond that. I didn't see any of the people
from the stop-motion side. Perhaps they were scared, or maybe I'll just never
get another chance to see one of them.
The Viewer
After resigning myself to never meeting those on the
other side of the windows, I saw one in person last
March. I don't know how he arrived, or why he would in
the first place, but I can't deny that it was real. I was able
to touch his face and arms; I sat shoulder-to-shoulder
with him, since we were about the same height. With all
my senses, I confirmed his existence.
What I can't figure out is where he came from; had he
simply been there the whole time? Regardless of that,
however, it's clear he's still on the move. I later saw him
pop up in several unexpected places, much to the
surprise of nearby passersby. I'm fairly certain he wants
something, but he can't seem to affect anything around
him to attain it; I've not once seen him move.
I'd like to find a way to help him. Even after the few
encounters I've had, I feel like I'm starting to understand
him. He has a quiet, subtle attitude that I can recognize,
and it makes me think that there's much more to him
The Demigod
I've been watching the slow Humans for tens of
millions of years, and they've still only progressed
slightly. For every small movement they make, my
mind races ahead, expecting them to keep up.
They're starting to take the steps that will
eventually lead them to my people, even though
they' began by heading in the opposite direction,
creating life-forms a level down. They began with a
child-sized one, then a full-size one which couldn't
move, and then finally a fully-aware person.
Unfortunately, this is new to them as well. Their first
attempt kept a barrier up, and during their second
attempt, most of the participants were more focused
on their own performance than on the final result.
Furthermore, it took too long for them to initate
direct interaction, and they also should have spent
time on their backstories. But there's no way to turn
the arrow of time back now, and for me it
pulls ahead with an even more
irresistible force.
If think that soon the slow ones are going to make another
attempt at communication with their creations. So far, they've
lacked a dedicated space for both parties to inhabit and
explore. It doesn't have to be a cage, but they do need to be
forced to stay put for a while, so they can relate to each other.
I'm worried about how it will unfold, however, since every
time I've tried to make contact with the slow ones, they've
responded with confusion and hostility. It seems to be the
natural response to anything they don't understand. Their
creations will no doubt exhibit similar behavioral patterns, so I
expect that the most common type of interaction, when forced
to face each other, will simply be watching each other without
understanding.
I suppose I'll have to make an appearance as well, though
I usually try to stay hidden in the shadows. If I can help even
one person make a genuine effort at putting in the required
amount of time for engaging in communication, then all of
this might not be for nothing. I could truly call this the
first step on the road to success.
The Demigod
It'd be wonderful to see where everything could go from here. I
could encourage similar setups in many different locations, and it'd
even work better if there was more time allotted to their interactions.
It's hard for me to really consider their viewpoints sometimes, because
they seem utterly frozen to me, but I think I could withstand the wait of
one of their years, if the potential gain meant a deeper understanding.
It'd also mean more if there was a lasting piece of their discoveries.
The environment changes so slowly, so I think it'd be the perfect
place to leave a mark. If I left mesages for them, maybe they'd
respond, by creating artifacts as a part of the landscape. Then
all of it could stand as a symbol of our work.
Beyond that, I'd hope to see others inspired. My
people have created enough of the slow ones, but
they have yet to match that in their own
creations. I think the time when there are
enough of all of us is close; I may
only have to wait another
few millions of
years.
The Demigod
As the Artists continued to build a world of their own design, it began
to occur to them that they represented a growing body of work
themselves. They recognized the outlandish nature of this idea, and
accepted their inability to communicate with any faster dimension, but it
was impossible to discard the theory. It had sprung logically from all that
had come before, and it demanded a thorough examination.
If such a fast-motion perception could be found, it would bring closure
to their thread of study. It would show that the Artists and their creations
were not alone and unique, and neither inherently superior nor inferior.
They could exist simultaneously in a faster dimension and a slower one,
as one and the same. Furthermore, it would imply that the dimensions
stretched out infinitely in both directions. The universe would not be
circumscribed by an arbitrary set of laws, but revealed to be recursively
complex, originating from a single point.
Outro
Bibliography- Notable Prior Art
Cage, John. As Slow As Possible. 1985.
This is a "musical piece composed by John Cage and is the subject of one
of the longest-lasting musical performances yet undertaken. It was originally
written in 1987 for organ and is adapted from the earlier work ASLSP 1985; a
typical performance of the piano piece lasts for about 20 to 70 minutes. In
1985, Cage opted to omit the detail of "exactly how slow the piece should be
played". The current organ performance of the piece at St. Burchardi church
in Halberstadt, Germany, began in 2001 and is scheduled to have a duration
of 639 years, ending in 2640." 1
This is the primary inspiration for Of Gods & Go/ems ("OGAG''), because
of its emphasis on an extremely drawn-out performance. The slow speed at
which the chords change are perfectly in line with how a stop-motion
animation is built up, frame by frame. The concept of slowed-down music is
also literally used in OGAG, to reinforce the temporally-altered mood.
Bibliography- Notable Prior Art (cont.)
lshiguro, Hiroshi. Geminoid H/-1. 2007.
This is an "android created and modeled after Japanese researcher
Hiroshi lshiguro of ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communication
Laboratories. Made from silicon and steel, the Geminoid H/-1 is able to mimic
several of lshiguro's actions such as blinking and breathing. The android can
also speak; lshiguro can control the Geminoid's mouth through motion
capture and transmit his voice through a speaker inside the robot." 2
This android revels in the juxtaposition between it and its creator,
positioning itself square in the Uncanny Valley. Being directly based on a
"source person" is a crucial part of the design, and the uncomfortable
reactions that this type of creation produces is exactly what the golem is
meant to emulate.
Bibliography- Notable Prior Art (cont.)
Selick, Henry. Coraline. 2009.
This is a "stop-motion 3D fantasy/horror children's film based on Neil
Gaiman's 2002 novel of the same name. It was produced by Laika and
distributed by Focus Features. Written and directed by Henry Selick, it was
released widely in US theaters on February 6, 2009, after a world premiere at
the Portland International Film Festival." 3
In a making-of featurette for Coraline titled "On the Puppets' Point of
View", Selick describes the type of perception a stop-motion puppet might
realistically have. He touches on their inability to fully comprehend realtime
people, and the unease that comes with being controlled by someone else.
In OGAG, that theory of temporal perception is made tangible, for other
people to experience.
Bibliography- All Prior Art
Abbott, Edwin A. Flatland. 1884.
Blow, Jonathan. Braid. 2008.
Cage, John. As Slow As Possible. 1985.
Dick, Philip K. Martian Time-Slip. 1964.
Epstein, Lewis Carroll. Relativity Visualized. 1984.
Hawking, Stephen. A Brief History of Time. 1988.
lshiguro, Hiroshi. Geminoid Hl-1. 2007.
Klarlund, Anders R0nnow. Strings. 2004.
Marey, Etienne-Jules. Le Mouvement. 1894.
Matreyek, Miwa. Dreaming of Lucid Living. 2007.
Royal de Luxe. The Sultan's Elephant. 2006.
Selick, Henry. Coraline. 2009.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 1818.
Snibbe, Scott. Motion Phone. 1995.
Svankmajer, Jan. Conspirators of Pleasure. 1996.
Wells, H. G. The New Accelerator. 1901.
Appendix- Summary
Of Gods & Go/ems is a video installation and performance piece,
exploring altered perceptions through the medium of stop-motion.
Participants are invited to interact with a life-size puppet (a "golem"), which is
immersed in their world. The golem experiences the flow of time differently,
and a space is created to examine that tension.
History
Before OGAG was designed, several other projects laid the foundations
for the current work. A Body of Secrets consisted of a performance on a
large sculpted stage, with a projected image on the floor which responded
when walked upon. The Audio Goggles translated music into colored light,
displaying it inside of cups which fit over people's eyes. lmperaphobia was
an explorable stop-motion set, seen from a puppet's perspective; based on
the puppet's location, different animations would play on a nearby monitor.
Core Question
How can the stop-motion perspective be conveyed in a way that inspires
meaningful discussion?
Transmedia Approach
Besides the main performance, the project also comprises three distinct
art pieces across multiple formats (game, dance, public art), with each one
delving into a different aspect of the theme.
Sixty Frames Per Minute: An OGAG game
Fabrication
The art style of this game is primarily built with paper cutouts and
stop-motion photos of a physical golem. The golem is constructed out of a
wire armature skeleton, around which foam is sculpted to look humanoid. It
is painted to look like a human child, and is also dressed in actual toddler
clothes.
Presentation
The setup for the game is a standard computer/monitor arrangement. The
player sits down in a comfortable position, and uses a game controller to
interact.
System
The game is programmed in Adobe Flash, and easily plays in a browser.
The majority of the action occurs in two screens, shown side by side. The
player controls an in-game character on the left-side screen, using the
controller to make the character walk and interact with objects in the
environment. The framerate of this screen is fixed at 1 fps, but each frame is
saved, and then played at 15 fps on the right-side screen, showing the
character's actions from a different time-frame.
Appendix- Details (cont.)
Movement Is Life: An OGAG dance
Presentation
This installation is centered around a large (8' x 12') stage, which is raised
off the floor , to provide a space for participants to move around. A large (1 0')
projection screen is hung directly in front of the stage, and a nearby computer
acts as a control station to manipulate the project.
System
Being primarily a live video/audio installation, this was programmed in
Max/MSP/Jitter , by Cycling '74. A camera is situated underneath the
projection screen, and is pointed directly at the participants on the stage.
Video frames are captured from the camera at a steady rate, although
participants can change that rate at the control station (ranging from one
frame per second to one frame every eight seconds). These frames are
saved within the program, and are played back on the screen at 15 fps,
encouraging participants to engage in pixilation.
Appendix- Details (cont.)
Sightings: An OGAG public art series
Fabrication
The focus of this piece centers around the reactions to a human-sized
physical golem, whose appearance is based directly after a model. To create
it, a plaster cast is made of the model's face, from which a foam latex mold is
made. This mold is baked around an armature skeleton, which is made out
of aluminum and copper wire. To fill out the shape, batting is added to look
like muscles, and the surface is painted to match the model's skin color. Doll
eyes and fake eyelashes are also added, completing the semi-realistic look.
Presentation
The piece occurs entirely outside, in public spaces, with the golem seated
upon various objects (benches, bike racks, etc). It is placed into a static pose
and doesn't move, staying in position for several hours. Any passersby are
allowed to observe and touch the golem, though the interaction is limited and
one-way.
Prose: Greg Nishikawa
Art: Tiger Brooke
Project Team: Ky Fifer , Jared Nishikawa, Regan Nishikawa
Committee: Perry Hoberman, Andreas Kratky, Musa Brooker
Thesis Professors: Mark Bolas, Jeremy Gibson, Laird Malamed
Additional Credits:
Andy "The Delicious" Uehara
David "The Wise" Mershon
Edmond "The Wild" Yee
Erin "The Creepy" Reynolds
Hyung "The Stoic" Gyu Oh
Jacob "The Righteous" Boyle
Jay "The Calm" Bulvanoski
Joe "The Logical" Osborn
Juli "The Ambitious" Griffo
Kyla "The Small" Gorman
Michael "The Superhuman" Annetta
Mike "The Quick" Sennott
Ryan "The Mindful" Watterson
Sam "The Bubbly" Vick
Teddy "The Dapper" Diefenbach
Yun "The Mighty" Dai

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Asset Metadata

Creator Nishikawa, Greg (author)

Core Title Of gods & golems

School School of Cinematic Arts

Degree Master of Fine Arts

Degree Program Interactive Media

Publication Date 05/02/2012

Defense Date 03/23/2012

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag golem,installation,life size,OAI-PMH Harvest,performance,puppet,stop motion

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Hoberman, Perry (committee chair), Brooker, Musa (committee member), Kratky, Andreas (committee member)

Creator Email greg@alumni.usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-26402

Unique identifier UC11289255

Identifier usctheses-c3-26402 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-NishikawaG-732-0.pdf

Dmrecord 26402

Document Type Thesis

Rights Nishikawa, Greg

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA