Feedback for Nature

2023

3:30

Short Film and CRT Installation

Materials: Restored analog televisions, video mixers, prosumer analog devices, CRT monitors, generative video feedback loops, and original soundtrack

 

Feedback for Nature is a visually compelling short film and sound composition by McCoy Chance that merges analog feedback loops, generative textures, and imagery inspired by the natural world. Premiered with New Works in Baltimore, MD, the piece will also be featured as a CRT installation at the Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture (CADVC) in 2025.

 

The film employs restored prosumer analog devices from the 1980s, homemade video mixers, and CRT televisions to create dynamic visuals that explore the connections between technology and nature. Imagery from the natural world serves as a recurring motif, with the cheetah symbolizing resilience amidst a rapidly changing technological landscape. The cheetah reflects the struggles and adaptability required to navigate an environment increasingly shaped by human innovation, mirroring the enduring potential of analog technology to thrive in a digital age.

 

The accompanying soundtrack, composed by Chance in three distinct movements, enhances the immersive experience, creating a powerful interplay between sound and image. Abstract planets, spheres, and vibrant colors generate a surreal and evocative visual narrative, inviting audiences to consider the evolving relationship between the organic and the technological.

 

Feedback for Nature critiques the culture of obsolescence while celebrating the sustainability and creative potential of analog technology. It invites reflection on how both the natural world and older technologies exhibit resilience and value, offering a contemplative journey into the coexistence of humanity, nature, and innovation.