DARK MATTERS
4K 20 Min. 2014
Single-Channel Video
Night is only seemingly self-evident in its meaning; it varies in its cultural, subjective, but also very concrete effect from place to place and from person to person. Yet the basic setting, namely the temporary absence of natural light, is the same everywhere. In concrete terms, however, a night in Tokyo differs massively from one in Kabul or Tehran or Monterrey.Dark Matters is based on audio interviews conducted with eight night watchmen worldwide, simulating global derangement from a variety of perspectives. In these interviews, the night watchmen lead us through their subjective experiences of the night, their fears, hopes and concrete working conditions. The script, setting and character were generated from this interview material.The night as a counter-reality, in which human perception functions differently than during the day, was the basic motif in all the interviews. At night, when less cortisol is released in our brains and we are limited as strongly visually receptive creatures, darkness becomes a counter-reality. Clear, rational thoughts are then difficult to grasp. How do people experience the dark hours, watching over someone or something night after night, usually alone?In Dark Matters, we encounter a hybrid figure, composed of the various night watchmen*, who takes on an independent development. She moves, like the work itself, groping and doubting through different time zones, different cultures and perspectives on darkness and night. The audio interviews were conducted in Tokyo, Kabul, Tehran, Tirana, Moscow, Yaoundè, St. Louis and Monterrey.
Night is only seemingly self-evident in its meaning; it varies in its cultural, subjective, but also very concrete effect from place to place and from person to person. Yet the basic setting, namely the temporary absence of natural light, is the same everywhere. In concrete terms, however, a night in Tokyo differs massively from one in Kabul or Tehran or Monterrey.Dark Matters is based on audio interviews conducted with eight night watchmen worldwide, simulating global derangement from a variety of perspectives. In these interviews, the night watchmen lead us through their subjective experiences of the night, their fears, hopes and concrete working conditions. The script, setting and character were generated from this interview material.The night as a counter-reality, in which human perception functions differently than during the day, was the basic motif in all the interviews. At night, when less cortisol is released in our brains and we are limited as strongly visually receptive creatures, darkness becomes a counter-reality. Clear, rational thoughts are then difficult to grasp. How do people experience the dark hours, watching over someone or something night after night, usually alone?In Dark Matters, we encounter a hybrid figure, composed of the various night watchmen*, who takes on an independent development. She moves, like the work itself, groping and doubting through different time zones, different cultures and perspectives on darkness and night. The audio interviews were conducted in Tokyo, Kabul, Tehran, Tirana, Moscow, Yaoundè, St. Louis and Monterrey.
Die Nacht ist in ihrer Bedeutung nur scheinbar selbstverständlich, sie variiert in ihrer kulturellen, subjektiven aber auch ganz konkreten Wirkung von Ort zu Ort und von Mensch zu Mensch. Dabei ist das Grundsetting, nämlich die temporäre Abwesenheit von natürlichem Licht, überall gleich. Ganz konkret aber unterscheidet sich eine Nacht in Tokio massiv von einer in Kabul oder Teheran oder Monterrey.
Dark Matters basiert auf Audio-Interviews, die mit acht Nachtwächter*innen weltweit geführt wurden und so mit unter- schiedlichsten Perspektiven eine globale Umnachtung simulieren. In diesen Gesprächen führen uns die Nachtwächter*innen durch deren subjektiv erlebten Nächte, zu ihren Ängsten, Hoffnungen und ganz konkreten Arbeitsbedingungen. Aus diesem Interviewmaterial wurde Drehbuch, Setting und Charakter generiert.
Die Nacht als Gegenrealität, in der menschliche Wahrnehmung anders als tagsüber funktioniert, war dabei das Grundmotiv bei allen Gesprächen. Nachts, wenn in unserem Gehirn weniger Cortisol ausgeschüttet wird und wir als stark visuell rezipie- rende Lebewesen eingeschränkt sind, wird die Dunkelheit zur Gegenrealität. Klare, rationale Gedanken sind dann schwer zu greifen. Wie erleben Menschen die dunklen Stunden, die Nacht für Nacht, meist alleine, über jemanden oder etwas wachen?
In Dark Matters begegnen wir einer hybriden Figur, die sich aus den verschiedenen Nachtwächter*innen zusammensetzt und dabei eine eigenständige Entwicklung nimmt. Sie bewegt sich dabei, wie die Arbeit selbst, tastend und zweifelnd durch verschiedene Zeitzonen, unterschiedlichen Kulturen und Perspektiven auf Dunkelheit und Nacht. Die Audiointerviews wurden in Tokyo, Kabul, Teheran, Tirana, Moskau, Yaoundè, St. Louis und Monterrey geführt.
DARK MATTERS
20 Min. / 4K / 2014
Dir.: Thomas Taube
DOP: Joanna Piechotta
w.: Lars Rudolph
Assistant Director:Ina Weiser, Irma Blumstock
Assistant Camera: Anna Motzel
Light: Daniel Pauselius, Falk Oettel
Composition: Gregor Pfeffer
Set-Manager: Varinka Schreurs
Dolly: Christoph Bartsch
DIT: Irma Blumstock
Set: Christian Enders, Matthias Tyralla
Support: Christoph David, Lulezim Ukaj, Konrad Walkow
Catering: Maria Zink, Eva Zimmermann, Lisa Zwielich, Marwin Rüffer
Editing: Thomas Taube
Color Grading: Enrico Wittich / Trickkiste Leipzig
Digital Post-Production: Jan Zaumseil / Lumalenscape
Production Manager: Sarah Jung
Thanks to: Clemens von Wedemeyer, Max Schneider, Carsten Möller, Alexandra Neuss, Anselm Benedikt Hötte, Michael Ehritt, Holm Tadikken, Kay Dombrowsky, Robert Cibis, OVAL Film Berlin, Thomas Szabo, Molton24.de, Egenberger Lebensmittel, Gerüstvermietung Thalheim, Snow Business GmbH, Leipzig Leih!, Heike Hellriegel, Sandra Lorenz, LEVG, Yvonne Brandl, Eidotech, Kamera LUDWIG, Maier Bros. Garderobe Leipzig
