Portraits of Filmmakers


The works of Thomas Draschan

Works by and with Thomas Draschan


Sat, 24.01.        16:00 h        Filmhaus, Saal 2



Metropolen des Leichtsinns
Metropolis of Recklessness
A 2000, R: Thomas Draschan, 16 mm, Farbe, 12:00 Min.

“Metropolis of Recklessness” starts out with a trip that becomes a journey into film itself. After the appearance of some self-referential and sexy china girls, some people feel animated to have intercourse, but remain completely out of focus. Intercourse leads to cell-sectioning & birthgiving and a release into space. Being born one may ask "what should I become" (in the german original: was soll ich werden, written on a wheel), the filmmakers answer that pretty realistically with someone blowing his head away. The hit of the bullet in the head triggers beautiful visual effects, which as well refer to death and decay, and therefore justify the decision. The film then shows various oportunities of how someone could spend his life. But somehow all efforts seem to be in vain and everything is running empty...



Yes? Oui? Ja?
A 2002, R: Thomas Draschan, 16 mm, Farbe, 4:00 Min.
          
The starting material for this film was educational footage from the GDR. The very reduced graphics enable the film to use this as raw material for new statements.
Regarding the content the film takes the lyrics of a song as its basis, illustrating it either precisely or counter-precisely and dubbed in between with abstract animation which, with remembered images and images never seen before, lays down the groundwork for our own associations.
          
    
 
To the happy few
A 2003, R: Thomas Draschan, 16 mm, Farbe, 4:00 Min.

The film is structured around the mystical idea of the mandala, in this case pictures of
(fake) suns, galaxies and planets. These images are in sync with an Indian Bollywood song to enhance the pseudo-psychedelic effects. The film material covers a very wide range of found footage from various sources and decades starting in the 1930s (invisible woman) until the end of the 1980s.



Encounter in space
A 2003, R: Thomas Draschan, 16 mm, Farbe, 7:05 Min.

The film tells the story of a man and his alter egos, set out in unknown territory doomed by a sinister atmosphere. Lust and sexual desires are glooming all around him. He has to undertake several adventures, fight his enemies, also alter egos of his personality. A promising sexual act is interrupted by eye surgery and the promise of introducing the man to his real self. The promise turns out to be false and the protagonist continues to search for sexual adventures which seem to be the only alternative.



Preserving Cultural Traditions in a Period of Instability
A 2004, R: Thomas Draschan, DVD, Farbe, 3:00 Min.

A computer generated video based on artefacts occurring during compression procedures. A short hypnotic and monotonous soundloop underlines the structural character of the video footage. A commentary by Stan Brakhage on the rise of digital technologies and new media forms the second sound layer.



Keynote
A 2006, R: Thomas Draschan, Digital Video, 6:00 Min.

‘Keynote’ is a video on the cult of the digital, promises of salvation through technology and mass manipulation.

Everything’s gone green
A 2007, R: Thomas Draschan, 5:00 Min.

Video clip for New Order.

TURN
A 2006, R: Thomas Draschan, 04:00 Min.

Video clip for New Order.