Projector Obscura, 35mm, anamorphic, silent, 10 min.

Projector Obscura is a series of films that are exposed using projectors rather than cameras. The extreme similarity between the design of the motion picture camera and projector is such that if the projection booth is adequately darkened and unexposed film is run through a projector, light illuminating the theater will enter the projector lens and expose the film.

35mm film projectors used this way will record the objects and space before them, exposing the relationship between two fixed elements in the cinema: the projector and the screen. In "Projector Obscura", the lens, which is normally responsible for casting out so many images, is given a chance to take in light and reflect upon its theatrical space, and the screen is given a chance to stand bare.

The theaters recorded in this project are the Biograph, the Gene Siskel Film Center, Anthology Film Archives, Gateway, MFA-Boston, Coolidge Corner and Harvard Film Archive.

The video clip above is the first Projector Obscura and is of the Biograph Theater, famous for being where John Dillinger was shot. This was recorded the night of 9/7/04, the night the theater closed down after 91 years of service.

Download the full DV disk image here for burning to DVD.