What is Design?

Mark Franz

(2022)

3:02 minutes

Animation

“What is Design?” explores the aspects of Form, Structure, and Movement through cutout style animation derived from imagery from The Last Whole Earth Catalog (1971-75). The cutout technique and style of What is Design? draws inspiration from such work as Harry Smith’s Heaven and Earth Magic (1962). In keeping with the exploratory scientific feel of aspects of the catalog, all of the individual frames in the film were captured with a microscope. This technique was also chosen in order to preserve the textures and details of the original printed material. The soundtrack is based on audio from Dickson Experimental Sound Film (1894) chosen for the sonic textures indicative of early recording medium and edited in stereo to compliment the visual components in the film.