Mab MacMoragh, Dog Call Telephone, video

b. South Korea, playing from Athens, GA, USA

2013 video, 1280 x 720 HD, 01:33 (1 minute 33 seconds), Second Life® machinima

Concept, assemblage, lighting, color, staging, screen capture, and editing by Mab MacMoragh

Original music by Mack Gecko, used with permission

Various simulated elements created by Second Life® virtual world makers are listed in end credits. To aid in understanding this method, the process can be compared to creating an assemblage by bringing together gleaned and found objects, utilizing building tools to bring something new into the physical world.

Alchemy & Immortalis Cyannis- white trees, terrain AM Radio- rowboat, dock Annan Adored- Windlight (sky) Daruma Picnic- bubble stars Kaikou Splash- swans Kriss Lehmann- waterlilies, cattails, pines, dragonflies, brick textures Pennywhistle Cameron- dog and sounds Selavy Oh- soft structure (scripted blue sheets) soror Nishi- trees, particle effects Sowa Mai- telephone operator sounds from Field of Voices Sue Stonebender- water sounds, terraforming Torley- purple water

Thoughts on the Telephone process

The process was difficult but rewarding as I took on the project during a time of grave personal incapacity and family upheaval. Technical hurdles combined to make this tiny video the fruit of innumerable hours of striving for the final effect.

The artwork I received as the assignment to further the ‘line’ of this particular message was puzzling. It was enigmatic with a strong tactile quality despite the digital format of the file. I was unable to decipher the content but didn’t feel literality was an important consideration. I have an affinity for poetic abstraction so I concentrated on haptics and breakout feelings the image evoked, the influence of whimsy with powerful undercurrents of unconditional devotion and sweetness, a rough attempt at contact beyond language such as can be found sometimes in music and thwarted yearning.

It was amazing to me that this seeded anonymous artwork was so exactly similar in method to torn paper constructs I created in the aftermath of a debilitating neurological event and I knew it was meant to be. I wish to thank my good friends and fellow painters Denise Araripe and Maria Rosa Benso for encouraging me to take part in Telephone.