8 bit. A Documentary About Art and Videogames

Marcin Ramocki & Justin Strawhand

12 May 2008

Documentary

8 bit is a hybrid documentary examining the influence of videogames on contemporary culture. The documentary ties together seemingly disconnected phenomena like the 1980s demo scene, chiptune music and contemporary artists using machinima and modified games. Some of the artists featured in 8 bit include Cory Arcangel, Bit Shifter, Bodenstandig 2000, Bubblyfish, Mary Flanagan, Alex Galloway, Glomag, Paul Johnson, John Klima, Johan Kotlinski, Nullsleep, Joe McKay, Tom Moody, Akiko Sakaizumi, Eddo Stern, TEAMTENDO, Treewave and Carlo Zanni. With the help of media critic Ed Halter and new media curator and writer Christiane Paul, these very recent artistic strategies are put in the historical context of modernist and postmodernist discourse and examined as potential examples of a transition into fresh, uncharted territory.