Sunday, June 9, 2019

DICA THE ACID DREAM EXPERIMENT

DICA THE ACID DREAM EXPERIMENT

SYNOPSIS

DICA: The Acid Dream Experiment is a palimpsestic audio-visual incantation—an acid pop cinema dance facilitating infinitely recursive unfurlings of masked semiotics in the subterranean ontological realm—where the arbitrary constraints shaping the constitutive boundaries of digital video praxis and experimental film, of the perceived corporeality of performativity, and of the prismatic collisions of chromatic fields engender the radiographic essence of solar luminosity.
The kinetic phenomenological expression of DICA transmutes dissonant juxtapositions of chromatic fields through avant-garde neo-Dadaist explorations of a hallucinatory explicit interzone of psychedelic consciousness—this liminal suspension of perception dissolves from repetition into a teetering suspension of temporality. The pictorial elements liquify and are engendered through synaesthetic transitions of visual poetics into a liminal investigation of pataphysical dimensions wherein the laws ruling exceptions reign, overtly superseding those that govern generality.
DICA expands in an open portal to psychotropic atmospherics composing a pop symphonic architecture of undetermined punk-art film insurgency, compelling with in the viewer a Baudelairean flâneur combined with Bataillean excess—an forever-desiring compulsion to continue the disruption of perception and transcendence of sensorial boundaries.
The work is concurrently a phenomenological experiment and epistemological provocation that demands the viewer to reconsider not just what they are seeing but also to reflect on the very modalities through which perception itself is both constituted and constrained.

ART FILM AWARDS 2021

OFFICIAL TRAILER

DICA THE ACID DREAM EXPERIMENT
FULL MOVIE

FOR MORE INFO VISIT THE FILM'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE
birthdaygurlvideo.wixsite.com/dica

Director's Statement

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

i like to feel lost without a story so that i can find my way into another dimension of reality. A reality manifested by an imaginative looping of endless psychedelic day dreams, an envision of spellbound movement and repetition that is obscure but familiar like nostalgic reoccurrences. That way i can funnel my creativity into an imaginary broken television and go down the rabbit hole.

DIRECTORS COMMENTARY

"In the absence of narrative architecture, I find my cartography to alternative planes of consciousness - realms birthed through the infinite recursion of psychedelic reverie, an enchanted web of cyclical motion and repetitious invocation that exists at the boundary between oblivion and recognition; much like the crystallization of déjà vu into the visible realm. Through this method of disorientation, I channel the energies of creation into a spectral transmission device, descending through ontological fissures into subterranean wonderlands of perception.

My philosophy of cinema resides in the liminal, adjacent spaces between premised meaning, and liberated form - a Deleuzian nomadology of movement-images vibrating between coherency and dissolution. By relinquishing the tyranny of linearity, I invite spectators to deconstruct the ecstatic vertigo of the dislocation of time, where every frame presents as both prophecy and memory.

The shattered televisual portal is more than metaphor, it is metamorphosis; a chrysalis of consciousness emerging in the semblance of artist and spectator leaving behind the exoskeleton of consensual reality. This aesthetic of recursive dislocation presents a labyrinthine garden in which strangeness blooms in the guise of familiarity, and nostalgia becomes premonition while freezing in a continuous moment of pure cinematic becoming in the eternal present."

This rewrite reframes the original statement as a more philosophical meditation on experimental filmmaking, by employing poetic imagery and academic concepts to elevate the language of the original iteration while maintaining core ideas about creative disorientation and psychedelic exploration.
-Birthday Gurl

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

A Discussion on Theoretical Dialogue -Film Aesthetics

ANTI-ART FILM, ACID JUNK FILM, VIDEO ART, AND FAKE MOCKUMENTARY: A THEORETICAL DIALOGUE

Introduction: The Genesis of Our Discussion

Our conversation began with reimagining "Alice in Acid Wonderland" as "Alice in Rainbow Wonderland" - an experimental film diary exploring multiple realities and consciousness fragmentation. We then examined the Straight Jacket Guerrilla Film Festival manifesto, celebrating punk cinema that defies Hollywood's standards. Now, we delve deeper into the theoretical framework of these experimental film forms through an analysis of a dialogue between Birthday Gurl and Nino Fournier on anti-art film theory.

Key Concepts Defined

Junk Film

Junk film represents a deliberate aesthetic choice emphasizing:

Low-budget, DIY production methods
Rejection of traditional production values
Celebration of imperfection and rawness
Anti-commercial approach to filmmaking
Distribution through alternative channels

Anti-Art Art Film

According to Birthday Gurl, anti-art art film "is not a film genre" but rather "the compartmentalization of the junk film aesthetic for film that resonates its precursor's which were dada and fluxus artist of the neo dada period." It emerges from the fluxus movement, described as an "anti art art movement" predating the modern art era.

Fake Mockumentary vs. Traditional Mockumentary

Birthday Gurl makes a crucial distinction between traditional mockumentary and "fake mockumentary":

Traditional Mockumentary: Audience is "in on the joke" - viewers know they're watching a fictional narrative presented as documentary.
Fake Mockumentary: A hybrid form blurring video art and stylized documentary that deconstructs mockumentary structures while enhancing theatrical elements and blurring lines between performance art and acting.

The Theoretical Framework

Video Art as Precursor to Mockumentary

Birthday Gurl argues that video art serves as "a precursor to ready made mockumentary," particularly in the context of Pink 8 style film manifestos and the emergence of guerrilla filmmaking. She traces this connection through:

Technological Development: Video art's technological capabilities enabled a new relationship with "reality" and time.
Self-Reflexive Medium: Early video art was often performance-based in fine art contexts, creating a "pretense of reality" similar to modern mockumentary approaches.
Blurred Boundaries: Video art pioneered the blurring between "performance art and acting" - a hallmark of contemporary mockumentary forms.

The Pink 8 Theoretical Framework

The dialogue positions various experimental film manifestos within the "Pink 8" theoretical framework, which itself responds to the influential Dogma 95 manifesto. This includes:

Junk Film Manifesto
Fake Mockumentary Film Manifesto
Counterfeit Film Manifesto (Guerrilla Film)
Acid Dream Experiment Manifesto

The Future of Video Art

Birthday Gurl argues that rather than moving away from video art, these new hybrid forms represent its evolution: "it doesn't move away its brings fusion to its documentary aesthetic and film quality moving video art forward because it is a “Anti-Art film aesthetics' rooted from the fluxes era of anti aristocratic junk aesthetics

She suggests the future of video art lies in "stylized documentary perception" and hybrid forms that incorporate documentary techniques while remaining experimental.

Philosophical Implications

Reality vs. Performance

A central tension in this theory is the relationship between reality and performance. Traditional documentary claims to capture reality, while mockumentary playfully mimics this claim. The "fake mockumentary" further complicates this relationship by introducing layers of performativity and self-awareness.

As Birthday Gurl notes, these forms maintain "some pretense of reality experience for improvisation or performative experience existing in the present moment or a mock performance."

Challenging Genre Classifications

Nino questions whether creating new genre classifications like "anti-art art film" is productive. Birthday Gurl responds that her focus is less on establishing a new genre than on recognizing the hybridity of existing forms, particularly "fake mockumentary" as a blend of video art and documentary aesthetics.

The Role of the Manifesto

The dialogue concludes with Nino's observation that manifestos attempt to "put words on practice which precisely should be word-free... because it is video art, not literature." This highlights the inherent contradiction in theoretical discussions of visual media - the gap between creative practice and its verbal articulation.

Relevance to Our "Alice in Rainbow Wonderland"

Our reimagined "Alice in Rainbow Wonderland" diary entry exemplifies many of these theoretical concepts:

It presents itself as a "mock document" rather than a traditional script
It blurs the line between reality and dream/fantasy
It incorporates self-reflexive elements (the "Note to self" section)
It positions itself within an experimental film tradition
It deliberately embraces a non-commercial, anti-Hollywood aesthetic

Conclusion: The Experimental Cinema Continuum

These dialogues reveal experimental cinema not as a fixed category but as an evolving continuum where forms like video art, mockumentary, guerrilla film and junk film constantly hybridize and redefine themselves. As Birthday Gurl states:

"The stylized documentary perception i claim to interpret is the future of video art where empirically it can't be argued outside the non objective film that does not include documentary in some form that can still be non objective but informed with techniques such as computer screen recordings of non objective media being played on a computer screen."

This complex theoretical framework provides context for understanding and appreciating works like "Alice in Rainbow Wonderland" not merely as oddities outside mainstream cinema, but as deliberate contributions to an ongoing artistic discourse that challenges conventional assumptions about what experimental video art and counterfeit collage film can and should be.

IN DEFENSE OF JUNK FILM: A GUERRILLA CINEMA MANIFESTO

Our Conversation Journey

Our dialogue began with a request to rewrite a film synopsis for "Alice in Acid Wonderland," which we transformed into "Alice in Rainbow Wonderland" - an experimental dream narrative exploring multiple realities, consciousness fragmentation, and the blurring of digital and physical spaces. We crafted this as a poetic diary entry that captured the stream-of-consciousness style characteristic of experimental filmmaking.

We then examined a manifesto for the Straight Jacket Guerrilla Film Festival, celebrating punk cinema that defies Hollywood's restrictive standards. Both projects represent different facets of what might be dismissed as "junk film" by mainstream critics but deserve recognition as valuable artistic expressions.

In Defense of Junk Film

What Is Junk Film?

"Junk film" encompasses low-budget, experimental, guerrilla, DIY, and anti-art cinema that exists outside traditional production systems. These works often feature:

Non-professional actors
Handheld camera work
Unconventional editing and pacing
Limited or no budget
Rejection of narrative coherence
Emphasis on raw expression over technical polish
Distribution through alternative channels (YouTube, free online platforms)

Why Junk Film Matters

1. Democratization of Cinema

Junk film represents the true democratization of cinema. When a teenager with a smartphone can create and distribute a film without gatekeepers, we witness the radical expansion of who gets to tell stories. This diversity of voices enriches our cultural landscape and challenges the homogeneity of mainstream productions.

2. Authentic Expression

The "anti-beauty" aesthetic celebrates imperfection and rawness. By rejecting Hollywood's polished veneer, junk filmmakers often achieve a more authentic connection with audiences. These films don't hide the seams of their construction; they celebrate them as part of their honest expression.

3. Innovation Through Limitation

Necessity breeds invention. When filmmakers lack resources, they develop creative solutions that often lead to new techniques and approaches. Many techniques now standard in mainstream cinema originated in experimental and guerrilla filmmaking – from handheld camera work to non-linear editing.

4. Challenging Perception

Junk films often deliberately disrupt conventional viewing experiences. By breaking established rules of composition, pacing, and narrative, they force viewers to engage more actively with the medium, questioning their expectations and expanding their understanding of what cinema can be.

5. Cultural Documentation

DIY filmmakers often capture aspects of contemporary life overlooked by commercial productions. These raw documents of subcultural experiences, marginalized communities, and underground movements serve as vital historical records of voices that might otherwise go unheard.

The Digital Revolution

The digital revolution has amplified junk film's importance. As our Straight Jacket Guerrilla Film Festival text notes, audiences increasingly turn to online platforms rather than traditional theaters. This shift has created space for experimental work to find its audience without conventional distribution channels.

The "pool of junk media worthy of relating to" represents a radical alternative to the controlled narratives of mainstream media – one where authenticity often triumphs production value, and personal vision outweighs market research.

From Alice to Avant-Garde

Our "Alice in Rainbow Wonderland" diary exemplifies junk film's approach – fragmented, dreamlike, self-reflective, and unconcerned with conventional coherence. The multiple Alices, the distorted sense of time, the blending of reality and imagination – these elements challenge viewers to engage on different terms than mainstream cinema.

As the diary entry states: "Whatever is abstract is welcoming the un-welcomed." Junk film creates space for the marginalized, the unusual, the challenging, and the experimental. It welcomes what mainstream cinema rejects.

Conclusion: The Revolution Will Not Be High-Definition

The Straight Jacket Guerrilla Film Festival manifesto declares: "To anyone with a camera phone and the passion, desire, and ambition to create cinema: don't abandon your dreams! We commend you... the world is yours!"

This revolutionary spirit defines anti-art film importance. It's not merely an aesthetic choice but a political stance against the commercialization and corporatization of artistic expression. By embracing imperfection, celebrating DIY ethics, and rejecting industry standards, junk filmmakers reclaim cinema as a personal, immediate, and accessible art form.

In the end, junk film matters precisely because it refuses to matter on the terms set by the mainstream film industry. Its value lies in its rejection of conventional value systems – and in doing so, it opens new possibilities for what cinema can be and who can create it.

We must take advantage of our freedom of speech.

The world of film doesn't need more technically perfect but emotionally empty productions. It needs more raw, honest, challenging visions – more anti-art acid junk film that dares to be different.

About The Artist

WEBSITES

BIRTHDAY GURL'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Birthday Gurl's Paintings Music and Streams Of Consciousness

BIRTHDAY GURL: REBEL VISIONARY OF THE UNDERGROUND

Before she became the infamous Birthday Gurl, Laura Grace Robles was already breaking boundaries. She dominated high school stages as Shakespeare's fiery Katherina and the haunting Mary Girard, snagging All-Star cast honors twice while helping her theater director mother wrangle productions for packed houses of a thousand strong. But stage lights weren't enough to contain her vision.

While juggling varsity basketball, student council leadership, and a sophomore class presidency, Laura first got her hands on a VHS camcorder—her gateway drug to visual rebellion. Her first hit? A guerrilla-style Guns N' Roses "Civil War" video shot in the middle of her street with a crew of neighborhood kids serving raw outsider energy. The establishment took notice, showering her with scholarships from LULAC, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and Coca-Cola—little did they know they were funding a future art revolutionary.

The system tried to tame her. She crashed and burned as a theater camp reject and film school dropout, but rose from those ashes to direct her first cinematic middle finger—a "Pulp Fiction" parody submitted directly to her hero Michel Gondry's contest. Her refusal to play by the rules alienated her from the film school crowd, their rigid expectations clashing with her wild avant-garde instincts.

2008 marked year zero of her transformation. Laura claimed a 700-square-foot concrete box with no shower or kitchen and alchemized it into a living art laboratory. Forced into a drama major after her film school flameout (a half-hearted nod to her mother's Hollywood dreams), she instead shape-shifted into "Yo Apples"—a vegan pseudo-sumo wrestler obsessed with Björk, surviving on nothing but Smart Water/rice protein slurry while plotting her artistic insurrection.

Epiphany struck. Laura realized her calling wasn't conventional cinema but "moving paintings"—distorted visions of masked humanity projected through unconventional lenses. Her canvas? A studio filled with broken mirrors salvaged from street trash, shower curtains drenched in paint, and video feedback loops created with a camcorder bought on student loans meant for textbooks. "Discovery Mirror" emerged from this chaos—a dream-state performance where dancers in painted costumes became living art while audiences wandered through a labyrinth of reflections, shadows, and projected light. A blue wig cradling shattered mirror fragments became her signature—the vessel to her fractured soul laid bare.

Seven years grinding at San Antonio College culminated in her coronation as the first student ever to exhibit six paintings in a single show. President Ricardo Romo of The University of Texas at San Antonio snatched up her "Additive and Subtractive" series for his office collection. The art world's ultimate power couple, Christo and Jean-Claude, handpicked her as the lone Texas artist invited to their exclusive reception for "The Gates" in New York's Central Park.

Under the mentorship of UTSA professor and video art heavyweight Leslie Raymond, Laura's artistic DNA mutated further. She birthed her iconic "Red Individual" character for "In The Green"—a film blending digital photography, theater, performance art, video, and animation that captured first place at the university's research conference. But her soul belonged to another era—the raw No Wave guerrilla film explosion that once set New York's Lower East Side ablaze with DIY punk anarchy.

Even homelessness couldn't extinguish her fire. With zero budget and limitless audacity, Laura weaponized herself as both director and subject, collaborating with kindred spirits Victoria Campbell and Sam Mandelbaum on a series of increasingly radical performances.

The streets became her stage. San Antonio's tourist-packed River Walk played unwitting host to her appearances as Lucky the clown, while her thirteen-hour naked endurance piece inside a porta-potty—reframed as an art gallery during Contemporary Art Month—left conventional boundaries in tatters.

Her most mind-bending conceptual assault: sixteen versions of the same 54-minute performance film series exploring "BA-HACK-ANANA"—mystical cyber-bananas hacking reality itself. This wasn't mere filmmaking but the deliberate deconstruction of fake documentary into something unclassifiable.

Laura's guerrilla philosophy crystallized into a series of manifestos—Fake Mockumentary, Counterfeit Film, Junk Film, and Acid Video Art Film—each paying blasphemous homage to Lars Von Trier's Dogma 95 while aligning with Fabrizio Federico's insurgent Pink 8 movement.

Her final evolution came when Laura Grace Robles donned a plastic princess tiara and reincarnated as Birthday Gurl Video Artist—a perpetual celebration of creative rebirth, fueled by a party-girl mentality masking profound artistic purpose. Every day became an unbirthday, every moment a chance to shatter and rebuild reality.

YouTube became her digital launchpad, catapulting her into collaborations with music royalty—80s hip-hop legend Rakim, Grammy winner Marcel Rodriguez Lopez of The Mars Volta, and The Strokes' producer Gordon Raphael. Her visuals elevated shows for electronic innovators Com Truise and The Octopus Project, while galleries from Presa House to The South Texas Museum of Pop Culture showcased her increasingly infamous installations.

The revolution needed a headquarters, so Birthday Gurl co-founded The Straight Jacket Guerrilla Film Festival with UK underground punk film legend Fabrizio Federico. Their mission? Demolish Hollywood's suffocating standards and create sanctuary for filmmakers brave enough to risk everything for their vision.

Her growing infamy earned her a featured spot in "Mondo Lizard: A Guide To Gonzo Cinema"—UK director Rubber Cripple's documentary homage to the global anti-filmmaking vanguard. Birthday Gurl had officially joined the pantheon of DIY guerrilla rebels.

Through it all, she's remained unflinchingly committed to Anti-Art Art Film—a spiritual media that defies definition and embraces unlimited freedom. Birthday Gurl continues to channel dream-realities into digital distortions filled with psychedelic rainbows hidden beneath pop culture's surface, transcending the limitations of conventional equipment with raw imaginative power.