Through contemporary dance, Divided We Scroll explores the chilling reality of a constantly connected world where data and software is continuing to redefine us within an increasingly complex technological network.
How does your film respond to the ideas behind Life Rewired?
We inhabit a world where technology, data and software is continuing to shape us as humans, from our behaviour and thought processes to our physical movement.
By design, these technologies are creating compulsions and divisions. When taking the time to look up from my own screen, I was fascinated by how we are held captive by our devices, no matter what we're doing. We scroll in division while we're with our friends and family. We've adapted to walk, cycle and drive while scrolling. While at the Barbican, I even saw a guy skateboard-scrolling!
We never actually look at each other in the eyes and often spend more time looking at the image of ourselves.
The seductive design features of our phones and apps keep us scrolling with reward-based behaviour that activates the dopamine in our brains. And even when we believe we're connected to one another, through things like video calls, the location of the camera means we never actually look at each other in the eyes and often spend more time looking at the image of ourselves.
I'm interested to know how this behaviour changes the bigger picture. As the complexities of these invisible systems and their intelligence continues to grow beyond our human capabilities, do we become even more of a captive audience?
Can you explain the process behind the making of your film?
I was inspired to work with a contemporary choreographer to artistically and physically demonstrate how our world, our communities, our bodies and our minds are in constant wireless connection to technological networks.
Pepa Ubera, a London based choreographer was also researching this topic and we began to discuss how to bring the film to life.
I was fascinated to discover that many of our physical movements how we interact with technological devices have been patented by tech giants, and these movements inspired the interpretative choreography for the film.
What does the filmmaker of the future look like?
Having made a rather funny and nonsensical film which was written entirely by an artificial intelligence, I would say that the filmmaker of the future will remain human for the time being. But, the machines are learning fast, so you never know...
Many of our physical movements how we interact with technological devices have been patented by tech giants
