Airshaft

Directed by Ken Jacobs

Single fixed-camera take looking from within darkened room, (camera within a camera) out through fire-escape door into vertical space between rears of downtown N. Y. loft buildings. A potted plant, fallen sheet of white paper, cat rests on the foreground door-ledge. The flow of the image is interrupted, partially and then wholly dissolving into blackness; the picture reemerges, the objects smear, somewhat double, edges break up... and again the serene image scintillatingly looms into view. Focus shifts abruptly between foreground and background planes, creating a strong volume-illusion. The fragile image then shines forth for one last time before dying out.