Filmmaking duo Terri Timely and Park Pictures just released an enigmatic short, Input/Output, that captures mundane activities yielding surprising–and visually delightful–results. Consisting of Corey Creasey and Ian Kibbey, Terri Timely strove to capture the awe, frustration and wonder that result from watching simple actions or “inputs,” such as hammering a nail into the floor, produce startling and wacky “outputs” like a classic Chinese takeout box swelling to human-sized heights each time the hammer hits the nail. In other vignettes, a girl switches on a light switch labeled “input” and the switch illuminates a dog with a veterinary cone reflecting the word “output” onto a wall. A man trying to squeeze toothpaste onto his brush is mesmerized when the tube shoots out first red smoke, then in a later scene flames, which engulf the bathroom towels.
The short is full of visual effects which are highly stylized yet realistic renditions of visual experiences such as a soccer ball being blown up, its seams separating to reveal the ball is in fact a sphere of marbles, which then fall apart and roll across the floor.
Previous work from the filmmaking duo, who met at the University of California at Berkley, include a Cannes Grand Prix-winning spot for Geico, “Unskippable,” as well as videos for major indie artists including St. Vincent, Modest Mouse and Joanna Newsom.
