The Octopus Network
A living organism to host, extend, connect, and express our senses.
Symbiosis between Marco Mezzavilla (Scientist telecommunications, NYC) & Valerie van Zuijlen (Filmmaker, NL).
The Octopus Network is our attempt to capture the boundless motion of human senses, thoughts, and emotions that are constantly flowing around us - transported over invisible waves that dance to the vibrational rhythm of electromagnetism, one of the four fundamental forces of Nature.
We explored the spectrum in which physical boundaries become virtually boundless. During this exploratory journey, we met distant strangers that felt closer than ever. We switched roles, we stretched our senses, we created virtual spaces that gave us a sense of natural equilibrium, collectiveness, togetherness, and sensorial flow.
Part of the Imagine Science Film Festival "Symbiosis" competition, 18-23 October 2020
Special Thanks to Labocine, Science Sandbox & Imagine Science Films.
The big challenge here that Valerie really directed really well was trying to transform all my profound fascination for telecomunication networks and the transmission of signals of thoughts and emotions across the globe. Into something that could be tangible in a way. So we started to really transform all of this scientific perception of what it is a global network into senses. Our goal was to really try to portray this eternal flow of human thoughts and emotions. We started to visualise the network as this living organism, like an octopus. Like an extension of our brains, our senses. And we felt omnipresent, kind of ubiqutious. How can we describe and portray that? – Marco Mezzavilla
For me it was a new way of virtual filmmaking through telecommunications. And I think through this pandemic when everything stopped, came to a halt, you have to outreach. We are the head of this octopus, Marco and I are this brain. But we are expanding our bionic arms allover the world, so that is the Octopus Network. – Valerie van Zuijlen
THE TENTACLES
VOICE
Victoria Hogan - Voiceover
California, U.S.A.
VIDEO
Panagiotis Pourtsidis - Drone Cinematography
Thessaloniki, Greece
VISUAL EFFECTS
Shobhit Khanduri (Cinematography & Effects)
India
VISUAL EFFECTS
Jordan Brann - Render
Maine, U.S.A.
ANIMATION
Koyusha - Animation Cartoon
Ukraine
MUSIC
“5G” (song)
Clevathoughts (rapper)
New Kelvin (score)
U.S.A.
PERFORMANCE
Eduardo Berrospi - camera and edit
Gabriela González - dancer
Caracas, Venezuela.
VIDEO
Ommar Gutierrez - Cinematography
Effy Rios - Actress
Mexico City
VIDEO
Ruchi Hapuarachchi - Videography
Sri Lanka
VISUAL EFFECTS
Mrigendra Sharma - Render
Mumbai, India.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Muhammad Uzair Fareed - Render visuals
Pakistan
MUSIC
“Swif code”
Woodlane Alexis (song writer)
TeknoAxe (Producer)
Crystal Pitch (Master)
United Kingdom
MUSIC
Venus Vargas (score)
U.S.A.
PERFORMANCE
Racquel Monteith & Shanelle Buchanan - Dancers
Kingston, Jamaica
VIDEO
Dimitar Drew - Production & Post Production
Emphis - Choreography dance
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
VIDEO
Warrior Dreamzz (Drone Cinematography)
Philadelphia, PA.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Umair Fareed - Visual Effects & Render
Pakistan
VISUAL EFFECTS
Hassan Majid - Cinematography & Visual Effects
Pakistan
MUSIC
“Touch” (song)
Adelynn Mejia (Vocalist)
U.S.A.
PERFORMANCE
Libra Wrld - Freestyle
Tbilisi, Georgia.
PERFORMANCE
Gianna Juliet - Ballet
Santa Clarita, California, U.S.A.
RESPONSES
From Sacha Allen to Everyone: (2:53 AM)
Incredible editing
From Camille Hollett-French to Everyone: (2:53 AM)
That was fucking cool.
Joint brain. yes.
such a good team
this is mind-blowing.
From Marco's Friend on Whatsapp: (2:46 AM)
There's so much truth in your film. There's an extremely philosophical and intellectual yet ethereal element to it. I think it's something you can keep exploring because your passions can be seen and felt through it.
From tim grabham to Everyone: (2:53 AM)
great work!
You organised so many shoots in a week!!!!!
BIONIC ARMS!!!! I love it
From Thomas Campbell Jackson to Everyone: (2:53 AM)
Lovely editing!
From Wangechi Ngugi to Everyone: (2:53 AM)
Beautiful film!
From Dareen AlMojil on Facebook: (2:46 AM)
Very interesting! the flow of the film felt like a heart beat, bouncing in and out between states. Is this how you visualize communication bouncing between different minds and leading to different states?