Directing

Lillian Schwartz

Born January 1, 1927 (age 99)

Lillian Schwartz is a pioneer in the field of computer animation. In the early 1970s, she became the official artist in residence at AT&T Bell Laboratories, IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Laboratory and at Lucent Technologies Bell Labs Innovations where she would experiment with early computer graphics programs to create short works of film art. After studying traditional free-hand drawing wh…

Known For

Some of My Best Friends Are...

Some of My Best Friends Are... · 1971

Some of My Best Friends Are...

Regulars gather at The Blue Jay, a gay bar in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, to celebrate Christmas Eve 1971 with people they consider family.

UFOs

Blasting off into cosmic visual abstraction, pioneering computer artist Lillian Schwartz’s UFOs is a kinetic tour-de-force whose innovative pixel pigmentation showcased advanced stereoscopic technology as art.

Googolplex

Googolplex · 1972

Extended editing techniques based on Land’s experiments affect the viewer’s sensory perceptions.

OHM+: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music : 1948–1980

OHM+: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music : 1948–1980 · 2005

OHM+: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music : 1948–1980

MovieMusicAnimation

Drawing on rare performances, interviews, animations, and experimental film, this documentary surveys the formative years of electronic music from 1948 to 1980. Featuring pioneering composers and inventors—including Milton Babbitt and Leon Theremin—the film explores the experimental technologies, academic laboratories, and creative struggles that shaped the early evolution of electronic sound.

Apotheosis

Apotheosis · 1972

“Apotheosis, which is developed from images made in the radiation treatment of human cancer, is the most beautiful and the most subtly textured work in computer animation I have seen.” – Roger Greenspun, N. Y. Times Award Foothills-1973.

AZTEC

This animation can be watched in 2D or using Chromadepth Glasses in 3D.

X-STRIA1

X-STRIA1 · 2013

This animation can be watched in 2D or using Chromadepth Glasses in 3D.

Enigma

“Lines and rectangles are the geometric shapes basic to ENIGMA, a computer graphics film full of subliminal and persistent image effects. In a staccato rhythm, the film builds to a climax by instantly replacing one set of shapes with another, each set either changing in composition and color or remaining for a moment to vibrate strobiscopically and then change.” – The Booklist.

Filmography

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Some of My Best Friends Are...

Some of My Best Friends Are... · 1971

Some of My Best Friends Are...

Regulars gather at The Blue Jay, a gay bar in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, to celebrate Christmas Eve 1971 with people they consider family.

Wardrobe Assistant

UFOs

Blasting off into cosmic visual abstraction, pioneering computer artist Lillian Schwartz’s UFOs is a kinetic tour-de-force whose innovative pixel pigmentation showcased advanced stereoscopic technology as art.

Director

Googolplex

Googolplex · 1972

Extended editing techniques based on Land’s experiments affect the viewer’s sensory perceptions.

Director

OHM+: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music : 1948–1980

OHM+: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music : 1948–1980 · 2005

OHM+: The Early Gurus Of Electronic Music : 1948–1980

MovieMusicAnimation

Drawing on rare performances, interviews, animations, and experimental film, this documentary surveys the formative years of electronic music from 1948 to 1980. Featuring pioneering composers and inventors—including Milton Babbitt and Leon Theremin—the film explores the experimental technologies, academic laboratories, and creative struggles that shaped the early evolution of electronic sound.

Director

Apotheosis

Apotheosis · 1972

“Apotheosis, which is developed from images made in the radiation treatment of human cancer, is the most beautiful and the most subtly textured work in computer animation I have seen.” – Roger Greenspun, N. Y. Times Award Foothills-1973.

Director

AZTEC

This animation can be watched in 2D or using Chromadepth Glasses in 3D.

Director

X-STRIA1

X-STRIA1 · 2013

This animation can be watched in 2D or using Chromadepth Glasses in 3D.

Director

Enigma

“Lines and rectangles are the geometric shapes basic to ENIGMA, a computer graphics film full of subliminal and persistent image effects. In a staccato rhythm, the film builds to a climax by instantly replacing one set of shapes with another, each set either changing in composition and color or remaining for a moment to vibrate strobiscopically and then change.” – The Booklist.

Director

Mirage

Filmed directly from color television controlled by computer programs. Beautifully flowing shapes that overlap and intertwine.

Director

Pixillation

Pixillation · 1970

MovieMusicAnimation

Pixillation features computer generated abstract animations set to Moog-synthesized sound.

Director

Olympiad

Olympiad · 1971

Study in motion based on Muybridge’s photographs of man running.

Director

3-D Exotic

3-D Exotic · 2013

This animation can be watched in 2D or using Chromadepth Glasses in 3D.

Director

Nino

Music by Albert E. Miller. Experimental work with dancer and musicians to combine and present an unusual choreography of performers and music as a unified force.

Director

The Artist and the Computer

The Artist and the Computer · 1976

The Artist and the Computer

MovieDocumentaryAnimation

Pioneering artist Lillian Schwartz demonstrates the human input -- integrity, artistic sensibilities, and aesthetics -- that goes into producing early computer art. In voice-over she explains the intent behind a number of her films and offers insight into the artist's problems and decisions. Produced for AT&T.

Researcher

Dancer 2

Dancer 2 · 1977

The movements of a dancers body are recorded, studied, reshaped, to understand the anatomical ranges of joints. Music by Albert E. Miller.

Director

Affinities

Affinities · 1972

A ballet of squares and octagons in many forms, exhibiting a variety of geometric and sometimes sensuous interactions.

Director

Innocence

Innocence · 1973

Computer generated music and visuals films directly from a color TV monitor.

Director

Ensemble #2

Ensemble #2 · 1977

Music by Albert E. Miller. Combination of musicians and dancers in free form movements captured by computer-controlled-video which permits distortions and variations of the imagery. Continued experimentation with Rock Music and performers.

Director

Pangloss

Pangloss · 2015

Digital Animation | 02"50

Director

The Lady or The Tiger

The Lady or The Tiger · 1990

The Lady or The Tiger

Created in 1990 at AT&T's Bell Labs in a program called Sculpt, one of the very first real-time texture mapping programs.

Director

Juggler

Juggler · 1977

Music by Albert E. Miller. Computer-controlled ability to store one frame in the computer and combine this frame with the incoming frames permits freeze frames of a juggler as well as synthesized images. The paths of a jugglers handling of balls through the air can be examined in slow motion. Shown at The Kitchen on Mercer Street.

Director

Trois Visage

Trois Visage · 1977

Music by Frank Lewin. Study of the mood changes between three heads with slow moving subtle differences. Two heads are made of wood. The third head is of the artist L.S. UNESCO sponsored exhibition in Paris in 1978. Award in international competition – Japan, 1980 . Sponsored by Victor Co., JVC, Burston-Marstellar agency.

Director

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis · 1974

“Schwartz’ METAMORPHOSIS is a complex study of evolving lines, planes, and circles, all moving at different speeds, and resulting in subtle color changes. The only computer-generated work on the program, it transcends what many of us have come to expect of such film with its subtle variations and significant use of color.” – Catherine Egan

Director

Mutations

Mutations · 1972

“The changing dots, ectoplasmic shapes and electronic music of L. Schwartz’s ‘Mutations’ which has been shot with the aid of computers and lasers, makes for an eye-catching view of the potentials of the new techniques.” – A. H. Weiler, N. Y. Times

Director