Thorsten Fleisch

Directing

Thorsten Fleisch

Place of birth

Koblenz, Germany

Known for

Directing

Credits

37 titles

Thorsten Fleisch was born in 1972 in Koblenz, Germany. He made his first film experiments with his dad’s Super 8 camera while still in school. He studied experimental film with Peter Kubelka at the Städelschule in Frankfurt and works with digital and analog film. With materials such as the body, crystals, fire, and electricity, he has worked directly on 16mm filmstrips. Crystals are grown on the film and 30,000 volts burn through photo paper. The results are poetic and abstract visual systems with references to catharsis, the cosmos, and the universe. In 2003 Fleisch received an Honorary Mention at Prix Ars Electronica in Linz (Austria) for his computer-animated film Gestalt. High voltage is…

Known for

Flesh City poster
5.5

A young couple stumbles into a dark, incomprehensible world in the basement of a nihilistic night club, opening a portal to mutation and mayhem.

Flesh City

2019

Skinflick poster
7.5

Three different levels of skin working with film / film working with skin: - fingerprints on clear leader - carefully arranged successive skin prints - snapshots of light-painted skin becoming leather The images are accompanied by soundscapes using aural skin scans performed by the cartridge of a record player.

Skinflick

2002

No artwork available
6.6

The tv/video screen comes alive by a controlled beam of electrons in the cathode ray tube. For 'energie!' an uncontrolled high voltage discharge of approx. 30.000 volts exposes photographic paper which is then arranged in time to create new visual systems of electron organization.

Energie!

2007

Bloodlust poster
8.0

An attempt to constitute a human / machine dialogue. It shows the filmmaker’s blood as seen / heard with the eyes / ears of the machine which is a film projector with optical sound. He affixed his blood onto clear film leader by cutting into the flesh and then pressing the film leader onto the wound. Additionally he had blood taken with a syringe and afterwards dripped it on the film leader. fresh and clotted blood was used.

Bloodlust

1999

Flexcam poster
NR

"Another investigation in camera destruction. This one is more meditative, as it was shot at 64 frames per second." –T.F.

Flexcam

1998

Deep Learning Death poster
NR

Vilmos and his dad work as social media cleaners. During their work they are confronted with the worst of humanity, in picture form. When they try to build an AI to do their work for them the AI gets a taste of death and can't wait to try it out in the real world.

Deep Learning Death

2021

Film credits

Behind the camera

Flesh City poster
5.5

A young couple stumbles into a dark, incomprehensible world in the basement of a nihilistic night club, opening a portal to mutation and mayhem.

Flesh City

2019

Flesh City poster
5.5

A young couple stumbles into a dark, incomprehensible world in the basement of a nihilistic night club, opening a portal to mutation and mayhem.

Flesh City

2019

Skinflick poster
7.5

Three different levels of skin working with film / film working with skin: - fingerprints on clear leader - carefully arranged successive skin prints - snapshots of light-painted skin becoming leather The images are accompanied by soundscapes using aural skin scans performed by the cartridge of a record player.

Skinflick

2002

No artwork available
6.6

The tv/video screen comes alive by a controlled beam of electrons in the cathode ray tube. For 'energie!' an uncontrolled high voltage discharge of approx. 30.000 volts exposes photographic paper which is then arranged in time to create new visual systems of electron organization.

Energie!

2007

Bloodlust poster
8.0

An attempt to constitute a human / machine dialogue. It shows the filmmaker’s blood as seen / heard with the eyes / ears of the machine which is a film projector with optical sound. He affixed his blood onto clear film leader by cutting into the flesh and then pressing the film leader onto the wound. Additionally he had blood taken with a syringe and afterwards dripped it on the film leader. fresh and clotted blood was used.

Bloodlust

1999

Flexcam poster
NR

"Another investigation in camera destruction. This one is more meditative, as it was shot at 64 frames per second." –T.F.

Flexcam

1998

Deep Learning Death poster
NR

Vilmos and his dad work as social media cleaners. During their work they are confronted with the worst of humanity, in picture form. When they try to build an AI to do their work for them the AI gets a taste of death and can't wait to try it out in the real world.

Deep Learning Death

2021

Deep Learning Death poster
NR

Vilmos and his dad work as social media cleaners. During their work they are confronted with the worst of humanity, in picture form. When they try to build an AI to do their work for them the AI gets a taste of death and can't wait to try it out in the real world.

Deep Learning Death

2021

Deep Learning Death poster
NR

Vilmos and his dad work as social media cleaners. During their work they are confronted with the worst of humanity, in picture form. When they try to build an AI to do their work for them the AI gets a taste of death and can't wait to try it out in the real world.

Deep Learning Death

2021

Pattern Cognition poster
6.0

When you look at a screen for a long time, the screen looks into you, too. It's late. You've been juggling numbers all day. The screen seems to vibrate before your eyes. You close your eyes. The afterimage on your retina continues pulsating in over-saturated colours.

Pattern Cognition

2019

Love Songs for Scumbags poster
2.0

Ex-American G.I returns to Germany after 20 years to make a film and oddly enough winds up homeless on the streets of Berlin. While there, he ends up discovering secrets about himself and his past family history.

Love Songs for Scumbags

2015

Astrogolem poster
NR

"Astrogolem" is a film about a love triangle set in a fantastical world where science and the supernatural collide. The story follows the brilliant inventor, Nikola Tesla, as he and Alan Turing accidentally release demons into our dimension. Desperate to find a solution, he turns to the renowned scientist, Robo-Marie Curie, for help. On his way he completely forgets about his mission as he has a huge crush on her and wants to seize the moment to confess his love. However he is shocked to learn that Robo-Marie Curie is in a relationship with the Astrogolem. The film tells a story of love, sacrifice, and the consequences of playing with powers beyond human understanding. It is a thrilling journey into a world where science and the supernatural coexist, and the choices we make have the power to shape our destiny.

Astrogolem

2023

Astrogolem poster
NR

"Astrogolem" is a film about a love triangle set in a fantastical world where science and the supernatural collide. The story follows the brilliant inventor, Nikola Tesla, as he and Alan Turing accidentally release demons into our dimension. Desperate to find a solution, he turns to the renowned scientist, Robo-Marie Curie, for help. On his way he completely forgets about his mission as he has a huge crush on her and wants to seize the moment to confess his love. However he is shocked to learn that Robo-Marie Curie is in a relationship with the Astrogolem. The film tells a story of love, sacrifice, and the consequences of playing with powers beyond human understanding. It is a thrilling journey into a world where science and the supernatural coexist, and the choices we make have the power to shape our destiny.

Astrogolem

2023

Astrogolem poster
NR

"Astrogolem" is a film about a love triangle set in a fantastical world where science and the supernatural collide. The story follows the brilliant inventor, Nikola Tesla, as he and Alan Turing accidentally release demons into our dimension. Desperate to find a solution, he turns to the renowned scientist, Robo-Marie Curie, for help. On his way he completely forgets about his mission as he has a huge crush on her and wants to seize the moment to confess his love. However he is shocked to learn that Robo-Marie Curie is in a relationship with the Astrogolem. The film tells a story of love, sacrifice, and the consequences of playing with powers beyond human understanding. It is a thrilling journey into a world where science and the supernatural coexist, and the choices we make have the power to shape our destiny.

Astrogolem

2023

Camera Annihilator poster
NR

"I destroy an old Super 8 camera for science’s sake." –T.F.

Camera Annihilator

1997

Dromosphere poster
6.7

A meditation on speed. The ephemeral phenomenon becomes palpable as a speed sculpture begins a relativity drive along space-time avenues.

Dromosphere

2010

Gestalt poster
6.3

Four-dimensional quaternions (fractals) are visualized by projecting them into three-dimensional space. Instead of modeling objects of human imagination the realm of mathematics is explored. Only the variables of one formula (x[n+1]=x[n]^p-c) were changed. It took me about a year to get an idea of the transformations and shapes which could be expressed by this formula. Almost another year was needed to render the sequences which I decided to use.

Gestalt

2004

Más fuerte poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Más fuerte

2020

Silver Screen poster
6.0

A film made entirely with foil paper, exploring its possibilities in the realm of the audiovisual. For each frame a new foil paper landscape was created changing the parameters of light and perspective. In order to match the rapid flow of images several foil paper sounds have been restructured and edited.

Silver Screen

2000

Superbitmapping poster
NR

A projected text is going through two transformations in terms of presenting information. At first one is able to understand its meaning. However, in the second stage, the text has been transformed into digital language which can only be read by a computer. Finally, with the third level, the digital code has been used to convey a flicker effect. The text is now a mere physical sensation, devoid of intelligible contents.

Superbitmapping

2000

Friendly Fire poster
7.2

Burned filmstrips meet light and invade the screen with structures of residue, ashes, flames and destruction. New landscapes appear in a state of disintegration through fire. The former carrier of conserved imagery is now in full bloom of organic splendor. The lifeless filmstrips have been resurrected.

Friendly Fire

2003

Kosmos poster
NR

The mystery of the crystals under closer examination. What is it that makes them possess magic powers as claimed by mystics of all ages? Through growing crystals directly on film their mystical qualities shine straight to the screen. Unfiltered, only aided by light which gracefully breaks its rays into rich visual textures.

Kosmos

2004

Picture Particles poster
8.0

Individual elements from a carrier of visual information have been isolated and used to construct alternative visual reagents. Repetition is administered as a binder to tame the wild particles in motion, achieving a golden ratio in the mind's eye.

Picture Particles

2014

Flex Action poster
NR

"Super 8 destruction orgy. Different information carriers are attacked." –T.F.

Flex Action

1998

Food Fight Berlin poster
NR

A few impressions of the annual Berlin food fight, either in 2007 or 2008.

Food Fight Berlin

2007

Wound Footage poster
6.0

The source material is a found footage super 8 film. The visual carrier was attacked in a multitude of ways. It was scratched, cut open and violated. I captured an attempt to screen it. There it burned and was destroyed by the projector. Sorry little film. With the video footage I provoked the encoding. As a result some pixels were dislocated. In the end I reshot the film from the monitor while I somehow angered the cables that connect the monitor with my computer. That all may sound very negative to you but the goal was an almost humanist one: Unification of the digital with the analogue world. They seem so far apart and yet they aren’t. By exposing every material’s weaknesses and injuries it was made one. It’s all visual sensations in the end. Rita Hayworth grindedly sings along.

Wound Footage

2003

Hex Suffice Cache Ten poster
7.0

A surreal escape of a disintegrating mind into neon-lit nightmares from a discarded future. Suddenly interferences from sub-particle proliferation occur within the protagonist’s body, a transformation can’t be avoided. This exploration of cinematic space within an implosion of cerebral space is a daring tale of aliens, experiments on humans, video games and mutation. It is showering the unsuspecting viewer in handmade visual and aural stimuli from planet Fleisch.

Hex Suffice Cache Ten

2011

X-Rayed Camera poster
NR

A commissioned piece for the project 100x100=900 (100 video artists to tell a century).

X-Rayed Camera

2014

Super 8 Self Portrait poster
NR

"Me in my room in Frankfurt, ca. 1997. I used to throw knives at the painting in the background." –T.F.

Super 8 Self Portrait

1998

K.I.L.L. – Kinetic Image Laboratory/Lobotomy poster
8.0

An accumulation of 180 different perspectives of a bank’s skyscraper. Each perspective takes just one frame.At first there is chaos, then systems of visual organisation develop. The sound consists of a sampled phrase meaning: “Our power is boundless and our means are inexhaustible”. The editing plays with the relationship between the words and the images creating different meanings in breaking the succession of the words.

K.I.L.L. – Kinetic Image Laboratory/Lobotomy

1999

Color Glitch Oracle poster
NR

The first webseries to alter your mind.

Color Glitch Oracle

2019

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Der Dosenjob

2009