Stephen Beck

Directing

Stephen Beck

Known for

Directing

Credits

15 titles

A pioneer in video technology and image processing, artist and engineer Stephen Beck developed one of the first video synthesizers — the Beck Direct Video Synthesizer. Designed in 1969, this device electronically fused moving color imagery with recorded visual material in real time. Beck used his synthesizer to merge music and image in performance collaborations with musicians such as Warner Jepson and Jordan Belson. In 1974, he designed the Video Weaver, a digital video computer with "warps" and "wefts" based on traditional textile looms. Fusing art and technology, Beck's pure abstractions of moving light and color form a link between the kinetic and Op art movements and the electronic medi…

Known for

Film credits

Behind the camera

Lone Breaker poster
NR

Follow Hot Feet as he break dances around the world and outer space, breaking his way into everyone's heart! Based on the video game BREAK DANCE created by Steve Beck and published in 1984 by Epyx. This Break Dance cartoon was made in 1985 with an Apple II computer and custom "moviemation" software developed by Steve Beck and his team at Beck-Tech in Berkeley

Lone Breaker

1985

Lone Breaker poster
NR

Follow Hot Feet as he break dances around the world and outer space, breaking his way into everyone's heart! Based on the video game BREAK DANCE created by Steve Beck and published in 1984 by Epyx. This Break Dance cartoon was made in 1985 with an Apple II computer and custom "moviemation" software developed by Steve Beck and his team at Beck-Tech in Berkeley

Lone Breaker

1985

No artwork available
NR

Conception is an abstract work that refers to origins and archetypes.

Conception

1972

No artwork available
NR

Methods is a step-by-step explanation of Beck's Synthesizer.

Methods

1971

NOOR (Light) poster
NR

A tribute to the Masters of Middle Eastern Patterns. NOOR is 4D animation of classical design motifs and calligraphy from Arabic, Persian, Moroccan, and others. Inspired in part by British scholar Keith Critchlow's 1976 scholarly book "Islamic Patterns" and by my pilgrimage to The Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

NOOR (Light)

2011

NOOR (Light) poster
NR

A tribute to the Masters of Middle Eastern Patterns. NOOR is 4D animation of classical design motifs and calligraphy from Arabic, Persian, Moroccan, and others. Inspired in part by British scholar Keith Critchlow's 1976 scholarly book "Islamic Patterns" and by my pilgrimage to The Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

NOOR (Light)

2011

Anima poster
8.0

Abstract computer animation set to autoharp solo music composed and performed by Jordan Belson

Anima

1974

No artwork available
NR

An animation.

Union

1975

Cycles poster
6.5

Cycles brings together 16mm film with Stephen Beck’s Direct Video Synthesizer imagery via a proprietary process Beck referred to as “editation.” Beck also composed the soundtrack to the film, which is made of one sequence repeated 12 times, with both artists contributing variations on each pass.

Cycles

1974

Union poster
NR

Union is one translation of the meaning of the word "yoga." The work is an allegorical journey of the self seeking reunion with itself.

Union

1975

Video Weavings poster
9.0

Video Weavings is a link between the modern (video) and the ancient (weaving) technologies. Video Weavings are based on poetic mathematical rhymes, or algorithms, visualized in real time on the warp and weft of video's horizontal and vertical scanning electron beams, color phosphors, plasma cells, and LCD pixels.

Video Weavings

1974

No artwork available
NR

The spontaneity of improvisational jazz is captured in this series of video music performances created on the Beck Direct Synthesizer. Featuring "live" improvisations with musician Warner Jepson, Beck's "jazz video" evokes musical forms and their visual abstractions.

Illuminated Music II

1972

No artwork available
NR

The spontaneity of improvisational jazz is captured in this series of video music performances created on the Beck Direct Synthesizer. Featuring "live" improvisations with musician Warner Jepson, Beck's "jazz video" evokes musical forms and their visual abstractions.

Illuminated Music III

1973

No artwork available
NR

With Illuminated Music #1, Stephen Beck shows off the well-modulated movements possible with a synthesizer that needs no external image source.

Illuminated Music #1

1972