Accidental Occurrence
SYNOPSIS
Accidental Occurrence explores the intersection of two disparate lives. Maxi, a novice criminal stumbling into a life of crime, and Harold, a contented retiree living with his daughter on the city's peaceful outskirts. While Maxi navigates the dangerous waters of his newfound path, Harold enjoys the fruits of his labor - a successful security bar business now run by his daughter.
Through a complex web of decisions and circumstances, their separate paths converge at a single, pivotal moment that irreversibly alters both their lives. The film examines how time shapes destiny through accidents, exploring how countless small choices and actions funnel toward one decisive instant.
The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives of this fateful day, presenting various entry points into their intertwined timeline. Each version reveals new layers of their connection, suggesting infinite possibilities while moving inexorably toward their fated encounter. This kaleidoscopic approach raises questions about chance, choice, and the delicate threads that bind seemingly unrelated lives together.
Construction Triad
The following 3 constructions of the film were automatically generated on Oct 24, 2017, for a presentation at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California
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MODULAR CONSTRUCTION
Accidental Occurrence reimagines film through the lens of digital possibility. Unlike traditional cinema, this experimental work harnesses computer technology to create a unique viewing experience each time. A sophisticated program dynamically constructs each version moments before viewing, weaving together audio, music, and visual elements through carefully designed algorithms and combinatorial paths.
This modular approach proves both technically innovative and artistically enriching. Viewers can shape their experience in unprecedented ways, with the ability to expand or compress the narrative from 5 to 70 minutes while maintaining narrative coherence. The program intelligently selects and arranges story elements to best serve the chosen duration.
Beyond timeline manipulation, the system offers nuanced control over the viewing experience. Audiences can adjust character focus, modify editing patterns, and toggle foretelling sequences. While our website hosts pre-rendered versions on YouTube, the AO USB drive contains the complete program and media files, allowing for real-time generation of new versions based on user preferences.
This project builds on lessons learned from our previous work, A Space of Time, pushing the boundaries of hypermedia storytelling. For academics in digital media, we offer additional technical documentation detailing our methodologies and findings.
Accidental Occurrence represents another step forward in exploring the artistic potential of programmatic storytelling, demonstrating how computational tools can create rich, variable narratives that respect both artistic vision and viewer agency.
Festival Circuit 2017
The work was featured at film festivals across six continents:
Premios Latino (Spain)
Best Experimental Short Film
Pune Short Film Festival (India)
Espacio Enter (Spain)
Salón Internacional de la Luz (Colombia)
CICA Experimental Film and Video Exhibition (South Korea)
Auckland International Film Festival (New Zealand)
Goa Short Film Festival (India)
SHORT to the point (Romania)
Golden Bridge Festival (Russia)
NCCC Film and Animation Festival (USA)
Digital Big Screen (Slovenia)
London Greek Film Festival (England)
PRODUCTION TEAM
Diego Bonilla
Concept, Script, Production, Direction, Editing, and Programming
John Mannion
Photography Direction
Sarah Pickett
Music Composition and Sound Design
Chema Salinas
Location Sound Production and Soundtrack
Sean Hovendick
Additional Photography
Stephan Eichorn
Additional Programming
Michael Karpeev
Special Effects
Jared Landberg
Location Production Management
Special thanks to Bob and Jane Pickett, Penny Beile, Anne Neville-Bonilla, Eric Stanist, Fowler Custom Homes, and Gábor Damásdi.
