Credits Neverending television programme

A TV show displayed on DINA TV (Finland) and exhibited at Ars Electronica 2006 (Austria). You turn on the TV set. What appears is a list of credits, indicating that some movie or show has just ended. But as you wait, the credits keep on scrolling. And scrolling. And scrolling... If you read them, you notice that some of the names and titles make little sense. And if you read them carefully, you eventually find the URL of a website, where you may add your own credits to the list.

"Boredom is a luxury anyone can afford". With these words, students and staff at Media Lab Helsinki - under the guidance of Teijo Pellinen - were challenged to produce TV concepts for the daytime "empty hours" of the TV network DINA. "Credits Neverending" was the contribution of Li Xin and myself.

The idea emerged from group brainstorming sessions, and was first tested as an animated Flash prototype. The final website is powered by a PHP application and administration interface (allowing deletion and editing of credits). The TV "show" is displayed by an application made in Macromedia Director, communicating with the same database as powers the PHP website. The music used is licensed under creative commons, originally composed and performed by Anthony Rajiekov.

Of all the projects I've been involved in, this received the greatest amount of publicity compared to the amount of work. It was shown repeatedly on DINA TV (Finland) and selected for exhibition at the Beta Lounge, Ars Electronica.