Video, 8m07, 2013

In any good mid 90s techno flick, there is some sort of chase that occurs inside the computer. Taking the term “Information Superhighway” fairly literally, to enter the mainframe is like speeding across the Autobahn but instead of rest stops, buildings, and scenery, you are surrounded by “Information”. In reality, the inside of the computer is pretty boring, but to engage viewers in the race for information, the Internet is made sexy through flashy animations and obvious visual metaphor. To up the ante, the use of make-or-break language such as ACCESS DENIED combined with beeping countdown timers are also used in nearly every one of these films. My Main Frame explores these visual tropes through a supercut of mainframe scenes from Hackers and The Net.