Directed by Jae Shim
United States, 2022
73 minutes
Documentary, Music, Art, Science

NOW STREAMING

 
 
 
 
 
 

ABOUT THE FILM

David Cope was commissioned to write an opera in the 80's when he suffered a major composer's block sparking interest in an algorithmic partner named EMI, Experiments in Musical Intelligence, that could generate compelling works in the style of western classical music composers. Widely recognized as a pioneer of artificial creativity, David wields a body of work that spans art, astronomy, and literature, in addition to music. Featuring excerpts from the completed opera, the algorithmic composer imagines creativity through human and machine perspectives.

“If only Beethoven or Chopin could explain their methods as clearly as David Cope. So when Cope's program writes a delightful turn of musical phrase, who is the artist: the composer being emulated, Cope's software, or David Cope himself? Cope offers keen philosophical insights into this question, one that will become increasingly compelling over time. He also provides us with brilliant and unique insights into the intricate structure of humankind's most universal artform.”

⎯ Raymond Kurzweil, inventor and author of The Age of Intelligent Machines and The Age of Spiritual Machines

“Aussi fort que le ressac des vagues, aussi sensible que la cime des grands sequoias et vibrant que les carillons qui hantent littéralement le film, Opus Cope est une enquête policière captivante, tout à la fois fouillée, fournie et foutraque, sur la vision créatrice et rhizomique du vertigineux David Cope. Imparable!”

”As strong as the surf of the waves, as sensitive as the tops of the tall sequoias and vibrant as the chimes that literally haunt the film, Opus Cope is a captivating detective investigation, all at once detailed, rich and wild, into the creative and *rhizomatic vision of the vertiginous David Cope. Unstoppable!”

⎯ Catherine Fontaine, Le Parvis Center for Contemporary Art
*From philosophers Gilles Deleuze and and Félix Guattari, 'rhizomatic' thinking is open ended, has no central structure, and is constantly changing.

 

PAST SCREENINGS

OPUS COPE comes to Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles March 27 and 28!
🎟 Tickets are available here.
UPDATE: the Glendale screening on 3/27 is sold out!

 

DATABASE