THE GLITCH
The Glitch (2024) is a raw experimental video combining analog projection, distorted sound and unsettling imagery.
Created without digital effects, the work uses only cutting and sequencing to build an atmosphere of tension, unease and sensory disorientation.
Warning: Contains rapidly flashing images and may not be suitable for individuals with epilepsy or sensitivity to flickering.
Makers:
Chenoa de Boer: Filming & testing
Matteo Colonna: Editing & testing
Meaning of THE GLITCH
THE GLITCH explores how minimal tools such as light, sound and timing can evoke strong emotional reactions. By stripping away narrative and digital manipulation, the work focuses on the psychological impact of fragmented visuals and abstract noise.
The combination of live-projected images and unpredictable sound disrupts the viewer’s sense of stability. Crackling audio, harsh light and sudden shifts in rhythm create a space where tension builds without resolution. This discomfort is intentional and highlights how easily perception can shift into confusion, anxiety or even fear.
Rather than telling a story, THE GLITCH creates a mood that lingers. It invites the viewer to consider how meaning is constructed through atmosphere and how fragile our sense of control becomes when familiar patterns are removed.
The proces and technical approach
The process behind The Glitch was shaped by a mix of planned experimentation and unexpected technical outcomes. We combined previously recorded material from earlier experiments with live projection, layering both in real time to build a fragmented and unstable visual language.
The glitch effect was not something we intended from the start.
It emerged while filming the projected image using a smartphone camera. The phone struggled to capture the color and brightness of the beamer light, causing visual distortions like color flickering, unstable exposure, and digital tearing. What began as a technical limitation became a visual strength: a fragile, shifting image that never fully resolved.
Sound design followed a similar physical and intuitive approach. By touching and bending an aux cable during playback, we generated crackles, interference and signal noise. These raw sounds were recorded live and layered with ambient textures such as bus engine hums and background chatter to amplify the feeling of tension and instability.
The Glitch is ultimately a work that embraces imperfection, interference and failure as creative tools. The technical “errors” became intentional methods, revealing how digital and analog systems can break down in ways that feel strangely human.