Dream a Little Dream of Me--Ana Somina

"A whole world waits for you when you turn out the lights. Our imagination works wonders when no one is watching. In our dreams lie childish figures, random shapes and half remembered memories. Ana Somnia is a generative art project that emulates how we dream, combining animation, soundscapes and code. Kim Köstler’s Illustrations merge in manifold permutations, seemingly the same, yet different each time. Switch off your lights to enter Ana’s dreamworld."--Rostlaub Main Page

Ana Somina

So begins the description for Rostlaub's new project: Ana Somina, a truely unique web experience from the studio that brought you 99Rooms. Using the webcam on your computer (built-in or otherwise), this "game" utilizes the light it "sees" from your cam.

After you've initialized your settings (which you will no doubt have to do when you first launch the site), you will be taken to Ana's bedroom, complete with a bookshelf of books, various toys, a window, and her bed, where she politely asks you to turn off your lights.

(Above image by Dio)

Turning off your lights (or covering your camera up so that light does not reach the lens) turns off Ana's lights.

And that's where the dreaming begins. What follows is a truly surreal experience as all manner of creatures, images and even music and sounds come growing out of Ana's head. Still images do not give this beautiful, surreal, and sometimes macabre and unsettling experience any justice.

What's more, is that every experience is unique, because the "game" is programed with a random generating animation program, that allows no two viewings to be exactly the same.

Once you've had your fill of Ana's wild dreamscapes, you can turn the lights back on (or remove the lens obstruction), which will abruptly wake poor little Ana from her dreaming, bringing you back into her room, where she asks you to turn the lights back off. Then you can begin again, and have all new experiences.

Such a "game" (or art installation, whathaveyou) is relatively impossible to really explain, so Decon and I both (across the ocean and time zones of course!) launched Ana Somina together and had a dialogue about it. I was inspired by Rich at fourfour, who sometimes wrote his movie reviews with another author, in a dialogue style of discourse (the movies here are definently NSFW, so be aware), like his conversation with Sean Fennessey on I Spit on Your Grave. Today, D and I tried our best to really talk about Ana Somina, despite not even being remotely near each other. Enjoy. XD

Decon:The one thing I want to bring up right off the bat is the sound design. Obviously, the visuals are the main attraction here, but the fact that they're acompanied by sounds that match just perfectly with each little animation, from the playful 'pops' to the slightly disturbing 'flesh tearing sounds' just makes it all the better.

To say nothing of the assorted tunes and ambient pieces that are going on in the background as well.

Dio:

Yeah, I was going to mention the same. Even in her room with the lights on, you still have good mood setting sound, from the wind, to her tossing. Not to mention her unintelligable request to turn off the lights XD

Decon:

XD That sound is far too amusing, i agree.

I love all the little "plinky plonky" melodies that play in her room as well. They're the cherry on the atmospheric cake.

(above image by J-MACHine)

Dio:Yes. The music box quality. An appropriate lullaby, amid the echoing wind. Its all really quiet, but at the same time, its not SILENT. Heaven knows that if I'm asleep, I can't with utter silence. It drives me up a wall.

Decon:

Oh god, i feel you there. Thats why i've either got the TV on or my iPod in my ears.

One thing i'm noticing in todays dream is the sound of thunder, and the visual effect of all the little patterns and characters shaking to go along with it. I don't think thats yet happened when I've launched it.

Dio:Yeah, I noticed the shaking is random as well. I assume its a part of the ransomly generated patterns of each "branch", if you will.

What I also noticed is that some of the objects from her room also show up in the dream sequences. The bear, forexample, when its neck breaks open and things grow out of it.

(above image by Dio)

The box too appears. With the lock on it. A little flying key with a tiny man fits the lock in the box, which multiplies.

Decon:

See, I hadn't noticed the last one, but I did notice the bear appearing frequently.

But then, I do admit i keep scanning for a number of recurring "characters" admist the patterns that I really like the look of, simply because they're visually appealing or delightfully bizzare.

Like the chubby bird that appears to be wearing a mask with a blank expression on it, or that little man climbing a ladder.

Dio:Ah, yes, the little man on the ladder. I like that one, as well as the strange round swing w/ the striped stocking legs that I keep missing screencaps for XD

Decon:

XD;;

Dio:Oops, saw a clown. >> Nightmare fuel. XD

Decon:

>> I keep missing the clown. XD

Dio:

Saw it for the first time just now XD.

Decon:A couple that i find especially bizzare are the two "endlessly peeling face layer" animations. Both of them play fowards and in reverse, but they're both... Fairly freaky looking.

In the good way.

I also keep seeing a large double bass with a single string, being played by a smaller, featureless man plucking the string with the apropos accompanying sound effect that I hadn't seen before now.

Dio:Yeah. The peeling face is particularly intriguing. I mean, you watch a lot of it and go, "ok, I can kinda get that....kind of". Falling organs, or the occasional pegasus. But the faces, the jump-roping fat men, and the deer that transforms into a gas mask.

These images seem so....mature? Definently obscure. Something that appears familiar then becomes something else.

It begs the question "what does it all MEAN?"

XD Not that I think there's an attached meaning, or even ONE meaning. Its all interpretation, like real dreams.

Decon: Yeah. Things that look like they shouldn't be in this little girls dreams to begin with.

Indeed, and thats what I like about it. Although its a completely different experience in many ways, it is similar to the indie game Yume Nikki in more then one way.

Dio:

I agree. This isnt the first dream based game (or art installation, I guess is the better term) I've played. But between Yume Nikki and say, NiGHTS, that's a WHOLE different spectrum.

XD Two extremes, if you will.

Ana Somina falls somewhere in between, leaning probably towards Yume Nikki with its often disturbing qualities. But again, its interpretation. YN is MEANT to be scary, and NiGHTS is more whimsical (if linear). Ana's dreaming can be interpreted as creepy or scary, yet at the same time, its really vague. It doesnt really take sides.

Nightmares vs Dreams....I think. XD

Decon:Exactly. XD As much as I love Yume Nikki, and Yume Nikki ITSELF is open to a lot of interpritation, a lot of it leans towards the macabre. It's always come off to me like it's meant to provoke both types of emotional response, but a lot of what's in it leans a bit too far too the negative for there to be much interpriation otherwise.

Ana Somnia is completely different in that it's little animations and characters seem a little more like that can provoke both types of response, even if some lean more towards a specific side, e.g. the peeling faces or the unicorns.

Dio:It goes both ways. I just missed a screencap opportunity: A monster with no legs, and its head was being shot off continually (it would grow its heads back) by an archer.

As if something that slays monsters, or nightmares.

Decon:

Ah yes, I've seen that animation a few times.

Dio:

Defense mechanism?

Decon:

It could seem that way.

Decon:

I've noticed a LOT of mouth-based animations and characters/creatures with emphesis in design put onto their mouths.

What that could mean I'm not really sure, but it is something I wanted to point out.

Dio:

Yes. Absolutely. As you mention that, a zipper-mouth monster appeared. XD

Decon: Bit of a random aside, but one to look out for as a screencap; a worm-like creature that looks like it's got a plague-doctors mask for a face.

Another one for the slightly-more-mature images methinks XD

Dio:

Ah, yes, I was going to mention that. I usually see it a lot, but I haven't in a bit. Might have to wake her up to see if I can get a proper cap. XD

But yes, the Plague Dr Worm.

I found it realy stands out because its one of the few denizens of the dreams that has a block of white in its design.

In any case, it doesn't seem very threatening, as you might assume. In fact, its darn right cute. XD

Decon:

XD Admittedly.

One of my favorites are those plumpy things that have springs as a mid-section. The noise they make is just so unbelievably HAPPY SOUNDING.

Dio:

XD A lot of the noises are deceptively whimsical and cute. Next to the fleshy noises, even the growls.

Also, I've seen a few dog creatures, a bat, but no cats. Unless I've missed any. But there was a very cute dog chasing its tail animation that I have only seen once.

Decon:

I caught just a glimpse of that a little while back, actually. The realistic looking dog?

Dio:

Yeah.

XD Looked like Cody.

There are a lot of death images in there. But they're also really hidden. The plague mask, the skeleton with the top hats, the skeletal rocking horse. Mouths are a prominent theme, as you've mentioned, but legs too. Lots of leggy things. XD

Decon:

Legs, Mouths, Death and quite a lot of things with String. Both of the Archers, the Bass Player...

XD Lord only knows what goes through this girl's mind.

Dio:

I know! The mind of an artist! XD Lots of musical instruments that I've noticed. The falling organs, horns, the stringed instuments. Practically a whole orchestera.

I heard a harpsichord.

Dio:

Actually, I've just left a dream, and her bear is gone. but there are a number of very suspicious tracks that lead to the box at the foot of the bed (that has a lock), then leads under her bed.

Decon:

... I've never seen that.

I knew that bear moved around a lot, but I've never seen the room without him.

Dio:

Yeah, I see it one out of every.....maybe 5 or 10 awakenings.

Decon:

Jeez.

Dio:Its random, like his position. Even the book that will flutter when you roll your pointer over it isn't always there. But I've seen a few of her dream patterns that include books, like the tiny people flying them like kites

Decon:

I only just noticed that pattern. <<

One i keep trying to get a good view of is a Balloon that's constantly spinning, first showing a sad face, then a cartoony 'evil' face.

Dio:

The large one?

Decon:

It's never been that large when i have seen it. I think one forms out of one of the bedposts.

Dio:

Hmmm, I can't remember if I've seen it.

Ok, teddy bear juggling its head. Now THAT is something.... "Kids, this is so Jungian". XD

Decon:

I've seen what looks like an enormous fat man from behind a couple of times XD;; Partially 'cus i can't get her to stay asleep, now. I keep fiddling with my light, covering the webcam,

it just seems to be entirely random now when the thing registers her as 'awake' or 'asleep'

Dio:XD

Lots of fat men. I can't even begin to wonder at that.

Have you seen the bear tracks under the bed yet? XD

Decon:

Not yet XD;;

Dio:

I also noticed that you don't hear her clock ticking until the lights go off but before the dreams begin. If there's one thing that I can't sleep to, its ticking clocks. It drives me mad. XD

Decon:

YES. XD I feel you there. The old clock I had before now was so fucking loud you could hear it from out in the hallway.

Half the time I could still hear it with the bloody TV on >>

Dio:Oh god. XD That's why I go digital. XD

Well, seeing as how we've probably dove into the dreams several times now, and still have NO grasp of what's going on, how about some final thoughts?

Oh, we haven't touched the art style XD.

I like it.

.....I'm so wordy. 8D

Decon:

What I love about the art style is that it goes both ways; some things are very detailed and realistic, whilst others are very simple, and cartoonishly exaggerated.

Dio:Sometimes grotesque, other times simple and cute?

Decon:

Yeah, thats about right.

Dio:

It certainly fits the whole child-dream quality. Simple yet at the same time unique, and not "artificial". Its ugly or sute or weird because it simply IS. There's no covering up of blemishes, no touch ups, everything is as they are presented, for better or for worse.

Decon:

And thats why it's so appealing. It's both simple and cute as well as complex and grotesque.

Really, the best way you can sum up Ana Somina without going into detail?

"It's an experience, man."

... Possibly said in a surfer/stoner voice whilst some 60s psychadelic rock plays in the background.

Dio:

But everything is better with surf music.

Did you like it?

Decon: Yeah, I fucking loved every last little detail of the whole thing. A really impressive and well put together project that caught my interest from the get-go.

Dio:

Same here. Its something that really resists definition, other than "an experience". It really is a really well-crafted idea, from the sound, to the art, and right on down to the programming itself. The random pattern generation that's absolutely seamless in its "branches".

I mean, it is just.....XD There aren't really any suffient words to describe it. XD And we DID try.

Decon:

I'm not even sure you CAN describe the technical aspect of Ana Somina or how it works. At this point i'm convinced the randomisation of the patterns and the characters, and how flawlessly they flow out of/blend into one another is achivied by the creators sacrificing 50 virgins on the second Sunday of every even-numbered month.

Or something just as needlessly complex and arbitrary.

Dio:XD! Absolutely. How else would you get something so perfect?

Highly recommended then?

Decon:

If it were a movie, i'd call it a 'must see'. It's just so charming, whimsical, and at times disturbing that I fail to see how anyone could regret checking it out.

Dio:

A glowing review, my good friend. A glowing review. XD

--Dio & Decon (10/21/10)

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