Can Screen Savers be a Work of Art? A 1997 Utility CD-Rom Proves They Can Be

Screen shots taken from the CD-ROM files.

Chess animation by Sylvain Guay
Music by Ken Byers

Fireworks animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Ken Byers

Minotaur animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Alain Larose

Aperture animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Ken Byers 

Pool animation by Sylvain Guay 
​Music by Ken Byers 

Gothic animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Ken Byers 

Beethoven animation by Sylvain Guay
Life's Symphony Sound Montage:
       Taken from the CD-ROM credits: "The excerpts from Beethoven's 5th and 9th symphonies were used courtesy of PolyGram Special Projects Canada.
Beethoven's piano Sonata No. 6 was performed by Antonio Lacerda and recorded at Mr. Larose's studios, using a DAT recorder".  

Fire Dance animation by Sylvain Guay
​Music by Alain Larose 

Art Direction and Creative Concept by David Robert Donatucci 
Producer and Creative Concept: Rui Gomes da Silva
Software and Tech Advisor: Jean Laviolette

         Screen Savers have always been somewhat of a novelty feature on our computers. On one hand, they were designed to protect our screens when we don't use them, but on the downside of it, they use up more electricity than what is needed. I admit, I don't really know too much about how screen savers are being used today, if at all, considering that Windows 10 hides them from hindsight and I haven't used the latest version of Mac to know if they still even have this feature. However, there is a website where you can download some of the old, classic Windows 95 screen savers such as the 3D Maze, the Flying Windows and this little gem called Lattice. The website is Screensavers Planet and it has an expansive library of screen savers to choose from as well as offering safe tips before downloading.
         At first, my thought on the topic was, 'well, yes! These were (and still are) rather fun to look at, but I wonder how can something like this be relevant to art?'. Screen savers, especially the ones from the 1990's and early 2000's are most likely iconic to pop culture, mainly vaporwave culture, but there was a CD-ROM that was licensed by the now defunct, Protologik Computer Systems Inc. and released by software company, Global Star Software (which was acquired by Take-Two Interactive in the September of 1999), simply titled 3D Screen Savers. As basic as this title sounds, 3D Screen Savers is a collection of short animated stories told through the medium, paired with music and non-verbal narrations. Each screen saver was based on or inspired by iconic art pieces, like Edvard Munich's 1893 piece The Scream and Salvador Dahí's 1931, The Persistence of Memory and Mythology such as the flight and fall of Icarus and the battle against the Minotaur. There are even homages dedicated to the works of Philip K. Dick and Beethoven. Some of the animations are also originals like the Chess and the Pool Table, which I'll later describe the craft behind those via descriptions. 
    For its time, the animators and storytellers who made 3D Screen Savers have broken the mold and went above and beyond the norm, making the art of screen savers more than what they could be. Unfortunately, this well crafted, ahead-of-its-time utility software has been lost to the hands of time, never receiving a re-release for later operating systems. If you ever are fortunate enough to get your hands of a copy off of Amazon.com, make sure you still have a well-functioning Windows 3.1, a Windows 95 or even a Windows 98 or at least a virtual PC that runs those operating systems. Anything after Windows 98 simply won't play it. Fortunately, I did save my Windows 95 installer CD-ROM and have a virtual PC console up and running on my laptop computer, so I can shoot some video of some of the screen savers in action. (*Note: Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, I was having some technical difficulties recording the screen savers. For now, I'll simply provide a few screen shots from the CD-ROM with the descriptions of the animations until I can get the record feature to work on Oracle Virtual Box or try it on my desktop PC when I have the chance. When I finally get the footage, I'll be sure to update this post). 
        So for this post, I'll pick a few of my top favorite screen savers or the best crafted ones from the list. I'll break down each one, describing why the animators' approach to the narrative was so effective and how it holds up today. 

         Chess: In this animation, a chess player (whose face is never revealed), has just captured the knight piece and is ready to remove him from the board. However, getting rid of him proves to be a bit of a challenge. The piece comes alive and sinks into the board, moving from one side to the next, making it rather difficult for the chess player to catch him. The knight taunts and laughs at the chess player until he reaches inside the chess board, finally catching the mischievous piece. The animation cleverly ends with the player throwing the knight off of the board and waving goodbye as the piece squeals in disappointment.
       This is a fun animation to watch as the chess piece moves around the board in attempt to outsmart the chess player. The character's mannerisms, mocking voice and facial expressions altogether are very relatable in that the viewer sees how reluctant the knight is to accept that he has been captured and is comedically attempting to over stay his welcome. It's truly amazing how the animators brought this character to life, taking a chess piece and adding character and an identifiable personality to it. What is also impressive is how the chess player himself is represented. Although viewers never see his face, the body language and gestures he makes with only his hand are very telling. As the knight taunts him, the way the player moves his hand to suggest annoyance and slight frustration to retain patience is very effective. Even at the end when he finally grabs the knight and sends him away across the board, him waving goodbye to suggest 'good riddance' is such an effective and satisfying conclusion.
​       It just goes to show that even in such limitations such as solely animating hand gestures, so much story and character can be told and presented. This combination of both the hand as the main actor and an inanimate object like a chess piece as the  mischievous antagonist demonstrates the skill and technique the animators had. Body language with no words and very minimal features can say so much as we see with the chess player's hand gesture being one of only two story tellers without reliance on any other part of his body. It's also fascinating to see a given expression and personality to a knight chess piece, something that doesn't have an identifiable personality. Yet, similar to how Pixar is known for bring life to the inanimate, the 3D screen savers animators have brought such high quality to the knight as with how it's done with inanimate object characters of the Pixar films. 

    Firework: Paired with the tune of America the Beautiful, the animation involves a series of fireworks bursting over the White House. Sometimes, they will be your standard fireworks, but then there is an extra surprise, three of them in fact. One of the fireworks is an image of the American Eagle. The next is one that depicts the American Flag, with all three of its colors, the red, white and blue and the last one is an illustration of the entire country outlined in red. The animation ends strong with a variety of vibrant colors bursting in the sky, ending it strongly and with pure American pride. This animation is a huge delight to watch as it shows in one verse of America the Beautiful symbols that are distinctly Americana. It's simple, yet in all its simplicity, we see three main icons that make the United States unique and why the Fourth of July is such an important holiday. With this animation, we are reminded that America became an independent nation after a series of major events involving the British occurred. The icons and final send off on this one are overwhelmingly strong in how they are presented and utilized. At the beginning, the fireworks show starts softly according to the music. The energy builds up with the American Eagle bursting high in the sky on a rising chord, filling up a good chunk of the sky. As America the Beautiful continues to play, the bursts of light and energy grow even more vibrantly to match the tone of the music along with the symbols of the United States and the American Flag and concluding with the colors of the red, white and blue on the last note. 

     Minotaur: Just a slight warning on this one! As a rendition of the Greek Mythology story, well... the part where the Minotaur gets decapitated is a tad graphic. That said, with this animation, there's no holding back! The introduction starts with an establishing shot of the elaborately structured labyrinth, which was designed and built by Daedalus and his son, Icarus as a means to retain the monster. An eerie wind blows a tapestry with an image of the Minotaur for the viewer to see. In the next scene, Theseus (whose face is never shown anywhere in the animation) is greeted by a man in a folding ball, who (without words), hands him a ball of thread and then rolls away. (Typically, it is told that Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete, was the one who gave Theseus the ball of thread to help him navigate and retrace his steps). In the next shot, Theseus then finds the sword he needs to use against the beast. When he first finds it, the sword floats in the air and moves as if giving him instructions on how to defeat the Minotaur. Theseus takes the sword in his hands and in the next scene, he is waiting for the Minotaur to arrive inside a spacious circular room with columns. The Minotaur is seen peering from a dark room behind a column. As he slowly approaches Theseus, the hero prepares his weapon. When the Minotaur gets close enough, Theseus scratches him on the head and finally delivers the final blow with the now headless Minotaur falling to his death.
      The pacing is very well executed in this rendition of the story as viewers will feel the suspense and tension build up in each scene transition. The idea that Theseus' story is told in a non-verbal, first-person perspective is fascinating because as viewers, we are put in his position throughout as if we are the ones who are preparing to face this monster ourselves. Between the color palette, the desolate, yet tension inducing soundtrack and the use of imagery and body language to give Theseus instruction is what adds to the unsettling feeling of fearing the unknown. It at first seems like very little  for the protagonist to go on in order to prepare for a battle against a brutal hybrid beast who was known to have killed other heroes before him. While viewers already know there is a Minotaur coming, it still doesn't make it any more comforting as the tension build up starts to rise with each scene along with the increased stress the music provides. Also, as gruesome as the Minotaur death scene is with the blood dripping from the head, down the beast's body and what is left on Theseus' sword, this is how one would picture the battle between the man and the beast to look. It's very straight forward, that it just happens in a single go. With all those components together, the 3D Screen Savers animators knew how to leave their viewer with a sense of anxiety, but preparedness for what was to come in the most effective way possible. By placing them in the perspective of Theseus, they are able to identify with his role as the hero through their own sense of fear, apprehension and courage at the same time. 

      Aperture, (Tribute to Philip K. Dick): This is the first animation viewers will see on the list of screen savers the CD-ROM has to offer. For those familiar with the woks of Philip K. Dick, this will seem like commonplace to them and for those who aren't, the animation is very self-explanatory as to what is a common theme in his works. The story opens with a human head on the left hand side, a portal in the form of a mirror in the center, and a metallic robot head, resembling that of a human's on the right hand side. The human and the machine are both facing each other as if they both know they share something valuable in common, but they can't say what it is. An eye ball leaves the human head and begins to explore. It flies right into the mirror portal, venturing off into another universe. Where it goes, it feels like a futuristic scene with a neon green net with an opening. So, the eye goes through the hole, which turns out to be a tunnel. Once it reaches the end of it, the eye ball flies though an open space towards another mirror portal. Once it flies through it, the eye ball scans its new surroundings, immediately noticing that the robot head is now on the side where the human head used to be and vice versa. Instead of floating back to the human head, it makes its new home in the head of the machine and morphs into a mechanical component.
   There is certainly an uncanny sense of Philip K. Dick's most famous title, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? in this animation, a book that dealt heavily with the relationship humans had with the androids living amongst them and how close the bots were to resembling an actual human being or animal. There are even moments in the novel where Richard Deckard, the main protagonist, questions the sentience and possible humanity the androids might possess as well as his role as a bounty hunter to 'retire' (by killing) them. As in the novel, which was the inspiration behind the 1982 classic feature film, Blade Runner, in which the androids resemble humans far too much like in the source material, the simple concept of a human eye ball no longer being able to tell the difference between the human and the machine is absolutely intriguing. Even so, the viewer can see it in the character's movements that there is a slight sense of confusion as to what is real and what is not. In the end, it makes the decision to accept the mechanical form and becoming one with it. 

      Pool: A bit of an oddball piece, but I found the basic concept of this one amusingly pleasant. In the Pool animation, you the viewer take on the position of a pool ball and, you guessed it! You find yourself getting hit by the stick a few times and rolling into the other balls until the very end when you get rolled into one of the side holes. Paired with some snazzy music and clever use of cinematography, this animation doesn't have a plot to it beyond placing the viewer in the position of a pool table ball, but it still remains fun and enjoyable to watch with its soundtrack and simplicity put together. 

       Gothic: Inside a medieval cathedral, a monk is seen moving from one place to another, chanting a Gregorian chant. After he leaves the room, a gargoyle comes to life and wrecks havoc. The monk hears the sound of glass shattering and returns to inspect it until finally, the gargoyle sneaks up on him. Concept wise, I have to admit, this animation is not something I would normally add as a favorite, but seeing the work that went into it, I can fully appreciate it for what it is. It's a usual cliché in haunted places where the spectator already knows what the main character doesn't know, that the place in question is haunted or something about it doesn't seem right. Something that belongs to that place gets possessed and taunts the main character in some way. The main character suspects something, tries to find out what is wrong and then discovers the ghost or haunted entity the hard way. End of story.
       Again, while this type of narrative is usually not my cup of tea, I will give credit where credit is due. The lighting inside the cathedral is absolutely stunning and beautiful to look at! The artists' use of shading leaves that sense that something unsettling is about to happen. The camera angle throughout puts the spectator in the seating where they feel that the halls of the building are incredibly massive and expansive, that it gives off that vibe of feeling like the main character is actually not alone. It also is fitting for the gargoyle to make use of all the extra space. In that, the entire room is put to the gargoyle's advantage. The sound of the hour glass shattering is so small, yet with so much echo, it's more than enough to disturb the peace. The gestures of the monk from when he is chanting quietly to himself, running to inspect the mess and when he is startled by the gargoyle are so effectively animated. Even for the limitations of 1990's technology, the credibility of the character are all present. The body language is effective and the sounds he makes work well with each of his gestures and reactions. In addition, the music matched with the pacing of the story builds up the sense of intrigue and suspense leading up to the monk's encounter with the gargoyle. With that said, it's totally worth the watch. 

    Beethoven: A unique take on the life of German Classical period composer, Ludwig van Beethoven, the animation tells the story of the famous composer through his pieces and camera transitions. There is a bust of the musician sitting on a grand piano as a symbolic representation of his life, making it and the music the only narrators in the animation. Again, no words. Everything is told via symbolism only. At start, a piano opens up and plays an excerpt from Sonata No. 6. Sheet music floats in the air and gently falls onto the piano as a depiction of Beethoven's early life and career. An excerpt of Symphony No. 5 plays. The bust of Beethoven's head then melts to go along with the first notes of his final symphony, Symphony No. 9 unleashing music notes and ascending them into heaven to the familiar part of the piece and hymn of Ode to Joy. 

     Fire Dance: Amongst all the screen savers, the Fire Dance animation is my favorite in terms of the music, the animation of the dancing fire paired with it, the lighting and atmosphere. The establishing shot takes place around the prehistoric monument Stonehenge, which is located in Wiltshire, England. At the very start, the first chords play and the fire beats to it like a heart beat. The next shot is a close up of the fire, which then takes the shape of a dancer moving to the rhythm of the music. Once the dancing fire hits the rock, the color palette changes with the fire sparks fleeing into the wind of the night. It's the energy and passion that went into animating the fire along with the style of music that always draws me into this short. It's about 50 seconds long at most, but the fine detail that went into the making of this animation is what I found most fascinating and awe-inspiring. 

      There are an abundance of other animations that went into the CD-ROM in which I would like to cover more, but I'll stop right here and leave a few pieces of concept art on the side to give you an idea of what went into the making of these animations. While screen savers aren't generally considered 'high art', given the love and dedication the artists behind 3D Screen Savers gave to their animations, I don't see why screen savers can't meet the same high standards as any other form of animation there is. For something that was solely designed to protect our computer screens when we weren't using them without much creative thought other than making them look aesthetically pleasing on the eye, having remembered the 3D Screen Savers CD-ROM and eventually finding it on Amazon so many years later, I think screen savers do have plenty of potential to be a respected art form. The creators of the 1997 utility program prove that exceedingly well. With so much attention to detail, good storytelling, music, reliance on non-verbal gestures and pushing past the technological limitations of the 90's to the best of their ability, 3D Screen Savers is a perfect collection of short films that demonstrate what crafting a screen saver could be. With the abundance of animation techniques to have flourished over the past three decades, there is plenty of room to find new innovative ways of creating a screen saver. Maybe someday, screen savers will make a huge comeback and be respected as a new art form like comics, animation and video games. With the creativity and given that the minds behind 3D Screen Savers were very much ahead of their time, the possibilities are truly endless.