Synesthesia and Cymatics

      Synesthesia seems to be both good and bad… at least to me.  The reason that it’s is good is that certain types may make one more creative or even smarter.  By having the “number form synesthesia” one may be have numbers come to them easier than that of a person without this condition.  Wikipedia shows a picture of a colored number scale.  This scale seems like it would help relate colors with numbers for someone who is doing math problems.  To me this condition seems similar to someone who has an Eidetic/Photographic Memory.  By seeing a certain number one may be able to remember certain equations.

            This condition may help someone become more creative.  Hearing sounds can create different colors in a person’s head.  This idea will marry sounds and visuals together and make the experience of the artwork complete.  The unity of the art will make the art whole, and will make the art more interesting.

            On the other hand, it may work against someone.   For instance, people with the Personification type of Synesthesia may have a hard time coping with life.  The Personification type seems to be almost like Schizophrenia.  I do not claim to be a psychologist, but from what I know this seems to relate to each other.  The website gives the example that “U is a soulless sort of thing. 4 is honest, but… 3 I cannot trust… 9 is dark, a gentleman, tall and graceful.”  Does this mean that a person with this condition may not trust someone with a “3” on their shirt?  So, this seems like it would lead to an extreme paranoia such as Schizophrenia.  Then again, I maybe wrong, for I’m not a genius in Synesthesia or Psychology.

            Cymatics is not a new breakthrough study, but it is an interesting one.  The idea of different vibrations making different shapes creates a more organic aspect of an experimental film.  I personally love this idea because I feel that it connects visuals and sounds to make one fluid experience. I enjoy the use of different sounds to make music, and in turn creating a visual experience to go along with what an audience is hearing.

            The article on Wikipedia did not go into too much detail about Cymatics.  I guess this is more self-explanatory than Synesthesia.  Both studies are very interesting, and both are something to take into consideration when making an experimental film.  Synesthesia was a little confusing, or maybe I just don’t understand because I do not have this condition.  Either way I found the subject very informative.  I have heard of Cymatics before, but I did not know that this was the proper term for it.  I would like to attempt to use both ideas for one/few of my films in the future.