Secret Signals is a short movie about a tomato plant that is being attacked by a plague of mites. The plant tries to rid itself of invasive species by sending out odors to hungry predators. The signals are picked up by spider mites who, hungry for a meal, are attracted to the plant and eat the mites that are endangering the tomato. In 2011, this secret weapon of plants was revealed by scientists from a botany group at the University of Amsterdam. The story is narrated by a pen plotter. This drawing machine takes you on a journey into the world of plants and insects through illustration and text on a paper roll. The drawings on paper function in the same way as images on the movie ‘film’ roll.

Year: 2012
Media: film; sound; 3:42 min; full hd
Exhibited: Water School, C-Mine, Genk, BE (2019);   Water School, Atelier LUMA, Arles, FR (2019);   Water School, Istanbul Design Biennale, TR (2018);   InScience: Dutch International Science Film Festival, Nijmegen, NL (2016);   Zomerdromen, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam, NL (2014);   2Annas, Riga International Film Festival, Riga , LV (2013);   DESIGNEAST04, Osaka, JPN (2013);   KLIK! Amsterdam Animatie Festival, Amsterdam, NL (2013);   Linking Process; Design Academy Eindhoven, Salone del Mobile, Milano, IT (2013); Nederlands Film Festival, Online competitie: Animatie, 2012;   Solar Cinema, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven, NL (2012);   Graduation Show, Design Academy Eindhoven, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven, NL (2012);   Film & Science Festival, Institut Français, NEMO, Amsterdam, NL (2012)
Publications: Digital Matters, PASAJES Arquitectura N°129, ES, 2013;   themethodcase.com, 2012 (link);   Graduation Catalog, Design Academy Eindhoven, 2012
Credits: Sound design by Bruno Bours.