The Mysteries Project revisits an ancient story via emerging media. This digital narrative work is a playful investigation of the myth of Demeter and the Eleusinian Mysteries, secret rites celebrated in ancient Greece. The digital fiction tracks Julia Hauenstein, an independent filmmaker trying to tell the story of goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone, who was abducted by Hades. The director surrounds herself with experts to help actualize the picture with historic authenticity. A series of shrouded events leads to the eventual disbanding of the production crew and cast. The Mysteries is told through fragments of evidence: video clips, location stills, design sketches, storyboards, props, costumes, and deconstructed motifs from the myth. All that remains of the feature film are some production photos and video clips abandoned by student intern Sophia Funk.
Hybridity (a mixing of artistic techniques and media) and distribution (the extension of the work across media platforms to reach various audiences) are key components in my creative process. This transmedia artwork plays with the boundaries between fact and fiction, artifice and authenticity. Composited digital images from the project have been included in several exhibits. The fictional blog of student intern Sophia Funk traces the film’s demise: My Ancient Greek Internship
Link to Credits : The Mysteries Project
Joellyn Rock 