The Most unCertain Hour

“The Most unCertain Hour” explores constraint-based videographic practice by engaging with “Laird’s Constraint,” a parametric exercise created by Ariel Avissar derived from my earlier work “Eye-Camera-Ninagawa” (2022). Utilizing multi-screen collage, thematic sorting, and split-screen montage, it reflects on the tension between self-imposed rules and creative excess, while staging a meta-conversation about authorship, adaptation, and the cultural persistence of apocalyptic imagination. The video further offers an interrogation of cultural narratives of crisis, heroism, and collective memory via comparative analysis of Marvel Studios’ logo sequences (2002–2017) and the 1963 Astro Boy opening.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Screenworks
Published
2026-01-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.37186/swrks/16.2/6
Primary Topic
Cinema and Media Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

The Most unCertain Hour

Colleen A. Laird
Screenworks
Cinema and Media Studies
article

The Most unCertain Hour

Colleen A. Laird
article en

Abstract

“The Most unCertain Hour” explores constraint-based videographic practice by engaging with “Laird’s Constraint,” a parametric exercise created by Ariel Avissar derived from my earlier work “Eye-Camera-Ninagawa” (2022). Utilizing multi-screen collage, thematic sorting, and split-screen montage, it reflects on the tension between self-imposed rules and creative excess, while staging a meta-conversation about authorship, adaptation, and the cultural persistence of apocalyptic imagination. The video further offers an interrogation of cultural narratives of crisis, heroism, and collective memory via comparative analysis of Marvel Studios’ logo sequences (2002–2017) and the 1963 Astro Boy opening.

ScreenworksVol. 16(2)
University of British Columbia (CA)
Openalex Percentile: Top 78%
Cinema and Media Studies
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.