“The Algorithmic Editing Manifesto.” Millennium Film Journal 56 (Fall 2012): 72.

This short piece of pseudo-code accompanied “Navigating Algorithmic Editing: Algorithmic Editing as an Alternative Approach to Database Cinema.”

while (u != understand) do
{      
       read{   
              (i)    no gui
                            script editing only 
               
               (ii)  open source
                            code embedded coding || externally

               (iii) reuse & rework
                            u'r own code & others code

               (iv)  encode the avant garde 
                            algorithmitize previous schema
  
               (v)   credit
                            title || code || externally
                                   u'rself & others
           }        
}

While you do not understand, read and re-read the following:

1. No graphical user interface, use only script based editing.¹

2. Embrace an open-source philosophy. Share your code either in the work itself or make the code available externally.

3. Borrow code from others and continue to rework your own code. This is the benefit of embracing an open-source philosophy, that is, you are able to modify the code of others.

4. There are many interesting algorithmic editing techniques used by filmmakers in the past. Encoding their techniques not only enables you to use their techniques, it also allows you to engage in a cultural dialogue with that filmmaker and it revitalizes their work, in essence further preserving it and its cultural significance.

5. Credit your work and cite your references either in the title of the work, in the code used or externally. This contributes to a positive community attitude and reinforces points 2-4.

1. This is intended to be read as a joke (or potentially as polemical). This criteria is extremely idealistic since it is quite difficult to move beyond GUIs, but not impossible; however, this criteria is also not necessary to produce algorithmically edited work. [↩]