Deutsch identified two areas as the birthplace of film. Film Ist 1-6 (1998) is dedicated to the science laboratory as one birthplace of film, Film Ist 7-12 (2002) is concerned with the fun fair and Varieté as the second birthplace of film. Together both strands comprise footage from the first thirty years of documentary and feature filmmaking. With access to five major international archives Deutsch revels in the richness of these early years and uses a range of techniques such as experimental edits and speed variations on the lovingly coloured images which are peopled by early cinema's pioneers Dafeldecker, Fennesz, Siewert and Stangl created the original score to Film Ist (7-12) parallel to the film editing process. For this live performance they will take a spontaneous approach to the soundtrack of this meta-cinematographic epic.

While meticulously sourced vintage silent movie footage jumpcuts its way through modern times, steel guitar and rumbletum laptop twinkles breathe deep on the fragile, eyes-wide stream of coincidence onscreen. As intimations of immortality go, it leaves a staggering hush in its wake. The Wire Phonographics, a live film and music performance.