Deception by Design (2015)

The untold story of the art of deception in war.

Deception by Design (2015) poster

Artists and the military might seem strange bedfellows, but painters, sculptors, photographers and set designers have played a critical but little-known role in modern warfare. Despite resistance and often ridicule, artists were recruited in both the first and second world wars to devise ways to protect troops and deceive the enemy by using their artistic skills and intimate knowledge of perspective, illusion, shadow and movement. Inspired by nature and influenced by the modernist art movements of their day, camoufleurs created bizarre decoys, dummy tanks and elaborate sets to conceal military installations. They painted thousands of ships in bold, arresting stripes and patterns to confuse enemy submarines. When war went hi-tech there was no room for artists, but over the past few decades artists have reclaimed camouflage for their work.

Director: Jonnie Morris
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 58 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Production: Jonnie & Kate Films
Country: Australia
Original Language: en

Keywords

war strategy

More Films by Director: Jonnie Morris
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Deception by Design about?
Artists and the military might seem strange bedfellows, but painters, sculptors, photographers and set designers have played a critical but little-known role in modern warfare. Despite resistance and often ridicule, artists were recruited in both the first and second world wars to devise ways to protect troops and deceive the enemy by using their artistic skills and intimate knowledge of perspective, illusion, shadow and movement. Inspired by nature and influenced by the modernist art movements of their day, camoufleurs created bizarre decoys, dummy tanks and elaborate sets to conceal military installations. They painted thousands of ships in bold, arresting stripes and patterns to confuse enemy submarines. When war went hi-tech there was no room for artists, but over the past few decades artists have reclaimed camouflage for their work.
Who directed Deception by Design?
Deception by Design was directed by Jonnie Morris.
Who stars in Deception by Design?
Deception by Design stars Hardy Blechman, Adam Harvey, Paul Gough, Peter Forbes, Richard Slocombe, Jean Louis Cohen.
How long is Deception by Design?
Deception by Design has a runtime of 58m (58 minutes).
What genre is Deception by Design?
Deception by Design is a Documentary film.
Where was Deception by Design produced?
Deception by Design was produced in Australia.