Having myself a strong interest in flicker films, I was surprised that I found no commentary regarding the issue of what is called by cognitive scientists "photic driving."  That is, the empirically demonstrated fact that EEG readings of viewers watching a flicker film's projection are driven by the frequency of the film's flicker.  For example, if every other frame is a clear frame and the alternate frames are black frames, one divides 24 frames per second by 2 and the EEG cycle is 12 cycles per second; if the clear frame is every third frame (3 x 8 = 24) the EEG reading would be 8 cycles per second.  For more information, see Edward S. Small and Joseph D. Anderson, "What's in a Flicker Film?," Communication Monographs 43.1 (March, 1976) as well as my discussion of the film Alpha Mandala in my book Direct Theory:  Experimental Film/Video as Major Genre.

Ed Small

Professor of Film

University of Kansas