Black Screen: Experimental French TV Show Is All About Audio

Worldcrunch.com reports that some French television viewers were likely surprised last month when they switched on one evening to see … a black screen. At least at the outset. Then, short subtitles begin to appear along with some vague, undulating and colorful forms. Finally, the sound of voices, which turn out to be those of four divers exploring the depths of the Atlantic, in 2026.

A lucky tip has allowed the divers — Gabrielle, Théo, Sun and Isaïe — to find a mysterious cave that contains a strange creature. That’s when things start to go wrong … For 10 minutes, the viewer listens, following the divers’ exchanges, which are interrupted by bubbles from their breathing. The background music is simple but engaging, and generates just the right level of suspense as the neoprene-clad protagonists try to escape the beast. “What was that?” A long, watery wail ensues … “A scream …”

Hear it all happen, instead of watching. That is the big idea in CALLS, a new series on Canal+. The series premiered on Dec. 15 and consists of 10 episodes to be shown late on Friday evenings on the cable network’s scrambled channel.

Read more at https://www.worldcrunch.com/culture-society/black-screen-experimental-french-tv-show-is-all-about-audio