“Horses in the Air: VR Techniques in a Linear TV Program” by Robin Noorda

Image 02, 03, 04: video still from YouTube

Title:

Horses in the Air: VR Techniques in a Linear TV Program

Artist(s) and People Involved:

Artist Statement:

Virtual Characters and Virtual Stage: in April 96 we presented the pilot ‘Muybridge’ at the MIPCOM in Cannes. In this paper I want to tell you about “The making of Muybridge’… ‘Muybridge’ is one of a series of five art programs of 25 minutes each. The episodes are based on great, but not always well known or recognized, inspirators and pioneers from the late 19th century, the previous ‘fin the siecle’. each episode is a piece of music, dance, design and animation mixed with very short fragments of graphical historical information.The first episode is about Eadward Muybridge, a photographer who unintentionally laid the foundation for the cinema. The other episodes will cover the life and works of Tesla, E. Plankhurst, Max Planck, Freud. Framework and Techniques used: Each episode is an artistic interpretation of the life and work of the protagonist. ‘Horses in the Air’ is visualized by integrating traditional as well as the latest techniques and disciplines in order to connect the fin de siecle of the 20th century. Unprecedented combinations of disciplines and formed to stretch the boundaries of contemporary television production. In this way each episode will obtain an different approach in contents, character and design.By means of the use of virtual stage, motion capture and computer animation new ways of expression and visualization are being explored. The combined choreography of the dancers and their co-players which only exist in cyberspace do cause a dynamic tension.Although dance has an important role one cannot say that the episodes are purely dance pieces. Movement is the most important ingredient. The movements of the dancer or dancers function as a kind of animation controller. In some episodes the tool of dance as an animation controller are replaced by other to be captured movements, for instance a moving hand or a movement in the music.This new approach in the way of handling the contents, the cooperating disciplines and the innovative realization techniques will result in a ‘state of the art’ series of television programs.