NCSA Helps Bring 'The End of Cinematics' to Krannert Stage
released 09.13.05
Contact
Trish Barker
NCSA Public Information Specialist
tlbarker@ncsa.uiuc.edu
217.265.8013
CHAMPAIGN, IL —
On September 17, the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will host the world premiere of "The End of Cinematics," the third opera in a trilogy written, arranged, and produced by Mikel Rouse. In bringing the complex multimedia piece to the Krannert stage, Rouse received video editing and other technological assistance from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA).
"The End of Cinematics" was inspired by two Susan Sontag essays—"The Decay of Cinema" and "A Century of Cinema"—that condemn the void created by today's entertainment corporations. Rouse reflects on this transformation evident in MTV, Hollywood, TV, advertising, and the news and challenges the void. By incorporating a live pop-influenced operatic score with pre-recorded film footage, live video, surround sound and multiple screens, Rouse creates a "hyper-real" experience.
This collaboration was made possible through the Chancellor's Seedbed Initiative for Transdomain Creativity, which explores the intersection of art and technology. More than a year ago, Donna Cox, head of NCSA's Visualization Division, began talking with Michael Ross, the leader of Seedbed and KCPA director, and with Rouse about how to tap NCSA's technological and visualization expertise.
The NCSA visualization team consulted with Rouse on different technologies to enable the unique staging of "The End of Cinematics." The opera employs an enormous display screen as its virtual set, and NCSA provided advice on setting up the screens and projectors. Cox, Robert Patterson, and Lorne Leonard actually created a digital animation showing how the performers, screens, projectors, and scrims would interact. This virtual storyboard was used by Rouse and Ross to garner support for mounting the production.
Jeff Carpenter, a multimedia technology specialist in NCSA's Video Technology Services Division, used NCSA's advanced editing facility to adapt Rouse's original footage for the stage production, at times removing actors from scenes so the projection will function as a digital backdrop. Carpenter also incorporated archival visualizations from NCSA, including animations created by Patterson, Cox, Stuart Levy, and David Bock.
From these diverse building blocks, Carpenter created six separate tracks that will be rear-projected onto the screen. Carpenter worked closely with Rouse, creating multiple iterations and edits until the final product was complete.
"I really enjoyed collaborating with Mikel and the Krannert staff on this project; I hope we can continue building these connections between arts, the humanities, and technology," Carpenter said.
For show times, ticket information, and to reserve tickets online, go to http://www.kcpa.uiuc.edu/performances/details.asp?elementID=19649.
For more information, see http://www.endofcinematics.com/ and http://www.mikelrouse.com/.
