Thesis Project Outline - Juan Pablo Ortiz

Thesis Project :: Juan Pablo Ortiz

THESIS PROJECT OUTLINE
3/4/03

Project Name: Proposal for an interactive exhibition for the American Museum of the Moving Image

Description: This project involves the conceptualization and design of an interactive museum exhibition entitled "The Evolution of Craft in Film Production". The exhibition will present a selection of cases of study that illustrate the characteristics of the new "hybrid craft" that is currently emerging as a result of the convergence of traditional and digital techniques in film production. The proposal will include:

conceptual development of the exhibition
a synopsis of the exhibition content
guidelines for the exhibition format and graphic design
specification of interactive and non interactive media components
one working prototype of an interactive exhibit

The proposal will be presented in the form of a physical display (poster-show or trade-show style) that will include a video monitor and a computer to present an example of the exhibition's media and interactive elements. In addition, a written document will be created and a public presentation of the project will be held in a classroom of the Interactive Telecommunications Program on May 7th, 2003.

Curatorial Approach

It is known that computers have entered the film production realm since long time ago, probably since the early seventies, initially helping in the assemblage of special effects and automating the production process. However this exhibition will not focus on how high end software and sophisticated -- made to order -- technological improvements that have helped the film industry advance its techniques to produce an outstanding visual imagery. Instead, on the one hand, it will present cases in which the use of a software tool is now an established practice, causing as a result the evolution of a traditional craft into an "hybrid" traditional-digital craft. On the other hand, it will explore innovative uses of readily available software tools. These innovations have two important elements: they have been created to directly support the craft of the filmmaker, and they have the potential of becoming an established practice in the future.

In addition, the exhibition aims to give the visitor enough foundation to realize that both the old and the new (digital) skills are equally important to the creative process, and far from being exclusive, they are complementary; depending on each particular case one can be more relevant than other.

Another important goal of the exhibition is to make the visitor realize that these technologies are within reach. New digital video formats like mini DV, and popular desktop applications such as Final Cut Pro have opened the possibility for a broad audience to venture into digital film production and create their own narratives and experiments. And even though the exhibition presents some sophisticated examples of the use of digital tools, the aim is to inspire people to learn about this new craft, and realize its potential as an affordable medium for creative expression.

PART I: Understanding how the advent of digital media has transformed the craft of film production

Module 1. Introduction: Why is Cinema relevant? An explanation about the dialog between cinema and digital media (computerized media, applications and interfaces).How cinema provided the philosophy and points of view to build the first graphical interfaces of personal computing, and how personal computing has now influenced new techniques and styles present in today's cinema. Media: Text, photographs and a diagram.
Module 2. The advent of an Hybrid Craft *case study: the evolution of craft in film editing* Along with the transition from physical media to digital media, an evolution in some of the skills needed to produce film have taken place. This module will present an explanation on how some of the skills related directly to the physical medium are not needed anymore, but the core ability is still needed: building a narrative, the craft of storytelling. However, some new skills related to the understanding of a digital medium are now necessary. Therefore, a new hybrid craft -- that draws from both the traditional and the new digital environments -- is emerging. A note on the side -- Film editing is the perfect example where the old practice has almost disappeared and the use of desktop tools is now an established practice. Media: Text and Photographs on the wall Interactive Experience: An application that allows the user to explore the concepts of non-linear editing (narrative construction tool) and digital image manipulation. Objective: to let the user feel the ease of manipulation of a digital medium (non-destructiveness and random access).

PART II: Examples of the new hybrid craft

Module 3. Importing workmanship into the digital realm Media: Video screen mounted on the wall with speakers and text Case of Study: The Lord Of The Rings Documentary - The use of a Virtual Camera Interactive Experiences: none
Module 4. Next step: a tool for the Director's craft Media:Text and screen grabs on the wall Case of Study:Panic Room - A custom built pre-visualization tool for director David Fincher becomes an information "clearinghouse" for the whole production. Interactive Experience: "Play with a pre-visualization tool". Switch cameras, translate camera dollies, use cranes, frame the actors in different angles until you get the perfect shot.

PART III: The Future

Module 5. Visualizing the future of the craft of film production

(Just some thoughts)

The expansion of the medium aided by digital tools, will keep blurring the boundaries between the old job descriptions
New Forms of cinema that use the computer as a "playback" medium.
References to experiments in new media where more than one tradition/technique/medium merge to create a new form of cinema (machiniimia?)

Media:Text and diagrams on the wall

Interactive Experiences: To be defined.

First sketch of the display planned for the presentation of the project: