2015
Objective
The original idea was to create a cinematic version of the stage performance for broadcast, shooting different choreographic dance sequences from the performance in different ways. This would have had two outputs. The first would be the full cinematic film for broadcast, and the second an interactive version where online viewers can choose to reorder the individually produced sections (termed “atoms”) and create their own edited versions. This would have created a constantly evolving work. Budget restrictions prohibited the creation of the interactive version, but the atoms were used as innovative publicity for the final film and subsequently in a gallery exhibition in 2019 at Christ Church University, Canterbury.
We wanted to explore ways of making a film version of Atomos that was more immersive than current broadcast dance films and that could stand on its own as an independent work as opposed to simply being a filmed version of the performance.
I decided to shoot the work in a highly photographic way and choreograph the composition of dancers in set camera frames. I deliberately chose to use of a range of different camera technologies including thermal, infra-red, and cinematic Arri Film cameras. These different cameras would allow me to express and enhance different qualities of the choreography at relevant moments.
The Arri Film cameras bring cinematic quality to the work and the use of overhead, static, tracking, and moving crane shots deliver different perspectives of the dance.
2016
Location
We researched a number of potential locations for the shoot, including Birmingham City University TV studios, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, BT TV studios, Dukes Island Studios, disused industrial buildings, a car park and an empty office space in Stratford, London.
We settled on two locations. First was BT studios due to the availability of embedded screen technology in the floors and walls. This allowed us to convey the scale and interactivity 3D video screens from the performance. Second was an empty warehouse where we filmed specific sequences relating to the choreography within the 3D screen section of the performance using thermal and night vision cameras.
Filming
Filming began in September 2016 on location in empty Stratford Office spaces and industrial buildings and continued over another 5 days in BT TV studios.
Wayne McGregor and I directed the film together. I also directed the visual cinematography alongside Director of Photography Mike Simpson.
The studio wall and floor screens were used as new canvases for the 3D film and animation content. The 3D content needed to be reformed into 2D, and the choreography adapted for the camera to express immersive imagery and physical dancers. This was a complex and time-consuming process with high end computer equipment required for rendering extremely large file sizes.
The stage lighting design was adapted to work with new studio space environment.
Filming took 6 days.
2017
Editing
We developed immersive translucent layering techniques to create the impression of three-dimensional depth during the 3D screen choreography sections of the original performance.
Some of the original screen content was animated to move from the background screens of BT studio to flood over the foreground image and disappear in front of the viewer.
Post-production
Post-production took place during one week in October 2017. I worked with an online editor and colour grader to master the final film version. The original sound edit had not been reconfigured correctly, and so the sound is re-edited.
