A first look at FUNDING THE ARTS

I call FUNDING THE ARTS a “living movie” (or in this case a "living cartoon"), because its distinguishing characteristic will be the combination of live dance and a spoken script, with a "moving set" of projected video & computer animation.  Running simultaneously on a screen behind the live onstage action, the "moving set" will not only give us a way to include cartoon-like characters, but it will eliminate the need for sets and props, as a myriad of locations, objects, and special effects will be right there -- up on the screen. Hence, the real performers will appear to interact with both the animated characters (owing a nod to old Fred Astaire & Gene Kelly movies), and with whatever setting or location (an office, a theater, the Pentagon), is projected at the time.  The performers will also be able to open doors, blast off into space, pick pockets, and poison drinks, using only filmed images.

In the snapshot above, animated dancers (created with Life Forms) shoot their pointe shoe guns, making a fireworks display (made with Final Cut Studio's Motion). In addition to providing a foundation for video and animation, FCS will let us include a musical score, compiled from the ballets Coppélia and Swan Lake. -- Felice Lesser