Dance Screening and Educational Programs
Summary: Doug Fox presents screening and educational programs about dance animation, interactive installations and performances, and cutting-edge cinematography. Please Email Doug Fox to learn more.
View the multimedia guide to Doug's February 2009 dance animation screening program.
Dance Screening Program: The Details
Doug Fox curates a screening program that features dance animation, movement-based installations and performances, and cutting-edge cinematography. The focus is on the interplay of the moving body and technology. The appeal is to a wide range of audiences with and without exposure to dance and technology.
Each screening program is customized to meet the needs of the event host and audience. Featured films and videos may range from the pre-cinema era to the present, or focus specifically on recent and contemporary works.
Selected videos and films are drawn from dance and movement animations, independent and commercial productions, performances and installations, theatrical movie releases, TV commercials, music videos, student projects and archival sources.
Doug's program covers three main topics, each of which may be presented separately or as part of an integrated presentation:
- Dance and Animation: Dance and movement animations date to the pre-cinema era and continue to evolve in new and creative ways. A full range of animation styles and techniques may be represented including hand-drawn, 3D, stop motion, rotoscoping, live-action and computer graphic hybrids, machinima, 3D laser, cut-out animation, augmented reality, visualizations and other forms. In addition earlier approaches to animation ranging from the zoetrope to optical printers, and their modern day reimaginings, may be incorporated into this screening program.
- Movement-Based Installations and Performances: Our gestures, bodies, physiological states and the ever-changing environments we inhabit all serve as input for controlling and interacting with a wide range of digital devices and interfaces. During this screening program audiences will see how artists, choreographers, dancers and technologists create performances, installations and participatory experiences that respond in real-time to the body in motion. Among the interfaces and input devices illustrated include motion tracking, facial and gesture recognition, motion capture, immersive environments, responsive clothing, biometric sensors, digital puppetry and the physical presence of the human body.
- Cutting-Edge Dance Cinematography: From the magic lantern slide projectors of the Nineteenth Century to the high-speed scientific cameras of the present day, dance and movement have been captured and presented with the most advanced tools and technologies of each era. During this screening portion of the program, selected video and film works will highlight contemporary and historical developments in movie-making with dance as its subject matter. Among recent and new digital techniques to be covered include: high-definition cameras, slow-motion videography, stereoscopic 3D, photorealistic CGI characters, real-time visualizations and the latest developments in all phases of production, editing and visual effects.
Educational Program
Doug offers educational workshops that address the same themes and topics as his screening programs. These educational forums can either be offered as supplements to the screening events or as free-standing educational seminars.
The focus of these educational workshops is to explore, explain and demonstrate the key tools, techniques, software and technologies that are used to create:
- Video and film dance animations
- Dance and movement-based interactive installations and performances, and
- Cutting-edge dance cinematography
Technical Expertise is Not Required
Participants in these educational programs do not need any type of technical background, software training or movie-making experience to enjoy and benefit from these forums. Doug explains and demonstrates the tools and techniques in a highly accessible manner that appeals to both novice and experienced audience members alike.
All workshops may be customized to meet your needs both in terms of the content to be covered and the duration of each event.
Program and Course Materials
Doug develops comprehensive program guides, educational materials and handouts for his screenings and seminars. This educational material may be produced for the Internet and/or print purposes. For an example of an online program guide, please visit the multimedia materials for Doug's February 2009 Dance and Animation program for Kinetic Cinema.
The screening and workshop content may take many forms based upon your specific needs and educational objectives.
Marketing and Promotional Support
Doug publishes Great Dance, one of the leading dance and movement-focused blogs. Doug promotes all of his screening programs and educational events (except when they are private or in-house) through his blog and other social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.
For events that are open to the public, Doug can generate additional exposure and publicity.
Audience for Screening Programs and Workshops
Doug's screening programs and workshops appeal to a wide-range of audiences. Among the groups and institutions that will enjoy and benefit from these events include:
- Dance, art, animation, filmmaking and new media departments/students at colleges and universities.
- Dance, animation and other film festivals and screening programs.
- New media, dance, animation and art-focused workshops, forums and events.
- A wide-range of conferences, trade events and industry forums.
- Art and dance programs for teenagers and young adults.
- Other programs and events that wish to introduce audiences to engaging, cutting-edge videos about dance and movement.
Contact Doug Fox
You can reach and follow Doug Fox in the following ways:
