Francesca Da Rimini

Francesca Da Rimini is an experiment in using a robotically controlled camera to capture ballet. Starring dancers Maria Kochetkova and Joan Boada, Francesca is based on a story from Dante’s Inferno and set to Tchaikovsky's Francesca Da Rimini. The entire performance was filmed with motion control camera movements designed to synchronize with the dancer’s every step. The camera moves as if operated by a third performer, fluidly orbiting around the two dancers from the intimate perspective of another artist on stage. Using a combination of motion capture, 3D animation, and industrial robotics, Francesca demonstrates how the synthesis of art and technology can bring a new perspective to a classic art form.

For an in-depth look at the process and underlying dance experiment watch the behind-the-scenes video below.

process

Credits:
Director: Tarik ABdel-gawad
Executive producer: Edward King
Produced by: Ashley Rodholm & Anastassia Babanskaia
Director of Photography: Joe Picard
Editor: Ashley rodholm
Key Grip: Aron Pruitt
PA: Sam Conkling, Pedro Figueira, Kenneth Johnson, Tutu Lee
Motion Capture Studio: Phasespace
Motion Capture Technicians: Kan Anant, Curtis Cheung        
Motion Control: Bot & Dolly
Robot Operator: Matthew Bitterman
Compositors: Travis Gorman, Chris McCard
Set Photographer: Alexander Reneff-Olson
Special Thanks: The Bot & Dolly Team