It has been a busy spring at U-Ma Studios!
In April, for The Redemption of Marie Antoinette I headed to Paris for a meeting at the Chateau de Versailles. In addition to many packed days of business meetings, I also scouted several historical sites that would be featured in the pilot episode. While in Vienna, I obtained private access to apartments where Marie Antoinette and her sisters grew up. The little archduchess was everywhere in the paintings on the walls. The historian told me many people come to Vienna to learn about her Austrian origins. It’s an important fact to remember that she was an Austrian foreigner in France.
In May, The Redemption of Marie Antoinette was featured at the Cannes Film Festival XR Kaleidoscope Development Showcase, where I gave a presentation. A committee of VR creators chose Redemption as one of five selected LBE projects. I feel heartened that fellow creators believe in the project as much as I do; for that reason, I am especially grateful for the honor.
Meanwhile, I’ve been busy in San Francisco preparing another VR piece, one I have been working in partnership with Berkeley Arts + Design on. It is a VR film adaptation of a masterful work by Stan Lai, whose notable plays include A DREAM LIKE A DREAM, San Francisco Opera’s“DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER,” among others. Our small but nimble team also includes the design participation of Ms. Sandra Woodall (Tony Kushner’s ANGELS IN AMERICA, American Ballet Theater, Bolshoi Ballet, San Francisco Ballet).
Events
This past weekend, I was invited by Kathryn Roszak’s Danse Lumiere to give a panel discussion at the Djerassi Artists Residency with women choreographers and composers. As part of the day, we explored an aspect of episode 2 of The Redemption of Marie Antoinette series that would take us to a masquerade ball at the Opera Garnier. We workshopped on site what the choreography might entail and experimented with how we might cover a minuet in a VR environment. On the beautiful grounds of Djerassi, we also had a talk back with the founder in 360.
Upcoming
I’ve been invited to give a VR lecture and present on a social justice film panel at the RSHM Global Network of Schools Conference happening on June 27-July 2 at Marymount High School in Los Angeles. The focus will be on “Stories that Need To Be Told.” I’m honored to be introducing VR technologies to hundreds of educators at Marymount schools around the world as well as to discuss my social justice film works.
I leave you with some photos of young Maria Antonia (as Marie Antoinette was known back then), from Schönnbrun Palace. Can you spot her in the painting?
For more regular catchups on my various projects, find me on instagram, facebook or twitter at @carolliufilms.