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Film, Visualization, Narrative

A workshop run by Adam Ganz, Royal Holloway, University of London, (17 November 2006)

Jointly funded by the Methods Network and LCACE (London Centre for Arts and Cultural Enterprise)

As filmmaking has moved to digital formats in writing screenplays, making images and sounds and editing and manipulating those images, all filmmaking processes are actually or potentially subject to visualization, defined as the visual representation and analysis of processes over time, in dynamically-changing information spaces. This has led to new metaphors for example the sound-wave and the time-line, and the possibility of applying techniques such as data-mining and network mapping to other areas of film production.

Film is particularly interesting as a focus of study, because as well as being an industrial and aesthetic practice which can be differently approached and understood through visualization, it is itself a form of visualization, which transforms social relationships and events into image-based narrative developing over time.

This seminar brought together practitioners and theoreticians from information design, filmmaking and computing. The presentations looked at current and possible application of visualization techniques to the writing realizing and editing of films. They also considered the influence of interface design and visualization on film practice and aesthetics. This included the effect of non-linear editing and effects and the introduction of the timeline as a dominant metaphor for visualization in film. Contributions were encouraged from disciplines where visualization has transformed the understanding of the process, or enabled a different perception of narrative.

Following the ‘invitation only’ sessions during the day there was a plenary session that was open to everyone. This tied in with the public seminar series organized by the Humanities and Arts Research Centre at Royal Holloway College. The subject of this session was a summary and presentation of earlier discussions, led by the appointed rapporteur.

A report on the seminar and the plenary session will be available in February 2007.