| Interview with Marcelo Garcia - Opera Dulcineia | |||
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Motion graphics are common in advertising, music videos, films and websites, too often forgetting performance art. The latest project from studio Molho directed by Marcelo Altino Garcia is mid-way between these two concepts. The studio produced and conceived the set design of the multimedia opera Brazilian « Dulcineia & Trancoso », a project of the most original, not only because of the nature of the device but also the enormity of the piece. 50 minutes of animation epic have been produced on the basis of the Brazilian Armorial, a movement born out of the 70's that references medieval heraldic, mythical characters, folk songs, and mysterious animals. The piece recently premiered in the city of Recife and will tour the country throughout this year. The piece recently premiered in the city of Recife and will tour the country throughout this year.
- Please tell us how you've been involved in this project. Why did this project primarily interest you ? I have worked with the client for a long time now doing spots and print stuff for festivals. There had been talk about an opera and that got me really excited so I tried to be involved with them from the beginning. The combination of a really traditional storytelling form that involves orchestral music with a perspective of someone like me that does not specialize in set design seemed like something that would at least have a fresh, original outcome as a whole. I do not particularly like opera but I grew up in a family of musicians, being one myself, always sleeping in theater seats waiting for my parents to finish their rehearsals and being in a household where brothers practicing their respective instruments always occupied every room. Ever since I did this piece called “Virtuosi”, I have been planning and thinking about an orchestral piece myself, working directly with my composer Pedro Dias, sort of an installation with projected visuals, tactile objects but with a live orchestra playing. I call it “Concerto for Orchestra and 11 Projectors”. But that was never concluded because of my other work during these past two years so the opera seemed like a good playground to try ideas out and see what works and what doesn’t.
- The piece looks typically Brazilian throughout mix of styles and patterns. What was your source of inspiration? At first, I had ideas of doing something really geometric and abstract and designing the real set but back then I had no idea what this commissioned opera would be about. Finally, the budget would not allow me to do a whole lot else besides the animations and I also got the first draft of the script, which was very specific as to settings and visual references. I dissected the components down to a bare minimum so that I would have as much free space as possible to create something of my own but the opera was to be the first “armorial” opera of Brazil. This armorial movement grew out of the 70’s and references medieval heraldic, legends, folk songs, and mysterious animals so some of these elements held the piece together even though I made a conscious effort to not quote them literally so the piece would take on its own form. The script most of the time called the opera to be inside of a circus which sometimes was dwelt in the depths of darkness in a prophetic tone, other times midst cathedrals, battles, visions, and dreams within dreams. My references were circus movies from the 50’s, movies like Black Hawk Down (Ridley Scott, 2001), shadow theater, and embroidery and tapestry from the movement.
- The nature of the device is original. How did it go with the creation in these conditions ? Could you describe the creative process of one of your most memorable part ? After I had all the animations done, we had the first big open rehearsal. After seeing the whole thing together with singers, dancers, projections, transitions, and orchestra, I got really excited because I clearly saw things that missed on using the script and music alone. Adjusts of contrasts of moods, dynamics, and things like that. I did not sleep during that whole week just trying stuff out day after day. - The question of timing is crucial. How did you manage to strike a balance between animation and its perception by the public ? I think the most challenging aspect about a long project like this is to have the macro outlook of it and to balance when the setting becomes an actor itself and when it retreats and, no matter what, to not interfere in the acting but to enhance it. Kind of like animations done for a live action spot or supporting elements for animation characters – sometimes they take the lead and other times stay back.
- How long did production and post-production take ? About a month and a half. I got the full script first with no music, and then gradually kept getting amazing mp3s on email. - What was the most challenging aspect of setting design in such a long piece ? There are too many elements that are challenging in a project short of time and budget so the main one becomes to transform it into something you really are going to love to dive in for those amount of days.
- Is there any project you're working on at the moment or any future plans you could share with us ? These past few months I worked on MTV stuff and pitches for different agencies. I have been writing now for a couple of years three live-action short movies, which I hope to produce at least one of them, this year. I am also going to exhibit here Sao Paulo in August so I am working on that. I am about to finish my 5-minute short animation “Moon Trills”. Crédits: Opera credits: |
