History
1996: Dr. George Popovich’s publishes the essay “Artaud Unleashed” in Theater And Cyberspace. This essay examines VR Theater and points the way to future uses of VR in theatrical entertainment.
1996: HFCC Theater Arts Virtual Theatricality Lab founded by Dr. George Popovich. Research beings exploring real-time VR scenery, live 3D stereoscopic projection, and animated characters.
1996-2001: Virtual Theater techniques used in multimedia presentations for HFCC Theater Arts classes.
2001-2003: Pre-production and rehearsal: The Tempest.
April 2003: The Tempest premieres using live 3D stereo projection, 3D character animation, and real-time VR scenery and prop navigation. The Tempest is the first production in Michigan and the second production in the world ( The University of Kansas was the first) to use 3D stereoscopic projection and real-time VR navigated scenery. The Tempest is selected as a regional winter in The Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival.
January, 2004: The Tempest is presented to the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival for six performances. The Tempest is widely covered in Michigan and national media, including The Associated Press, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The Detroit Metro Times, Michigan Vue, Marsdust, The News Herald, The Dearborn Press and Guide, and The Dearborn Times Herald.
August 2005: Pre-Production and rehearsal: The Skriker.
November 2006: The Skriker premiers and is the first theatrical production in the world to incorporate 3D stereo and motion capture in a live theatrical performance of a stage play. (The University of Georgia was the first theater to incorporate motion capture into the performance of a traditional stage play). HFCC’s production was also the first time The Skriker had been produced in Michigan. Following the VTL’s lead, technical configurations, and staging practices, several major Michigan universities produce shows using Motion Capture and 3D stereo in 2007.
The Skriker is widely covered in Michigan and national media, including The Associated Press, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The Detroit Metro Times, Michigan Vue, Marsdust, The News Herald, The Dearborn Press and Guide, The Dearborn Times Herald and Dramabiz.
The Skriker wins many honors, including:
1. December, 2006: Critics Picks, Detroit Free Press.
2. January, 2007: Motion Capture Workshop, presented by invitation. VTL team members Dr. George Popovich, Alan Contino. The Kennedy Center's American College Theater Festival, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
3. February, 2007: Winner, Best Innovation Team. (Dr. George Popovich. Alan Contino, Chris Dozier, John Wilson). LAND (Liberal Arts Network for Development. A network to promote the Liberal Arts at Michigan community colleges). February, 2007.
4. April, 2007: Winner, League For Innovation In The Community College Award.
5. May 2007: Dr.George Popovich listed in 2007 edition of Who's Who In America for his work in digital theater development.
6. October, 2007: Visit by Dr. Guangyao Bai, Vice President The National Academy of Chinese Theater Art.
7. October, 2007: Bellwether Award Finalist.
8. February 2008: Encore invitation for presentation at LAND.
9. March, 2008: Key Presenter, Community Colleges Futures Assembly, Orlando, FL.
10. May 2008: Dr.George Popovich listed in 2008 edition of Who's Who In America for his work in digital theater development.
11. May 2008-May 2009: Development of a VTL teaching curriculum, including a Certificate for Motion Capture Systems Technician. First students graduate Summer, 2009.
12. August, 2009: The VTL hosts an exhibition at the MICHIGAN MAKES MOVIES EXPO.
13. September, 2009: The VTL, along with Critical Moves, USA present an overview of Motion Capture to the Screen Actors Guild.
14. 2009-2010: Following the VTL’s lead, several major Michigan universities create "labs" dedicated to the exploration of technologies such as Motion Capture and 3D stereo.
15. January, 2010: The VTL moves into a new dedicated space featuring a new Vicon camera system.
16. March, 2010: The Michigan Branch of the Screen Actors Guild schedules a Motion Capture Workshop at HFCC’s Virtual Theatricality Lab. The Lab was attended by SAG actors interested in acquiring Motion Capture performance skills. Dan Lemieux, VTL Motion Capture Performance Instructor, a Screen Actors Guild Member, Hollywood stunt man and stunt coordinator, with hundreds of film credits to his name, demonstrates various Motion Capture acting techniques used in films, video games and Massive software CGI environments. Dr. George Popovich, Director of the Virtual Theatricality Lab, demonstrates the history of Motion Capture in films and discusses Motion Capture’s future. The final sequence of the workshop allows SAG members to witness an actual Motion Capture session using the VTL’s Vicon camera system. SAG actor Nick Jarvis, who is enrolled in HFCC’s class, “Introduction to Motion Capture Performance and Production,” demonstrates various preparation and performance techniques. Alan Contino, VTL Chief engineer, VTL technicians Lisa Dubicki and Edwin Bawal, and students from the VTL’s Mo-Cap courses capture the data. They are joined by Detroit documentary filmmaker Gary Glaser who teaches several VTL classes such as “Introduction to Motion Capture, “Intermediate Motion Capture,” and “Greenscreen Cinema Techniques.”
1996: HFCC Theater Arts Virtual Theatricality Lab founded by Dr. George Popovich. Research beings exploring real-time VR scenery, live 3D stereoscopic projection, and animated characters.
1996-2001: Virtual Theater techniques used in multimedia presentations for HFCC Theater Arts classes.
2001-2003: Pre-production and rehearsal: The Tempest.
April 2003: The Tempest premieres using live 3D stereo projection, 3D character animation, and real-time VR scenery and prop navigation. The Tempest is the first production in Michigan and the second production in the world ( The University of Kansas was the first) to use 3D stereoscopic projection and real-time VR navigated scenery. The Tempest is selected as a regional winter in The Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival.
January, 2004: The Tempest is presented to the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival for six performances. The Tempest is widely covered in Michigan and national media, including The Associated Press, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The Detroit Metro Times, Michigan Vue, Marsdust, The News Herald, The Dearborn Press and Guide, and The Dearborn Times Herald.
August 2005: Pre-Production and rehearsal: The Skriker.
November 2006: The Skriker premiers and is the first theatrical production in the world to incorporate 3D stereo and motion capture in a live theatrical performance of a stage play. (The University of Georgia was the first theater to incorporate motion capture into the performance of a traditional stage play). HFCC’s production was also the first time The Skriker had been produced in Michigan. Following the VTL’s lead, technical configurations, and staging practices, several major Michigan universities produce shows using Motion Capture and 3D stereo in 2007.
The Skriker is widely covered in Michigan and national media, including The Associated Press, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The Detroit Metro Times, Michigan Vue, Marsdust, The News Herald, The Dearborn Press and Guide, The Dearborn Times Herald and Dramabiz.
The Skriker wins many honors, including:
1. December, 2006: Critics Picks, Detroit Free Press.
2. January, 2007: Motion Capture Workshop, presented by invitation. VTL team members Dr. George Popovich, Alan Contino. The Kennedy Center's American College Theater Festival, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
3. February, 2007: Winner, Best Innovation Team. (Dr. George Popovich. Alan Contino, Chris Dozier, John Wilson). LAND (Liberal Arts Network for Development. A network to promote the Liberal Arts at Michigan community colleges). February, 2007.
4. April, 2007: Winner, League For Innovation In The Community College Award.
5. May 2007: Dr.George Popovich listed in 2007 edition of Who's Who In America for his work in digital theater development.
6. October, 2007: Visit by Dr. Guangyao Bai, Vice President The National Academy of Chinese Theater Art.
7. October, 2007: Bellwether Award Finalist.
8. February 2008: Encore invitation for presentation at LAND.
9. March, 2008: Key Presenter, Community Colleges Futures Assembly, Orlando, FL.
10. May 2008: Dr.George Popovich listed in 2008 edition of Who's Who In America for his work in digital theater development.
11. May 2008-May 2009: Development of a VTL teaching curriculum, including a Certificate for Motion Capture Systems Technician. First students graduate Summer, 2009.
12. August, 2009: The VTL hosts an exhibition at the MICHIGAN MAKES MOVIES EXPO.
13. September, 2009: The VTL, along with Critical Moves, USA present an overview of Motion Capture to the Screen Actors Guild.
14. 2009-2010: Following the VTL’s lead, several major Michigan universities create "labs" dedicated to the exploration of technologies such as Motion Capture and 3D stereo.
15. January, 2010: The VTL moves into a new dedicated space featuring a new Vicon camera system.
16. March, 2010: The Michigan Branch of the Screen Actors Guild schedules a Motion Capture Workshop at HFCC’s Virtual Theatricality Lab. The Lab was attended by SAG actors interested in acquiring Motion Capture performance skills. Dan Lemieux, VTL Motion Capture Performance Instructor, a Screen Actors Guild Member, Hollywood stunt man and stunt coordinator, with hundreds of film credits to his name, demonstrates various Motion Capture acting techniques used in films, video games and Massive software CGI environments. Dr. George Popovich, Director of the Virtual Theatricality Lab, demonstrates the history of Motion Capture in films and discusses Motion Capture’s future. The final sequence of the workshop allows SAG members to witness an actual Motion Capture session using the VTL’s Vicon camera system. SAG actor Nick Jarvis, who is enrolled in HFCC’s class, “Introduction to Motion Capture Performance and Production,” demonstrates various preparation and performance techniques. Alan Contino, VTL Chief engineer, VTL technicians Lisa Dubicki and Edwin Bawal, and students from the VTL’s Mo-Cap courses capture the data. They are joined by Detroit documentary filmmaker Gary Glaser who teaches several VTL classes such as “Introduction to Motion Capture, “Intermediate Motion Capture,” and “Greenscreen Cinema Techniques.”
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