What happens when you combine computer science with art? How can software be implemented, understood and perceived in an artistically valuable way?
Students on the Creative Technologies master’s program at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF are exploring precisely these boundaries. Since 2016, they have been exploring new cinematic interactions that combine technical tools with an artistic approach. The focus is on completely free experimentation. At the same time, the students benefit from the collaboration between their degree program and other departments such as sound, camera, animation, editing, directing, acting, film music or scenography at the Film University, the only film school with university status in Germany.
This results in projects that go far beyond the genre of film. Plants are made to speak, poetry is made “tangible”, virtual reality for pets is considered and machine learning algorithms are developed.
The mixed reality projection “Exploration” by Marcel Brückner, for example, turns the normal perception of space on its head and uses room-specific projections to involve viewers as well as actors in the action. Cinematic productions such as those by the Creative Tech student have left the cinema screen far behind. New narrative forms are emerging that focus on interaction and the experience, while using technology creatively in new contexts. Technical background knowledge is essential for this. Particularly in the first year of the Master’s program, seminar blocks and lectures on computer graphics, audio, creative coding and applied mathematics are on the agenda. “However, we don’t just aim to teach technical and cinematic skills, but also intellectual depth and reflection,” says Prof. Dr. Lena Gieseke. She originally comes from the field of computer science and, together with Prof. Dr. Angela Brennecke, supervises the new course as Professor of Image-Oriented Media Technology. It is important to her that a humanities basis accompanies the teaching. Philosophical essays are included as well as current scientific papers or political debates. The food for thought is essential for creative work. The lecture program is made up of three fields: the technical-formal foundations, the academic, which takes into account and reflects the current state of research, and the artistic-researching. The practical focus comes into play in the second year of the Master’s program. The applications that students construct have different focuses: from digital media art such as interactive façade projections, to web projects, their own machine constructions, platforms for cognitive learning, technical narration and data visualization, everything is included. For example, how can you tell the story of data? How do you make it easy to understand? “It’s a balancing act to see your own artistic signature,” says Gieseke. She gets excited when something is created that goes beyond pragmatic programming and connects people.
“We train interface people.” The course is aimed at lateral thinkers. Students later find their professional path outside the film industry – where, in addition to IT and media skills, human skills and “thinking in contexts” and moving between disciplines are required. Applicants usually have a strong technical background and the drive to use their knowledge creatively and artistically. Although a large proportion come from the field of media informatics, media designers, architects and cognitive scientists are also represented.
“There is no one student that we are looking for.”
The special competence taught at the Film University, namely storytelling, is combined in the Creative Technologies degree program with the demand for knowledge transfer, experimentation and artistic exploration of the possible uses of technologies that go far beyond the medium of film.
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The media technologies of the future are already being used today – not only in the entertainment sector but in a wide variety of industries. For our MediaTech Hub Potsdam blog, we talk to tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and researchers once a month and tell the stories behind their innovative business models, ideas, projects and collaborations.
