IMS has been something that I have been building since 1977. As a photographer, filmmaker and theatre artist this has been the forum for my work and an environment designed to encourage others who are also engaged in these activities. So the goal for all these years has been to create the resources to produce these kinds of works.
We are moving into another stage of operations as I am working to set up a 20K sq ft production facility and scene shop. I have begun setting up a stage area with a green screen which I anticipate using for our work with puppetry for The Gnomes of New Hope.
As with all of the technology required, upgrading is necessary, however, the equipment that I have gathered over the years is sufficient to create a reasonable product that can advance the cause. I do not yet have the HD camera equipment which is really necessary to create a product usable in todays market place, but the truth of the matter is that before the camera records the final product, there are many construction and operating details that need to be worked out, so HD is not necessary at this stage of operations. However, I am setting up the editing suite and the art department to handle the application of HD to our work in animation.
As I have been preparing the publishing layout for the illustrated story-book, I find that the illustrations that we have, and those we will need, are directly applicable to the animated film. So at this point I am preparing, not only, the storybook, but in that format, the story-boards as well.
What this means is that our advancement in the cinematic arena with this project will be (and is) taking place in conjunction with the illustration of the storybook. In fact, even though this project is designed as a musical theatre piece (and you can read about that elsewhere) the advancement in the studio is largely taking place in the direction of animation.
Now, other arenas which are being developed are both puppetry and cycloramas. Puppetry is self explanatory and I've discussed that elsewhere. This would be the purpose of constructing the green screen. (advancement with that is halted due to roofing repairs that are required over the stage area, which cannot occur until spring)
But the application of cycloramas is a most interesting arena. I anticipate using the illustrations to create cutouts of the two dimensional settings and move from those two dimensional setting into three dimensional cyclorama displays. These cycloramas will be part of the Gallery Exhibition, but more than that, they will be the foundation of a stop action claymation film. This is also tied to the puppetry and the animatronics, which I have to say is part of the Legit stage show as well.
On the puppetry front - the stage space is currently quite cold, as I am not heating a large empty stage space for no good reason. That means that the sculpting studio is in stasis. It is rather difficult to sculpt clay when it is cold and to work on molds. Since this area is pure speculation and experimental outlay at this stage, I am focusing on work in the inner offices with design, management and preparing a few of the most viable products for the marketplace and distribution.
As I always mention, I am open to discussing partnering with people and businesses which can advance this cause, so discussion is welcomed.
So, there a bit of an update in that regard. AG
