New Iain Forsyth And Jane Pollard 3D Art Installation Posted At PFL

British artists Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard's 3D video installation has been post produced by Prime Focus London. Inspired by The Man from M.A.R.S. - one of the earliest 3D films ever produced - Radio Mania: An Abandoned Work, exhibits at the BFI Southbank Gallery in London from May 8 to July 11.
The piece, which is part film and part rehearsal, shows the artists attempt to create a contemporary version of this lost silent sci-fi movie - in which an inventor succeeds in building a radio transmission device capable of communicating with intelligent life on Mars.
The film was made to demonstrate 'Teleview', a stereoscopic motion picture system created by Laurens Hammond (inventor of the Hammond Organ). The film played for 24 days after which Teleview and the 3D version of the film were never seen again.
Radio Mania: An Abandoned Work consists of a two-screen 3D video installation with multi-dimensional ambisonic sound. A staged rehearsal which featured actors including Kevin Eldon, Caroline Catz, Terrence Hardiman and Fenella Fielding was shot by 3D specialists Inition with the latest 3D video technology - capturing the actors, directors and musicians working on the script and score. This film of the rehearsal is then locked on repeat in the installation, creating a place of uncertainty within the gallery.
Prime Focus London's Vic Parker provided the grade on the project. Vic said: "The hardest task was to grade what were two almost identical images shot from two different cameras on the same subject, which required the finest of tweaking and adjustment. I didn't want to go diving into this and produce a flamboyant grade that would interfere with the overall complexity of the piece. Aside from the fact that it was a stereoscopic project, the concept itself only needed subtle stylings to help compliment the work. Slight contrast and shaping to the picture was all that was needed to enhance it."
Vic added: "Iain and Jane have produced a brilliant piece of work, so to be involved in the small part I played was fantastic. What was great for me was not just the challenge of grading a 3D project but also what I've learnt from the history of Radio Mania."
Andy Millns of Inition oversaw the stereoscopic aspects of the project including the shoot, post supervision and installation. He said: "We shot the piece on two identical mirror-rigs which allowed us to create natural looking 3D.
"Prime Focus accommodated the stereoscopic workflow seamlessly allowing us to make the small adjustments necessary to provide the optimum 3D viewing experience."
Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard first worked with Vic on a series of films and music videos for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.
They said: "We love working with Prime Focus and Vic especially always brings that extra bit of magic to our projects. Shooting in 3D with ambisonic sound presented many more technical challenges than usual, but the team at PFL rose to the occasion with their usual enthusiasm and good humour, while ensuring that we could creatively realise our ambitions and ideas."
Iain and Jane began working collaboratively in 1993 and are best known for creating re-enactments of cultural and artistic historical events and documents looking at the mechanics of liveness, repetition, reception and recollection. Their work features in museums and collections worldwide, including the Tate Modern in London.
(KMcA/BMcC)