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About Ben Fredericks Collaborations LTD
About Choosing Children
‘Choosing Children’ is a digitally-led, accessible, interactive theatre experience about how new reproductive technologies will change the very nature of human evolution. The show will be developed and tour nationally in 2023. The tour will be accompanied by a participatory CPD and learning programme, and the project includes the development of a radical technological solution to promote accessibility.
There is one live actor in the show. There are two projector walls with animations of particles and space. These projections also have avatars of actors that speak and interact with the live actor and each other.
The show is 45 to 60 minutes long and has a small branching narrative towards the end of the show that controls the length of the show.
https://benfredericks.co.uk/choosing-children/
General Set-Up
The experience will take place in a black-box setting with two main projection areas.
These projection areas will contain the animations and Avatars. There is still some development to be done in this area to fix the exact way this will work.
Lighting Designer
About the job:
We are looking for a collaborative creative to join the team for this project and to help shape the project visually moving forwards.
Fee:
£1350
Dates:
Deadline to apply – Noon 26th April 2023
Interviews – week commencing 1st May 2023
Technical Rehearsal in Leicester – 16th June 2023 and one date in September TBC
Job Responsibilities
- Developing lighting elements for production.
- Creating and implementing their own artistic vision for the production based on discussion and collaboration with the rest of the creative team.
- Work within the technical restraints of touring venues.
- Designing and programming lighting states for technical get-in.
- Developing a dynamic design that responds to the potentially different levels of lighting in the space based on the audience interaction
- Developing the design for LED
- Reaching a resolution on the best system
The lighting designer will be in charge of producing:
- Design of overall lighting
- Orbs (with creative technician)
- Overall feel (with the design team)
- Design and spec lighting plan
- Designing and programming lighting states with a dynamic design that can respond to the interactive nature of the audience interaction.
Further Technical Information
The space is largely dominated by projection and at least 24 orbs. These 24 orbs contain 50 programmable LED’s and are related to the interactive element (which is limited to questions between the audience and live actor.) These orbs will light in different ways depending on the answers given by the audience. The lighting design will have to design the overall environment, the orbs, and respond to integrate the changing nature of the lighting generated by these orbs based on the different possible responses by the audiences.
The show is currently controlled by UE4 (Unreal Engine.) Although the integration of the lighting design and final system would be resolved in discussion with the programmer, lighting and video designer.
The designer will have some access to touring venues’ lighting and the lighting that the production can budget for.
For the overall tone/feel of the piece see – https://benfredericks.co.uk/choosing-children-industry/
Essential Criteria
- Experience in developing lighting for touring theatre
- The ability to work in-person and remotely with the rest of the team as well as independently
- Working within a limited budget
An Advantage if:
- Worked in interactive theatre
- Working understanding of developing lighting with dynamic lighting requirements
- Has experience of working and programming LED’s
Work Schedule
Phase 1: ASAP
- Concept work and design lighting plans working with the creative team
- Attend technical rehearsals in Leicester
- Source lighting equipment within budget
Key Dates:
- Interview – Week Commencing 1st May 2023
- Technical rehearsal in Leicester – 16th June 2023 and one in September TBC
The job is remote, with days in Leicester for technical rehearsals in June and Sept.
To apply, please submit:
– A CV or summary of your experience and a covering letter, no longer than one side of A4, outlining your reasons for applying for the role and how your skills and experience meet the job criteria.
– If you would prefer to submit your CV alongside a video or audio recording as opposed to a covering letter (this can also be done for a summary of your experience), please feel free to do so
Please send your application to laura@benfredericks.co.uk with the subject ‘Lighting Designer Application’
To find out more please contact Laura Wilkinson at laura@benfredericks.co.uk
Deadline is Noon on 26th April 2023.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Animator / VFX / Video Designer
About the job:
Job Description
We are looking for a collaborative creative to join the team for this project and to help shape the project visually moving forwards.
Fee:
Max £2250
Dates:
- Deadline to apply – 4th May 2023
- Interviews – Week Commencing 7th May 2023
- Delivery of rough cuts – 12th July 2023
- Delivery of all video – 4th September 2023
- Deliver of final cuts – 25th September 2023
Job Responsibilities
Video Design Role
The video designer will be in charge of producing:
- Avatars/Particle Characters
- Animations
This will be a mix of video design, VFX, and animation.
They will be producing 3D distinct animation on both screens, using both converted video content and 3D particle animations (supplement stock video footage can be used as well if necessary.)
Avatars/Particle Characters:
Particle Characters will generate when there is an external voice to the host. They will be created from the recording of live actors on a green or black background. There are 11 Particle Characters, and they need a unified but distinct look.
They will need to be efficiently processed from video and seamlessly integrated into the general animation and particle effects.
Animations:
The animations start the show and support the opening monologue from the live actor. After this, they are used to generate the Avatars above and as holding visuals, with some details to add interest.
They set the overall tone/feel for the piece.
https://benfredericks.co.uk/choosing-children-industry/
NB: there is also a proposal element that will see the video colour of the video design change based on input from the input from the audience.
Essential Criteria
- Experience of developing animation and video design
- Ability to create particle effect animations
- Ability to create animations from video, with efficiency
- The ability to work in-person and remotely with the rest of the team as well as independently
An Advantage if:
- Worked in interactive theatre
- Knowledge of Unreal Engine or equivalent programme that controls video cueing
- Working understanding of developing video design with dynamic colouring and lighting requirements
Work Schedule
Phase 1: ASAP
- Develop the look of the Avatars/Particle Characters
- Produce the initial opening animation
- Demonstrate the Avatars/Particle Characters morphing into life from the first animation
- concept work to identify ideas to characterise each avatar and animate character motivation
Phase 2: Summer 2023
- Produce all the animations in the piece
- Create 10 Avatars/Particle Characters
- Convert video footage (To be discussed)
The job is remote, with at least two days in Leicester to trial the animations in a space with the set designer.
How to apply
– A CV or summary of your experience and a covering letter, no longer than one side of A4, outlining your reasons for applying for the role and how your skills and experience meet the job criteria.
– If you would prefer to submit your CV alongside a video or audio recording as opposed to a covering letter (this can also be done for a summary of your experience), please feel free to do so
Please send your application to laura@benfredericks.co.uk with the subject ‘Lighting Designer Application’
To find out more please contact Laura Wilkinson at laura@benfredericks.co.uk
Deadline is Noon on 4th May 2023.
We look forward to hearing from you.
About Ben Fredericks Collaborations LTD
Ben Fredericks [ Collaborations ] LTD is a new artistic company that explores the intersection between new technology and storytelling and has a focus on ethics. Other projects in development include a game focused on Power Dynamics and an interactive theatre experience on Gene editing technologies. Recent project includes Playing God, an interactive VR work producing a practical and philosophical exploration of humanitarian crises and migration. The new company is expanding its work led by artist Ben Fredericks.
