"Beauty & the Beast" - Interactive Bedtime Storybook (for iPad)

Have you seen this?

Developed in Melbourne Australia, it's one of the most fun-looking - and beautiful - storybooks I've seen (and it's a few years old now!). I had seen image shots but didn't realize the level interactivity till looking at it again recently.

I've included a video so you can see what I mean, but first, a description:
Beauty and the Beast HD brings to life Walter Cranes sensational original illustrations, combining them with tilt and touch controlled physics elements, touch animations, drag-able character cutouts and a whole array of fantastic sound effects. A fairytale picture book that stays true to its gritty origin, complete with soothing music, antique visual style and beautiful art work presents a truly gorgeous addition to your digital book collection. 

Lay back, relax and experience this fantastic, incredibly rare 138 year old version of Beauty and the Beast reimagined for the iPad. 
Beauty and the Beast HD brings to life Walter Cranes sensational original illustrations, combining them with tilt and touch controlled physics elements, touch animations, drag-able character cutouts and a whole array of fantastic sound effects.
Inspired by a love of books, we have carefully retain the original and authentic published text.
A fairytale picture book that stays true to its gritty origin, complete with antique visual style and the soothing music of Georg Philip Telemann, making this book app a truly gorgeous addition to your digital book library.

Features:
★ Beautifully rendered illustrations
★ Lute performed by Jon Sayles
★ Music performed by Roxana Pavel Goldstein & Elias Goldstein.
★ Fun and enchanting interactive compositions
★ Artwork reproduce from high-resolution archival scans

And here's the video (note - I'm fairly sure this music isn't the same that's included, but just for a fun preview):

You can find the interactive storybook app HERE.

A Wilde Weekend! (A Multi-Arts Weekend Event Celebrating the Life & Works of Oscar Wilde)

I was completely blown away when I followed the breadcrumbs to this four day event, titled A Wilde Weekend. And it sounds... completely amazing.

First of all - it's a four day, multi-disciplinary Arts event (!), celebrating the life and works of Oscar Wilde, in various locations around beautiful Irish countryside and landmarks.

What does that mean?

It means there is a four day program filled with:
- plays - full and partial
- readings & dialogues
- film presentations
- live music
- magical mystery garden tour
- a tour of an amazing period house, complete with scenes of Wilde plays in various rooms
- artwork
- photographs
- period costumes wherever you go with actors helping set the atmosphere
- period social events (like dinner parties under the stars as Wilde himself loved, hosted and attended)
- talks and discussions by experts and scholars
- community costumed picnics
- and more!

And - I have to include notice of two things:

One -  they're GILDING A STATUE, just like The Happy Prince, and will be leaving it to the elements to flake off over time..!

Two - they're having a DINNER IN THE DARK, to simulate the silver mine dinner Wilde had in Colorado (the US). This will be a dining experience complete with blindfolds and pitch darkness to try your dinner, dessert and drink in...

I'm just astonished. It's EXACTLY the sort of immersive, Arts-based event I think people should experience - with excellence and professionalism on every level available to the public, from locations and presenters, to involving every sense (taste, smell, touch, sound, sight, and all the other ones too).

Even the whole PDF for this program is gorgeous (click on any of the side-by-side images shown above to see and read it full size). It's also huge - pages and pages - and I can't figure out how to embed the whole thing so I'm including some pages that may catch your eye. You can find the full, beautiful PDF HERE (just the program is creatively inspiring!).

The date is the Bank Holiday weekend (May 1st to 4th) and takes place in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh (Ireland) and you can pay to attend various events or for the whole weekend.

Here are all the links you need:
OFFICIAL SITE is HERE
Twitter is HERE
Facebook is HERE
PDF of the program and various events descriptions is HERE

And if anybody gets to go to any of this please tell us! I want to hear all about it. (And then I want someone to do a similar event close to where I am please!)

Multimedia Ballet: "Belle Redux: A Tale of Beauty & the Beast" to Premiere Valentine's Weekend

It would seem that 2015 is the year of Beauty and the Beast.

Ballet Austin, known for technical excellence and innovative productions, is about to launch their World Premiere of Belle Redux: A Tale of Beauty & the Beast in time for Valentine's Day weekend.

(Funny thing: when I first saw the image used in the little poster below I could have sworn the rose glowed in a pulse - that it was a gif. It was the pulsing of the rose in connection with the rose "multimedia" that caught my attention in the first place. But I can't find it now...)

"Once upon a time... Escape with Ballet Austin into the mysterious world of a beauty, a beast and a ballet, as Artistic Director Stephen Mills seduces you with a modern take on the timeless story of Beauty and the Beast. Commissioned by the global innovators at 3M, this sleek and sexy new production is an exciting evolution of the fairy tale you remember. 

Fall into a dark and intoxicating world of passion and intrigue, featuring Mills' classically innovative choreography and a haunting new score by renowned, Austin-based composer Graham Reynolds."

The production was commissioned by 3M Innovations with the intent that it will contribute to the evolution of the way in which this tale is told.

The sets for Belle Redux / A Tale of Beauty & the Beast draw inspiration from the film noir genre and Jean Cocteau's ground-breaking film La Belle et la Bête. Sleek and mysterious, Michael B. Raiford's designs give dancers the freedom to move about the space while lending a sense of gravity to Stephen Mills' innovative production.

If you're confused, bear with me - I shall explain, with the help of some quotes from the development notes on the production (words in bold and underlined, are my emphasis):

“Belle Redux / A Tale of Beauty & the Beast is unlike anything I’ve previously brought to the stage, and much of that has to do with the way this work was conceived,” Mills acknowledged. “Four years ago, Joaquin Delegado, who was then running 3M’s Austin businesses, approached me with an idea and a concern. He was worried that young people might grow up in a world where the art of innovation—the act of making something better, more interesting or more useful—would be lost or confused with advancements in technology, which is not the same thing. He wanted Ballet Austin to create an original dance work underscoring the complexity of innovation and how it differs from invention, or creating something from scratch.

It turns out the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale is an excellent case study for innovation with regard to storytelling forms - one which Ballet Austin are seeking to continue the tradition of, as well as develop the evolution of with regard to how the story is told (and therefore received/what impact it will have).

From the press notes:

Belle Redux / A Tale of Beauty & the Beast follows the well-known storyline of the French novel La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) first published by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740 and then abridged and re-released by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont six years later. Over two centuries, this tale of a beautiful young woman, who becomes entrapped and then enamored of a prince-turned-beast, has evolved through various art forms. 

French filmmaker Jean Cocteau advanced Beauty and the Beast storytelling through his groundbreaking movie La Belle et la Bête in 1946. Fifty years later, Cocteau’s film noir inspired American composer Philip Glass to create an operatic score that serves as an alternative soundtrack for the movie. In 1991, Walt Disney Pictures transformed the story into an Academy Award-winning animated motion picture, which Disney then adapted into a Broadway musical four years later. Over the years, Beauty and the Beast has constantly transformed and is now a case study on innovation.

In 2015, Stephen Mills again innovates the Beauty and the Beast story and its presentation by unveiling a 21st century, multi-media experience...

Having seen several stage versions of Beauty and the Beast, including ballet and contemporary dance (none of which were Disney, by the way), I'm reserving judgement on how well the innovation aspect of this production is perceived (though I have little doubt the production itself should get excellent reviews). Although I'm extremely fascinated by the idea of evolving storytelling and wish what they are hoping to do will indeed be as revolutionary as they set out to be, I'd be surprised if it made it's way into the public consciousness the ways the other forms of the story have. Why? Because apart from one fairly straight ballet, everything I've seen was incredibly innovative and, most used multimedia as well. (And most of them had adult leanings rather than catered to family sensibilities.)

What's notable about this production, though, are a few things: one, 3M's involvement (which means advertising and getting the word out), the professional quality of the production not being in question, the call back to Cocteau's visual style with regard to the multimedia elements (see the images in the post) and the costumes being done in the particular dark-fairy-tale-meets-high-couture signature style of world renowned (and greatly missed) fashion designer and legend Alexander McQueen.
                                           

Drawing inspiration from haute couture and the imaginative designs of the late Alexander McQueen, Ballet Austin Artistic Director/Choreographer Stephen Mills and Costumer Designer Michael B. Raiford mix edgy urban looks with fantastical elements for their 21st century take on Beauty & the Beast.

There is an interview with the dancer playing Belle, Michelle Thompson, and though it will mainly interest those who know and love ballet, she gives her insights into how this Belle might be a little different and how the Beast may be different, as well as how they mirror each other. You can find that video HERE.

For those wondering how much/if the story will change, here's a snapshot of the program notes (click to see full size):

If anyone gets a chance to see this, I'd be personally interested in your impressions so please share. And snag me a program, would you?

"Re-enchantment: Ways To Interpret Fairy Tales" Now An iBook

If you're not familiar with Re-enchantment, it's a wonderful multimedia exploration of fairy tales, what they mean and how we use them. Inspiring for students, writers, artists and fairy tale enthusiasts in general, this is a wonderful and different fairy tale tool to have in your fairy tale library and research arsenal.

It's one of those presentations you can't quite believe has been created until you see it, and then you wonder why it has't been done before, because it makes so much sense. And it will excite you about the importance and power of fairy tales, more than ever.

I previously posted information about Re-enchantment: The Hidden Meanings Of Fairy Tales DVD HERE (and I thoroughly recommend the DVD!).

Re-enchantment is an immersive journey into the hidden meanings of fairy tales. Presented as an interactive multi-platform documentary project, it explores why fairy stories continue to enchant, entertain, fascinate and horrify contemporary adult audiences. From Rapunzel to Cinderella, and Bluebeard to Snow White, Re-enchantment challenges us to think about the hold these stories have on us and the way they are reinterpreted throughout our life and culture.

Recent good news to add to this, is that Film Art Media and Inside Out productions have also just released it in iBook form, available through iTunes.

Take a look at the intriguing trailer:

Here's more information to give you a better idea of what this project is, in case this is your first time hearing of it (emphasis in bold is mine):

Fairy tales are incredibly popular and well suited to an interactive landscape. The stories shape-shift over time and throughout cultures. They are mysterious. They can be entered from many angles and in different media. They are full of motifs and symbols. They can be interpreted in a multitude of ways that lend themselves to a multi-platform approach. 

Traditional fairy tales have a powerful hold on our cultural imagination. Adapted, revised and bowdlerised, they greet us in print and popular fiction, as a reality TV show to find an Australian princess, at the movies as Pan’s Labyrinth, Fur, Sex and the City and in advertisements for everything from Chanel to Moccona Coffee. They have been reworked by visual artists and photographers from Cindy Sherman and Corinna Sargood to Paula Rego and Rosemary Valadon. 

Rather than stripping away the mystery and enchantment, Re-enchantment shows how threading together various interpretations and versions of a story from the perspectives of psychology, social history and popular culture, deepens our connection to and fascination with the richness of fairy tales. 

Re-enchantment has been four years in the making and is groundbreaking in its originality and its scope. It is a poetic and provocative act of creative interpretation of fairy tales, bringing together digital video, documentary footage, feature film sequences, advertising, cartooning, photography, 
animation, artwork, still images and sound. 

Re-enchantment iBook Description:

Why do fairy tales continue to stir our adult imaginations? Fairy tale narratives and motifs are everywhere: in cinema, advertising, theatre, fiction and the visual arts. Why do they still enchant and entertain?  What are their hidden meanings? RE-ENCHANTMENT : WAYS TO INTERPRET FAIRY TALES, proposes new approaches to fairy tale interpretation: unlocking their archetypal motifs, symbols and psychological wisdom. 

Written by filmmaker and Jungian analyst Sarah Gibson and designed by Rose Draper, this visually stimulating eBook features video, audio, animation and stunning graphic design. It showcases re-imaginings by over thirty contemporary artists. Be curious. Be surprised. Be inspired. 

Here are the specs:

$4.99 - Available on iPad and Mac.Requirements: To view this book, you must have an iPad with iBooks 3 or later and iOS 5.1 or later, or a Mac with iBooks 1.0 or later and OS X 10.9 or later.

There's also a multimedia "multi-touch" study guide for Re-enchantment available HERE. The description is below:

Re-enchantment Study Guide by Sue Maslin & Sarah Gibson 

Re-enchantment is an immersive journey into the hidden meanings of fairy tales. Presented as an interactive iBook, it explores why fairy tales enchant, fascinate and horrify contemporary adult audiences. 

Re-enchantment provides users with an experience that is both immersive and interactive. As a creative interpretation of fairy tales, it brings together text, digital video, documentary footage, feature film sequences, cartooning, photography, artwork, still images and sound.  

$1.99 - Available on iPad and Mac.
Requirements: To view this book, you must have an iPad with iBooks 2 or later and iOS 5.0 or later, or a Mac with iBooks 1.0 or later and OS X 10.9 or later.

This book is available for download with iBooks on your Mac or iPad, and with iTunes on your computer. Multi-touch books can be read with iBooks on your Mac or iPad. Books with interactive features may work best on an iPad.

You can find and follow Re-enchantment on Facebook HERE.

by Jazmina Cininas

Multimedia Lecture: "Masters Reloaded: From 'Schneewittchen' to 'Sonne' The Brothers Grimm and Rammstein"

Some of you may remember the heavy metal song and video by German group Rammstein, telling a very different, provocative and dark retelling of Snow White from 2001. The song was titled 'Sonne' (meaning 'sun' in German).

I don't remember, however, any folklorist ever lecturing on it at length, other than to point out that the video existed. Well now we have a chance to hear a scholarly opinion on it, as well as other unusual places fairy tale motifs and plot lines have appeared in modern and pop culture, arts and music.

The event is summarized on Facebook HERE, and I found an article detailing a little of the impetus for this lecture as well.

From the Carroll County Times:

McDaniel College professor of German Mohamed Esa has made a career of examining the symbolism of German folklore and fairy tales and said he sometimes sees those symbols, such as gold and poisoned apples, popping up in unlikely places. Even places as unlikely as the music of German heavy metal band Rammstein. 

“I am not a fan, not a heavy metal guy, but some of the stuff that Rammstein does is very interesting,” Esa said. “They are very smart guys … some of their songs are based on famous poems by [German writer] Goethe or fairy tales by the brothers Grimm.” 

Esa will give a multi-media lecture on Rammstein’s use of fairy tale imagery at Hoover Library on the McDaniel College campus from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 17. 

Entitled “The Masters Reloaded: The Brothers Grimm and Rammstein,” the free talk will explore how symbols and themes from various versions of the Snow White fairy tale have been remastered and reinterpreted by Rammstein in the music video for their song, “Sonne.” Esa will present his talk and then show the music video. 

“Snow White is really twisted in the video. She is not the sweet innocent girl that goes into the forest and who is kept safe by the seven dwarves,” Esa said. “She is mature, she is sexually active and she is addicted to gold cocaine. The miners, the five members of the band, they bring her the gold and she sniffs it like cocaine. The heroine is addicted to heroin, the divine drug. At the end, she literally gives herself a golden shot of death.” 

According to Esa, Rammstein’s use of a gold-snorting Snow White is particularly interesting given a lesser-known version of the original tale that dates to around 1845. 

“In that version, after Snow White is poisoned, the dwarves try to revive her using a tincture of gold in her nose,” he said. “Is it a coincidence that in the video Snow White is addicted to gold cocaine? For me when I read this, I said, ‘Whoa, there must be something there.’” 

Esa said he first became aware of Rammstein in the late ’90s, around the time they had some crossover commercial success on American radio.

You can read the rest of the article HERE.

For those who haven't seen it and would like to, I've embedded the video below. (If you can't handle heavy metal music I suggest just turning the sound down.):

If you'd like to attend the lecture, here are the details:

What: The Masters Reloaded: The Brothers Grimm and Rammstein
When: 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Feb. 17
Where: The Wahrhaftig Room of the Hoover Library at McDaniel College, 2 College Hill, Westminster
Cost: Free!