Macon Film Festival offers a different kind of viewing experience
People will be able to see more than stars at the Museum of Arts and Sciences planetarium this weekend.
Ordinarily the planetarium takes visitors on a virtual tour of the galaxy, but as a part of the Macon Film Festival, the projection dome will be used for a different purpose. The planetarium will show 32 full-dome films with an artistic flair rather than the science films normally shown on the dome.
The films offer computer-generated imagery set to music, and the opening night will feature live music. The festival will also offer virtual reality films viewed through a headset.
“I really feel like we are trying to show the correlation and the way technology and art can be integrated,” said Julie Wilkerson, president of the film festival. “I feel like those two additions are allowing our audience to have a completely different film experience than we have offered before.”
The first full-dome film screening on Thursday will open the festival, which runs from Friday to Sunday. The opening event is for anyone with a All Access VIP Pass, or a single-event ticket can be purchased for $50.
Although the full-dome films will begin showing at noon Thursday, the event with the live music will be at 7:30 p.m. It will feature the premiere of the film “Sonolumin” by Diana Reichenbach. It is described as a stop-frame animated 360-degree full-dome film “exploring the relationship of light, sound and space.”
The event will also feature three other full-dome films by Reichenbach. All will have live music by percussionist and composer Thad Anderson.
The virtual reality films will be shown at The Grand Opera House. The offering of full-dome and virtual reality films is funded by a grant from the Knight Foundation.
Susan Welsh, executive director of the Museum of Arts and Sciences, said the museum has sought to use the planetarium for artistic purposes as well as science.
“We are doing more with our planetarium than any other planetarium I know of in the United States,” she said.
For a full schedule of screenings this weekend and for information on tickets, go to maconfilmfestival.com.
This story was originally published August 15, 2018 at 4:18 PM.