Abstract

Ever since the invention of photography, science has been playing an increasing role in the development of artistic movements and art forms. New digital technologies grant artists the means to explore expressive possibilities that were unimaginable twenty years ago. Film, in particular, has been in the forefront of the fusion of applied science, aesthetics, and high and popular art. The technical breakthroughs and popular success of James Cameron’s “Avatar” suggest that future films will further breakdown the barriers between artistic genres. The traditional flat screen no longer separates the action from the audience. Emerging digital equipment and techniques grant filmmakers new visual and narrative options. Film and sculpture could merge into all-enveloping kinetic installations. This paper will address these developments from a practical perspective as science and art meet in art schools to inform a new generation of artists working in film and animation.