Einstein gets animated

Einstein on the Big Screen- a celebratory film weekend exploring both Einstein's and science's screen images

Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd April, Watershed, 1 Canon's Road, Harbourside, Bristol
View the programme here (85k pdf)

A programme of discussions and film screenings exploring Einstein's impact on cinema took place on 2 and 3 April at Watershed Arts Centre in Bristol. The event was co-organised by Watershed and Institute of Physics Publishing as part of Einstein Year.

Einstein Year is a celebration of physics and its relevance to all our lives and the festival at Watershed, a harbour side arts venue in Bristol, aimed to demonstrate this through the medium of film.

A highlight of the weekend was a programme of short animated films created by third-year students from the University of the West of England (UWE). This was a chance to experience on the big screen the students' response to the work of Einstein. There were interpretations of Brownian motion and relativity but the appeal is in their unique presentation.

UWE was originally approached last year by the Institute of Physics Publishing to see if they could collaborate in some way to help celebrate Einstein Year. After discussion it was decided to offer the project as an open call to a third year animation group.

Five film makers took part. Heather Sands and Elaine Ormiston collaborated to produce an exquisite model animation of Einstein at a press conference. Lucy Baker devised two hand-drawn films based upon Einstein’s thoughts on light bending and his speed-mass-velocity work. Tom Readdy produced an imaginative film of Einstein, bored, working in an office, and what occurs there. Mauricio Orjeula made a multimedia film around Einstein’s work with Brownian motion.

John Parry, Senior Lecturer at UWE and the coordinator of the project said “This has been a great opportunity for the students to make a real piece of animation for a real client and for a real event. It has allowed the students to demonstrate their understanding of science and the universe as explored by Einstein and the work he carried out in his miraculous year of 1905. The project enlightened us about the principles of physics and how they might be presented creatively and originally.”

A host of other activities took place over the weekend including two panel discussions: Why Einstein Still Matters and Einstein's Impact on the Arts and the Cinematic Imagination. There were also screenings of the cult film Donnie Darko and a double bill of both the short film La Jetee and the feature it inspired: 12 Monkeys; reflecting the theme of science and film.

Also showing was Riddles of the Dead: The Secret of Einstein's Brain, directed and produced by physicist Dr Jim Al-Khalili and Neurophysiologist Dr Mark Lythgoe and The Story of the Man by his Friends which gave the audience a rare opportunity to see early footage about Einstein.

For more information visit
http://www.watershed.co.uk/exhibition/cinema/films/einstein.html

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Notes to editors:

1.       Interviews with Watershed programme director, the students involved in the animation project and Institute of Physics representatives can be arranged. These have been created by students from the University of West England and will be shown over the weekend. Photographers and journalists are welcome to attend the event on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd April 2005.For further information or interviews contact: Sally Fairclough, Press Officer, Tel: 020 7470 4813 or 07786075739, E-mail: sally.fairclough@iop.org

2.       Einstein Year is a year-long celebration of physics and its relevance to all our lives. Marking the centenary of Einstein’s three ground-breaking ideas it communicates the vital role physics plays in developing new technologies like cancer screening equipment and mobile phones, whilst addressing big questions such as how the Universe was created and how climate change can be tackled.

3.       The Institute of Physics is a leading international professional body and learned society with over 37,000 members, which promotes the advancement and dissemination of a knowledge of and education in the science of physics, pure and applied. It has a world-wide membership and is a major international player in:

- scientific publishing and electronic dissemination of physics;

- setting professional standards for physicists and awarding professional qualifications;

- promoting physics through scientific conferences, education and science policy advice.

The Institute is a member of the Science Council, and a nominated body of the Engineering Council. The Institute works in collaboration with national physical societies and plays an important role in transnational societies such as the European Physical Society and represents British and Irish physicists in international organisations. In Great Britain and Ireland the Institute is active in providing support for physicists in all professions and careers, encouraging physics research and its applications, providing support for physics in schools, colleges and universities, influencing government and informing public debate.

Released: 2005/03/29 14:53:13.437 GMT+1