The finished project was like watching a live movie on three screens. Displayed on the main screen were the pre-recorded dream segments and the actors performing live at another location. Then on the two side screens, the audience had the opportunity to view the musicians as they were performing a live soundtrack for the main center screen. Watch a video clip.

Funding was provided by Ball State's Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts and Animation (IDIAA), one of four immersive learning institutes established by a $20 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Ball State. The institute's centerpiece is a digital studio that immerses students in the production of intermedia art and 3-D animation and allows them to collaborate with artists and industry professionals.

The faculty judges were impressed with the ambitiousness and innovative nature of this project, not to mention how two undergraduate students were able to pull off such a giant coordinated effort among so many students from so many disciplines.

-- Keith Kothman, associate professor of music

Nicholas Johnson
Major: Music Technology
Minor: Digital Media
Hometown: Lafayette, IN
Role in Project: Co-producer / composer of Dream 5
Aspiration: Attend graduate school and study film scoring

The script was adapted from an original short story written by Ball State student Anthony Settineri. Five student directors used high definition cameras to shoot five videos of the dreams. Each director was also assigned a composer to write music for each dream. 

Two dreams required even further student collaboration with animation and rotoscoping of the video. Rotoscoping breaks video down into individual frames which are then drawn over by hand giving a cartoon effect. MORE...