Producer, Tom Cummings, former Matthew Bourne dancer Swan Lake, used Unreal Engine to create an award-winning new contemporary ballet feature film. Aberthol, took five years to write, choreograph, film and produce. His company, Renaissance dance theater, received a MegaGrant from Epic Games.
“Unreal Engine is more than just a game engine,” Cummings noted. “It is radically changing many industries, including media and entertainment. For a small independent dance company, these tools are revolutionary.
“I am extremely grateful to Epic Games, their support has allowed me to turn my ideas into reality,” he added. “High-end visuals and special effects are becoming more and more accessible. It’s incredible that an art form like contemporary ballet can benefit from this democratization.
Aberthol was filmed entirely on green screens, allowing the dance to take place in a world created in Unreal Engine. Hollywood has already used this technology for titles such as The Mandalorian, but this is the first time that it is used for contemporary ballet.
The film’s evocative Viking soundscape was written by award-winning composer Austin Wintory and was originally used for the games. The banner saga and Horn. Cummings discovered Wintory through his soundtrack for the indie classic, Journey.
Aberthol is a tale of the ancient world, a time torn between chaos and order. In this purely danced story, our protagonist Andra finds herself caught in the storm of war, linked to a journey of sacrifice and redemption. With an epic Viking soundscape, composed by Austin Wintory and performed by the Hollywood Symphony and the Dallas Winds, Aberthol is a feast for the ears as much as for the eyes.
Watch the trailer:
The full film is available for full viewing here.
Currently Aberthol is on the film festival circuit and has so far won Best Dance Short Film at the Independent Shorts Awards, has been a finalist for both Best First-Time Director at the Canadian Cinematography Awards and for Best Experimental Film at the European Cinematography Awards, as well as semi-finalist for Best Feature Film at the New York Cinematography Awards.
Epic MegaGrants is a $ 100 million program that continues Epic Games’ long-standing commitment to the success of all creators and is designed to serve and assist game developers; business professionals; media and entertainment creators; students; educators; and tool developers doing outstanding work with Unreal Engine or enhancing open source capabilities for the 3D graphics community.
Source: Renaissance dance theater
