From time to time, we come across new and exciting areas where you would least expect to find Final Cut Studio used in such wonderful and creative manner. A few years ago, we started to receive staff from the Hong Kong Academy of Performance - School of Dance, attending Apple certified Final Cut Pro and Motion courses at Fatbars. One of the earliest to come was Mr Graeme Collins, Head of Ballet at the School of Dance. From day one, we were very curious how did Final Cut Pro played a part inside the School of Dance. Finally, we contacted Ms Wendy Chu (Lecturer at the School of Dance) who attended Apple Certified Motion class to show us around the Academy.

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, established by Government Ordinance in 1984, is one of the leading institutes of higher arts education in Asia. The Academy have 5 schools, one of which is the School of Dance. The central focus of the School of Dance is on the high quality education and training of young dance artists for the profession of performers, choreographers, and teachers who will be articulate advocates for their art form, and drive it forward with passion and energy. Small class sizes, highly experienced faculty from around the world, regular visits by internationally renown guest artists, and opportunities to not only perform in four major productions a year, but to also tour nationally and internationally, makes the School one of the leading dance conservatoires in the world – and an exciting place to be.

Their Master of Fine Arts Course is an exciting new development in the School. As with the undergraduate programme, integration is a key feature - of practice and theory, of the performing arts disciplines, of professional practice with MFA study, and of students across the Academy’s other Schools. This rich and multi-dimensional environment supports the development of both new career paths and directions, and the generation of original work which contributes to knowledge and practice in the field of dance.

   

This is where we met up with Mr. Graeme as he showed us how Final Cut Pro was integrated into the MFA Course. Currently, Mr. Graeme Collins teaches ballet technique, repertory and pas de deux, as well digital video editing on the MFA (Dance) program. Mr. Graeme Colins is a certified Apple Certified   Final Cut Pro End User editor and had produced, filmed and edited the School of Dance promotional videos.



Thanks to Mr. Greame and Ms. Wendy, we had the opportunities to see first hand the short form videos edited and shot by their schools’ up and coming choreographers.  The amazing thing is all the choreographers had no previously experience with any video editing or video production. It was clear that the art of video editing and the art of creating dance coexist very well in this free and creative world. The idea is to give choreographers a video camera, teach them the basic of video editing using FCP, no budget and see creative visual through their eyes. Editing is like choreographing. Putting different visual and space into a work of art and creativity. One of the choreographer created a multimedia dance experiences, by projecting video images on to set pieces interacting with live dancers.
As Mr Greame Collins said, “ When technology and creativity come together, it can be Magical.”


Thanks to the School of Dance for having us. We hope this story will inspire you as much as it did inspire us.


Client : 客戶