Pinewood’s Audio/Video Production class is bringing this spring’s musical “Amélie” to life with digital technology. In collaboration with the Performing Arts department, the class will create video projections around the stage that showcase the inner thoughts of the main character, Amélie.

   “[Amélie] is a character with a pretty active imagination,” Audio/Video Production teacher Rob Bergenstock said. “The projections and the videos that we’ll be creating are manifestations of that imagination.”

   Set in Paris in the 1990s, the “Amélie” musical portrays the character development of Amélie, a young woman with a troubled childhood. Amélie was neglected by her parents and taught to hide her emotions.      

   “When [Amélie] grew up, she never really let herself get close to anybody,” senior and cast member Jerry Yan said. “Then she meets this boy and wants to know more about him…but is also scared to show her feelings.”

   Bergenstock believes that the projections will help to underscore the complexity of Amélie’s character and let the audience better follow her journey. 

   “When she gets lost in her own thoughts and into that special way she sees the world, these visual elements come out to the audience,” Bergenstock said.

   The projections are pre-recorded videos, not live effects, and the Audio/Video Production class will be filming with different types of cameras such as cell phone cameras and camcorders. The class will utilize a variety of software including Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and QLab to manage cues for the performance.

   These video projections have not always been incorporated into musicals at Pinewood, as there are various technical and artistic aspects to consider. 

   “For last year’s spring musical ‘Alice by Heart,’ we didn’t use any projections,” Bergenstock said. “It took place in a subway in World War II, and that would seem out of place.” 

   There are times when the projections are meant to capture the audience’s attention and other moments when they remain in the background. Bergenstock wants to ensure that the projections do not overshadow the acting. 

   “It very much depends on the moment of the show,” Bergenstock said. “[Sometimes] they’re meant to just fill in the world and provide a little bit of detail, but not to upstage the actors.” 

   The Audio/Video Productions class is looking forward to revealing these new technological elements when “Amélie” premieres Apr. 23.