Colloquium in Visual Culture
Join the Center for Visual Culture for "Crowds of Dust: Atmospheric Assemblage and the Contemporary Blockbuster," presented by Kartik Nair, Assistant Professor of Film Studies, Temple University.
Crowds are everywhere in contemporary blockbusters. This paper will focus on the Telugu blockbuster RRR (S.S. Rajamouli, 2022), and its evocation of the "dusty crowd": an Indian public protesting British colonial rule, kicking up dust in agitation. Visual effects (VFX) create swarms by algorithmically multiplying digital figures (known as agents) and by blending these digital figures with real performers (in profilmic space). Comparing historical practices of "crowd work" in filmmaking to their regeneration in digital pipelines provides a unique opportunity to see how latent and long-lasting ideas about unruly publics become images.
Bryn Mawr College welcomes the full participation of all individuals in all aspects of campus life. Should you wish to request a disability-related accommodation for this event, please contact the event sponsor/coordinator. Requests should be made as early as possible.