Dr Li Ping Thong, Associate Dean (Digital Design), said this collaboration was a testament to RMIT’s School of Design offering students real-world opportunities.
"I couldn’t be prouder to see our Animation students build on RMIT’s reputation for having one of the best animation programs in Australia,” Thong said.
“Collaborating with the MSO at The Capitol wasn’t just a showcase of their creative and technical talent - it was a testament to the strength of our School of Design in preparing students for impactful, real-world opportunities like this.“
“This is why we’re leaders in digital design education."
A student reflection
Student Patricia Olivia produced an animation for the program together with classmates Maddie Hai Lin and Jana Enriquez based on a ‘moment of realisation’.
“When I thought of realisation, my first thought was clarity; to see things clearly. This idea led me to light reflections, and eventually a suncatcher,” Olivia said.
Their animation captured the idea that the suncatcher itself is transparent and multifaceted, suggesting the complexity of truth.
“It’s through this object that light takes on new forms, much like a new idea reframes understanding. The dancing reflections, meanwhile, symbolise moments of clarity or insight - when fragments of truth or a new perspective come into view, breaking through an old, rigid worldview.”
She said the project allowed a great deal of artistic creativity and was wowed by the work of her classmates.
“We were given total control, allowing us to explore, experiment, and create whatever we choose. As a creative, I have found this to be very enjoyable,” she said.
“I'm just as amazed by my classmates' works during the screening as the rest of the audience, since we didn’t see the final versions of everyone's works prior to the screening. I'm so proud of everyone for having completed their work in time!”
Celebrating a Melbourne icon
The special performance was held as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations for The Capitol.
From silent films to contemporary performance, near demolition to reinvention, the theatre has stood the test of time. RMIT acquired The Capitol building in 1999 to use as a teaching space for its film and media students.
This November, RMIT brought together industry and creative partners, government, donors, alumni, staff and students to celebrate the centenary of this Melbourne cultural icon.
Opening in November 1924 the Chicago-Gothic-style theatre, then known as the Capitol Theatre, was the first extravagant “picture palace” to be built in Victoria. It is renowned for its ceiling which is made up of 33,000 plaster crystals lit by thousands of coloured lights to create the impression of a crystalline cave of wonder.
Story: Nick Adams
