“Cyclorama: The Big Picture” Rotunda Film
For most of its existence since 1886, The Battle of Atlanta cyclorama has been shown as an attraction. The Civil War painting originally depicted the battle as a heroic Union victory to engage Northern audiences in Minneapolis where it debuted.
The Challenge
The main challenge AHC faced surrounding The Battle of Atlanta illustration was to address the changing interpretations and presentations of the painting over time.
Project Vision
To help explain that the cyclorama is a subjective interpretation, the team developed a film about the history of the painting and projected it directly onto the canvas in order to create a unique and immersive experience with an unmistakable message: history is never static.
Design + Execution
The 12-minute film is projected across 125 feet of the painting (approximately one third of the canvas) using five projectors and a specially-designed sound system. The film focuses not just on the actual Battle of Atlanta, but also on what The Battle of Atlanta cyclorama represented to different audiences over time, bringing the past and present together. Using scripted and costumed actors, the film explores the various interpretations of the cyclorama across its 132-year history through the viewpoints of composite characters who come to see the painting, from 1886 to the present-day visitor, as well as explanations from the artists who have created, modified, and restored the painting. This approach makes the exhibition experience more inclusive and provides perspectives that may have been previously overlooked, giving modern audiences much to think about, including a critical look at how history is made.
Project Details
Design Team
Joe Cortina, Creative Director
Jen Fetsch, Senior Producer
Kia Meredith-Caballero, Producer
Amanda Scherer, Director of Editing and Animation
Andrew Prasse, Visual Effects Supervisor / Editor
Katie O’Gorman, Production Assistant
Collaborators
Building Four Fabrication, Cyclorama Diorama
Joseph Lazzari, Cyclorama Diorama
CEI, A/V Integration
Malone Design, Exhibit Fabrication
Avyve, Exhibit Fabrication and A/V Integration
Photo Credits
Atlanta History Center
Open Date
February 2019