“Hamlet 360: Thy Father’s Spirit” was one of the most challenging productions I’ve ever faced. Conversations about the script adaptation, production design, set design, music, and visual effects began over a year in advance of the shoot. As a technical director and cinematographer, I constantly helped shape the daunting scope of the project so that it would amplify and compliment a very precise set of experiential mechanics that were designed to make you feel like you were caste as the ghost of Hamlet’s dead father. It was a very intricate puzzle, and as I eventually also took on the role of editor, I got to reassemble the pieces of this one-hour masterpiece!
Many excellent minds contributed to this production, and it received glowing writeups in both the New York Times and Boston Globe. These include some of my deepest insights into the immersive production process: “We run away and hide,” Mr. Niederhauser said, “and then action is called.” All jests aside, I highly recommend carving out the time to watch the entire experience, even if you must take breaks between acts. We launched the“Hamlet 360: Thy Father’s Spirit” in coordination with WGBH, and you can find it on YouTube. Remember this is best seen in headset! If you want to hear more about the project, please listen to the podcast below from the Folger Shakespeare Library and also check out my set photography from the beautifully crumbling Paramount Theatre on Staten Island.
