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This program offers a thought-provoking exploration into the role of animation as a powerful medium for driving social change. Through a series of in-depth discussions, we delve into how animated works can spark conversations, challenge societal norms, and inspire movements.
In this fascinating discussion, director Moshe Mahler and star Bill Shannon discuss their six year journey to make their animated documentary, The Art of Weightlessness.
“The Art of Weightlessness chronicles the evolution of artist and performer, Bill Shannon. Born with a degenerative hip condition, Bill developed new ways to express himself through dance and skateboarding on crutches.”
This film is not about disability, it’s about leveraging art and technologies to bring forth innovation and curiosity. It challenges its viewers to not focus on the disability and appreciate the creativity, skill and inventiveness of one person’s exploration of movement.
In Moshe’s own words, “We all have challenges or adversity in life, some more serious than others, but we all have challenges nonetheless. Bill’s circumstances led to his evolution, which resulted in a very tangible and beautiful expression of art and movement.
Image Credit: The Art of Weightlessness © 2023 Moshe Mahler. All Rights Reserved.
SPEAKERS
Moshe Mahler
Principal & Owner // BIG eMotion Technologies
(The Art of Weightlessness, Up in the Lemon Tree, Animalz)
Moshe Mahler is an award-winning animator, innovator, and storyteller whose work has been featured in attractions at Disney Parks and Resorts and shown worldwide at venues including SIGGRAPH, UIST, Comic Con, and Ars Electronica.
For nearly a decade, Mahler led The Creative Technology Team at Disney Research of The Walt Disney Company, where he served as the Principal Artist. Under his supervision, the team worked hand in hand with Research Scientists to invent and utilize new technologies across the Walt Disney Company, collaborating with Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney Television Animation, Imagineering, and more.
Mahler has authored more than 10 technical paper publications at premiere conferences and is an inventor of four issued patents. Moshe currently holds a Faculty position at The Entertainment Technology Center of Carnegie Mellon University and is a Principal and Owner of BIG eMotion Technologies.
His art works and animated films have been featured in a number of venues internationally, including SIGGRAPH 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017.
William Shannon
Artist and Inventor // Independent
(United States Artist Fellow, Foundation for Contemporary Arts Fellow, Guggenheim Foundation Fellow, Cirque Du Soleil Choreographer)
Bill Shannon (1970) is an interdisciplinary artist, inventor and maker who explores body-centric work through video installation, sculpture, drawing, linguistics, sociology, choreography and dance.
Bill has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in Choreography, a Foundation For Contemporary Art Fellowship in Performance Art, and a United States Artist Fellowship in Dance. Bill has received three NEA Multidisciplinary Arts Awards and worked as a choreographer on the creative team behind Cirque Du Soleil’s “Varekai” Bill’s interdisciplinary works have been performed and exhibited globally and include a multi-year street performance “Regarding The Fall” and correlated line art series “Notes on Performance” a video installation series “Fragmentation Series” and five group works for dance theater focused on translating "street dance" to the stage.
Shannon’s last group work “TouchUpdate” (pre-covid) involved him designing & fabricating a Wearable Video Mask. A feature length documentary, “Crutch” 2020 focusing on Shannon’s life and work is currently available streaming on Apple TV, Discovery+.
Currently Shannon continues to work independently on a range of self-directed projects while caring for his family in Pittsburgh PA.
MODERATOR
Ling Chiu
Filmmaker & Educator // Independent
Ling has written, directed, and produced a number of award-winning short dramatic and experimental films and videos, as well as a documentary with the National Film Board of Canada. She believes strongly in the power of films and its place to help enact social change.
Ling has spent many years as a festival previewer for the Vancouver International Film Festival for both the International and Canadian selection committees and also for the SPARK ANIMATION Festival in Vancouver. She has also served as a Producer for the SPARK ANIMATION Festival 2024 - Animation For Change Program.
Currently, she is working as a specialist teacher for students with extreme complex cognitive and physical challenges where she developed a media arts program and employed her filmmaking skills to enhance their educational needs both creatively and exceptionally.
This program offers a thought-provoking exploration into the role of animation as a powerful medium for driving social change. Through a series of in-depth discussions, we delve into how animated works can spark conversations, challenge societal norms, and inspire movements.
In this fascinating discussion, director Moshe Mahler and star Bill Shannon discuss their six year journey to make their animated documentary, The Art of Weightlessness.
“The Art of Weightlessness chronicles the evolution of artist and performer, Bill Shannon. Born with a degenerative hip condition, Bill developed new ways to express himself through dance and skateboarding on crutches.”
This film is not about disability, it’s about leveraging art and technologies to bring forth innovation and curiosity. It challenges its viewers to not focus on the disability and appreciate the creativity, skill and inventiveness of one person’s exploration of movement.
In Moshe’s own words, “We all have challenges or adversity in life, some more serious than others, but we all have challenges nonetheless. Bill’s circumstances led to his evolution, which resulted in a very tangible and beautiful expression of art and movement.
Image Credit: The Art of Weightlessness © 2023 Moshe Mahler. All Rights Reserved.
SPEAKERS
Moshe Mahler
Principal & Owner // BIG eMotion Technologies
(The Art of Weightlessness, Up in the Lemon Tree, Animalz)
Moshe Mahler is an award-winning animator, innovator, and storyteller whose work has been featured in attractions at Disney Parks and Resorts and shown worldwide at venues including SIGGRAPH, UIST, Comic Con, and Ars Electronica.
For nearly a decade, Mahler led The Creative Technology Team at Disney Research of The Walt Disney Company, where he served as the Principal Artist. Under his supervision, the team worked hand in hand with Research Scientists to invent and utilize new technologies across the Walt Disney Company, collaborating with Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney Television Animation, Imagineering, and more.
Mahler has authored more than 10 technical paper publications at premiere conferences and is an inventor of four issued patents. Moshe currently holds a Faculty position at The Entertainment Technology Center of Carnegie Mellon University and is a Principal and Owner of BIG eMotion Technologies.
His art works and animated films have been featured in a number of venues internationally, including SIGGRAPH 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017.
William Shannon
Artist and Inventor // Independent
(United States Artist Fellow, Foundation for Contemporary Arts Fellow, Guggenheim Foundation Fellow, Cirque Du Soleil Choreographer)
Bill Shannon (1970) is an interdisciplinary artist, inventor and maker who explores body-centric work through video installation, sculpture, drawing, linguistics, sociology, choreography and dance.
Bill has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in Choreography, a Foundation For Contemporary Art Fellowship in Performance Art, and a United States Artist Fellowship in Dance. Bill has received three NEA Multidisciplinary Arts Awards and worked as a choreographer on the creative team behind Cirque Du Soleil’s “Varekai” Bill’s interdisciplinary works have been performed and exhibited globally and include a multi-year street performance “Regarding The Fall” and correlated line art series “Notes on Performance” a video installation series “Fragmentation Series” and five group works for dance theater focused on translating "street dance" to the stage.
Shannon’s last group work “TouchUpdate” (pre-covid) involved him designing & fabricating a Wearable Video Mask. A feature length documentary, “Crutch” 2020 focusing on Shannon’s life and work is currently available streaming on Apple TV, Discovery+.
Currently Shannon continues to work independently on a range of self-directed projects while caring for his family in Pittsburgh PA.
MODERATOR
Ling Chiu
Filmmaker & Educator // Independent
Ling has written, directed, and produced a number of award-winning short dramatic and experimental films and videos, as well as a documentary with the National Film Board of Canada. She believes strongly in the power of films and its place to help enact social change.
Ling has spent many years as a festival previewer for the Vancouver International Film Festival for both the International and Canadian selection committees and also for the SPARK ANIMATION Festival in Vancouver. She has also served as a Producer for the SPARK ANIMATION Festival 2024 - Animation For Change Program.
Currently, she is working as a specialist teacher for students with extreme complex cognitive and physical challenges where she developed a media arts program and employed her filmmaking skills to enhance their educational needs both creatively and exceptionally.
