Recording a Nihon-buyo performance using Free Viewpoint Video System
At the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, we are working to develop new methods for recording traditional performing arts. The “Free Viewpoint Video System” places cameras around the subject, records the subject’s movements from all directions, and allows the footage to be viewed from any angle. In theatrical genres such as classical performing arts, where a certain direction on stage is perceived as the front, the system makes it possible to analyze movements and postures at a certain point in time from various angles (for example, the side or back), which may lead to new approaches in the transmission of techniques and analytical research of performing arts.
On July 10, 2024, a performance was conducted with the cooperation of Mr. FUJIMA Kiyotsugu, a tachikata performer of the Fujima school of the Nihon-buyo, and was filmed with 16 cameras, showing a suodori dance (danced without costume or wig) of “Musume Dojoji” to focus on the body movements when using props. After filming, the footage was reviewed from various perspectives, and on December 18, 2024 and January 10, 2025, the performer Mr. FUJIMA Kiyotsugu, system developers from the Denkosha Co., Ltd., and researchers from our institute Mr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Ms. MAEHARA Megumi, Head of the Intangible Cultural Properties Section, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Ms. KAMATA Sayumi, Researcher of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, exchanged opinions and provided feedback from their respective positions on the expected purposes of use, points to be aware of when using the system, operability, and desired functions. In addition, on January 11, 2025, the preliminary results of this research were orally presented at the second plenary meeting of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research “Materia-Mind: Constructing a New Human Historical Science of the Co-creation of Material and Mind”* under the title “Performing arts and kinesiology: Analysis of the performer’s physical movements” by Mr. ISHIMURA.
We will continue working with performers and system developers to explore approaches that can serve as new recording and research tools for traditional performing arts.
*Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Area (A) FY 2024-2028 “Materia-Mind: Constructing a New Human Historical Science of the Co-creation of Material and Mind” (Principal Investigator: MATSUMOTO Naoko / No. 24A102)