Celestial events capture our imaginations distinctly. Long before the total eclipse took place, humans were preparing for it. Many planned vacations so they could travel to locations of optimal viewing across America. When the cosmos offers something this rare, people take notice. It’s been this way as long as humans have gazed at the sky.
Scientists, ancient and modern, have used the technologies available to them to try to make sense out of what they see during eclipses. At the same time, ancient and modern cultures have reacted to them with varied responses. Total eclipses are surrounded with explanations resulting from spiritual beliefs, folklore and myths. Science, spirituality, mythology and folklore entwine when eclipses rule the sky.
Fleeting as they are, they remind us all, for a brief time, that time is finite for us. That’s when the best photographic images become more meaningful. Capturing the moment means much more than a casual selfie with the sun. Photographers who recorded the event have been busy since the most recent total eclipse with curating the best of their work. Now is the time to view their artistic results.
Erick Oh, co-director of the short music video <em>Totality</em>, has created a stunning piece of work. Using images by Rainbow Astro, both moving and still, with the compelling score by Tracey Chattaway, Totality allows viewers a brief meditation on the immensity of the event. The video is receiving top critiques from photographers for its technical achievements and spectacular beauty.
Erik Oh earned his BFA in Fine Art at Seoul National University in 2006, followed by an MFA at UCLA in Film, Television and Digital Media in 2010. He is an animator and filmmaker from Korea, based in the United States, with numerous awards from international film festivals. He also was an animator for Pixar Animation Studios, contributing to <em>Finding Dory</em> and <em>Inside Out</em>. He’s currently the Director at Tonko House, where storytelling in short films, graphic novels and other projects is the focus. Erik, along with Yoon Chung Han, documented the recent total eclipse using Rainbow Astro technology developed by Dr. Jun Ho Oh.
Co-director Jun Ho Oh, is the director at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and developer of Rainbow Astro which created the images for <em>Totality. </em> Dr. Oh also developed Hubo, the first Korean walking humanoid robot. Dr. Ho received his PhD from UC Berkeley and his MSc and BSc from Yonsei University, Korea. Dr. Oh developed the equipment used to track the close-up of the Sun’s eclipse periphery. His Rainbow Astro’s products include mounts and piers, and his technology was used to capture the images of glowing beads on the edge of the Moon, pink solar prominences, and details in the Sun’s corona.
Chattaway’s score <em>Nightsky</em> is taken from the album of the same name. She’s an Australian composer who specializes in instrumental music, which includes cinematic soundscapes and piano melodies combined to create inspiration and reflection. <em>Nightsky</em> is available online as a digital download.
Professor Oh joined Erick Oh in the desert, just after 6am, to set up for viewing and photographing the total eclipse. A group of dedicated astronomers, photographers, family members and interested friends gathered to experience the total eclipse together. Excited cheers in Korean and English filled the desert as the eclipse unfolded. Over 18 years of chasing eclipses, with 11 seen since his first in Sivas, Turkey, Dr. Oh had developed the technology to capture all the details he had missed on previous trials. Plans are already in the works for the July 2nd, 2019 total eclipse in Chile. With Erik on board, the next short film will be as moving as <em>Totality</em> is now. They’re capturing their dream images and sharing the cosmos with the rest of us.
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