Innovating Film with Sara Coppola-Nicholson
Sara Coppola-Nicholson often has a hard time explaining exactly what she does in terms that most people can understand. In contrast, the results of her work require no explanation and often leave audiences dumbfounded. At the intersection of the Venn Diagram for film and tech is where Sara and her work exist. Her reputation brought Abi Bowman (Head of Projects) of the acclaimed Foundry to seek her out and oversee groundbreaking new areas in film like virtual reality and augmented reality. While so many are following the trends in entertainment, Coppola-Nicholson and Foundry have been rewriting the code upon which reality is communicated. Nearly four and a half years as a Senior Project Manager at Foundry has placed Sara deep into the investigation, experimentation, and exploration of the technology of tomorrow. A self-described “techy”, she’s had an eclectic professional journey which has included everything from TV journalism to spreadsheets to making films and redefining the possibilities of how entertainment is experienced. Although she has a gift for business, it’s the creative side of her personality that mostly wins as she describes, “Working side by side with world class talent, pushing the boundaries of technology, supporting constant experimentation and creation of tools that will help creatives revolutionise the Film and Design Industries as we know them today…that’s definitely my cup of tea!”
Most of us search to find our true calling. For Sara, this has been established with her work as a professional leading the direction of filmmaking. That might sound aggrandizing but her work on many different productions confirms that she’s doing much more than enabling storytelling; she’s an active part of reimagining its possibilities. VR is the most progressive technology being examined and experimented with in modern filmmaking. While the norm is to adapt projects and techniques of traditional media to VR, Sara’s work on a production titled BlindSight, seeks to do the inverse; that is, to create content which subscribes to the 360-degree screen available with VR. A truly momentous project, Blindsight will redefine what is possible to create in cinema. Additionally, the film will require a new approach with camera systems, lenses, lights, set, and post-production workflow for both audio and vision.
In the cue following BlindSight, Coppola-Nicholson will produce the series Mules. While interactive productions have seen some success, the producer confirms a vastly different approach for this tale of five different drug mules in precarious scenarios. She relates, “Most of the productions of this kind so far have no real uniqueness to the story which every member of the audience experiences. With Mules, we’re not designing an experience that will ‘empower’ the audience, but rather to make them suspend the disbelief in a more immersive way. It’s like when you’re at a party full of people and choose which conversation you want to follow, consequently becoming part of the conversation but without being able to impact what everyone says. It’s not about asking the viewer to change the creative aspect of the project but in targeting every member of the audience with a personalization never seen before. I think the audience needs more intelligent stimuli; they need to be asked to think and feel. In every project I work on, my ultimate goal is for the audience to have something to say about it after they leave.”
A visit to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles inspired another daring production. Strolling about the art amidst the grand architecture of the Getty, Sara pondered, “What if augment reality became the link between theatre and the architecture it is performed in?” If actualized, ART may provide the access to classic works and the sensorial atmosphere in which they are experienced. Though possibly far-fetched and most certainly connected to surmountable obstacles, it’s not as if Sara Coppola-Nicholson hasn’t faced scary challenges in her professional career. If one were to embark upon such a challenge, she’d be the best choice. Sara declares, “I am very much a black & white person. I never get involved partially into something. Either I deeply and completely believe in a project, or I don’t. When it comes to producing, I always do my best to be as prepared and informed as possible, so my strategy and plan are supported by knowledge and facts. Generally, I don’t tend to get negative answers, but if it happens, I just find ways of turning a no into a yes or move to the next steps to achieve what I established to be my goal. It may take me longer and require more effort but I’m still going to deliver.”
