ANCIENT PATHS. A STILTS LIFE STORY/ANTICHE TRACCE LA VITA IN PALAFITTA
VIRTUAL REALITY SHORT FILM BY ETT IN FIAVÉ PARK PREMIERES IN DESENZANO DEL GARDA
SEPTEMBER 19, 2024, 10:00 AM
Museo Civico Archeologico G. Rambotti – Via Anelli, 42 – Desenzano del Garda (BS)
The six-minute work, divided into six scenes, uses innovative and immersive language to trace the daily activities of the prehistoric society that inhabited one of Europe’s oldest UNESCO-listed pile-dwelling agricultural communities.
Desenzano del Garda (BS), September 19, 2024 – ETT S.p.A., an international digital and creative industry, presented the short film “Ancient paths. A stilts life story – Antiche tracce. La vita in palafitta” at the G. Rambotti Archaeological Civic Museum in Desenzano del Garda. Five months of production, including development and filming, went into creating this Virtual Reality short set in the Fiavé Archeo Nature Park in the province of Trento. The film, divided into six scenes, centers on one of Europe’s oldest farming communities that built and inhabited prehistoric alpine pile-dwelling villages between 3,800 BC and 1,500 BC.
The Municipality of Desenzano del Garda leads the innovative project “UNESCO Pile Dwellings. Development of Joint Projects for the Promotion and Enhancement of Italian Sites,” funded by the Ministry of Tourism, involving seven other northern Italian municipalities belonging to the Alpine pile-dwelling sites UNESCO World Heritage circuit: Ledro, Fiavé, Monzambano, Polcenigo, Arona, Lonato del Garda, and Arquà Petrarca.
Each thematic scene in the VR short lasts about one minute and is filmed in 360 degrees to provide an immersive experience.
The short film “Ancient paths. A stilts life story – Antiche tracce. La vita in palafitta” will be featured at the upcoming Rovereto Archaeology Memory Film Festival from October 2-6 in the RAM X Program at the Museum of Science and Archaeology in Rovereto, an experimental space with virtual reality multimedia installations where expressive experimentation and the use of new technologies will find their ideal place.
Giovanni Verreschi, CEO of ETT S.p.A., stated: “It’s difficult to imagine what life was like thousands of years ago, but with virtual reality, we have the great opportunity to reconstruct a distant past and immerse ourselves in a timeless dimension. Implementing and leveraging new technologies to engage people and create new ways of experiencing cultural content, with a skilled mix of highly refined filming techniques, is the new horizon of VR production that ETT is pursuing through innovative projects like Fiavé. This is a completely new language, based on rigorous historiographical premises, that cultural attractions can use to reach and engage audiences.”
After the initial scenes set outdoors, which describe fishing, crafts, and pile-dwelling construction activities, the scene moves to one of the village huts to show characters engaged in other tasks, such as weaving, butter-making, and grain grinding.
The protagonist – followed by a dedicated camera – provides narrative continuity throughout the short film and guides the viewer through various settings.
Through the use of multiple cameras, the scene is observed from different angles, and the concept of VR editing is interpreted in a completely new way, changing the point of view based on the narrative.
To eliminate distracting elements (public furniture, lighting fixtures, operators themselves, or support equipment) or roads and buildings in more panoramic shots, high-definition CGI (Computer-generated Imagery) post-production interventions were carried out which, using Artificial Intelligence algorithms, reconstruct and correct even the smallest details.
The short film has no narration or dialogue: a stylistic choice born from the idea of giving more space to images and visual storytelling. The elements that emerge are gestures, movements, and non-verbal language that provide viewers with a simple but impactful story.
Significant emphasis is placed on the soundtrack, the result of sophisticated but challenging musical research: the prehistoric atmosphere is commented on “by contrast” with meticulous contemporary, avant-garde sound design, within which traditional flute melodies and rhythmic textures weave through.
At the end of the short film, a map identifies the UNESCO archaeological sites in the general context and allows access to Computer-Generated Imagery content. Each participating municipality is paired with a faithfully reconstructed representative object (a canoe, a plow, etc.), for a total of eight different in-depth features. Each CGI is accompanied by a voice-over in two languages (Italian/English).
A traditional camera version of the footage has also been created, making the editing itself dynamic and interesting through details and new viewing angles. Both products (Virtual Reality and traditional filming) cover the same scenes, with identical duration and soundtrack.
A version of the film shot on a traditional camera was also planned, making the editing itself dynamic and interesting through details and new viewing angles. Both products (Virtual Reality and traditional filming) cover the same scenes, with identical duration and soundtrack.
The project, carried out in collaboration with executive production company Greif Production, involved 22 local residents, including 10 extras and 12 crew members, completing a total crew of about thirty people.
The total development and preparation period was five months, including script writing and filming preparation.
The production utilized local services for logistics, vehicle and equipment rental, catering, accommodation, costume sourcing (specially made for this short film), makeup, set design, and props.
On location, two days of photography services and five days of preparation and set design work were required for filming.
Federico Basso, director: “The creative choice was very ambitious: we reconstructed some scenes of daily Neolithic life on a real set, fully exploiting fiction/scripted components and applying production practices from the cinema world to VR filming, subsequently treated with CGI. The result is a product that goes beyond documentary style and typical educational uses, utilizing 360-degree immersion for a new entertainment experience. Original directorial choices, photography, and camera movements, made possible by a VR camera specially created by ETT, make this immersive short film an absolutely unprecedented product.”
Pietro Avanzi, Councilor for Cultural Policies of Desenzano del Garda: “We are proud to present this project that enhances our UNESCO heritage and offers a unique experience through virtual reality technology. This short film is a concrete example of how innovation can become a powerful tool to promote and preserve our history, allowing the public to immerse themselves in the life of ancient farming communities that inhabited these lands. Desenzano del Garda once again proves to be a reference point in cultural and tourist promotion, thanks to its ability to combine tradition and technology to enhance our rich historical heritage.”Claudia Mangani, Museum Curator: “The short film Ancient Traces. A Stilts Life Story represents an innovative way to tell the story of these ancient civilizations. The combination of rigorous historical reconstructions and cutting-edge technologies allows us to give the public a vivid and engaging image of the daily life of prehistoric populations who inhabited the pile-dwelling villages. Every detail, from daily gestures to the construction of pile dwellings, has been carefully curated to offer an immersive experience that connects past and present. Thanks to this technology, we can engage a broader audience, including those less accustomed to traditional museum content, making history accessible and fascinating for everyone. I firmly believe this project represents an important step forward in enhancing our cultural heritage.”