Kenji Williams - BELLA GAIA Founder, Creative Director, Composer, & Violinist
Kenji Williams is a composer and director for multi-media live theater, augmented reality, virtual reality, and interactive datavisualization.
Williams is an Artist in Residence and Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder Arts & Sciences developing a live Augmented Reality theater show titled "Origin Stories" and a trans-disciplinary initiative for students and researchers.
Named a "100 Top Creative" by Origin Magazine, a World Technology Network award finalist in Arts, Entertainment, and Education, and a Grammy voting member, Williams explores the nexus of art and science through collaborations as diverse as astronaut Koichi Wakata orbiting live aboard the International Space Station, multimedia artist Paul Miller, top world music musicians, and institutions such as NASA, UNEP, UNESCO.
Combining unique skills in film and music, Williams has earned international film awards from the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, Sundance Film Festival, Science Media Awards, Best Soundtrack Composition at the Macau International Fulldome Film Festival, to the People's Choice Award Fiske Fulldome Film Festival, and has garnering media exposure from the Village Voice, BBC, NPR, PBS, USA Today, Huffington Post, and Washington Post.
Williams expresses his work around the world, at performing arts theaters, museums, and conferences such as, TEDx, Aspen Institute, Smithsonian, Guggenheim Museum, Strathmore, Marin Civic Center, Winspear Opera House, UNESCO, U.S. Dep State, and film soundtracks.
Kenji Williams Honors, Awards, Scholarly Work or Publications:
Immersive
Fulldome:
FILM: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film) Science Media Awards
FILM: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film) Fiske Fulldome Film Festival
MUSIC: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film Soundtrack) Macau International Fulldome festival
Virtual Reality
2016 VR: BELLA GAIA (VR) Lumen Prize - semifinalist
Film Related Awards:
FILM: "Gossamer" chosen for screening at Cineciege film festival in Toronto.
FILM: "Greenstick" - First place award at Cabbagetown International Film Festival (Toronto).
FILM: "Greenstick" - First Place award at CSC (Canadian Society of Cinematographers)
FILM: "Awakening" - First Place award in TVO Telefest experimental category.
FILM: "Awakening" - Third place for cinematography at the CSC awards.
FILM: “Crack the CIA” wins audience favorite award at Sundance Film Festival
FILM: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film) My Hero Award
FILM: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film) Transformational Film Festival
Other Awards and recognition:
2014 TEDx Tokyo Speaker, Presenter
2015 World Technology Network award finalist in Arts, Entertainment, and Education
2015 Named a "100 Top Creative" by Origin Magazine
2016 Artist in Residence and Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Arts & Sciences
2017 Artist in Residence and Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Arts & Sciences
Selected Publications
1. “BELLA GAIA: The value of aesthetics in education”, IPS International Planetarium Society conference 2008, Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL, Author: K. Williams
2. “Bella Gaia: A New Vehicle for Educational Engagement,” IAC-08-E.1.4, 59th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), 2008, Glasgow, Scotland. Author: K. Williams, Co-Author: V. Casasanto.
Williams is an Artist in Residence and Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder Arts & Sciences developing a live Augmented Reality theater show titled "Origin Stories" and a trans-disciplinary initiative for students and researchers.
Named a "100 Top Creative" by Origin Magazine, a World Technology Network award finalist in Arts, Entertainment, and Education, and a Grammy voting member, Williams explores the nexus of art and science through collaborations as diverse as astronaut Koichi Wakata orbiting live aboard the International Space Station, multimedia artist Paul Miller, top world music musicians, and institutions such as NASA, UNEP, UNESCO.
Combining unique skills in film and music, Williams has earned international film awards from the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, Sundance Film Festival, Science Media Awards, Best Soundtrack Composition at the Macau International Fulldome Film Festival, to the People's Choice Award Fiske Fulldome Film Festival, and has garnering media exposure from the Village Voice, BBC, NPR, PBS, USA Today, Huffington Post, and Washington Post.
Williams expresses his work around the world, at performing arts theaters, museums, and conferences such as, TEDx, Aspen Institute, Smithsonian, Guggenheim Museum, Strathmore, Marin Civic Center, Winspear Opera House, UNESCO, U.S. Dep State, and film soundtracks.
Kenji Williams Honors, Awards, Scholarly Work or Publications:
Immersive
Fulldome:
FILM: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film) Science Media Awards
FILM: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film) Fiske Fulldome Film Festival
MUSIC: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film Soundtrack) Macau International Fulldome festival
Virtual Reality
2016 VR: BELLA GAIA (VR) Lumen Prize - semifinalist
Film Related Awards:
FILM: "Gossamer" chosen for screening at Cineciege film festival in Toronto.
FILM: "Greenstick" - First place award at Cabbagetown International Film Festival (Toronto).
FILM: "Greenstick" - First Place award at CSC (Canadian Society of Cinematographers)
FILM: "Awakening" - First Place award in TVO Telefest experimental category.
FILM: "Awakening" - Third place for cinematography at the CSC awards.
FILM: “Crack the CIA” wins audience favorite award at Sundance Film Festival
FILM: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film) My Hero Award
FILM: BELLA GAIA (Fulldome Film) Transformational Film Festival
Other Awards and recognition:
2014 TEDx Tokyo Speaker, Presenter
2015 World Technology Network award finalist in Arts, Entertainment, and Education
2015 Named a "100 Top Creative" by Origin Magazine
2016 Artist in Residence and Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Arts & Sciences
2017 Artist in Residence and Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Arts & Sciences
Selected Publications
1. “BELLA GAIA: The value of aesthetics in education”, IPS International Planetarium Society conference 2008, Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL, Author: K. Williams
2. “Bella Gaia: A New Vehicle for Educational Engagement,” IAC-08-E.1.4, 59th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), 2008, Glasgow, Scotland. Author: K. Williams, Co-Author: V. Casasanto.
