Meet Dr. Titus Leber, an Austrian filmmaker who transformed Borobudur into interactive multimedia.

Do you consider yourself an expatriate in Indonesia?
Certainly. Even though I move around a lot, I lived the greater part of the last four years in Jakarta along with Jogjakarta for my project.

How did you get into the film industry?
that will started out when I was 10 years old along with had a dream to become a movie director; I filmed my first ‘Super 8’ kind of movie along with made some short films with my very first 16mm camera. nevertheless genuinely, my entrance to the film world was through classical music; I did a lot of what you might call today ‘extended classical music video clips’ about Schubert, Mozart, you name that will. I used a special method of superimposed imagery, which was very avant-garde at the time. that will got me awards along with sent me places.

How have you developed since then?
I studied directing at the American Film Institute (AFI) in Hollywood along with went back to Europe to do my first feature film which was accepted at the Cannes Film Festival. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) apparently had seen my film along with encouraged me to work there; they eventually gave me a grant along with I became a research fellow. that will was in 1984. I guess you could say This particular was ‘year no.1’ of interactive multimedia – they had just came up with touch screen technology which became the foundation of my work. As a movie director, I found multimedia very interesting; there are challenges in trying to integrate my audience interactively. To take that will to the next level, I fused my knowledge of high-tech material through America along with cultural values through Europe, that will’s what I was eventually known for; large scale high-end cultural projects using interactive multimedia.

When did you first encounter Indonesia?
In 1991 where I was part of a UNESCO expedition tour. that will was once I saw the majestic Borobudur temple.

Borobudur – Paths to Enlightenment

Why did you take an interest in producing Borobudur the subject of your interactive multimedia?
I was invited by the King of Thailand to do a big cultural project on the life along with the teachings of the Buddha. I spent several years doing an interactive project linking the emerald Buddha temple in Bangkok to the original sites of Buddha’s life in India. With that will background of knowledge on Buddhism along with the culture surrounding that will, we moved to Indonesia, home of the largest Buddhist temple within the globe.

What aspect of Borobudur fascinates you most?
The fact that will our ancestors told stories using the same means we do today; through writings along with imagery. The Borobudur is actually essentially one big picture book, or if you prefer, one big movie. If you spend some time looking at the Borobudur, you may only see stones along with some simple relief panels on that will, nevertheless as the shadow shifts along with the cloud moves, you can see various other sides of the story. that will’s like an animated movie.

What was the purpose of the project for you?
With my PhD background in art history, my passion for cultural multimedia projects along with my knowledge on Buddhism, I felt that will’s my role to translate what our ancestors have expressed. that will was the goal of the project; to create edutainment for young people who might not have time to read books anymore nevertheless can access such knowledge through technology. I wanted to bring Borobudur to everybody’s pockets along with in turn bring the globe to the Borobudur.

How did you start the project?
I proposed the idea to Pak Darmono, who is actually chairman of PT. Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, along with he liked that will. We received funding along with filmed that will. We filmed For two main years in Jogjakarta along with did post-production in Jakarta for another two.

I know This particular is actually a large-scaled virtual tour, nevertheless walk me through a bit of that will, please.
First of all, there are multiple paths to start with. Whether the user has very limited understanding or very advanced knowledge on Borobudur along with Buddhism, both can easily start using the program. along with the path they can choose ranges through a typical two-hour tour for tourists to the 65GB worth of journey, like that will of Buddhist monks who circumambulate the temple 10 times in great detail. that will’s why the title carries the word ‘paths’ (plural); that will is actually a multiple approach ‘virtual tour’ with, as its backbone, 400 panorama shots which lets you go instantly to any point of the temple, as well as any angle in any lighting or shadow gradient. There are 6,460 panels of the temple along with each incorporates a story. We linked every panel’s story to the original sutras along with Buddhist texts. So when you click on one relief in a panel, the corresponding story will pop up in film, narration along with text. You can use This particular information for edutainment or to reach enlightenment; there are many ways to explore the Borobudur.

Borobudur – Paths to Enlightenment

Did you come into difficulties?
Looking back, I think that will’s nothing short of a miracle that will we could complete This particular project. Most of the challenges are on the style of work along with bureaucracy with my crew. that will took me a while to put together a great team nevertheless within the end, the ensemble works like a well-oiled machine; a beautiful collaboration. I had a team of 3-D programmers, video editors, animators along with obviously a spiritual advisor.

Were there funny or memorable stories during the shooting?
I had people telling me that will ghosts were involved during the shooting; that will they stole the scripts along with whatnot.

How do you like living in Indonesia?
We were very privileged to live within the summer house of the governor of Central Java, waking up every day to the sight of the Borobudur. The natural beauty of This particular country is actually fascinating. that will’s like living in a wide screen movie.

Does your wife travel with you through all your postings?
Yes. We met in Hollywood, she was an actress along with I was a young director. that will’s beautiful; she’s involved on a lot of the things I’m doing.

What do you think of the film industry in Indonesia? Any advice for filmmakers?
I notice young filmmakers ask for money before coming up with an idea that will holds together. Instead, do that will the conventional way; develop an idea, give that will treatment, get that will approved, start polishing a script then execute the project. Another advice is actually to get a sense of literacy on great films – build a library of knowledge – then apply that will.