The Academy Presenting “Movies in Your Brain” With Jon Favreau, Darren Aronfosky – July 29 & July 30

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present “Movies in Your Brain: The Science of Cinematic Perception,” a two-night event on Tuesday, July 29, and Wednesday, July 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood.

Actor-director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man 2), Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan”), and neuroscientist and screenwriter Ari Handel (“Noah”) will be joined by esteemed cognitive scientists from around the world for a program exploring how experiments in cinematic perception have advanced our understanding of the human brain. Both evenings will be hosted by Dr. Tim J. Smith, a senior lecturer and leading researcher on visual cognition at Birkbeck, University of London.

@Marvel

Filmmakers, cognitive scientists and other special guests will come together for a unique two-night exploration into the science of how movies move us, discussing how filmmaking has evolved to carefully shape the mental and physical responses of audiences.

Using clips from such movies as Iron Man 2 and Chef (Night One) and Black Swan and Noah (Night Two), both evenings will include conversations with the scientists and filmmakers, providing a fascinating look at how experiments in neuroscience can advance our understanding of cinema, and how cinema can advance our understanding of the human brain.

The audience will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on experiments in movie viewing that will examine how movies guide our eyes and what we perceive.

HOST
Program host Tim J. Smith specializes in the study of visual cognition with a particular focus on eye movements and film cognition. He is a senior lecturer in psychological sciences at Birkbeck, University of London.

SPECIAL GUESTS

Night One (July 29)
Jon Favreau directed, wrote, produced and starred in this year’s hit comedy Chef. He also directed Iron Man and Iron Man 2, as well as Elf, Zathura: A Space Adventure and Cowboys & Aliens.

Night Two (July 30)
Director, screenwriter and producer Darren Aronofsky received a 2010 Oscar nomination for Directing for Black Swan. His other features include Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Noah.

Ari Handel co-wrote NOAH with Darren Aronofsky and collaborated with him on THE FOUNTAIN, THE WRESTLER and BLACK SWAN. Handel is also a neuroscientist; he earned a Ph.D. in neurobiology from New York University. He and Aronofsky were suitemates during their undergraduate studies at Harvard University.

Tickets for Night One: http://sa1.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/EventSearch?presenter=AMPAS&event=BRAIN%201

Tickets for Night Two: http://sa1.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/EventSearch?presenter=AMPAS&event=BRAIN%202

The Ark in NOAH. Courtesy: Paramount Pictures and Regency Enterprises.