“A Latino artist, Alastair is a leading member of our graduate training in the Department of Theatre Arts; show after show he is sought after to collaborate with.” -Eric Stone, associate professor, theatre arts

Hometown: Amarillo, Texas

Faculty mentor/advisor: Bryon Winn, MFA, professor and director, theatre, lighting and entertainment design, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

What is your degree program and expected graduation date? Master of Fine Arts focused on lighting and costume design. Expected graduation is May 2023.

Please describe your research: My current research project is in the media server software Disguise d3. Disguise is the leading media server software. The disguise software is a “real-time 3D stage visualizer, media playback, and timeline.” Disguise allows the designer to efficiently visualize choices and communicate design elements without having the actual stage, allowing the designer to pitch the show early in the process, then implement the design to the actual show, making edits where needed.

In simple terms, why does this research matter? The disguise d3 technology’s ability to detail visualize in advance and then be loaded into a disguise server and played back at any scale allows one to redefine the design experience. This research project has opened the possibilities of my designs and workflow, which in turn has given me the knowledge to pass on to the students taking Entertainment Design this fall.

How soon after starting at the University of Iowa were you able to participate in research? I was fortunate enough to participate in research from the start of my program. A lot of the classes and production work I have done has been a continued research project. I also was awarded funding last year to research Clip Studio Paint when it came to my costume renders.

How has being involved in research made you more successful at the University of Iowa? These research opportunities have strengthened the skills that I had and equipped me with newfound skills that I wasn’t even aware of possessing. This has better prepared me for my career post-graduation.

What are your career goals and/or plans after graduation? I plan to continue to work in lighting and costume design.

Read more about Alastair: Stirring the imagination through lighting, costumes

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