Virtual Dylan Thomas

Introduction

Dylan Thomas was born in Swansea in 1914 and lived here until he was twenty. Swansea inspired much of Thomas’ great work, and now, over fifty years since his death, Dylan Thomas himself is the inspiration behind a ground-breaking project in Swansea.

The Virtual Dylan project is a realistic 3D computer animated performance of Dylan Thomas reading again his poem ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’.

A collaboration between two Swansea-based companies, the project will be premiered on the 9th November, the anniversary of Thomas’ death and the last night of Swansea’s annual Dylan Thomas Festival.

Starting with the death mask...

...3D modelling and animation...

...texturing and lighting.

Drawing on hundreds of photographs of the poet, and a 3D scan of his death mask, the animators have created a strikingly vivid 3D model of Dylan Thomas’ head, breathing new life into the poet through the medium of 3D computer animation.

Background

For those who would like to read more about the background of creating Virtual Dylan, click here to read extracts from Bernard Mitchell's report on the research towards his Masters Degree at the Swansea School of Art and Design, at Swansea Institute of Higher Education.

The Poem

Do not go gentle into that good night

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray
Do not go gentle into that good night
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.