Summation

Ten days of fun but intense computer work by a group of artists from around the room, each with a unique perspective on utilizing technology to expand the possibilities of artistic expression, lead by two amazing artist/teachers, Dawn Stopplello and Mark Coniglio, who added a great deal of artistic depth and discussion to a technically driven workshop. The workshop was amazing. As a last minute applicant, I am very happy I was invited in to play. My knowledge of Isadora has grown ten-fold. While I knew the basics of video manipulation when I arrived, I now have a firm understanding of the complex scenes and the dynamic interactivity that can be created with this software.

As important, I had the chance to work, play and watch a wonderful group of people explore the creative possibilities that can only occur through convergence of art and technology.

My time here was well spent.

June 20

The final day of the workshop.

In the morning, we spent time finalizing our showcase pieces and prepping the space for the event. As time allowed, a few of us continued to learn new aspects of Isadora, Mark spent some time with Hugh Conacher and I showing us the midi and DMX actors in Isadora for show control. I also spent some time creating an voice activated oscilloscope that would display vocal patterns.

The afternoon showcase began at 4 PM and was attended by about 20 guests. The presentation went smoothly and everyone gave a good showing. Below is a clip of my final piece titled Words, Words, Words.



This installation piece explores human-computer interaction. Traditionally humans control the machine but in this interactive piece the roles are reversed. The laptop monitor, through a wave generator, beckons the unsuspecting participant to "Come Here." As they approach, a video camera mounted over head is used as a visual sensor and triggers the next several events that boss the human around the space. When the participant screams on command, her voice, through the use of a listening sensor in the computer, triggers the sequence telling her to dance. The iSight camera in the laptop captures the video feed which is blended with a video clip to create the visuals seen. The final text sequence is controlled with envelop generators and timed to allow the participant to exit the space before it resets itself to the beginning ready to repeat the sequence when triggered by the next participant who walks towards the laptop. This event is totally self-contained. Once activated, no operator is needed for the system to function. It will loop, pause, and await sensory data as necessary until deactivated.

June 19

Today we finished the bits and piece of the workshop, picking up a few useful hints and processes. We then spent the length of the day finishing and setting up or final projects for tomorrow. I got mine project set up and it all works so I am ready for our event.

We were able to take a few minutes to see a demo of the Eyeliner system they have at 3 Legged Dog. It is an innovative projection system based on the 19th century theatre technique called Pepper's Ghost, I had seen the system before but it is still amazing to watch.

Tonight I plan on going over to the Apple Store near my apartment and then packing to leave Sunday AM.

Tomorrow is our final showcase! It has been a good trip but I am ready to get home!

June 18 - Sessions and Friends

This evening after the workshop, I headed uptown the Drama Book Store on 40th street and bought some new scripts then headed out to buy gifts for Eli and Callista (No coffee mugs or T-Shirts but I did get my magnet!)

I grabbed a quick bite for dinner and then headed off to see Sessions, a new musical at the Algonquin Theatre that is being Stage Managed by Lara Maerz, one of the best SM's I have ever worked with (and one of my former students from TCU I am proud to say.)

The musical is about a therapist and the sessions he has with this clients. From their website:

Dr. Peter Peterson listens, advises and tests his patients. What good therapist wouldn’t? Particularly when your group includes:

a bickering marriage just won’t go away, a rich kid who found his voice in Bob Dylan, a reluctant man who has longed for the same woman for 15 years, a young woman who has spent so much time in therapy she might get out, a billionaire who finds no solace in his money, a strong willed woman with a dark secret, and a provocative siren in high heels...

At once a drama and a comedy with poignant and hilarious moments alike, Sessions is a new musical for a modern generation. After all, couldn’t we all use a little therapy?

The show was fun and had a very talented cast including Robert Newman as Dr. Peterson. (I guess he is a big soap star. His bio says he has just celebrated his 28th year on the longest running show in the history of broadcast, CBS’s Guiding Light. )

I was joined on this outing with two more former students from TCU, John and Erin Patrick. After the show we all went out for drinks and laughed about the good times we had in Fort Worth.



On m way home, I found that there was an Apple store only five blocks from my apartment so I know where I am going Friday Night!

June 18

Raining again in NYC. Good thing we are working indoor. It as rained almost everyday with possibly three exceptions over the last two weeks.

We spent the morning learning how to create our own actors and control panels in Isadora. The ability to create actors allows you to streamline processes. For example, you need to be able to calibrate the thresholds of a camera to be able to use it as a sensor. By pulling the existing actors needed to calibrate the levels into a new single actor allows you to quickly set up a patch.

Control Panels create a visual user interface made up of button, sliders, and bins that allow the user to run an event without having to access the actors directly. By creating a Control Panel, you are able to safe guard certain attributes and connections from being changed while giving the needed controls to the user.

In the afternoon we further explored various tracking methodologies and spent time working on our final projects. After careful thought about how I wanted the audience to interface with my project and what I wanted them to walk away with, I streamline the project down and simplified the triggers. I am much happier with the project now. It works, is fun, and utilizes both visual and sound sensors, as well as live video in a way that is appropriate to the piece.

June 17

Today began with show and tell of our final projects just as an opportunity to give and receive feedback to the works in progress. Everyone in the group is working in different areas and the projects are quite unique. Below is a short clip from Sissel Romme Christensen's project. The cutout projection surfaces and how she integrated the media into them was very imaginative. The images in this clip are being triggered by sound.



I discovered (again) that I am trying to do too much, so I am cutting back my project even more. We had a great group discussion on why less is more and the consideration that is needed to design an appropriate system for the aesthetics of the piece you are creating. It was a very refreshing discussion and gave me lots to consider.



In the afternoon we learned about tracking through contrast, color and infrared. Isadora has an actor called Eyes that allows you to specify one attribute (the lightest object or the red object) and follow it within the frame of the camera. Once you have established the threshold and locked on to that object, you can assign the coordinates of what you are tracking to another actor in Isadora to have them “follow.” There are limitations to the tracking such as the lightness must remain consistent because the system will pick up a lighter contrast object if it is brought into the space at the same time.

Infrared tracking is more complicated, requiring you to illuminate the back surface with infrared light and have a camera that can pick up infrared, but the specificity of the tracking is more detailed and does not rely on visible light so you can track a performer in a black-out allowing for some exciting possibilities to explore in setting stage composition.

Wednesday night I had dinner with Skip and Ellen Reiss. Skip is one of the leaders in Arts Management in the US. We met back when I was the Artistic Director of Island Center on St. Croix. Ship has been a tremendous resource for both my students and myself over the years. It was wonderful to catch up with him and his beautiful wife while enjoying my first “home cooked meal” since arriving in the city.

June 16

A full work day. We hooked our computers up to cameras and projectors today and took the next step in the realization of our final projects. A lot of creativity going on in the room that is exciting to watch. Our final showing has been announced. We will present our projects on Saturday, June 20 from 2p - 4p at 3LD Art & Technology Center on 80 Greenwich St. in NYC. A significant amount of our time will now be spent on moving these projects forward.

After dinner, I continued working on my project, which I have called 'Words,Words,Words." Jim Ferolo sent me a link to a wonderful web-based media depository, The Prelinger Archives, where I found a few media asset that I integrated into my project.

Depending on class structure, I hope to spend time calibrating my sensors tomorrow to get the effect I am working for. As usual, I overly complicated the first rendition of my project and was forced to cut it back. Using an over-head camera as a video sensor I had divided the stage into the traditional 9 areas. movement in any of these 9 areas would trigger a specific event. However, given the distance of the camera to the head of a person moving it was impossible for a person to be in only one area so I scaled down to 6 and then four stage areas for the project. The important lessoned learned is that I am able to now specify the sensor the area to any area of the stage on any plane that I want.