New Media Capstone 2010

Milestone Review Outline

2010-02-14T19:43:00.000-08:00

Outline.
Thursdays – Hip House Thursdays w/ Jack Rabbit Slim/DJ Paradise/Dusty/VJ Gliffy/The Projectionist

Saturday Restless Groove – Going on Maine Channel
Port City Music Hall – Bootiddy
Collaborators:
Thursdays – DJ Jack Rabbit Slim, DJ Paradise, Vj Gliffy, Vj Dusty
-Dance Pad, Quartz Composer
Dustin LaRochelle – Samples original music, mixes beats, creates electronic music. Do gigs and creative projects together.

Restless Groove – original and covered funky dance music

Hang Time - original and covered funky dance music

Bootiddy – original electronic music

Jesse Simko – Mixes dub step music. Getting gig at 103 ultra lounge

John Hicks – Films shows – working on new media project with cameras set throughout a concert venue people can alter between. If he is able to get this work this would be great technology for something like the VJ ball I had tried to create with wireless cameras.

Student Art Festival – 6 foot multi person interactive sound making video altering rubber band

Student Film Festival – My sample video

Chicken Fest

Make Press Kit - Spring Break

Tech Difficulties
-Green tinted projection
- Firewire not working
-Documentation of performance - Ben Brazier
-Computer/projector fell off speaker
-Renting equipment

Testing Plan

2010-01-24T20:15:00.001-08:00

Testing Plan
- I have been testing my projects sense September 2009 when I first installed a sound response system at the Hunting House.

Identify My Audience
I have a variety of projects I have been working on which have been created for a wide range of different environment’s. This has made my target audience a wide variety of different people in different places When I VJ my target audience is a crowd who wants an entertaining atmosphere while I band or DJ plays. While my target audience for a project like Paid Vibrations could be in an interactive digital art gallery or even in a museum. When you set up interactive installations your target audience becomes everyone. For instance – if I created a interactive installation in a public space such as a side walk. So in summary my target audience is the general pubic, dj’s, vj’s, anyone interested in experimental video and human computer interaction and control and colorful moving art.
I am surrounding by music and have been working with bands and DJ’s in the area. All who are a great way to begin testing with my vj performances. I am also closely affiliated with the Hunting House Art Gallery in downtown Orono where I have already participated in several shows. I plan to continue to create work for the Hunting House’s openings.

Promotion Strategies
The Pool has given me many reviews and I have added dozens of projects to it. The only frustration I have with it is that I don’t feel people fully read over a project before they review it. That said as far as promotion goes people are looking at projects in the pool so I will continue to post to it. Adding a open call to the New Media website is a great idea as well. I have already promoted a lot on first class within certain folders whenever I have a gig or the Hunting House is having an opening. I have not seen too many direct responses from using first class as promotion – I never see anyone from class at any of my shows. I will probably however continue to use it to advertise as a lot of people do use it.
If I were to get a show at the planetarium on campus I would create flyers and put them all over campus advertising my show. I have already helped in the creation and distribution of Hunting House flyers whenever there is a show.
Contenting to apply, perform and attending video festivals, art gallery’s and live performances will be great places to network. This will be a valuable way to find new connections and collaborators.

Feedback
My feedback will be from word of mouth and oral communication. If you have something set up in an art gallery I would find it distracting from the piece to have a survey asking for feedback on it. I will have to judge feedback on peoples response after a show or showing and see if I am asked back or to do it again.

Response to Paul Grahams Startup readings

2010-01-19T13:28:00.001-08:00

After readings Paul Grahams essays I found all his advice very inspiring and useful. Creating a project that is self-sustaining is an important aspect of anything you intend to create as an enterprise. I especially liked his advice in the article titled “How to avoid the obstacles between you and what you love to do”. Towards the end of the article he states an example of asking random people on the street if they would like to draw like Leonardo Divinchi. You would find most people to say things like “ Oh, I cant draw.” This means that they are not going to try it’s a statement. If that person where to work as hard as they could for twenty years on drawing I’m sure they would get surprisingly far. It just takes a lot of moral effort – staring failure in the eye for many years. This is something I think about often. You can be anything you want to be, and do nearly anything you want to do if you just dedicate and spend your time achieving your goal. Its not that people cant draw – its that they haven’t chosen to spend their time learning the techniques of drawing.

Live video projections and digital interactive environments are still a a rising medium. Mixing and creating video live is something that has been done since the 1960’s but as technology has started to make things easier it has become a growing trend. All major entertainment performances have some sort of projected light or video show occurring somewhere on the stage. Grahman talks about not re inventing the wheel and creating projects that address a problem that has already been solved. So how can I make my project new, innovative and something that will last for years in the future?

Starting my own company geared towards live video performance for synchronization to sound would be a great start. Either as a team of live performers for hire or maybe even a box a musician can by and just plug there band into and then have there instruments control the video From my research I have found that currently there is only one major company that creates the visual shows for most major concert venues/festivals. They charge a lot of money, and usually only work with high end main stream bands. My company could be for anywhere from the small budget DJ, or band to a large venue dj, a large party, a sales show, wedding, dance club, whatever – any place looking for something new and different.

Travel could be a very important part of making this sustainable. Right now there is not much of a market for the kind of projects I am working on in the Bangor area. Traveling to worldwide festivals and cities and performing is the best way to show off your skills and get your name into the market. Festivals especially will host many other computer artist who working in the same medium on different projects. This is a great way to share ideas and find collaborators or even possible investors.
Traveling to different festivals and performing in clubs where vjing is most common is another way to find your niche into the community of digital arts. Djs, Vjs and a lot of other electronically savvy people.

6 foot rubber band $5.50

2009-11-29T18:42:00.000-08:00

http://themut.com/zoomprod/product113/
This would be great to experiment with its vibrations - maybe vibrations from wind?

Vjing at Laperitif

2009-10-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

Sample from me VJing at Laperitif restaurant and eurolounge in Bangor on Oct 10 2009. Very fancy place, not that busy once it got past midnight. It seemed more people were there to get food then drinks but the projection deffenitly interested a few people. At some points there were people just sitting in chairs under the projection looking up- which was great except I wanted better music and people dancing!

This was my first payed gig...$50 and a beer. I as well am meeting with the owner to discuss a website to build for them.

Here is a quick sample video:

More That Sian Photos

2009-10-11T09:05:00.001-07:00

Live Cam Interaction- the guy dancing is controlling the visuals being projected with his movements:

Computer Free Capstone

2009-10-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

If computers did not exist or I just wasn't allowed to use one for this project this is how I would deploy my project: The beach ball would be a spherical mirror that can bounce. The ball(s) would be large (about a meter and a half) and there would also be a several large mirrors inside the club, behind the stage ect... The mirrors would replace the cameras and the reflections of peoples faces, lights and so on would be reflected everywhere.

Edirol Motion Dive Tokyo Package

2009-10-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

I just bought this today. Hopefully it works as I expect. While this may not work well with my idea of having an interactive ball it will help me in controlling my visuals using something other then my keyboard and mouse.

http://www.midi-store.com/Edirol-Motion-Dive-Tokyo-MD-P1-S-Open-Box-p-18130.html

First Gig

2009-10-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday night I Vj'd in Bangor at the Thai Sian with DJ dj jack rabbit slim . It went very well and the crowd and bar enjoyed it greatly. I have another gig this coming Saturday at L'aperitif in Bangor. This was my first gig and a great learning experience. Here are some pics from Thai Sian:

Simulation

2009-10-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Equipment Links

2009-09-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Video MIxers:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MDP1/

http://cgi.ebay.com/new-vocopro-kj-6000-pro-karaoke-dj-vj-audio-video-mixer_W0QQitemZ350242063646QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101#ht_4222wt_1032

http://cgi.ebay.com/new-vocopro-kj-7800-pro-karaoke-dj-vj-audio-video-mixer_W0QQitemZ350235860689QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101#ht_3887wt_1032

http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-Digital-AV-Mixer-Model-WJ-AVE5-Good-Shape_W0QQitemZ350237362343QQcmdZViewItem#ht_3944wt_796

Cameras
4 5.8ghz $250
http://www.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=5082747

5.8GHz Wireless Audio Video Sender Transmitter & Receiver with Infrared Remote Extender
http://cj.shop.com/5_8GHz_Wireless_Audio_Video_Sender_Transmitter_Receiver_with_Infrared_Remote_Extender-27278562-49411772-p+.xhtml?sourceid=23

My Metting With Jeff Goolsby

2009-09-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

I met with New Media professor Jefferson Gollsby on Monday and talked over my project with him. We went over some possible issues I could have and how to solve them. Here they are in a list:

Keeping the camera safe: We decided the best way to keep the same safe from hands hitting it would be to attached a ring that rises above the surface around the lenses about a cm up.

Low light conditions: THis is something that will have to be tested and will be different determined to what kind of camera I buy. We brainstormed an idea of filling the ball with battery powered lights (xmass lights) and that would help illuminate the ball some to provide some light. The lights and visuals being displayed throughout the bar will also be different per bar. This will be a matter of trial and error.

Wireless interference: We researched and found that 2.4ghz would pick up alot of interference and not work that well. I will need to use 5.8ghz cameras. This will also give me a longer range.

a/v > fire wire: I will need to purchase a way to convert the a/v out cables from the wireless cameras. I researched and found I could buy an AVDC110 converter that runs for about $200. Jeff recognized that I find a video mixer/midi controller that has A/V in options. THese run a bit more expensive and can be from $300-$10,000. It will be difficult finding one for $300 so I will need to do alot of research to find an affordable method. We talked that it would be nice if the New Media program bought a video mixer for the department....but that will be very difficult to convince in time.

Finding clubs: Jeff didn't have too many contacts within the state that could help me get gigs but recommended that I just go to clubs/bars/venues talk to the dj, managers, owners, and just show them my project and ask to release it. It would also be real nice to work hand and hand with a band. We talked about the dime in Old Town and also different bars in Portland. If it all worked out it would be nice to work in a Boston club or at an large outdoor festival.

Jeff also introduced me to his friend Phil who went over some questions I had on Isadora that were very helpful.

Vj Ball Gannt Chart

2009-09-30T07:13:00.001-07:00

ADVC110

2009-09-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Converter for RCA cables to Fire wire. I would need this for the live video from the cameras to talk to my computer.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&q=advc110&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=1869449179094178110&ei=0_7ASuevAt_JlQfO2Zm2Dw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=5#ps-sellers

Resume

2009-09-23T07:20:00.001-07:00

Crowd Interactive VJ Ball - Text based proposal (4)

2009-09-22T09:43:00.000-07:00

Abstract

A large beach ball with wireless cams set inside looking out that would be tossed into a live audience at a concert, club or anywhere else a large crowd can be. The visuals from the live cams would be projected onto a screen as one channel and the vj's own visuals would be displayed layered ontop. The VJ will have the option to swtich between channels and mix the live video coming from the wireless cams.

Why

This would be the first time I have heard about or seen the audience interact with the vj and help control the visuals. It would be a great new way to get VJ visuals and as well get the audience interacting with the music and visuals. It would be exciting to see yourself controlling the screen in-front of the crowd.

Where?

Vjing is usually done inside a club scene to a live dj with dancing. I would need a large crowd of people to keep the ball alive so it would be installed inside a large dance club or at a concert venue. It would also be interesting to test a small version of this at a house party a local park or even maybe a shopping mall. Anywhere where there is alot of people and space. The umaine memorial union here on campus could even be ideal.

What?

There would be 1 or more balls with wireless cameras built inside looking out. The live video feed from the cameras inside the ball(s) would send the video to my computer which I would run through a vj patch and then projected onto a screen. I would be able to switch between cameras and balls and treat each as there own channel. The video from the ball(s) would act as a channel of video for the vj performance. As people danced and cheered they would hit the ball around in the air throughout the audience and it would be exciting for users to see themselves controlling the visuals on "the big screen".

Who?

I know that professors Raphael DiLuzio and Jefferson Goolsby both have extensive experience, knowledge, and connections within the vj culture. I would turn to them for advice as too where the Vj scene is taking place around here. I am guessing Portland would be the best place to contact large dance clubs. Also a friend of mine who djs in this area (greater bangor) named Les Rhods has gigs several times a week. I would look to contact him about vjing with him and using my interactive ball during one of his dj gigs.

How?

To build this project I would need to purchase a minimum of 4 wireless cams. The cams would be placed inside a beach ball and secured by super glue and tape. The beach ball I would build my self and would be a meter to a meter and a half in dynamiter and build out of heavy trash bags and tape. Instead of just air filling the ball it would be filled with Helium to help keep the large heavy ball afloat. The ball would be decorated with art created by myself and some paint.

I already have a vj patch build in isadora that I could use with live cam capabilities. I would need to research for large clubs and concert venues in the area and contact there management about test driving my project. I feel I have plenty of connections to find a few places to test this out.

When?

Bibliography

http://www.vimeo.com/270719
Crowd interactive illuminated ball. When you touch it it changes color. This shows a good way to make a large beach ball.

Zygote Interactive Ball at BIP, Italy from Alex Beim on Vimeo.

http://www.vimeo.com/4296634
A wireless camera mounted onto a skateboard. Explores the idea of viewing in a different perspective.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2008/jul/14/crowdedoutcanyoukeepupwi
Some words on crowd interaction. "It can be hard work going to gigs - particularly when you have to do the singing"

http://www.servethesong.net/crowd-interaction/
A tutorial on how to speak to your audience when you are playing in a band to have them interact with you.

http://www.media.mit.edu/resenv/GiveawaySensors/index.html
Inexpensive "Giveaway" Sensors for Large-Crowd Interaction. A circuit that measures movement and can be read into a midi device.

http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1570456
Smart environments (e.g., airports, hospitals, stadiums, and other physical spaces using ubiquitous computing to empower many mobile people) provide novel challenges for usability engineers. Firstly, interaction can be implicit and therefore unintentional on the part of its users. Secondly, the impact of a smart environment can influence the collective or crowd behavior of those immersed within it. These challenges lead to requirements for complementary analyses which must be combined with the more typical focus on the interaction between user and device. The paper explores a family of stochastic models aimed at analyzing these features with a particular focus on crowd interaction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBzgN2o-oN0
Crowd trys to sing along with singers on stage.

http://www.gesturetek.com/gesturefx/introduction.php
"GestureFX is a stunning interactive visual display system for show-stopping interactive advertising and entertainment in public spaces. It's one of the world’s most advanced gesture recognition solutions for motion-control interactive displays, signs and surfaces. GestureTek’s patented body tracking technology responds to body movement to project dynamic interactive multimedia content, special effects, interactive advertising or games onto any surface, of any size."

Crowd Interactive VJ Ball - Expected Budget

2009-09-21T14:23:00.001-07:00

Finding a Balanced Earth (revised proposal)

2009-09-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Abstract

In the project "Finding a Balanced Earth" I will explore the properties of balance and how difficult it is to create a balanced sustainable world. This will be an interactive way to explore the physics of nature and balance and how trying to find balance isnt easy and is part of our world. What does balance look like? What does balance feel like? What does balance sound like?

Why?

Everyone and everything in this world is not even. There are people who are rich and there are people who are poor. There are people whos stomachs are full and there are people who are dieing of starvation. There are countries with clean crisp air and there are places with polluted air making people sick. What I would be showcasing is that the world is not balanced nor is it an easy task to balance. You can try and try but you can only do so much. Every sense the beggining of time there has been an uneven balance bretween everything live here on earth.

THis topic is a growing topic which is becoming talked about and brought up more and more. The best way to do what we can to create a sustainable peaceful world is to spread awareness. This would be an engaging, interactive, fun way to get peoples minds thinking and help spread the word about problems in this world.

Where?

This issue is a global issue. You just need to watch the news or log onto to BBC to see that the world is not in balance. This issue effects everyone everyday in some way or another. The problem has been addressed and is addressed daily just not in the same way I am deciding to address it.

What?

Users will stand on a indo board to balance. An indo board is a piece of oval shaped wood ontop of a long cylinder. How the user balances on the board will control the visuals on a projected screen and sound from speakers.

Here is a video of a extremly advanced user using an indo board if you have never seen on before:

When a user balances on an indo board it wil roll/teeter back and fourth as they try to find there balance. As the board teeters left to right it will control visuals projected onto a screen displaying images of poverty, pollution, war and so on with clustered chattery noses...When the user is able to keep the board still and balanced the images/video displayed would be peaceful and happy with a consistent pleasing noise.

When?

Gannt Chart

Who?

As posted in another blog. Professor Jefferson Goolsby created a project that was sort of similar. He has lots of knowledge in interactivity and isadora. I plan to contact him to get his thoughts on the project. As of now I have no collaborators and do not see need for any yet.

Heres an example of Jeffs project.
J

How?

The wii remote would be placed inside the roller under the board. From there the wii would talk to the computer using midi and isadora. Isadora would then run the information through a patch I would build then project the images onto a projected screen infront of the user and the sound through speakers in front of the user.

This is how my budget would look

Issues that may arise:
1. Is isadora the best program to use? I would need to learn MAXmsp better.
2. Figuring out the best way to get the wii remote inside the cylinder and still be able to turn it on and off.
3. Being able to afford my budget.
4. Safety if placed in public area.
5. Wil the board respond as I imagine?

I think this would be a great project to be displayed in a museum/art gallery. Right now I have the bangor children's museum in mind for starters. The only problem here is if younger children would be able to use it properly. I need to find my target audience and see who can adapt to using the indo board the best. Somewhere on campus in an busy area would be another great place to release the project. If iI could find space on campus to display my project I could set it up in the lord hall gallery or even a empty room somewhere and just advertise for people to stop by.

Crowd Interactive VJ Ball - text based proposal

2009-09-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

Abstract

A beach ball with wireless cams set inside looking out that would be tossed into a live audience at a concert or club. The visuals would be projected onto a screen as one layer and the vj's own visuals would be displayed layered ontop.

Why

This would be the first time I have heard about or seen the audience interact with the vj and help control the visuals. It would be a great new way to VJ as well as a great way to get the audience excited.

Where?

Vjing is usually done inside a club scene to a live dj with dancing. I would need a large crowd of people to keep the ball alive so it would be installed inside a large dance club or at a concert venue.

What?

There would be 1 or more balls with wireless cameras built inside looking out. The live video feed from the cameras inside the ball(s) would send the video to my computer which I would run through a vj patch and then projected onto a screen. I would be able to switch between cameras and balls and treat each as there own channel. The video from the ball(s) would act as a layer of video for the vj performance. As people danced and cheered they would hit the ball around in the air throughout the audience and it would be exciting for users to see themselves controlling the visuals on "the big screen".

Who?

I know that professors Raphael DiLuzio and Jefferson Goolsby both have extensive experience, knowledge, and connections within the vj culture. I would turn to them for advice as too where the Vj scene is taking place around here. I am guessing Portland would be the best place to contact large dance clubs. Also a friend of mine who djs in this area (greater bangor) named Les Rhods has gigs several times a week. I would look to contact him about vjing with him and using my interactive ball during one of his dj gigs.

How?

To build this project I would need to purchase 1 to 4 cheap wireless cams. The cams would be placed inside a beach ball and secured by super glue and tape. I already have a vj patch build in isadora that I could use with live cam capabilities. I would need to research for large clubs and concert venues in the area and contact there management about test driving my project. I feel I have plenty of connections to find a few places to test this out.

Cameras: $100
Beach Balls: $20
Constrion pieces: $20
Projector: No Cost- borrowed
Gas driving to clubs- $100-$200

Finding a Balanced Earth TEXT BASED PROPOSAL 2

2009-09-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Abstract

In the project "Finding a Balanced Earth" I will explore the properties of balance and how difficult it is to create a balanced sustainable world. This will be an interactive way to explore the physics of nature and balance and how trying to find balance isnt easy and is part of our world. What does balance look like? What does balance feel like? What does balance sound like?

Why?

Everyone and everything in this world is not even. There are people who are rich and there are people who are poor. There are people whos stomachs are full and there are people who are dieing of starvation. There are countries with clean crisp air and there are places with polluted air making people sick. What I would be showcasing is that the world is not balanced nor is it an easy task to balance. You can try and try but you can only do so much. Every sense the beggining of time there has been an uneven balance bretween everything live here on earth.

THis topic is a growing topic which is becoming talked about and brought up more and more. The best way to do what we can to create a sustainable peaceful world is to spread awareness. This would be an engaging, interactive, fun way to get peoples minds thinking and help spread the word about problems in this world.

Where?

This issue is a global issue. You just need to watch the news or log onto to BBC to see that the world is not in balance. This issue effects everyone everyday in some way or another. The problem has been addressed and is addressed daily just not in the same way I am deciding to address it.

What?

Users will stand on a indo board to balance. An indo board is a piece of oval shaped wood ontop of a long cylinder. How the user balances on the board will control the visuals on a projected screen and sound from speakers.

Here is a video of a extremly advanced user using an indo board if you have never seen on before:

When a user balances on an indo board it wil roll/teeter back and fourth as they try to find there balance. As the board teeters left to right it will control visuals projected onto a screen displaying images of poverty, pollution, war and so on with clustered chattery noses...When the user is able to keep the board still and balanced the images/video displayed would be peaceful and happy with a consistent pleasing noise.

When?

As soon as possible I plan to start building this project as I know it will be a process.

Sept- research, buy supplies, organize project and plan out project.
Oct - start building, create beggining prototype
November - Have working version
December - Fix bugs, fine tune project, test beta
Spring semester - promote, launch project, try to find places in the community to release my project

Who?

As posted in another blog. Professor Jefferson Goolsby created a project that was sort of similar. He has lots of knowledge in interactivity and isadora. I plan to contact him to get his thoughts on the project. As of now I have no collaborators and do not see need for any yet.

How?

The wii remote would be placed inside the roller under the board. From there the wii would talk to the computer using midi and isadora. Isadora would then run the information through a patch I would build then project the images onto a projected screen infront of the user and the sound through speakers in front of the user.

This is how my budget would look

Indo Board - $100
Wii Remote - No cost as I own one.
Projector - No cost supplied by the University of Maine
Speakers - No cost I own a pair
Isadora - No cost licenses supplied by University of Maine
OSculator - No cost free download
Website for promotion - $10 for domain name I have hosting space.
Flyers/posters - $30 ink and paper
Carpet - $20
Area to set up instalation for testing - Donated by Univeristy of Maine
Other supplies that may be needed - $50

Total Expected Cost $210

Issues that may arise:
1. Is isadora the best program to use? I would need to learn MAXmsp better.
2. Figuring out the best way to get the wii remote inside the cylinder and still be able to turn it on and off.
3. Being able to afford my budget.
4. Safety if placed in public area.
5. Wil the board respond as I imagine?

I think this would be a great project to be displayed in a museum. Right now I have the bangor children's museum. The only problem here is if younger children would be able to use it properly. I need to find my target audience and see who can adapt to using the indo board the best. Somewhere on campus in an busy area would be another great place to release the project. If iI could find space on campus to display my project I could set it up in the lord hall gallery or even a empty room somewhere and just advertise for people to stop by.

Teeter by Jefferson Goolsby

2009-09-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Jefferson Goolsby made a project called "Teeter" that I believe was built in Isadora and uses alot of the same ideas my project would. I plan to contact Jeff with my idea and see what he has to say about it. I feel he will be a reliable source for myself to go to if I run into any major problems Here is a sample video and text I got from his website http://www.jeffersongoolsby.com/

Three-channel interactive projected video installation.

Exploring ideas of balance and chance, Teeter
works as a kind of physical slot machine. Balance
is used to trigger the start/stop actions of three
"spinning walls" of projected images containing
possible matches of up to three-of-a-kind.

J

Moving Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the Carbon Habit - Exhibition catalogue

2009-09-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

THis is an exhibition that greatly inspired my idea for my capstone project "Balancing Earth". I saw it at the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum in Wellington New Zealand about one year ago. My projected would almost kind of be an interactive response to what I experienced when viewing the exhibition.

From the website "In this exhibition, we ask the artists to help us find new visions and new choices for a balanced Earth. What does it mean to be in balance as individuals and communities? How do we get the Earth in balance? What does balance look and feel like?"

You can view the full catalogue of the exhibition here: http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/exhibitions/carbonhabit/

Using a Dance Performance as a Paint Brush

2009-09-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

A dancer would be on stage with a solid color screen behind them. In front of them would be a camera tracking motion and a projector. As the dancer did there performance the movement of there arms, legs and body would be digitally tracked and painted onto the screen behind them using Isadora and motion tracking. This could make for a very unique and interesting performance.

The digital colors created by the movements would make the dancer look as if they were "magical" or glowing which could make for a neat effect and definitely make the dancers performance more magical. The only real issue here is, has it already been done? Yes, probably - but everything recreated is never exactly same. As the project progressed it would be easy to add more to the project. This is also what Isadora was originally built for a i do believe, dance performances.

SkateSpotFinder example

2009-09-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

This is an example of a site that uses the same technique I would like to use if I were to build my NMD306 capstone idea 'skatespotfinder.com"

Here is the link http://www.flyfishmap.com/

Interactive Virtual Art Gallery

2009-09-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Myself and a friend, Ian Larson have been working on opening an Art Gallery in downtown Orono. The grand opening is September 18th and will display the works of several dozen artist ranging from skateboard deck art, to sculptures, paintings and more.

My idea would be to build an interactive virtual tour much like real estate company do to show houses but instead it would be of our gallery. Users would have an option to view all the work in the gallery and as well buy the art if they choose to.

Interactive Table

2009-09-01T15:06:00.001-07:00

An interactive table that woud let the user draw colorful, radiant lines and sound with that hands or fingers. When the user approaches the table they would be able to freely draw and the lines they draw would ghost trail and stay transparent for about 10-15 seconds. Also the way they move there hand or finger to draw the lines would control and effect to the sound which would be either fast forward, rewind, the pitch, volume or something else. The diagram below shows how it would work.

Event Share

2009-09-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

A website built for event communities too share video, images, and conversation on different events that have taken place. The website will give people who have attended large events the ability to share media and collaboratively together create a documentary of the event. The site will give easy access for all to everybody's achieved photographs, knowledge and videos. Users will have the ability to sign up for an account on the website and from there they can post events which will basically be new message boards that everyone within the community can edit, add too, discuss and post. Together with everyones media it will bring about a new style of documentary video. Users will be able to download each others media and post a documentary for others to add onto, remix and build on for as long as they want. The message board will save all post and you would be able to watch the progression.

"Balancing Earth" - TEXT BASED PROPOSAL

2009-09-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

"Balanced Earth"

Abstract
Installation where you use an indo board to balance and control visuals and sound.

What
When you balance perfect in the middle completely horizontally the images/video projected on the screen would be of a happy well balanced, ideal, peaceful earth. Along with a soothing sound or mess clattered sound - when the indo board tilts to the left or right, the bottom rolls around and the board becomes unbalanced it will display images of pollution, poverty, war ect....and would play more intense uncomfortable clattered sounds.

Why
The project would showcase how difficult it is to maintain a balanced, sustainable earth and that being unbalanced is part of the physics of nature. THis is would be an interactive engaging way to display this thought/belief.

How
The wii remote would be placed inside the black cylinder underneath the indo board. Which would talk to my computer using isadora. From isadoras patch it would display the visuals through a projector and the sound through speakers.

Issues that may arise:
1. Is isadora the best program to use? I would need to learn MAXmsp better.
2. Figuring out the best way to get the wii remote inside the cylinder and still be able to turn it on and off.
3. Being able to afford my budget.
4. Safety if placed in public area.
5. Wil the board respond as I imagine?

To build this project I would need the following equitment and money:

1. Indo Board - to balance on -$100

2. Wii remote - to measure theaxis of the indo board. - I own one
3. Projector - to project images - $500
4. Speakers - $100
4. Isadora - to run the patch and have the wii remote talk to my computer - $350 for license
5. OSculator - to help run the wii mote more efficiently with isadora - free
6. Paper for flyers, carpet, paint and other small accessories as needed: $50
7. An area to set up my installation - donated by University of Maine

Total as of now $1100

Live VJ Ball

2009-09-01T08:58:00.001-07:00

“Ball Control” was and interactive installation which allowed a user to control digital visuals and sounds while using a responsive pink soccer ball as the controller. It is a program created in Isadora using a laptop, projector, wiimote and foam soccer ball.

Placed inside the ball is the wii mote which tracks things like the x,y,z and rotation axis's and as well the velocity. The different ways the ball is kicked, thrown bounced or spun control different effects to the audio and sound presented on the computer screen or projector. The project was build in Isadora.

For my capstone I would like to take this project to the next level. When I tested my project in front of a class it was very engaging and interactive. It was easy to use and fun to experiment with. I was really surprised how well the wii mote responded to certain movements. You really did feel in control.

While there where a few bugs in my patch i built it still worked properly with room for improvement. One being using the OSculator to track to wii mote rather then the pre existing wii watcher. This way I could have faster response and more then 1 wii being detected at once. The constrtion of the ball could have been better as well.

Here are a few ideas that just poped into my head. Am I thinking too hard?

1. Attach 1 or more wireless live fed cameras into the ball with the lens looking out. I think this would be neat to do with a soccer ball that could be kicked up high into the air or even during a soccer game.

But....what I think this would work really well as is if you attached a few small wireless cams into a beach ball and threw the ball into a crowd during a live concert. You could then project the live feeds of the cameras onto a projector that is displayed onto a screen behind the band. You could layer all the cameras video on top of each other though several projectors onto one screen for a neat effect. If the ball in the audience wasn't being tossed around or an issue occurred you would always have an option to lower the video transparency of the projectors displaying the balls wireless video feed until someone started using it again and tossing it around or you fixed the issue.

Another thought would be to instead have one ball with 2 cameras just have two balls with 1 camera. The enviorment would be inside a dance club where a dj was performing, inside a concert hall to a live band, or even outside at a music festival or other large venue.

Possible Issues with this project::

-Someone keeps damaging the ball
-Its not fun or interesting
- the cameras have an on off switch that would be inside the ball
-ball going outside wireless range
-Getting the ball back? Does it matter?
-Amount of people in crowd as this would be designed for large crowds
-Finding a venue to test my project