Parallel to the preparations for the Performance Lecture mixed Reality the research group started the Mixed Reality project in cooperation with the educations of Design for Virtual Theatre and Games (DVTG) and Theatre Design (TVG). The Mixed Reality project started at the 16th of November till the 16th of December 2009. For more information and a full video registration of the actual presentation click here.
The aim for this project was to investigate the theatrical and artistic potential of Mixed Reality technology in the context of theatre and performance through practice led research. The students being of two different disciplines also needed to figure out how to collaborate in the research and design process. DVTG students are more trained to design or manipulate virtual- (read digital) spaces whereas TVG students are trained to design or manipulate physical (theatrical) spaces. This making process was also important to the research group and the Faculty of Theatre to gain hands-on knowledge about how to coach such a interdisciplinary process from a didactic point of view. For this two coaching teachers, Joris Weijdom (DVTG) and marcel Alberts (TVG), took considerable time in advance to learn first to know each others domain of expertise, professional language and didactic strategies. This preparation proofed to be of essential value.
The students where divided into four groups and given the following three questions:
What is the quality of physical space (in a theatrical context)?
What is the quality of virtual space (in a theatrical context)?
What is the quality if these two spaces are combined (in a theatrical context)?
The students where introduced to Mixed Reality technology and examples of artistic applications. Each group was free in its approach to the three questions, technology used and its final design. It was however obligatory to present their project as a short performance (max 10 minutes) at the Performance Lecture Mixed Reality at the 16th of December. This meant that the students not only had to get acquainted with each others discipline and Mixed Reality Technology, they also had to produce a presentable piece. Although a full month sounds like a long time, the students actually had only three days a week to work on this project because of other classes in their curriculum. So effectively they had only 12 days of production from initial concept to final presentable piece.
Below you can read more about the four student project groups and their performance piece.
Häcka is an experiment with video projection on translucent screens. The performance is designed to be a loop that could potentially run forever.
A queen is floating in abstract space absorbing energy of dead moths lying on the floor. When critically energized she gives birth to a new generation of moths. They fly around the space and eventually die and drop to the floor. Their life energy is floating upward and is being absorbed by the queen closing the perfect cycle of life and death.
When the the flock of new moths die and fall to the floor a large quantity of paper moths fall from the theatre ceiling in front of the audience in an attempt to give the moths a physical presence.
Because of the light situation the video camera’s have captured only a fraction of the actual piece. In the very first 2 minutes of the full video presentation of the Performance Lecture Mixed Reality an impression of the actual performance can be seen. Or have a look at the photos below for better quality images.
Foto’s: Lucinda Bouten, Stefanie Bonte, Kimberly van Eijk, Joris Weijdom.
The second student project group has been researching the potential of live drawing with light on 3D objects. Although they had many ideas the end result focuses on the simple aesthetics of live drawing itself. The white character head has been designed with a 3D computer program, printed out on paper and folded into an analogue 3D head. A procedure briefly explained in video chapter three of the full video registration of the Performance Lecture Mixed Reality
Below you can see the chapter four video showing the Tabula rasa performance. In the second half of this video Marcel Alberts gives his reflection on the piece. Scroll further down to see the photos for a quick impression.
Foto’s: Lucinda Bouten, Stefanie Bonte, Kimberly van Eijk, Joris Weijdom.
The third student project group got fascinated by a shadow having its own life. In order to project a shadow that could be animated and at the same time have a front projection for the performer and objects was quite a challenge. Also they managed to do a simple 3D projection map on the physical cube.
A girl appears on stage and sees a large box. When touching the box a strange thing happens; her shadow gets a life of her own. The girl tries to gain control over the shadow in a struggle with light and darkness. Eventually she destroys the box and restores order. However this is not quite the end…
Below you can see the chapter seven video from the the Performance Lecture Mixed Reality showing the Return to sender performance. In the second half of this video Marcel Alberts gives his reflection on the piece. Scroll further down to see the photos for a quick impression.
Foto’s: Lucinda Bouten, Stefanie Bonte, Kimberly van Eijk, Joris Weijdom.
This last student project group took the Droste effect, the endless repetition of an image in an image, as the starting point of their research. This ancient effect still has the power to mesmerize the audience. What will happen if somebody loseWeight Exercises their ball in a painting that is depicting the space where the painting hangs? Although the effect seems to be a simple live video feedback, suddenly the effect becomes much more complex, both technically and conceptually…
Below you can see the chapter twelve video from the the Performance Lecture Mixed Reality showing the Schildeurij performance. In the second half of this video Marcel Alberts gives his reflection on the piece. Scroll further down to see the photos for a quick impression.
Foto’s: Lucinda Bouten, Stefanie Bonte, Kimberly van Eijk, Joris Weijdom.
