Digital Media Integration for Creation and LIVE Performance
Choreographing a piece for in-person live performance (I know, yeah, someday)? Perhaps creating live work for online platforms (YouTube, Facebook Live, etc.)? Or, maybe you are curious about using existing technology to further your choreographic process (and never ever see digital media/projection in the final performance)?
As we enter into the world of new processes and platforms to present our work, how can we leverage existing technologies, lenses, practices to create live performance which augments our voice by integrating digital media. Dive into this world of projection, video art, streaming, and camera with Digital LIVE!
This workshop series is geared for performance creators (dance, theatre, music, etc.) as an introduction to the incorporation of utilizing digital media (ya know, cameras, projectors, streaming, etc.) into the way you create and present. Become familiar with where in your process you would integrate it, and how to allow for budget, collaborators, and production personnel. All sessions are remote and will be held over Zoom and recorded for future reference for participants.
Digital LIVE! Is built as a comprehensive weekly series with 3 intermediate panel discussions. Each session will dive into specific topics which do not require in-depth experience with technology (this isn’t made for nerds). It’s made for creators of performance like you! Much of this series is based off of questions YOU may have as well as your specific projects, so please do join even if you’re a bit afraid (I taught this to 4th graders, and they were fiiiine).
Sessions
Discussion: SPACE!
Sat 4/3 6:00-7:30pm EST
In or out of the screen, looking at the choices you have when creating work for live performance.
Panelists:
Lonnie Stanton – Site Specific Dance Performance
Riley Watts – Body lenses
Emily Beattie – Immersive Performance/ thresholds of time and space /world building
Session 1: Media Design Basics /
The Working Environment
Sun 4/4 12:00-2:00pm EST
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- Basic color principles
- Video basics (including some camera overview and intro to design principles)
- Cables, adapters, and hardware (including introduction to projectors)
- Intro to media servers
- Brief history and examples of “really good design”
Session 2: Content Design and Creation
Sun 4/11 12:00-2:00pm EST
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- Using basic principles learned, how to think about creating content for your performance work.
- Suggested workflow for source creation and integration
- Thinking beyond the camera, and interactivity
Discussion: Workflow from Idea to Production: Working with a Media Designer
Sat 4/17 6:00-7:30pm EST
Christopher Konopka – Analog/generative video practices / streaming
Stephen Petrilli – Lights!
David Bengali – Set and Media Design
Session 3: Media servers (using Isadora)
Sun 4/18 12:00-2:00pm EST
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- Basics/overview
- Types of media/input
- Generators and feedback
- Creating a workflow ready for performance
Session 4: Projection Techniques
Sun 4/25 12:00-2:00pm EST
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- Surfaces, set, and location considerations (traditional and nontraditional venues)
- Lighting / working with the lighting designer (priorities)
- Designing schematics and prototyping before you get into the venue
[session was cancelled]
Session 5: Streaming
Sun 5/2 12:00-2:00pm EST
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- Basics/optimization
- Mixing video and streaming live (sources and workflow)
- Bringing in other streams to your source material (multiple physical locations)
Discussion: INSPIRATIONS
Sat 5/8 6:00-7:30pm EST
Wrap-up and open talk about possibilities, questions, ideas?
[session was cancelled]
Participation
This course is open to theatre professionals who integrate digital media into their work, or are interested in the possibilities of doing so. The objective of this course is to educate participants on various techniques, workflow integration management options, and provide a basic overview of the integration of digital media in live performance. It may be a jumping off point for some to dive deeper, or an artistic inquiry for others.
Participants will be able to ask questions during the practical sessions as well as interact with the panelists during discussion.
Discussion is designed to get artists to think about and deeply inquire about their process surrounding digital media, its integration into their work, and help provide other artists experience with it. It’s not only centered on practicality geared toward performance, but also will provide lenses on how it can influence work at the very start, possibly not even being incorporated (visually) in the end.
All sessions are remote and will be held over Zoom and recorded for future reference for participants. Participants will be emailed the zoom link when they register.
Materials Required / Prerequisites
Technically, you can enjoy this course with only an internet connection and either a mobile device or a computer. However, to get the most out of this course it is recommended that you have the following:
- (At least) A month subscription to Isadora (Izzy) ($17.50) – Be sure to activate the license the day of the first practical session, not discussion as to not pay for something you aren’t using yet. You can always download Izzy for free (and use it fully with no restrictions other than saving).
- A computer – laptop or desktop with a decent processor equivalent to i5 or faster and a separate graphics card. Check out Izzy’s min specs here at the top.
- An external webcam or a camera with a capture card – As we will be working with cameras, having a camera which will directly connect to your computer helps for exploring live feed options. Having it not built in to your monitor also helps for independence of shot, although not required. Of course there are ways of connecting your phone, but that would be out of the scope of this series.
- A working microphone – even a built in one is perfectly fine. As long as it works.
- A project – even something that will never be presented can work. You are welcome to make it up as you go as well. We are all better learners when trying to solve real-world problems.
A few video and image files to play around with – Again, having some content is always good. I will provide some project files prior to our sessions which will have short clips to work off of. But if you are curious about how your own footage integrates, please do bring some along. Best footage has lots of “black” in it and high contrast. I will be sharing some sample footage prior to the class, but it’s always great to have some footage of your own!
Your Instructor
Callie Chapman is a multidisciplinary designer, video artist, choreographer, and curator. Based in greater Boston, Callie was awarded the 2020 choreography fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council in Choreography. Callie founded Studio@550 in 2016, a multidisciplinary arts studio which was located in Central Sq, Cambridge. Callie’s video and projection design has been commissioned for companies such as Odyssey Opera, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Prometheus Dance, Pa Sy Dance, and Corrector Records. Enjoying the thrill of live performances, Callie’s affinity for combining live dance performance and generative video art is where her interest lies. www.calliechapman.com
For a playlist of her work: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6o5mzxmv-2ZIuOTRrUd5eA