Event Details
Monday, February 8, 2010 5:30pm
On the roof of the Art Center’s Wind Tunnel
Coordinators: Haejin Lee, Jiha Hwang, Mikey “Mikey T” Tnasuttimonkol, Alex Braidwood
Event Outline
- People text one of 5 moods into the system. Instructions for this were located on the website pointed to by the event promotional materials (poster, FaceBook event, and promo video).
- The system collects the text message submissions and builds the queue in real time.
- This queue of moods is then used, in the order they were received, to determine playback of a series of video.
- When a video plays, the goal of the real space participants is to perform as if the presented video where their conductor.
- The instruments used are up to the participant. Questioning the definition of “instrument” is also encouraged.
- After a video finishes playing, the next video from the list of text messaged moods is selected.
Different moods text messaged into the system result in the playback of different conductor videos
Different moods text messaged into the system result in the playback of different conductor videos
The video summary of the process for controlling and utilizing the performance space can be viewed here.
The Event
Total Number of Participants: 23 Real Space, 14 Online
Total Number of text messages received and used to direct performance: 34 over the course of the 23 minute event
Live Event: Audio
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Live Event: Video
Beat No. 2 Video from Jiha Hwang on Vimeo.
The event as viewed live, in real time, by the online participants:
Single Screen View - Real Space Participants
Single Screen View - Real Space Participants
Dual Screen View - L: Conductor Video. R: Real Space Participants
Dual Screen View - L: Conductor Video. R: Real Space Participants
Dual Screen View - L: Conductor Video. R: Real Space Participants
The Result:
Overall, the mood for the event was positive and the feedback was encouraging from both the real space and the virtual participants. Initially, I was unsure as to how the request to perform would be received and then technically, if we could get people to participate from both the sides of the event with only a few days to put this together. But as the videos continued to play as a result of a relatively steady stream of text messages, the participants became engaged at varying levels. The group dynamic took hold and people really began playing along with each other and working to make rhythms that aligned with the conductor videos as requested. Even the few standouts who performed instruments that lacked a certain subtly still brought a nice level variation to the composition.
Formally, something that was lacking was a sense of melody or tone to the audio. The majority of the instruments where rhythmic. If I were to do this type of event again, I would develop a different system for encouraging or supplying participants with the ability to make a wider range of sounds.
In the end, I really think the event meant different things to different people. The idea was that the technology implemented would allow virtual space to control real space. I feel as though the real-time online broadcast allowed the virtual viewers a sense of voyeurism that also impacted their sense of control over the real space environment. But it did not seem as though the real space participants felt like they were under the control of outside forces. This is due to the system allowing them to interpret what is being presented and then respond in a creative/formal way. Even though the direction comes form a larger system, the use of personal expression within that system seems to have allowed the real space participants and even greater sense of engagement.
From the perspective of the real space participants, the most interesting feedback that we got was that the event felt really therapeutic. I imagine that is a direct result of the rhythm nature of the instruments brought and provided. My next questions deal with how the adjustment in conductor content and instrument type could effect not only the result of the performance but also the output related reaction of the performers.