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Degree Project - Week 9

 

Semester A: Week 9
Student: Tai Ser Yeet (22064351)
Programme: BA (Hons)(SW) Digital Media Design


WEEK 9

Class Takeaway

Risk Assessment Considerations/ Proposal

  • Pinpoint who your audience is, and then who might be at harm and how?
  • Make sure to put in the logo for RA
  • Design the document aesthetically because it is a design document
  • Show the Risk Assessment to Steve before submitting in Assignment 2
After Class

25/11
I was looking up audiovisuals and came across this artwork by avantcontra. He used his face as the subject for this piece of art. This got me thinking, "What if I took the video of me dancing and reassembled it using small objects?" The visitors could interact with the work by rearranging the tiny elements.

https://avantcontra.com/

There's another one I found in this article. I am very drawn to the image of the female being refracted by tiny square mirrors. Some of the squares are more zoomed out than others.
Image by Alan Warburton

Making an abstract painting interactive was very interesting.

"Visitors can interact with the installation through an interface and influence the behaviour of the generative system, which makes the visual representation a unique expression of that moment."

27/11
Google Gemini gave me a brilliant idea that could supplement my main work. This was what it generated:

"User Interface: For an installation, you could create a simple user interface (UI) in TouchDesigner (using Container COMPs and Button COMPs) that allows an operator to click a button labelled "Day Visuals" or "Night Visuals." The button press executes a Python script that changes the file path."

That also sparked another idea in my mind. I could create two motion graphics following the 2 Laban movement principles: weight and speed. Participants can switch between the two using simple UI elements.

I thought those were good ideas, but I don't have enough time to produce them on top of what I plan to create with TouchDesigner. But we shall see.

Aside from that, I found another video depicting a similar concept to my project. The graphics are simple yet provide ample space for the audience to explore their inner feelings as they interact with the piece. I could also produce a video showing how to play with it as an example, so it wouldn't seem very intimidating.



This invention is extremely trippy. I particularly love that they've added the sound of the equipment moving about, rotating the screen, which makes the whole piece rather mysterious and futuristic.

After following an online workshop tutorial on YouTube a few weeks ago. I got a rough idea of how this software operates. This week, I tried a different approach instead which entails creating small projects to get the ball rolling on the actual project. Below is the blob tracking tutorial, which I referenced to create this computer-scanning effect that traces any movement with an overlay of rectangles and lines.

I have included annotations for most of the operator chains for future reference (as I tend to be quite forgetful).
My Workspace in TouchDesigner

Blob Tracking With Sample Video

The wonderful thing about this software is the user's flexibility to easily change the video input (if the chain is arranged properly). I replaced the sample video from earlier with a high-quality dance video someone filmed from a hip-hop class I took a few days ago at Manor London (Finsbury Park). The best part about all of this was that I got a free professional video that I could use for my project! After changing the video, I learned how to export the video with custom specifications. I was utterly disappointed by the limitations of the non-commercial version of Touch Designer. I try to avoid using the paid version as much as possible just because I don't want to rely on the school's computer to do my work, which also means I can't have access to my work 24/7. The maximum quality I can export at the moment is 1280x1280, which sucks, but I will find a solution soon.

Exporting the Video

Blob Tracking With Dance Video

Well, I did not expect the video AND audio quality to be this bad, but progress-wise, not too shabby.

Here's the original dance video for your entertainment!

28/11

I scheduled a tutorial session with Michael regarding his feedback on my formative proposal. The feedback is as follows:

  • create sketches on where to install the dance space
  • ideal to have tutorials with Mifalda to learn about TouchDesigner, but she only comes in occasionally as she is on contract (pay per hour). However, it is good to mention it to Steve
  • Ask Mifalda about the issue with the free version vs paid and how she handled it
  • propose the idea of doing the installation in a dark room, but mention early to book the space and manpower for setup
  • user persona - reconsider the word "dance enthusiast" because not everyone there is one
  • can include kids in the user persona as well, because they are not self-conscious
  • think about how to make people more comfortable to freely express themselves (let loose), which is all part of the user experience
  • You have all these ideas, but in the end, you can't do everything; do what is feasible
  • Can your piece relate to something culturally?
  • target audience - cite your survey
  • target audience - have more details for the explanation, e.g. who is your audience and where they come from
  • Get more data for the survey, at least 50 responses
  • what are the possible triggers for the Kinect sensor to switch the scene to the next one? E.g. when you clap your hands together/ snap your fingers, the software plays the next scene

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