Semester B: Week 24 Part 1
Student: Tai Ser Yeet (22064351)
Programme: BA (Hons)(SW) Digital Media Design
WEEK 24
Degree Show Planning
With only a week and a half remaining before Easter, it was crucial to finalise the installation layout for Room A238 (Mercer Building) to allow Phil sufficient time for construction. Today, I dedicated the entire afternoon to mapping out the technical requirements, including the positioning of the projector and Kinect sensor, lighting configurations, and screen materials. I consulted with Steve and Mafalda, a Digital Arts lecturer, both of whom provided useful technical resources and execution strategies.
Below, I have outlined the specific action items and pointers they provided to guide my next phase of development.
MafaldaQ1. How do I eliminate the shadows when people walk past the work? Can you use a short-throw projector or mount it on the ceiling?
Answer: There are two ways you can do this (refer to the images below).
Layout 1 involves using a translucent net curtain hung from a horizontal rod across the ceiling, clamped on either side of the rails and drapes down to the floor. Ideally, the space should be as dark as possible to receive the best projected image.
Layout 1 Version 2
See-through Cloth as Screen
Since the short-throw projector can be temperamental, consider Layout 2 as a backup option. However, this will result in shadows during the interaction, but this is something I have to live with.
Layout 2 Version 2
Q2. How do you project your work from i9 onto the screen using the projector? Normally, the projectors would be connected to the laptop via an HDMI cable
Answer: An HDMI cable must be used; however, you can purchase a longer one online.
Q3. How did you learn Touch Designer? I have been following tutorials on YouTube, but haven't been able to create anything complex on my own yet.
Answer: Mafalda taught herself the software by watching tutorials on YouTube and experimenting on her own (so I should be able to do it too).
Q4. Did you subscribe to an educational license? If not, how did you manage the transition between licenses?
Answer: No, Mafalda did not. She only used the i9 Machines in A238.
Q5. I am also struggling to execute my piece, as I am not familiar enough with the software and its capabilities.
Answer: Mafalda suggests following some tutorials, especially by Alvie Star, which she will email to me.
Shooting Dance MaterialMy dance piece consists of two distinct elements. The first is a live performance featuring real-time interaction with generative visuals. The second is an interactive installation where the audience engages with a pre-recorded particle-based representation of my movement.
Steve was kind enough to bring his new camera to capture source material, and Phil helped with the lighting. I then requested that Steve shoot two videos of me, mainly dancing two dance styles: Hip-Hop and Commercial, using the wide-angle lens. After that, I did two more videos but one medium close-up and the other a close-up. All the dance routines were freestyled/ spontaneous, as I had not choreographed a routine yet. As soon as the files are transferred over to my SSD, I will import the clips into TouchDesigner to experiment with and refine.
These are the camera settings that were used to shoot the clips:- Aperture: f5.2
- ISO200
- White Balance: 5200K
- Shutter Angle: 180degrees
- Resolution: 3840x 2160 (4K)
- Frame Rate: 25 FPS
- Codec: ProRes HQ
- SDI Mode: HD
Me Standing in Frame
Making Certain That Camera Is In Focus
Predicted Layout of Installation
Q1. How do I eliminate the shadows when people walk past the work? Can you use a short-throw projector or mount it on the ceiling?
Answer: There are two ways you can do this (refer to the images below).
Layout 1 involves using a translucent net curtain hung from a horizontal rod across the ceiling, clamped on either side of the rails and drapes down to the floor. Ideally, the space should be as dark as possible to receive the best projected image.
|
| Layout 1 Version 2 |
|
| See-through Cloth as Screen |
Since the short-throw projector can be temperamental, consider Layout 2 as a backup option. However, this will result in shadows during the interaction, but this is something I have to live with.
|
| Layout 2 Version 2 |
Q2. How do you project your work from i9 onto the screen using the projector? Normally, the projectors would be connected to the laptop via an HDMI cable
Answer: An HDMI cable must be used; however, you can purchase a longer one online.
Q3. How did you learn Touch Designer? I have been following tutorials on YouTube, but haven't been able to create anything complex on my own yet.
Answer: Mafalda taught herself the software by watching tutorials on YouTube and experimenting on her own (so I should be able to do it too).
Q4. Did you subscribe to an educational license? If not, how did you manage the transition between licenses?
Answer: No, Mafalda did not. She only used the i9 Machines in A238.
Q5. I am also struggling to execute my piece, as I am not familiar enough with the software and its capabilities.
Answer: Mafalda suggests following some tutorials, especially by Alvie Star, which she will email to me.
My dance piece consists of two distinct elements. The first is a live performance featuring real-time interaction with generative visuals. The second is an interactive installation where the audience engages with a pre-recorded particle-based representation of my movement.
Steve was kind enough to bring his new camera to capture source material, and Phil helped with the lighting. I then requested that Steve shoot two videos of me, mainly dancing two dance styles: Hip-Hop and Commercial, using the wide-angle lens. After that, I did two more videos but one medium close-up and the other a close-up. All the dance routines were freestyled/ spontaneous, as I had not choreographed a routine yet. As soon as the files are transferred over to my SSD, I will import the clips into TouchDesigner to experiment with and refine.
These are the camera settings that were used to shoot the clips:
- Aperture: f5.2
- ISO200
- White Balance: 5200K
- Shutter Angle: 180degrees
- Resolution: 3840x 2160 (4K)
- Frame Rate: 25 FPS
- Codec: ProRes HQ
- SDI Mode: HD
|
| Me Standing in Frame |
|
| Making Certain That Camera Is In Focus |
|
| Predicted Layout of Installation |
Long Shot (Hip-Hop Style)-
Medium Shot (Commercial Style)-
Medium Shot (Freestyle)-
Medium Close-Up Shot (Freestyle)-
Other Pointers
- Fill in the Health and Safety Form again and send it to Steve; there is no need to submit it as part of assignment 3
- The wooden planks clamped on the rails for the net curtain can be left there till the degree show, unless someone wants to use the green screen
- Phil is going to install the wooden dowels by tomorrow or this week, and find material to use for the net curtain, which ideally, should be black because it disappears when the lights are switched off
- To obtain the exact height of the net curtain, measure the height from the floor to the ceiling rail
- It is not advisable to work in the studio by yourself, as it is not safe, so it is best to bring a friend to be in the building in case something happens and make sure to leave the door open
- There is also an option to build temporary walls to create an isolated space
- Keep in mind that the particles (of the visual) might interact with environmental objects, which may disrupt the player experience, so play around with the Kinect sensor and its depth of field
- The Kinect should be placed high up, so in my case, it would be hung on the rail
- For testing purposes, you can use the velcro strips or the clamp (refer to the image below) to hang the Kinect. Alternatively, place it on the red ladder
 |
| Velcro Strips |
 |
| Red Ladder |
- There is a long wire that I should get online, which is the 10m USB Extension Cable (USB 3.0 Female to Type C Male)
- Steve suggested automating the TouchDesigner timeline to trigger transitions between different visual states. By programming these automatic switches, I can showcase a wider variety of effects and seamlessly cycle through the various clips we just captured