Results from the explorative work during an artistic residence on Espaço-Tempo in December 2015.

Solitária is an ongoing project from Alma D””””arame that explores the human Loneliness in the solitaire.

We explored the human mind and body in the dark.
How do we move, see, listen and think in a place where there is no light?
The absence of light removes any spatial–temporal references and draw us to an unbalanced world.

Solitaria Work-in-Progress

Solitaria Work-in-Progress 15th December 2015

We are trapped in a square space, and our body is the only connection to the physical world, the only sensor capable to recognize the physical space.

Our focus was on the relations between the human gestures and the space.

[vimeo 150417382 w=580&h=326]

[Portuguese]
Em termos gráficos, tentamos uma abordagem gráfica e minimal dando foco ao vazio e ao silêncio. Os elementos gráficos são geradas fundamentalmente a partir de linhas que nos remetem para as grades da prisão. Surgem igualmente letras para caracterizar as memórias e as silhuetas como representação do real. Mas esta realidade vai sendo linearizada (esquecida) começando com as silhuetas evoluindo até ao seu estado sintetizado, linhas que ganham expressão. Em termos de interação trabalhamos o corpo e objectos no espaço e no tempo. Começa-se por trabalhar o corpo e objectos no espaço da solitária, depois exploramos o espaço do próprio corpo explorando a relação espacial entre as mãos e centro gravitacional do corpo, finalmente retorna-se ao espaço da solitária relacionado o corpo com o espaço físico. Utiliza-se um sensor de profundidade e câmaras de vídeo.

Performer Amândio Anastácio
Multimedia Grifu

Technical framework
[HARDWARE]
– Macintosh Laptop
– Microsoft Kinect
– Video Camera
– Ipad

[SOFTWARE]
– Qlab
– OpenFrameworks
– eMotion
– QuartzComposer
– PureData
– MaxMsp
– PullTheStrings
– TouchOSC
– Syphon

Dec. 2015

 

Remote Control for Unity (RCu) is a open source generic mapping interface for controlling and exposing properties and methods of object””s in Unity using remote applications and devices.

Remote Control Framework Scheme

Remote Control Framework Scheme

Remote Control for Unity was published in December 2015 and is available at GitHub

This Video shows the framework of this digital puppetry environment.
[vimeo 150416605 w=580&h=326]

Remote Control is open source and provides a GUI to facilitate the mapping procedure ideal for non-expert programmers, an interface that provides an easy way for controlling Unity parameters in real-time from devices such as a smartphone.

RCu makes use of Jorge Garcia””s UnityOSC to access to the Open Sound Control (OSC) functionalities and provides connectivity with all devices and applications that support this protocol.

Videos:
Pre-Release Video
[vimeo 135032229 w=580&h=326]
This video shows the pre-released version from June 2015.

Tutorial 1 [Simple]: Controlling the object´s position
[vimeo 150416957 w=580&h=326]
In this tutorial you will learn how to connect, map, and control objects position from remote.

Tutorial 2 [Intermediate]: Controlling Blend-Shapes
[vimeo 150417112 w=580&h=326]
In this tutorial you will learn how to control Blend-shapes of your character with a flexible interface.

Tutorial 3 [Complex]: Control Lights, Cameras and Activator

In this tutorial you will learn how to change light parameters, how to move cameras and how to activate them remotely to create an interactive performative environment.
[vimeo 150417214 w=580&h=326]

Published in Dec.2015
GitHub: https://github.com/grifu/RemoteControlUnity

Resurrection performance at Casa da Música (casadamusica.com) in the 7th of December of 2015.
A major production from ESMAE (esmae-ipp.pt) for the 30th anniversary of IPP (portal.ipp.pt) embracing all the school departments (Theatre, Music, Audiovisual, Multimedia).

Resurrection at Casa da Música - 7.December.2015

Resurrection at Casa da Música – 7.December.2015

Inspired by the 2th Symphony of Gustav Mahler, Lee Beagley wrote and directed “Resurrection – Life lines” based on 65 interviews that he made during one year in Portugal with people who needed a second change in their life””s.

This video shows interventions that were performed in several places of Casa da Música and were adapted from the theatrical project presented at Teatro Helena Sá e Costa in November 2015.

Because my intervention was mainly on the multimedia field, I give you a brief insights of the project setup.
[vimeo 150416124 w=580&h=326]
[HARDWARE]
– Lobby and main Foyer (two 10k Lumen video projectors for the walls)
– Sala Renascença (one 7k Lumen projecting onto a translucent screen on a window to Sala Suggia)
– Exterior Wall (one video projector for the south wall)
– Two Macintosh””s
– Two Microsoft Kinect””s

[SOFTWARE]
– Qlab (Video mapping, video routing, video effects)
– OpenFrameworks (Computer Vision + Image Processing)
– Syphon (Video routing)
– Open Sound Control (for remote control)

A project with the students of ESMAE.

CREDITS
Texto e Encenacão: Lee Beagley
Traducão: José Topa

Ass. Encenacão e Produção: Xana Miranda
Ass. Movimento: Vítor Gomes
Ass. Voz: Bernardo Soares, Gabriela Amaro

Direcção de Cena e Produção: Gonçalo Gregório, Mariana Silva
Cenografia: Inês Mota, Luís Mesquita, Miguel Costa, Vera Matias
Figurinos: Manuel de Faria, Mónica Melo, Samanta Duarte
Luz e Som: Alexandre Candeias, Sérgio Vilela

Interpretação: Aldair Pereira, Carlos Alves, Cláudia Gomes, Gabriela Brás, Gabriela Costa, Guilherme de Sousa, Hugo Olim, Inês de Oliveira, João Lourenço, Mafalda Canhola, Maria Inês Peixoto, Mariana Coelho, Mariana Santos Silva, Marta Dias, Marta Rosas, Nuno Granja, Raquel Cunha, Rita Fernandes, Sara Xavier, Teresa Zabolitzki, Xavier Miguel, Miguel Marinho (participação especial)

Músicos: Diego Alonso, Gorka Oya Diez, Bernardo Soares, Ricardo Casaleiro, Gabriela Amaro
Fotografia: Paula da Fonte, Joana Machado, Rui Sá
Multimédia: Grifu, João Gigante, Ricardo Couto
Docentes DAI: Luís Leite (Grifu), Marco Conceição

/// This project hopefully opens new dialogues and breaks down barriers ///

Prometeu play was presented at the 10th International Shadow Theater Festival in Schwäbisch Gmünd. In the closing session of the festival program Marcelo Lafontana gave life to the story of Prometeus with a digital media shadow puppetry.

prometeus

The combination of shadow theater with a cinematic language makes this play unique.

prog-prometeu

“This multimedia performance is on the one hand inspired by the traditional Indonesian theatre „Wayang Kulit“ with its jointed silhouettes but on the other hand it makes use of the very latest in contemporary media: Against a lighted background the scene is created by the use of sand to create design and texture and to fashion space and visual surroundings. The puppets are moved in front of this background. The resulting scenes are recorded by video, electronically processed and then projected on to a screen. This is the story of Prometheus, the philanthropist, harbinger of culture and helper of people. He gave them fire and for this was severely punished by Zeus. The performance is an impressive example of the synthesis between the traditional structure of the Javanese Wayang Kulit shadow theatre and its transformation into the trappings and and characteristics of the western world.”

Setup of the play – smooth and with good vibrations!

montagem_1

Large amount of sits (more then 300)

montagem_2

 

id01

 

I was invited to be a part of the a round table during the Shadow Theater Festival at  Schwäbisch Gmünd and to discuss the latest developments in the shadow theater in particular the use of new media.

round-table-pic

It was a great opportunity to discuss with a panel of personalities related to shadow theater. This round table was moderated by Von Hartmut Topf, with Fabrizio Montecchi from Teatro Gioco Vita, Marcelo Redondo from Lafontana Formas Animadas, Alberto Jona from Controluce Teatro de Sombras and Robert Drobniuch from teatr kubus.

round-table-prog

 

Shadow Theater

I had the opportunity to attend to multiple plays  during the festival, from Teatro Gioco Vita, to Teatr Kubus, from Controluce Teatro d´Ombre,  to Indigo Moon Theatre.

It was a very enriching experience taking me into a journey in the imagined visual world of shadows.

Shadow Theater Festival

In my opinion the most wonderful play that I saw was the “Dolf Verroen & Wolf Erlbruch” from Teatro Gioco Vita. A magnificent children tale with the direction of Fabrizio Montecchi and incredible actors Deniz Azhar Azari and Andrea Coppone.

painel


Workshops

During the festival and included in the program there were five workshops. Everyday we could observe the evolution and the results of every workshop witch I might say were fascinating.

Shadow Theater Workshops

  • Workshop I: Painting with light
  • Workshop II: The voice as an instrument
  • Workshop III: Introduction to the shadow theater technique
  • Workshop IV: Dramaturgy
  • Workshop VI: Shadow Lab

In these workshops it was possible to explore light effects, new media, storytelling, spoken words, acting with shadows, puppetry techniques.

 


Exhibitions

I was absolutely amazed by the work of Simon Touaux, a French artist that explores three dimensional volumes to produce unbelievable shadow figures in a two dimensional plane. His master pieces are built in a window shape to be placed in the wall. And actually, I would like to have a window like this in my room. By turning on the halogen lamp the window reveals the shadow figures and by turning it off, you just see the wooden volumes.

Simon Touaux shadows

A genius and simple idea. I recommend searching the work of  Simon Touaux witch also explores the animation mechanisms as the optical toys.

 

 

I had the opportunity to attend to the 10th International Shadow Theater Festival in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Stuttgart, Germany.

Shadow Theater Festival

The festival took place in the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd that every three years turns into the most important meeting for the contemporary shadow theater. Shadow theater companies from all over the world were represented: Portugal, Brasil, England, USA, Argentina, France, Italy, Poland and many others.

schwabisch gmund

From the early cave drawings that shadows have been a part of the human communication. The human being is fascinated by the shadow expression as something that as its own life and explored by the mythology. The shadow player is like a shaman that guides our fear from the shadow of the death. The shadow play is connected to spirits, gods and demons or mythical creatures. But the light source as suffer considerable upgrades in its technology. The light from the fire as been replaced by lamp bulbs and projectors generating sharp shadows, and now, with the introduction of halogen lamps it is possible to use it as a performing light, a point light in the stage operated by the performer to create spatial effects. It allows to change the perspective, and create motion and image blending as in film. The last upgrade to this artistic form can be consider somehow problematic and is creating some resistance to recognize it as a shadow technique, the use of cameras and computers.

Shadow Festival

This year program presents diverse approaches to the shadow theater – a bridge between the traditional form and the contemporary shadow theater.

shadow-street

Last week (8th Oct.) attended the marionette workshop at Museu da Marioneta in Lisbon.

This workshop was oriented by Marcelo Lafontana and Bernd Ogrodnik.

Bernd Ogrodnik

Bernd Ogrodnik his a great puppet master, and was the designer and lead puppeteer for the Marionette Movie “Strings”, currently he is the Artistic Director of the Icelandic Center of Puppetry Arts.

It was a great honor to listen to the Bernd Ogrodnik and to learn how to respect puppets, and to understand how important it is the concept of awareness in puppetry.

 

Common spaces poster was available during the 2 days of the 1st Joint Conference and Exhibition of the International Partnerships. I have the opportunity to demonstrate the framework of Common Spaces during the conference with a simple setup.

FSIE_logo_v2

This conference highlights the Portugal-U.S. partnerships. A joint conference and exhibition on fostering science and innovation, a showcase activities and outcomes of the international partnerships with Portugal.

 

common spaces at 1st Joint Conference and Exhibition of the International Partnerships

holographic puppetry

First experiments with DIY holographic projection with digital puppetry.

Ravin Balakrishnan already in 2001 was exploring physical mockups to interact with 3D volumetric displays (User Interfaces for Volumetric Displays –
http://www.autodeskresearch.com/publications/volumetricui). Naiqi Weng made some interesting experiments with volumetric displays and digital puppetry in 2005. Andrew Jones extended this approach in 2007, (Rendering for an Interactive 360º Light Field Display- http://gl.ict.usc.edu/Research/3DDisplay/)

 

But this is a completely different approach, a low-cost solution that can be easily done with cheap materials and a standard computer display.

 

It is a four-sided hologram made with transparent plastic that sits above a computer screen. The screen is divided into four planes that reflects the performance animation manipulated by the digital puppeteer with his hands.

This experiment was made in PIC – Porto Interactive Center and the holographic structure was developed by Marcelo Gomes.

 

To learn more about four-sided pyramid holograms jump to: http://rimstar.org/science_electronics_projects/hologram_pyramid_diy_homemade.htm

Holographic Toy Paper Puppet