Checklists, Wrap Up + Future Projection Horizons

Feedback

There were some great results during testing recently – with most groups having developed their work nicely, and adapting to less than ideal circumstances (with locations and technology).

On a technical level, there were a few groups that needed to better demonstrate they were mastering some of the points below, rather than merely point a projector at a surface. It’s worth reflecting on how well your project covers each of these points, and where you might be able to improve it within the time we have left.

Criteria for Analysing a Projection

–          Mapping (How does your project demonstrate effective mapping, masking and shifting beyond projecting a plain rectangle?)
–          Contextual relevance (How have you adapted to your site?)
–          Materiality
–          Projector installation and audience consideration
–          Interaction
–          Performance
–          Video qualities : editing / animation / sound / relationships between video and all of the above
–          Visual composition / engagement / contrast / light levels / use of colour / graphic patterns
–          Cinematographic considerations: framing / spatial considerations + depth of field / audience awareness / perspective
–          Time and choreography

Future Horizons:

After this semester’s exploration of animation, video editing and projection possibilities – a whole range of opportunities await for those interested in pushing it further –

Animation and Motion Graphics

12 principles of animation ( and an animated version.. )

Books:
The Animator’s Survival Kit by Richard Williams
Animation Unleashed by Ellen Besen
Timing for Animation by John Halas
Motion Graphic Design: Applied History and Aesthetics by Jon Krasner
The History of Motion Graphics by Michael Betancourt
Creative Motion Graphic Titling for Film, Video, and the Web: Dynamic Motion Graphic Title Design by Yael Braha , Bill Byrne

Lynda.com covers plenty of software tutorials, and video co-pilot is another highly recommended resource.

3D animation

Reading through 3D Art Essentials: The Fundamentals of 3D Modeling, Texturing, and Animation – By Ami Chopine – will make all of the following 3D Software learning curves much easier:

Cinema 4D (Note : After Effects CC includes a lite version of Cinema 4D, good for learning. )
Maya
Blender ( free and open source 3D software!)
Unity (game engine: versatile platform that can build 3D scenes for animation, gaming or interactive purposes)

Video Editing & Cinematography

In the Blink of An Eye – by Walter Murch (Fantastic book about editing, and creative processes in general)
Cinearchive.org – Treasure trove of links, reading and watching – about the creation of moving images.
Guide To Video Systems – Great, detailed explanation of video terms and technologies. Demystify what you’re working with.

Lynda.com has a great range of editing software tutorials, as well as tutorials about editing documentaries or narratives, developing cinematography style, and using cameras.

Projection Mapping

2D / planar mapping… matching / fitting 2D planes of video onto physical objects
– The Madmapper site features many tutorials for exploring this in more depth.
– VPT is a free and powerful mapping software for PC.

3D Mapping – uses 3D virtual objects and virtual cameras to mimick and manipulate lighting conditions on physical objects.
– For those who use 3D software already, and are familiar with mesh objects and textures – MWM offers an interesting projection mapping workflow
– ‘how to project on 3D geometry’… (focussed around VVVV software, but many core projection principles covered)

Light

A lot of live-video software now also includes the ability to control lighting in real-time. It mostly does this through these communications protocols: DMX and art-net. This generally involves a hardware connector between your computer and the lights / lighting consoles – eg this Enternet USB to DMX controller. (see also: )

Using Madmapper to control LED strips using DMX

Interactivity

Lots of options here – which mostly revolve around analysing ‘inputs’ to a computer ( eg a mouse, gestural movements and a Kinect camera, sensors etc), and using that information to control ‘outputs’ from a computer. The software below offers a lot of flexibility with this, each with their own set of learning curves:

Processing ( see workshop below, Jun 21)
VVVV
Max MSP
Touch Designer
VUO

The arduino hardware is also worth a look – as it enables many different types of sensors to be used for creating ways of interacting with your software. (Think of it as a more flexible and programmable version of the makey makey.)

OpenLab Melbourne : A group with regular events, workshops, talks, exhibitions etc – based around all kinds of interactive and electronic projects.

Upcoming Workshop

Creative Coding Workshop @ ACMI

Sat 21 Jun 2014, 9.30am-4.30pm
Location Studio 2
Admission Full $160 Concession $140 ACMI Member $130

In this one-day workshop suitable for adults, create beautiful experimental animations using free software and computer code inspired by Norman McLaren’s evocative art. To coincide with the retrospective being presented by the Melbourne International Animation Festival, we pose and answer the question, what is experimental animation today?

Participants will use the free open source software Processing, a creative coding platform, to develop unique, original and interactive animations. Created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, students Ben Fry and Casey Reas, Processing is the perfect introduction to creating code for non-programmers.

The workshop will cover the basics and allow plenty of time to experiment with newly learned skills. You will leave with the confidence and capacity to design increasingly complex animations using this exciting contemporary tool. Ticket prices include a USB to take home files and resources.