logan caldwell

Experimenting in the projection lab; photo: hc gilje.

videoprojectiontools, the powerful and intuitive Max/MSP/Jitter-developed Mac and Windows tools for projection mapping, just got a nice update. The new version has OpenSoundControl (OSC) support – and yes, despite the “Sound” in the acronym, it’s really more like Open … Control. Max is not required to use the patches; they’re standalone.

Yet again we see some advantages of using OSC:

The implementation so far for OSC includes preset and cuelist access, and layer fades,pos x and y, scale x and y, and videotracks selection from the individual sources.
With OSC you can now sync several computers and trigger presets from a OSC-able application (which can run as a background application).

Head to the site for downloads, tutorials, and documentation to get you started.

Video projection tools -Pete Kirn, CDM

A little quirky if you don’t read your manual (or readme), but this is the program I first got started with projection mapping, and once you get over the learning curve/hump/hill/mountain (take your pick) it’s really not that hard to implement into a project.

Permalink: http://createdigitalmotion.com/2009/04/videoprojectiontools-now-with-osc-support-for-your-projection-happiness/

“Gource can visualize itself. Freaky. It’s all thanks to the ongoing awesomeness of OpenGL.

http://code.google.com/p/gource/

I’d love to see this added to project management so you’d have a sort of live, superb visual to inspire you to keep the code moving forward.  Who knew source code would turn out to be so visually inspiring? (Now I just need a new way of visualizing me writing bad code and then correcting and cleaning it up. I think it could be best represented as a set of stick figures getting stuck in quicksand and hitting each other over the head. Then there could be a big Smoke Monster that represented the Evil Force of Procrastination.)” Peter Kirn, CDM

Just a scary-similar video to our site-mapping projects, and rightfully so.  The idea of actually keeping track of the traffic in the form of not only a comprehendable but visually stimulating  model is really just…rad (yea, I said rad…in reference to the old VHS biking movie that is oh-so rad)

Permalink:  http://createdigitalmotion.com/2010/04/open-source-code-changes-visualized-results-amazingly-hypnotic/

The iPad DAW? Perhaps the most intriguing addition is StudioTrack from Sonoma (pictured at top), which looks most like a traditional DAW, but with bigger, friendlier, finger-tip friendly touch controls. Through Sonoma’s AudioPaste capability, you’ll be able to pull sounds from other apps and paste them into this environment for mixing.

The one, free app you need to get is clearly Richard Lawler’s PatternMusic, a unique way of generating looped, instrumental music ideas. I love the thought he’s put into the UI, which has yielded some unusual interface concepts, and his hand-drawn sketch above (lifted from his blog.) -Pete Kirn, CDM

I’ve been hesitant about the iPad and its lack of compatibility, but there is hope yet.   While I still think an Apple Tablet is beyond its due date, it seems that developers are still going to be able to squeeze some usefulness out of it.  But I still stand by my word — It’s no revolutionary device.

Permalink: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/04/05/the-first-round-of-ipad-apps-is-here-updated-round-up-more-thoughts/

French “video scenographer”

“Perrick Sorin; integrates projection, live video, and chromakeying into stage performance. In contrast to the epic, distant pieces created with Projection Mapping (which don’t generally work when you get closer to the object), these techniques give a more intimate look at what the actors are doing on the stage.” -Jaymis, CDM

One of my all time favorite projection mapping videos, keep in mind this isn’t even the latest and greatest technology as far as projection mapping goes.  Since the time this video was made, things have come a LONG way…

Permalink: http://createdigitalmotion.com/2009/10/experimental-animation-dreaming-of-lucid-living/

One beauty of Processing is that it’s so portable, thanks to its intelligent, lightweight engineering, its open source nature, and the fact that it’s built on Java. The elegant text-based language for describing interactive visuals therefore can become a part of a workflow in other places.

That, in turn, has led people to look for ways of integrating Processing with Ableton’s new Max for Live (or more generally Max). You can certainly get Processing working with Live using MIDI or (via the freely-accessible Live API) OSC. Max for Live simply adds the convenience of Live-style devices and controls, as well as the chance to mesh work in Max with work in Processing. That could be a big help in the context of Live, because the device controls work the way Live controls do, and devices and their presets are saved with your Live sets. There are already two formal efforts.

For the work I’m currently doing with Processing and Max– this is a simplified bridge that I’m growing to really appreciate.  Between these two (make that three) programs, its hard to try and find something you can’t do.

With talk of tablets, experimentation with interfaces, new developments in low-cost and low-power processing, and ongoing challenges with access in different parts of the world, in 2010, it seems everyone is asking fundamental questions about what digital platforms and computing platforms should be. -Peter Kirn, CDM

Seeing as I’m trying to keep on top of the game as I can as far as the next big thing(s) for digital production/performance this is an important topic for me.  I love my Lemur, but there are so many other approaches right now I can’t wait to see the next thing to catch my eye (no not the iPad:S)

Permalink: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/03/29/this-week-the-state-of-platforms-for-digital-music/

Augmented Sculpture by GROSSE8 & LICHTFRONT / Passagen 2010 from Lichtfront on Vimeo.

The core of the installation is a 2,5m tall wooden sculpture that builds the screen for a 360° projection with virtual content. The projection constantly augments the sculptures outside within a 2:32 min. long, dramaturgically structured edit of video content to a track by musician Jon Hopkins.

The sculpture becomes a mirror of changing realities. As a result, a kind of real virtuality arises to confront virtual reality.

Something that I feel needs to be more recognized and put to good use, Augmented reality/Projection Mapping as a concept in itself just spills over with avenues that haven’t even begun to be explored.  Live theatre for one.  When is the last time you saw a production team just completely scrap the entire set and go with objects that fit the performance to create an immersive and interactive scenery.  Who says the only living, breathing, thing on stage needs to be the actors?

Permalink: http://createdigitalmotion.com/2010/03/projection-mapping-augmented-furniture-augmented-sculpture-in-the-round/

FINE COLLECTION OF CURIOUS SOUND OBJECTS from Georg Reil on Vimeo.

The arrangement includes six exceptional exhibits from the world of sounds and acoustics. At first sight looking trivial, each object incorporates a very unique ability.

The magical character of each object is accompanied with a little story, almost completely concealing the existence of technical components such as speakers or sensors. Only small connection ports as well as the uniform black finishing point to thier unusual abilities.

In form and functionality all these exhibits pursue John Maeda’s „Simplicity“. They are enjoying to use, they are surprising and one wants to explore and investigate them.

I love interactivity, obscurity, and sound.  So why not combine em all?  The fact that this type of story or background that has been created for each object is extremely compelling.  Makes you wonder what things would be like if the history or background of installations were to be a standard. I think that’d be a pretty fantastic scenario, don’t you?

Permalink: http://vimeo.com/10173262

by Mark Ulano, C.A.S.

Sound recording and the ability to photograph and reproduce motion pictures began intersecting at the very beginning…… In 1891 a Dr. Georges Demeny makes claim to synchronous sound…..Even earlier, in 1891, Edison was making inflated claims of achieving synchronous projected sound films….

I found this to be a particularly different post than most of my others, which I came across after reading “The Fundamentals of Sound Design” by Tony Gibbs (Great Read).  The book inspired me to dive into the little nooks and crannys of the history of various parts of both motion and sound, and here is just a snippet of what I came across…Enjoy

Permalink: http://www.filmsound.org/ulano/index.html

“When we perceive a film we use sight and hearing. This seems to be an obvious statement, but there has been serious attempts to involve other senses as well”

by Klas Dykhoff

An Article worth Reading, no matter what your views are (and as far as the discussions that have taken place in class, we have a wide variety).  Check it out.

Permalink: http://www.dramatiskainstitutet.se/web/About_the_perception_of_sound.aspx