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Matthew HillaK-Arts Spring Semester Lecture and Lab outline

Introduction / Art & EngineeringPart 1: Introduction lecture about the speaker: Matthew Hilla, the topics that will be covered in the semester, why they were chosen, how they relate to each other. There will be video examples of technologies that we’ll be talking about and learning more about (3D projection / Video Mapping / Multimedia Integration / Touch Interfaces / Natural User Interface)

Part 2: Art & Engineering - Discover the close relationship between the artist and the engineer. How one has influenced the other throughout history. How one can not survive without the other.

Performance Technology: Naturally Enhancing Artistic VisionWe will discuss technologies available today that have a huge impact on stage and theatrical performances, and how to use them in a natural way. We’ll be taking a look at clips from Cirque Du Soleil’s “O” show in Las Vegas, and discussing in detail how engineering technology enhances without destroying artistic vision. We will investigate how proper use of technology makes live performance experiences more natural, and how technology should enhance but not overly control the artistic vision. We will then take a look at some performance technologies that are easily affordable (or free) that students can readily utilize and learn on their own.

Natural User Experience: The Human ElementIn this session we will be diving deeper into “Natural Experiences” in relation to art & technology. How do you make something inherently unnatural (like a computing device) feel instinctive to use? What drives as as humans to interact with objects in a certain way? How to we use these basic human instincts & behaviors to create a more “natural” experience?

To answer these and other questions, we’ll discuss theories around Human Behavior, Perception, How the brain perceives data (Right vs Left), and the discuss how to identify culturally learned behaviors and utilize them in art.

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3D: Facts and Fictions about the third dimensionThis session will cover one of the hottest topics in film, television, and performance art: 3D. We will take a look at the technology offered today in the field of 3D. The differences in 3D technology. How 3D is being utilized in performance art. How some of these technologies are not really 3D, but a 2D illusion. How can we apply principles learned from “Natural User Experience” to 3D? What it takes to make Good quality vs Bad quality 3d. Understanding how the human eye / brain sees 3D. We will also take a look at a simple 3D camera system, and demonstrate 3D filming concepts.

Sound: It can be more important than visionThe importance of sound is often overlooked in both static and performance art exhibits. Sound is considered by many to be secondary to sight, but this could not be further form the truth. Our ears are actually the most sensitive of our senses. Sound plays a much bigger role in our environmental awareness than vision (which is filtered). So much so that even the absence of sound can have a great impact on awareness. In this lecture we will investigate the natural human tendencies to understand certain sounds (pentatonic scale exercises, etc). How we can communicate cross-culturally with sound that isn’t language. New and creative ways we can deliver sound using technology (directed microwave, solid drive, piezo vibration). How quality of sound is more important than volume. How sound is best recorded and engineered for art.

Video Mapping: Interactive LectureOne of the newest fields in media art is Video Mapping. Despite the relative ease of of utilizing the technology, the field of Video Mapping remains in part - undiscovered. In this lecture we will teach the basic concepts of Video Mapping on 3D surfaces. What disciplines are needed to successfully create a mapping project. What components are needed to properly “MAP” a structure. How the biggest challenge is essentially “time”. The students will also be given links to free software they can begin to experiment with to map on their own.

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Substrates and Surfaces: New Physical MaterialsThere are a variety of new substrates and surfaces available to the Media artist, particularly those who wish to work with any form of projected light.

We will talk about the new films available from companies such as 3M and SpyeGlass, and show examples of their uses. We will cover what types of “films” to use and when. What the positives and negatives of these new materials? How are these materials are being used in product design? How they can be used in new and innovative ways.

Social Distortion: Transmedia StorytellingTransmedia storytelling is a technique of telling stories, and sharing artistic vision across multiple platforms and formats simultaneously. It is on of the newest type of social media being discussed today, and is considered to be the fastest growing trend in mixed media.

We will investigate its applications, and uses, and discuss ways in which Transmedia concepts can be applied to both performance and static art. We will also dive into applying concepts of Social Networking to aid in artistic vision and meaning.

1+1 = 5? : The Art of the Mash-upSome of the greatest interactive experiences come from combining things that are seemingly unrelated. In this lecture we’ll highlight some new and innovative “Mash-ups”, discuss the social impacts, and create some of our own. In the process, we’ll discover tools that make creating mashups easier.

We’ll discover how thinking in new and different ways can further open creative envelopes and experiences. How there really is no “wrong” way to do it. Topics will range from Music & DJ’s, to Interactive Systems.

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Digital Surfaces: LED, OLED, LCD, PLASMA, DLP, LASER With so many display technologies, it becomes difficult to choose what works best. We’ll go over the technology available today, and talk about the positives and negatives of each. We’ll look at specific examples of how each technology can be best utilized for a particular project and installation.

Ultra High Definition & Hyper RealityAs prices for computing displays continues to trend downward, and their sizes continue to grow larger, new types of display canvases can be built. We can now work with resolutions and imagery that we have never seen or experienced before. The world is trending towards the “Hyper Real”, where definitions become so high that we can allow people to see things in ways we have never imagined.

We will cover real-world installations of these systems, how they were built, and talk about what it takes to create content for such installations.

Video MetaData: the Third TrackTraditionally the Video industry as relied on two pieces of information: Picture + Sound. However, new systems are now allowing a third piece of information: MetaData. This data track represents a new way to convey information about a piece of media, and gives artists new ways to control and represent video data.

We will discover how this will change the face of the video industry in the years to come. We will also get a first-hand look at some of the new exciting tools and technologies that are becoming available to view Meta-Enabled content.

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How to Prototype Touch and Interactive SurfacesWhat does it take to create a touch-based interface? What types of Interactive surfaces exist? We will learn about the hardware that exists, and also learn how to create new interface designs.

Prototyping these interfaces is easier than you may think. Using simple programs such as FLASH and AFTEREFFECTS we will engineer a variety of simple and intuitive touch interfaces quickly. We will put into practice the concepts we learned in the “Natural Interfaces” lecture, learn to build a prototype touch interface, and animate them using simple tools, and learn about what types of experiences work best for touch.

VIDEO Mapping LAB 1 - Basics / Learn Modul8This is a hand-on session to get more detail with Mapping tools such as Modul8, a widely used VJ softare for mapping. We’ll begin by creating simple mapped elements and learn how to control them using Modul8

VIDEO Mapping LAB 2 - Advanced TechniquesContinuing what was learned in the Mapping lecture and LAB1 we will explore further tools, and learn how to precisely control and edit our Mapped environments. We will learn about the advanced methods the professionals use for Mapping on buildings and monuments.