So, we've decided that the final presentation will be a collaboration (appropos).
There is an After Effects Composition (.aep) file on the Server.
afp://rocky.drama.uga.edu/Groups/Dark Ride/Presentation.aep
Open this and edit-in your film clips and images.
I'll open the discussion--we'll show the presentation--then,
we'll have an open discusion based
on the research questions we discussed.
I will make our reservation with David tomorrow for Friday.
At this point we will try to make it before noon--
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Physical Plant & Video Wall
The Video Wall is up and user friendly. We'll go over switching between MAC and Windows tomorrow along with more talk about presentations. I would also like to discuss the physical plant of the FA.
First--generic definition: Physical plant or mechanical plant (and where context is given, often just plant) refers to the necessary infrastructure used in support and maintenance of a given facility.
And--the definition from the UGA website:The Physical Plant is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the University's physical facilities, grounds, and utilities. This encompasses responsibility for building maintenance and repairs, building alterations, maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems, custodial services, and related activities. Physical Plant also operates the central steam and chiller plants and provides construction, operation, and maintenance of utility systems. Other responsibilities include providing engineering support, maintenance of roads and grounds, landscaping, maintaining an inventory of university buildings and land, operation of a construction materials warehouse, operating a vehicle rental fleet and automotive maintenance shop.
So, just let your ideas about the definition roll around a bit prior to class.
First--generic definition: Physical plant or mechanical plant (and where context is given, often just plant) refers to the necessary infrastructure used in support and maintenance of a given facility.
And--the definition from the UGA website:The Physical Plant is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the University's physical facilities, grounds, and utilities. This encompasses responsibility for building maintenance and repairs, building alterations, maintenance of mechanical and electrical systems, custodial services, and related activities. Physical Plant also operates the central steam and chiller plants and provides construction, operation, and maintenance of utility systems. Other responsibilities include providing engineering support, maintenance of roads and grounds, landscaping, maintaining an inventory of university buildings and land, operation of a construction materials warehouse, operating a vehicle rental fleet and automotive maintenance shop.
So, just let your ideas about the definition roll around a bit prior to class.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
VW - we are closer than we've ever been.
When you see our producer this week--show him your appreciation. He came in and helped us clear up a few things--and taught us some of the finer points of the care and feeding of the video wall.
Monitors are sequenced and ready to roll. We need to clean up some cabling issues which can happen tomorrow night. Let's continue talking about presentations including the date.
Monitors are sequenced and ready to roll. We need to clean up some cabling issues which can happen tomorrow night. Let's continue talking about presentations including the date.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The process, MFA, and other thoughts
Indeed, the process has been tedious in many ways, which IF we allow can be prohibitive; however, I think coming in we all had some idea that there would be hurdles to clear. I don't want to get too Zen about this, but there is a journey that exists outside the text, outside the project, and even outside the university.
Now that the VW is moved and the cabling is underway, I think one of the tallest hurdles is behind us.
Perhaps a documentary or "making of" would be good, not only for us, but for those who come along after, that way we'll have an official way to track truly progressive moments, and a way to document the non-progressive moments as well. It could be interesting to come back to it, say two years later, to see how much has changed, or not changed.
About the MFA...yes, an MFA is a degree about "doing" things. It taps into a very particular intelligence--imagination. "Masters" degrees are meant to be apprenticeships. We are to learn the craft from the Masters who came before us. The efficacy of these apprenticeships depends, of course, on the skills of the masters who teach us. There's a lot that can be said about that, in terms of both the historical idea of the Masters degree and how that's changed, as well as what this all means in a university setting.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Cabling
We are close. So close.
Thanks for the work this evening.
I think it would be wise for us to label as much
as we can as clearly as we can for ourselves and future generations.
I want to continue the business discussion we began last week.
Interesting observations this evening--let's talk about the
acronym MFA and what it means in relation to what we are learning.
I think its very important to pay attention to the business aspects
of what we do. I have heard an MFA degree as a
"do something" degree. What are your thoughts?
Thanks for the work this evening.
I think it would be wise for us to label as much
as we can as clearly as we can for ourselves and future generations.
I want to continue the business discussion we began last week.
Interesting observations this evening--let's talk about the
acronym MFA and what it means in relation to what we are learning.
I think its very important to pay attention to the business aspects
of what we do. I have heard an MFA degree as a
"do something" degree. What are your thoughts?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
State of the Quest
We have discussed a lot of ideas. That's good. We have been able to bring to fruition but a few of these. That is not bad. Our imaginations are held in check by speed at which the producorial vocabulary can move events. Getting the VW moved and now re-cabled has been a process that has taken longer than I would gave liked, but re-call that we discussed the vocabulary of leanness that we would have to adopt to make all of this work w/o friction. Acknowledging that we work in an environment with lean resources we must accept that efficient communication is a resource--perhaps one of the most important resources; more important even than even capital, for w/o efficient communication the dispensing of capital can go seriously awry. We also discussed the issus w/the Kinect. I am working to resolve those.
Tifany, Casey and I will now assume a more aggressive brand of guerilla art; taking the cellar by storm! When no-one's looking of course.
By now I hope the wisdom of Dark Ride as a vehicle is clear (especially from the resource perspective); it's a play with its own imagination we just have to complement it.
We are now concentrating our efforts on these objectives:
Cabling the VW and getting it squared away for us to play with.
Final presentations.
Alright. Comments? Fire away.
Tifany, Casey and I will now assume a more aggressive brand of guerilla art; taking the cellar by storm! When no-one's looking of course.
By now I hope the wisdom of Dark Ride as a vehicle is clear (especially from the resource perspective); it's a play with its own imagination we just have to complement it.
We are now concentrating our efforts on these objectives:
Cabling the VW and getting it squared away for us to play with.
Final presentations.
Alright. Comments? Fire away.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
brainstorming
I thought of fire for the beginning of Dark Ride in the video wall--specifically, five different live-action pyres to offset the imposing technological aspect of the video wall itself and to coincide with the shamanic idea that's been brewing. A contrasting of new and old, so to speak.
Milan was telling me about work he is doing with his thesis that creates the visual narrative built along the structure of the narrative. This process entails mapping out the narrative and then deciding visual, spatial cues to match these points in the script. For instance, a particular scene is a mini-peak along the greater crescendo and so will have warm colors with more 3D space; plateaus coincide with cooler colors and 2D space. He was going to look through his notes and see if he had anything he could give us in the way of graphs. I think it is an interesting idea, especially with Dark Ride--what are significant moments? What are plateaus?
Milan was telling me about work he is doing with his thesis that creates the visual narrative built along the structure of the narrative. This process entails mapping out the narrative and then deciding visual, spatial cues to match these points in the script. For instance, a particular scene is a mini-peak along the greater crescendo and so will have warm colors with more 3D space; plateaus coincide with cooler colors and 2D space. He was going to look through his notes and see if he had anything he could give us in the way of graphs. I think it is an interesting idea, especially with Dark Ride--what are significant moments? What are plateaus?
Request from Publicity
I want to share this with you guys and we can talk about this Wed. as well.
The directors of next years main stage productions received a request from Tressa Preston
of the publicity committee:
Dear Directors,
In an effort to get a jump start on promoting the University Theatre 2011-2012 season, the publicity team is already compiling ideas for images to promote each show.
The goal is for publicity to stage and take photographs representing iconic images for each show to include in the season brochure and other promotional material, before the end of the semester.
It would be extremely helpful if directors could submit a few rough ideas of images that they see as representative of their show for us to go from. Keep in mind that we can solicit actors, do our best to suggest costume/period style, and work at different locations around town. Also iconic props or objects important to the show could be used additionally or exclusively.
Take our promotion of Hamlet for an example. The image of the rotten apple is one of our promotions capitalizing on the rotten state of Denmark. For the commercial we used images of the actor playing Hamlet holding a skull in a cemetery, and a partial image of the head and face of the actor playing Ophelia lying in a stream with her eyes open.
Thank you for your help in this! Please don't hesitate to call, email, or just stop me in the hall or class with ideas or questions.
The directors of next years main stage productions received a request from Tressa Preston
of the publicity committee:
Dear Directors,
In an effort to get a jump start on promoting the University Theatre 2011-2012 season, the publicity team is already compiling ideas for images to promote each show.
The goal is for publicity to stage and take photographs representing iconic images for each show to include in the season brochure and other promotional material, before the end of the semester.
It would be extremely helpful if directors could submit a few rough ideas of images that they see as representative of their show for us to go from. Keep in mind that we can solicit actors, do our best to suggest costume/period style, and work at different locations around town. Also iconic props or objects important to the show could be used additionally or exclusively.
Take our promotion of Hamlet for an example. The image of the rotten apple is one of our promotions capitalizing on the rotten state of Denmark. For the commercial we used images of the actor playing Hamlet holding a skull in a cemetery, and a partial image of the head and face of the actor playing Ophelia lying in a stream with her eyes open.
Thank you for your help in this! Please don't hesitate to call, email, or just stop me in the hall or class with ideas or questions.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday in the IPL
Good meet and a pre-cursor to more in-depth collaboration.
There is an urgent need now to move the VW, so we shall.
We will cordon off a corner of the IPL and set up shop
and that will become our base of operations.
Current intention is to work on and complete the first act
story-boarding and have media prototypes avail for
proof of concept by end of semester.
We did not re-visit the semester expectations
as I had planned but that can happen on Wed.
We agreed that Monday and Wednesdays evenings @ 7:00 PM in the IPL
will be considered regular meet times for the rest of the
semester--unless informed otherwise--essentially times toward the
end of the semester when David will join us for presentations.
I would like to hear comments on some of the ideas that were floated this evening.
Please expand and contract the ideas however you wish.
These posts are really fueling the class conversation.
I was drawn to all of the ideas floated tonight--Question; does deploying the media strongly & quickly seem like it would dampen the effect of the audience's surprise towards media choices later in the production?--just a concern of mine. What do you think?
Alex and Erin like the wormhole effect (is that right - 'wormhole'?) at the beginning--taking you to another dimension if you will (actually--sail out to you tube and watch the opening credits of a twilight zone episodes--I think they use a wormhole effect.
Josh likes the idea of a mediated translator at the top of the show--giving the audience the idea that the translator is the narrator and then
There is an urgent need now to move the VW, so we shall.
We will cordon off a corner of the IPL and set up shop
and that will become our base of operations.
Current intention is to work on and complete the first act
story-boarding and have media prototypes avail for
proof of concept by end of semester.
We did not re-visit the semester expectations
as I had planned but that can happen on Wed.
We agreed that Monday and Wednesdays evenings @ 7:00 PM in the IPL
will be considered regular meet times for the rest of the
semester--unless informed otherwise--essentially times toward the
end of the semester when David will join us for presentations.
I would like to hear comments on some of the ideas that were floated this evening.
Please expand and contract the ideas however you wish.
These posts are really fueling the class conversation.
I was drawn to all of the ideas floated tonight--Question; does deploying the media strongly & quickly seem like it would dampen the effect of the audience's surprise towards media choices later in the production?--just a concern of mine. What do you think?
Alex and Erin like the wormhole effect (is that right - 'wormhole'?) at the beginning--taking you to another dimension if you will (actually--sail out to you tube and watch the opening credits of a twilight zone episodes--I think they use a wormhole effect.
Josh likes the idea of a mediated translator at the top of the show--giving the audience the idea that the translator is the narrator and then
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Vocabulary of Collaboration
Good feedback. Terrific observations. Yes, the process could be perceived as 'backward' depending on the perspective from which it is viewed.
I hope this conversation fuels ideas for approaches to thesis projects for the MFAs.
So, we each approach this process from a different perspective with different objectives.
What might feel organic to one person may not to another.
I'm putting on the producer's hat here;
Let's take a look at the genesis of the project and its relation to the Video Wall.
Dark Ride was originally suggested as a possible theatrical vehicle that could easily withstand the kind of research it would take to deploy media and satisfy the requirements for the MFA.
Dark Ride was largely a pragmatic choice--although I have affection for this particular piece, which has something to do with its funky post-human/film noir qualities.
The Video Wall was unavailable when the play was first suggested, as much as I wanted to use it. As a result, it was not the original media deployment choice.
The original choice was a simple 8'x8' projection screen hung from the ceiling of the cellar that I thought would promote a more organic approach.
The VW was added as part of the idea later when it became pretty clear that the wall was not going to be utilized for its original purpose, at least for a time. It was originally intended only as a means of providing virtual scenery.
It is certainly a different approach from, say, choosing Hamlet, based on having a clear, although not yet expressed, thematic concept.
I believe both approaches, along w/myriad others, have value and efficacy.
I'm happy with Angela's comments about the collaborative process at hand; it is certainly becoming so.
I hear and share the hunger for storyboarding and I completely agree with Alex's idea and ideas about getting in front of and using the wall.
We need to move the wall (for easier access) and set up shop in the IPL.
I got permission from David (the executive producer).
I would like very much now to get access to the acting classroom on the 3rd floor and begin some text analysis, along w/putting the play on its feet and brainstorming about the placement of the set pieces we'll be utilizing (those funky black plastic things).
The need for rehearsal "mock-ups" for the VW columns will become readily apparent.
As for adding programs to the wall; certainly. We need to check w/David first--so let's decide on some software that suits our needs and I'll run them past him.
Keep in mind as well, that the fluidity of this process allows for the inclusion of something as radically different as the kinect.
We now have new possibilities to explore.
I hope this conversation fuels ideas for approaches to thesis projects for the MFAs.
So, we each approach this process from a different perspective with different objectives.
What might feel organic to one person may not to another.
I'm putting on the producer's hat here;
Let's take a look at the genesis of the project and its relation to the Video Wall.
Dark Ride was originally suggested as a possible theatrical vehicle that could easily withstand the kind of research it would take to deploy media and satisfy the requirements for the MFA.
Dark Ride was largely a pragmatic choice--although I have affection for this particular piece, which has something to do with its funky post-human/film noir qualities.
The Video Wall was unavailable when the play was first suggested, as much as I wanted to use it. As a result, it was not the original media deployment choice.
The original choice was a simple 8'x8' projection screen hung from the ceiling of the cellar that I thought would promote a more organic approach.
The VW was added as part of the idea later when it became pretty clear that the wall was not going to be utilized for its original purpose, at least for a time. It was originally intended only as a means of providing virtual scenery.
It is certainly a different approach from, say, choosing Hamlet, based on having a clear, although not yet expressed, thematic concept.
I believe both approaches, along w/myriad others, have value and efficacy.
I'm happy with Angela's comments about the collaborative process at hand; it is certainly becoming so.
I hear and share the hunger for storyboarding and I completely agree with Alex's idea and ideas about getting in front of and using the wall.
We need to move the wall (for easier access) and set up shop in the IPL.
I got permission from David (the executive producer).
I would like very much now to get access to the acting classroom on the 3rd floor and begin some text analysis, along w/putting the play on its feet and brainstorming about the placement of the set pieces we'll be utilizing (those funky black plastic things).
The need for rehearsal "mock-ups" for the VW columns will become readily apparent.
As for adding programs to the wall; certainly. We need to check w/David first--so let's decide on some software that suits our needs and I'll run them past him.
Keep in mind as well, that the fluidity of this process allows for the inclusion of something as radically different as the kinect.
We now have new possibilities to explore.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
I'd like to call attention to my last response to Scott's post so it doesn't get overlooked. It began as a reply and ended up moving into other subjects and ideas I wanted to touch on. I would appreciate some insight on some of my ideas there. In a sense, I decided to apply how I've worked with actors to build a script and a play, and applied it to how I might use the same idea on the video wall. Take a look!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
sound blog from last week
I met with Mike Krzyzaniak last week who had offered to help me to create the right synthesizer sound in Logic, the program that he works with. He gave me the absolute crash course and I now have a better grasp of how to accomplish communicating in sound what I hear in my head. I can now easily record myself from within the program without hooking up an external instrument or MIDI controller (as opposed to the samples that I was working with specifically in Logic) and have been advised by Mike for the best equalizing controller to mold the sound to my liking. I can transform the EQ in real time or adjust visually. He had a great suggestion--I had planned on having a sound for each character, but his thought was to work themes around the archetypes we are forming. He thinks a change in sound of the same note might be too simplistic and not communicate enough of a difference to delineate a different archetype. I want to get some ideas working and get his opinion. Scott was anxious to get him on the team and I have adopted him as a resource. He is happy to help and extremely knowledgeable.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Catch-up
So, we're staying at this site for our blogging. Sorry I took the momentum out of our earlier blogfest. My fantasy of finding or creating a dream site has yet to materialize.
I want to play a little catch-up. Many things have taken place;
we've divested ourselves of the need for a specific oppositional narrative, we've begun crafting animation, we've looked at and discussed the use of the Kinect, job descriptions have been sent to David, Angela has taken the position of A.D.
I think it best at this point to toss out a couple of topics;
Discuss our process thus far. Is it frustrating? Is it moving too slow? too fast?
Is it working? Just blow some jazz here.
AND
We had a read through last week and, although it was fine and useful, it was not as crisp as our first. As a result, the structure we were attempting to impose or affirm was torn asunder (my solution did not work). Which was great to know and sent me scurrying for my producer hat.
I want your thoughts on the efficacy of the readings and what they did and did not bring to the table in terms of our process. Was it too soon to bring new people to the campfire?
And, anything else you want to share.
Alright guys, looking forward to it.
I want to play a little catch-up. Many things have taken place;
we've divested ourselves of the need for a specific oppositional narrative, we've begun crafting animation, we've looked at and discussed the use of the Kinect, job descriptions have been sent to David, Angela has taken the position of A.D.
I think it best at this point to toss out a couple of topics;
Discuss our process thus far. Is it frustrating? Is it moving too slow? too fast?
Is it working? Just blow some jazz here.
AND
We had a read through last week and, although it was fine and useful, it was not as crisp as our first. As a result, the structure we were attempting to impose or affirm was torn asunder (my solution did not work). Which was great to know and sent me scurrying for my producer hat.
I want your thoughts on the efficacy of the readings and what they did and did not bring to the table in terms of our process. Was it too soon to bring new people to the campfire?
And, anything else you want to share.
Alright guys, looking forward to it.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
sounds
I have figured out how to extract audio from video and have imported into Audacity. I have been playing with cutting pieces out of the song and playing with tempo and pitch. I took both the full song and the clips completely down in pitch and tempo and the sound disappeared into ethereality. It is so low that I think the majority of the sound cannot be heard.
I switched to Logic and am having better results that I hope to have something for you guys to hear at the next meeting. Just test pieces and samples.
I switched to Logic and am having better results that I hope to have something for you guys to hear at the next meeting. Just test pieces and samples.
Monday, February 21, 2011
New Blog Site
Welcome to the new darcblog.
This blog will be under construction constantly.
Suggest improvements and feed the fish.
This blog will be under construction constantly.
Suggest improvements and feed the fish.
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