Based on a story I wrote for another class, for the final project of Core courses, I would like to make a projection show accompanied with the live performance.The idea is use projector to project image on a semi-transparent/transparent screen, while actor is doing the performance behind the screen, the virtual projection and the real performance creates an illusion of vision. The space of my project is smaller than the one in the example. It’s about larger than 1 square meters. And final documentation is gonna be video.
I’ve found a similar example, which is a performance project called AMCB-Hakanai.
Here is the performance video.
In the video, we can see several technical conditions of this production:
1, the projection screen they used, is a semi-transparent screen, which has a net structure. Justin told me it’s a cotton fabric called Scrim, which is used a lot in stage settings. And it usually has visible net structure on the surface, which is easily to be seen for audience who sit near the screen. However, the screen in the video seems not having big net structure, which means, first, the scrim they use might have tiny net structure; second, the material they use might be another material, which is clear, rather than scrim.
2, it’s obvious, the whole ambience light is dark, which gave the possibility of the projection on the screen. Also, the dancer is also in the light, which makes them appearing on the stage.
3, the projection is from the top and behind the screen (in the view of audience). We can tell that from the shadow that is casted on the screen, it often appears on the lower part of the screen.
We can also see the projection on the ground. It comes from the projector. which means, the light can go through the screen.
4, Since Kinect can not detect body movement behind a screen, the kinect should positioned behind (or above) the dancer.
And for my projects, my steps are gonna be:
1, find a possibly appropriate material for project screen.
2, do test on different material and make a decision for purchase of screen.
3, using Kinect to detect body movement.
4, based on the story I wrote and the final presentation, create a storyboard of projection animation.
5, using Open Frameworks to create animation which responsively showing different effects.
6, Based on the final presentation space, decide the position of Kinect and projector, and equipment. Rehearsal.
Present:
I’ve asked sellers to send me samples. One is scrim, the below two pictures in the upper row. I asked a size 3 feet by 3 feet, I asked them to send me white one and black one. Another one is from ebay, and it is a rear procession material, it is 99% transparent, and has a clear and reflective surface. In the picture on the lower row, the characters “EMDA” on the windows were projected on the screen.
They will arrive at the coming week, and I can do some test and buy the material asap. The shipping cost time.
Things to compare them:
Is the projection on the surface detailed and clear?
Does it fit performance that is near to audience?
How does the projector work with this screen? Is the projection coming from the rear or front?
Does it fit small projection screen??
Questions I have to ask my self & problems I have to solve:
1, what equipment setting is possible for this project?
I haven’t decided how many projector and how many kinect I’m gonna use. At the begining I want to make the show like what I found in the example.
So it might has three surfaces of projection. Since there are three projection, I might use three kinect and three projectors. That’s a big problem. It will cost me a long time to do the preparation for equipments. Also, it might need three computers.
If, however, the three surfaces projection were created only one projector, how did the artist achieve to do that? Is the projector I could found has such wide angle projection? And how to build the projection graphic for this special projection ?
2, the kinect should not positioned in the area which can been by audience. And how to achieve this? Is that possible for kinect to detect and read the body movement from the top view??? Is there a library for that?
3, Is that possible to use one screen and one projector to create the three diminutional illusion???????
4, HOW TO DEVELOP THE IDEA OF PERFORMANCE AND THE PROJECTION???????
5，I’m still new to OF, what’s the cool libraries I can use??? For kinect, and animation, even sound
At the end, the theme story of this project was attached.
