Live Media and FLOSS* Extended Production Seminary

*Free/Libre Open Source Software
In-depth Theoretical and practical audiovisual live performance seminary using FLOSS.
Pure Data audiovisual real-time processing, tricks and tips to create your own performance tool.

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length of the workshop: 25 hours, 5 hours per day with 30′ break

cost for participants: £ 80

date: 26th to 30th July. On the 30th July all participants from the workshop will take part in a public performance of their work.

booking: email ryan-jordan@hotmail.co.uk

Structure

Introduction - 2 hours

*

Theoretical basic knowledge about Live Media
*

How Live Media relates to arts/club/commercial environments
*

Diverse formats of live expression with audiovisual contents
(includes a review of audiovisual works to be shown and analysed together with participants)
*

Introduction to the FLOSS concept
(includes a review of already existing Open Source software)
*

Unique potential of the Open Source development environment

Pre-Production - 4 hours

*

Brainstorming
*

Concept design
*

Planning of the audiovisual format
*

Digital and analogue tools for the creation of Live Media-focused contents
*

Understanding audio-video real-time data processing
*

Planning of the processing data structure
*

Collecting support materials
(OS software, texts, tutorials)
*

Sketching the logic structure of the Open Source software for the audiovisual performance

Pure Data audiovisual real-time processing HowTo - 8 hours

*

GUI and configuration. Learning how to communicate with Pd and building basic process to understand the main characteristics and potential
*

Visuals with GEM
Creating live visuals with GEM. Library introduction: Video real-time processing, Generative Code, Motion Tracking, Phisycal Computing, Video Players, Video Scratch. Building basic data structures.
*

Sound
How to manage sound in Pd. Libraries introduction: real-time DSP, Synths, Effects, Loop Samplers, Recorders and hot to connect sound with visuals. Building basic data structures.

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*

GEM Laboratory - 2h
Each participant develops intermediate video data structures using GEM library’s objects following detailed guidelines previously explained by the teacher. Topics: real-time video processing, CG, Human-Computer Interaction, motion tracking.
*

SONIC Laboratory – 2h
Each participant develops intermediate audio data structures using audio libraries’s objects following detailed guidelines previously explained by the teacher. Topics: virtual instruments, real-time audio analysis and synthesis, Human-Computer Interaction.

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Production – 11 hours

*

Creating/Collecting audio-video footage and samples
*

Understanding diverse technologies
(Sensors, Live Motion Tracking, MIDI devices, Wi-Fi/LAN network real-time data exchange)
*

Software Creation
*

Software Testing
*

Debug
*

Live-testing
(participants will test their projects during a live performance in the workshop final event)

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Description

The seminary consists of four parts. During the introduction the participants acquire a basic theoretical knowledge about Live Media. The introduction is extended through a review of selected audiovisual works in order to explore and analyse the potential of the audiovisual research.

Therefore participants are introduced to the concept of FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software), they familiarize with few FLOSS software as they understand its practical and theoretical keystones.

In the second part participants learn the meaning of “real-time audio-video data processing” reviewing the most common production tools. Eventually they deal with the process of an audiovisual performance pre-production using FLOSS: from brainstorming and concept design, through planning of the audiovisual format, to the collection of support materials – such as texts, tutorials – and the drawing of sketches representing the logic structure of data processing.

The third part focus on Pure Data graphical programming environment. Participants learn to communicate with Pd and how to surf through the audio and visual processing libraries. They build basic processing structures and discover tricks and tips to create their own performance tool.

For the last part the work group is split in smaller groups. Through practical individual exercises participants acquire the technical know-how about the creation/collection of moving images and sonic events within the Pure Data graphical programming environment, thus they develop an original software, following the standard realisation steps: beta-testing, debug – analysis of errors and its correction – and final testing during a collective jam performance.

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Aim

The seminary seeks to give the participants who don’t have previous experience in programming and Live Media practice the needed theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to feel comfortable within the FLOSS creation environment. The classes’ aim is to make the participants able to understand and assimilate the diverse passages of the creation process of software ad-hoc in order to be independent during the planning and development of a FLOSS project (musical, audiovisual, multi-media or theater pieces) using the audiovisual language.

Who’s for

Musicians, producers, live visualists, film-makers, programmers, sound designers or passionates of digital arts or electronic music and experimentation who wants to enhance and extend their skills and tools will find this seminary inspirational and fundamental for the further development of their works and creative ideas, free from the limitations of user-friendly and proprietary software.

No previous programming experience is needed.

What to bring

Participants are invited to bring their laptops and encouraged to bring musical instruments, cameras, photo cameras, webcam, microphones, sensors, MIDI devices and fresh, unusual ideas!

Marco Donnarumma

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Marco Donnarumma (Italy, 1984) is an independent new media artist, teacher, composer, performer and bass player based in Edinburgh, UK.

His research take life in multiple forms such as audiovisual real-time performances, responsive computing systems, interactive installations and electroacoustic compositions.

His works, especially the live performance projects, are regularly presented internationally. Donnarumma has exhibited and performed in 15 countries across South America, Europe and Asia (Venice Biennale, Rome White Night, Live!iXem, Nemo, Cinesthesy – Visionsonic 1, 3rd Pure Data Convention, Carnival of e-Creativity, Dundee Visual Research Center, Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Culture, Laboral, Ausklang Festival, Netaudio, S-Block, Cinetrip Festival). His discography includes sixteen releases published by labels and net-labels worldwide.

He received a B.A., summa cum laude in Visual Arts and Performance Arts Disciplines, study route New Technologies for Arts at the Venice Academy of Fine Arts, Italy. Since 2009 he is a MA Professor of Sound Design for Sensitive Environment with FLOSS at LABA – Brescia Academy of Fine Arts, Italy. He is a researcher at FLxER.net and member of the board of directors of Live Performers Meeting, an international gathering of new media artists.

Donnarumma holds workshops and talks for international universities and venues on a regular basis – previous seminars include the UPR, Universidad de Puerto Rico, the Gotland University, Institute for New Media Art and Technology in Sweden, the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan and the Pierluigi da Palestrina Conservatory, Cagliari, Italy.

Texts, articles and ideas can be found at Thesaddj.com and Vagueterrain.net.

Primary personal website and portfolio: http://marcodonnarumma.com

Personal blog dedicated to new media art, digital freedom and music: http://www.thesaddj.com

C::NTR::L
Interactive environment for audiovisual performance with physical computing: http://cntrl.sourceforge.net/

Location