Staging Media

Catalog description

Staging Media is a practical, process-oriented class, focused on building skills to go from a conceptual design to a staged media system. This is a fast-paced advanced course and students are expected to master a wide range of material. This semester we will focus on the workflows and technologies used to create large scale theatrical and amp; concert visuals. Practically this involves basic introductions to media creation and media server systems including TouchDesigner; Cinema 4D; Millumin; and Disguise. We will also look at interactive technologies via MAX/MSP; the Unity game engine; and the XSENS motion capture system. We will create a custom stage for student work using newly acquired Absen X5 LED panels, with simple theatrical lighting. This is quite an ambitious mix of technologies, so students should be able to learn quickly with basic introductions to the tools. Students will work individually and in groups, developing a creative idea in response to prompts that will guide the technical experimentation. Through real-world examples, students will learn the best practices for bringing their designs to life. These processes are placed in the context of Modernism in general and the histories of several art/performance movements considered "Avant-Garde''. The goal is for students to begin to build an idea of how contemporary methodologies and aesthetic goals emerged culturally and how audiences and the broader culture have changed over the last 150 years.