Osmose Commentary

When we watched the Osmose video it was a little confusing to understand what was going on due to the sudden shifts of scenery which was probably in video editing. There are a lot of cables and restraints that the user had to attach as well as a large HMD that I'm sure weighed down on their heads. The idea of using the user's breath to control the rise and fall of the actor within the world is really unique and allowed the user to feel a connection to the world. By having the user control the environment it provides a deeper sense of immersion rather than just watching a scene such as in a movie. Because the imagery of some of the scenes were so abstract it led more towards a meditative feel rather than the user focusing on how real the scenes looked. Even the soundtrack for most of the environment had an ambiance to them that was relaxing. Also by focusing on their breathing in such a manner you tend to gain more control of your body and stress levels. It is a form of relaxation to control your breathing. The computer code part of the experience was also pretty cool to be able to see what is going on underneath the skin and realize that what you're seeing is creating the world around you. Make me think of future uses where you could create a compound in science and actually zoom down to the smallest level to teach how things are made up.

Digital Dervishes

VR and Performance on Placeholder

While reading the history of digital performance, I keep thinking of where ultimately, this medium is heading.  When considering the development of immersive activity like a VR headpiece that was used in Placeholder and where we have developed the technology today, my thought is something similar to Marina Grinic's comment in our textbook that, "We are witnessing an ever more exact and complete aesthetic sterilization of the image...the physicality of the connection of the image with reality-time is lost".
Perhaps total immersion is the idea, and to lose all time in the process is the ideal.  After going to the Medieval Faire this weekend, I see the same yearning for immersion into an idealized world that can allow one to escape and immerse, retreat and re-cover.  Isn't that the point of theater, of film, of all art?  Enveloping, and immersive, make-believe?

Comment about Osmose (1995)

I really enjoyed learning how technology was utilize with art in 1995.While looking at this documentary from a production perspective, it was really interesting to see how Osmose created a virtual space with transitions from world to world. I perceived that the sounds played a fundamental role to help the audience perceive changes of location direction, and speed of the piece.

Virtual Reality review

After 20 years of development, Virtual reality is no longer a typical cutting-edge technology.

People are able to create their own virtual worlds through simple equipment and software.
Looking back to 20 years ago, people needed to use a lot of resources in order to implement a virtual environment project (Placeholder and Osmose). It was approximately at the beginning of the VR development. Meanwhile, it can also be regarded as the origin of digital performance.
After watching the Osmose video, I think that digital performance is a really unique art form: Unlike most of existing art, the life and soul of visual art is held in hands of technology developers rather than artists. In fact, it seems that artists has very little influence on the art compared with the progress of technology.  Their long-term efforts may be replaced by some new technology so easily. After all, humans are not like machines, it will take a long time to learn and adapt new things especially when those things are upgrading rapidly.
In this particular field, it is hard to reach the balance between artistry and technology.

Comments on Osmose video

If I am considered to be the audience of this particular performance, I would say it was rather disappointing. I would have liked so see more of the performer and his/her tactics and actions that had an influence in the performance. Maybe a split screen of the performer and what they are viewing. This video is mostly visuals and sounds that have very little connection. At some moments the visuals match the eerie feeling of the audio but those moments are rare. Maybe a split screen showing the performer and the actual performance would give a clearer understanding of Osmose. I would classify this as explorational performing aka improv. Digital exploration performance is what this is but unfortunately the only one who maybe be intrigued by the performance is one who is participating in the performance. Just watching the video is confusing because I am not the one interacting. Therefore, I cannot make the same connections and experiences as the performer is. I am not critiquing the quality of the piece nor am I comparing the piece to what we can create today. However, it still falls short of my expectations. The idea behind the performance is pretty cool but, the video that is being shown is weak. I'm sure from their perspective the experience is mind blowing.

Welcoming Ceremony Progress

This is what I have put together for now for my animation. Each color is a part of a different layer in Photoshop so I can make them into 3D layers in After Effects. I just have one more part to add to the sky before I bring all into After Effects to start animating. The ground is going to have streams of dots flowing and a sun will be rising from behind Ayer's Rock into the sky with rays waving and a colorful sky behind it.