Proposal

Executive summary

When I was studying in the ‘Ins and Outs’ class on Processing, I learned that many artists use these creative coding tools to create a wealth of amazing electronic and new media artworks. This sparked my interest and inspired me to learn more and create things of my own. In this project, I aim to use the open-source tool, Processing, to design a performance system. The main focus is to experiment with combining coding, networking, lighting, and show control knowledge in a system that can control different devices and elements. I believe this is the optimal way to integrate various types of knowledge and employ different methods to build a show system.

I hope to discover whether I can flexibly apply diverse knowledge to design a show or lighting system using various methods. This project will also provide a clear direction for my future after graduation and identify areas where I would love to continue my studies.

Project Description

In this project, I will play a role as a creative technologist to create a live audiovisual performance system focused on visual effects, including motion graphics, stage lighting, live camera, and a user interface (UI). All of the system’s visual effects are driven by sound and code and are generated in real-time. It’s designed specifically for live music events in small venues and can be flexibly adapted as needed. I developed this system for my own use, and it allows me to collaborate with performers. The long-term goal is to use this system as a prototype for developing a new system that performers themselves can use. The system is built with Processing, and the UI is designed with TouchOSC.

System Objectives

1. Simplify the process of programming lighting, allowing the lighting effect to be generated in real-time according to changes in sound.
2. Utilize emerging technologies to maintain the quality of low-budget live performances.
3. Allow performers to perform more freely without being limited by pre-recorded settings.
4. Provide a user-friendly interface for show control. Visual elements can be modified in real-time through the UI.
5. Reduce personnel and equipment costs.

Tool

To create a system for live audiovisuals, the tool must be able to compute audio data in real-time and store it for later use. Additionally, it should provide the capability to create a user interface and facilitate communication with other programs or software. Both Processing and TouchDesigner meet these requirements, but I ultimately chose Processing for the following reasons:

Processing is generally easier for beginners to learn due to its simplified syntax and extensive documentation. Even without prior programming experience, I was able to get help from numerous online resources.

Processing has a larger community, meaning there are more examples, tutorials, and forums available to assist in creating my sound reactive project.

Processing has a variety of libraries that help work with audio data. For instance, the popular Minim library provides comprehensive functionality for audio input, analysis, and synthesis.

While TouchDesigner is a powerful tool, its learning curve can be steeper for beginners, and its community support and resources are not as extensive as those of Processing. Additionally, starting with Processing has helped me understand programming concepts better, making it an ideal tool for prototyping this project.

Methods

1. Online tutorials
2. Lighting fixture user manual
3. Processing reference, examples, books
4. Processing libraries: dmxP512, Video Library for Processing 4, Minim, Network, oscP5.
5. TouchOSC

Deliverables

1. Proposal
2. Calendar
3. Budget
4. System diagram
5. Software and hardware list
6. System Documentation
7. Video Documentation

Required resources

a) Software

1. Processing
2. TouchOSC

b) Hardware

1. Moving Lights
2. Camera
3. Speakers
4. Laptops
5. Projector
6. USB to DMX interface

c) Lab Time

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