ViDCo Research Lab
As COVID hit our industry, the Virtual Design Collective received an Innovation Grant from the University of Maryland, College Park, to create a vocabulary and strategy towards online performance. Below are a series of experiments we created to explore just how versatile the Zoom Platform can be when incorporating other softwares into this environment.
All experiments are on ZOOM and completely LIVE, even the effects.
Lastly, playfulness is very important to the ViDCo community. So we hope you enjoy these experiments with a bit of laughter and joy.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMMING AND TECHNIQUES, PLEASE CONTACT US FOR A CONSULTATION
Experiment #1:
Luminance Key
By applying a virtual background (black image) to one performer’s frame, we are able to luma-key them into another zoom frame.
Experiment #2:
Frame Blending & Rack Focus
In our second experiment, we continued to explore luma-keying, but in a more naturalistic way. By adding a blur animation, we were able to simulate a rack focus of two different focal planes between two different zoom feeds.
Additionally, the back and forth rack focus is being cued by a stage manager remotely, from Connecticut, while our two performers are in different locations in Maryland. (Tori Shuchmann presses SPACEBAR to enable the focus shift)
Experiment #3
Keying to Reveal
Okay, so we learned music can help the mood. And also a bit more humor to our performance! So here we continue to explore luma-keying, except now with a mobile object (napkin). With the napkin being the only white surface in the frame, it can serve as a portal to reveal a video underneath. In this case, it’s Katerina from Frame 1. With an addition of some motion blur, we are able to allow the reveal to linger on the frame. This simulates a wiping effect that slowly decays.
Experiment #4
Frame Pulling
Experimenting with pulling each others full frames into our own. This requires all participants to have software on their computer, while a stage manager is able to manipulate the movements remotely.
Experiments #5 & #6
Exploring how to effect live content, we began exploring how to turn movement into line drawings. In experiment #5 (left), we simply made our own dance party by creating slight frame delays to our live movements. In experiment #6, we brought this idea to an academic level and explored how this effect can enhance mimicry for topics such as learning ASL.
