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Lunaticus
2020
Lunaticus
Interactive dance performance
Based on several pathophysiological research studies and individual interviews, this interactive performance project is designed to destigmatize bipolar disorder from a research-artistic angle, and raise social awareness of the inner struggles that bipolar patients suffer through immersive visual components.
--Created by Yilian Gao
Time: Two weeks (Nov 2020)
Tools: TouchDesigner, Kinect 2 Role: TouchDeigner development, Tech support, Onsite executive
Collaborator: Yilian Gao (Artist), Honglin Cai (Photographer), Shanshan Bai (Dancer)
Tools: TouchDesigner, Kinect 2 Role: TouchDeigner development, Tech support, Onsite executive
Collaborator: Yilian Gao (Artist), Honglin Cai (Photographer), Shanshan Bai (Dancer)
Performance
Visual development
The first part of the choreography is relatively static, the visual inspired by the moon through the water surface, and it is said that the moon influences mental illness.
The flowing circle will leave a trail and a flock of followed particles by capturing the hand movement.
The flowing circle will leave a trail and a flock of followed particles by capturing the hand movement.
By capturing the body movement, the tracking enabled by Kinect 2 mirrors the silhouette and leaves a trail of the performer, mimicking the dissociative self stripped off of bipolar patients due to their struggles and through getting treatment.
When the dancer gets close to the Kinect, the projected visual will be disassembled and diffuse.
When the dancer gets close to the Kinect, the projected visual will be disassembled and diffuse.
The design concept of the motion graphics for the projection content is the mental journey of bipolar patients. In addition to a set of dynamic audio spectrums that responds to the rhythm and beats of the music, the glitch impulses, strobe flashes are included to show the manic episode, and infinite entraining vortex as well as breathing gradient images are created to indicate the depression bipolar patients experience.
On-site Preparation
Based on the performance space dimension, we sketched to estimate the distance between the projection screen, the dancer's dance range, and the scan range.
Projection area
This is the central display screen; the projection content will project on top of the preset video.
Side wall
Serves as light boxes and the auxiliary display screens to introduce an extension of space when needed. The advantage of using projections as the light sources is that they can swiftly provide on-time strobe flash and breath light without any preset.
This is the central display screen; the projection content will project on top of the preset video.
Side wall
Serves as light boxes and the auxiliary display screens to introduce an extension of space when needed. The advantage of using projections as the light sources is that they can swiftly provide on-time strobe flash and breath light without any preset.
Create visual mock-up for playtesting to enable project confirmation before final physical production.