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Our final show at Alison House Artium on April 5th at 4 pm marks the culmination of our efforts. I extend heartfelt thanks to everyone involved, particularly the professional dancers and small fish players whose contributions enriched the performance with skill and artistry. It’s important to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of each group member toward this achievement. Every individual’s significant efforts merit both encouragement and commendation. Lastly, I present the carefully edited full version of the live video, featuring multiple viewpoints, including audience perspective and fixed angles, to offer the most objective presentation possible.
Reflection
I took notes on some of the advice given by the audience and teachers after formal performances.
Interms of innovation and creativity, try making the fish lantern a motorised unit to better remote control it for many poses.
The current three screens are too independent, showing their content on their own. We should try to make the three screens the same colour or connect them into one big long screen to surround the audience for a more immersive effect.
One of my biggest regrets is the lighting, as the most missing part. Due to technical constraints, we were not able to program a nice stage lighting setup and chose to use artificial lighting instead. The dancers’ costumes were very beautiful, using traditional Tibetan religious dresses, however, unfortunately, the brightness of our lighting equipment was too low to bring out the costumes and the dance performance in a more stunning way. We had discussed and tried to put light strips on the dress to make it self-illuminating, but this had the disadvantage of restricting the dancer’s performance and preventing her from making bold swings. Therefore, we finally decided to use a weak artificial light. Had we had more time this term, we would all have been willing to learn how to programme stage lighting from a novice.
As I mentioned in my last post, the strip of lights separating the audience from the stage was a little too shaky. Since it’s sound-activated, it flickers like crazy during some of the high-frequency drum clips. We probably should have dimmed it or taped it to the other side of the bubble wrap.
Are subtitles really necessary? As most voiceovers are clear. However, considering that the audience may come from various countries and perhaps their first language is not English, and we aim to prioritise ensuring that we can tell the story well, a second thought was to add full subtitles.
We arrived early in the morning and after spending hours on the set, we began a tight rehearsal. At this stage, all team members contributed to the final sprint, and I am extremely proud of our capacity to learn from it and consistently reflect
Set Design Concept
At the beginning, I would like to explain the specific set design concept. When designing the entrance set, our primary concern was directing the audience correctly. This became evident during rehearsals when the first two audience members veered off course despite the floor light strips meant to guide them. To address this, I decided to enclose the walkway with bubble wrap, ensuring only one clear path for the audience to follow. This bubble wrap blocking the road will be removed immediately after the performance in the corridor, because it will be a key passageway for actors and dancers waiting for the main set to follow.
Here is the prelude – the first small screen projection, which serves to guide the audience to slowly integrate into the overall atmosphere and drive the mood to better provide an immersive performance subsequently. The projected content here does not need to show too much narrative but mainly live music and motion images produced by AI, as we prefer to achieve the purpose of driving the mood. We initially set it up with Xianni playing in the corner as the drummer. However, after a few rehearsals, we realised that it would be best toplace her on the role of lead, playing the drums in front of the audience and guiding them into the main stage. Such a decision enhances the performance, as it allows the audience to receive clearer information in the darkness to keep the story flowing.
Here we come to the main stage area! Firstly we demarcated the audience from the stage area, using bubble wrap and conspicuous sound-activated light strips as dividing lines. This is because we want to fix the scope of the performance to avoid dancing or actors accidentally injuring the audience. As you may see 3 individual screens are working together around the stage— the left and right ones show our interactives to echo the story and pull in the atmosphere. For example, for the Devil’s Whisper sequence, we would draw the viewer’s eye to the left by using real-time face imaging on the left screen to draw the eye to the left, while the main screen in the centre featured a silhouette of the dance. The purpose of this is to briefly take the audience out of the third view and into the first view of Carp, to feel the dark and depressing mood. The interaction on the right side varies the abstract graphics mainly according to the live sound. The reason we didn’t make it narrative is that I didn’t want too much screen switching to disrupt the audience’s thinking and the coherence of the story. Thus, its main role is also to render the atmosphere.
Rehearsals
These rehearsals before the official performance were significant for us, as we identified and adjusted many problems in advance, removing obstacles for the subsequent performances. I’ve summarised the experience of a few rehearsals here, and the points that needed tweaking:
Bubble wrap will be required to block the pathways at all points of entry, keeping only one in the correct direction to ensure that the audience does not go astray.
It is a good idea to have a drummer at the front of the corridor to lead the audience.
The sound-activated light strips separating the audience from the main stage are a little too bright and can detract from the visual experience. It’s just a shame that by the time we realised this problem we had an official show coming up, so we didn’t have time to rearrange it.
Better to turn the lights all the way up at the end of the film, and for everyone to come up on stage together to take a bow and give a curtain call as a sign of respect and true closure.
We were setting up the scene when a misunderstanding led us to use a ladder at random – this would not be allowed. This should be noted in the future and must be used only after requesting the assistance of a safety manager.
After a few collaborative rehearsals, I laid down a detailed performance schedule – down to the minute, who was on stage, what they were going to do, and so on. It was my job to take control during the show, cue the actors on stage and what they were performing, and make sure the show flowed smoothly.
To control the situation with precision, as the visual director, I tried various forms of documenting and articulating the performance schedule to ensure that each member understood their task.
Video narration: this is based on projected video with subtitles to cue the actors to where they are. Certainly, this won’t be on the final show, but for rehearsals, it’s a good way to get everyone to understand the action.
Morover, I designed clear lines of movement and waiting position, which to avoide chaotic collision when the actors need to intersperse their performances—
The carp only initially entered from the east, all the rest of the entrances and exits were behind the ice screen on the west side.
The waiting position for the two small fishes is always on the west side of the screen.
The waiting position for the dancers is always on the west side of the screen.
On top of that, I personally demonstrated all the characters twice so that the actors could grasp the techniques. For example, how the little fish trembles when struck by lightning, how the carp’s body changes when it ascends into the air, and so on. I devised and agreed with the group on hand signals such as going up, retreat, running left, running right, jumping, etc. that would remind the actors to act during rehearsals. We originally wanted to talk through headphones or walkie-talkies, but this might affect their judgement of the live sound effects, so we finally decided to dispatch with hand signals.
The first collaborative rehearsal revealed a lot to us. First and foremost was the difficulty of articulating a clear narrative – how do you tell the story in a way that is clear to the audience? We found it difficult to do this with just dialogue-free puppetry, and the performance came out as a muddled mess. After a productive meeting, we decided to add narration and dialogue to strengthen the narrative.
In the evening, I urgently penned a clear version of the voice-over script, in which the dialogue makes the story more detailed and the characters more three-dimensional, which I think is a very necessary action. I made plans to dub it with Hongpei, with him tackling the narrator’s part and me handling the dialogue for the small fish.
In addition, we have made new changes to the set-up —- The small ice screen in front of the big screen has been moved to the west, echoing the screen in the entrance corridor, symmetrically on either side of the big screen.
One important change: we decided to put the projector behind the screen so that it wouldn’t get in the way of the audience’s experience in the centre of the stage, but also so that it could be a source of light that came for the shadow puppetry.
Here I have prioritised the actions to improve:
Script for voiceover and dialogue.
dubbing (filmmaking)
Make a detailed list of the entire performance, down to the second-by-second details of who should come on, what should be performed, what lines should be said, etc.
subtitle the projected video.
Practising pupperty playing
Schedule the next rehearsal time (which is on the day after tommorrow) try to ensure that the performance can flow during the second rehearsal. I hope that the outcome of the second rehearsal will be a clear line of movement for the actors.
Finally, this very initial rehearsal allowed me to see clearly for the first time how the whole performance was working and to have a clearer idea of what needs to be improved, I’m excited to be able to evaluate and reflect on this invaluable information, which will go a long way to improving the quality of our final performance.
I attended the Edinburgh Blues and Jazz concert and found their set interesting – the projected video responded to the rhythm of the music so that the audience could simultaneously feel a stronger resonance on the audition. They take on abstract and realistic usages for different music and scenarios.
To direct the audience’s attention to a specific screen, we ingeniously used 5.1 surround sound along with strategic changes in the front and back screen spaces. In this way, the audience is able to naturally turn in the desired direction based on the visual-sound interaction.
Light and shadow
The shadow play in the opening credits aims to create mystery and intrigue. At the end of the movie, the shadow play mirrors the opening, implying the carp has returned to its cage.
Here’s a detailed arrangement of the visual part of the total show that I was responsible for. It’s worth noting that we’ll have a variety of forms incorporated into the performance (e.g. projections, puppet show, dance, etc.) but I don’t want to make the show overly complex and confusing, and I’d like to try to highlight only one of these forms per scene, e.g. in Scene 2 it will be mainly performed by the fish lantern, and in Scene 4 it will be more of a dance performance. I have highlighted the focus of each part of the performance in red in the table and tried my best to make it the centre of the performance.
Based on last week’s meeting, Jules’ suggestion was for us to cut back on unnecessary content so that the show tries not to be too complicated, and Andrew’s suggestion was for us to prioritise first and see if any elements can be cut back by evaluating them. Therefore, I only made some tables for evaluation.
Development – Integration attempts
We explored multimedia techniques to enrich the audience’s experience. Working closely with composer Xianni, we carefully synchronized visual elements with the music. Drawing upon a diverse array of artistic materials(first/second-hand videos) and technological tools like AI Generation and Cutcap software, I aimed to create a dynamic backdrop that enhances the music’s emotional impact. Through trial and error, the video production showcases the harmony of creative vision and technical skill. We worked together and joined forces to push forward to form a merger of music and video to make it look more harmonious.
After that, we tried a projection experiment with the borrowed projectors… the colours are excellent while there’s only one projector perfect fit.
To sum up, we are all confident about the performance so far, and further details will be confirmed at the rehearsal.
This substantial project requires significant time, materials, and patience. Given its pivotal role in a typical performance, I desired to grant it greater expressive freedom. Hence, I opted to create a fish-shaped lantern capable of mimicking the fluid motion of swimming fish.
Research
I studied the traditional fish lanterns from southern Chinese lantern festivals, tweaking them slightly. Opting for a classic red and green palette, I aimed for better visibility. Though crafting fish lanterns is intricate, I honed my skills through traditional sources and online tutorials. Having successfully made three in high school, my prior experience assured me of success this time around. Unlike in high school, though, this time I made mine movable.
I started by sketching designs and structural blueprints, figuring out the ideal cane size and estimating the fish lantern’s dimensions. Choosing the fish’s colour and shape was next. For assembly, I divided the lantern into four sections, connecting them with wire hooks to create a swinging motion. This approach is rooted in the principle of energy conservation, akin to how a whip works.
Here are all the materials required for the production.
We had a looping workshop today to play with the sound and music. We learnt how to use co-recorded voiceovers and multiple tracks to create looped noise music, coordinated with video clips on the day. Following Andrew’s guidance, we created various visual scores and gathered textures from nature.
During the workshop, we tested various materials and challenging to coordinate each other’s parts. Here is the documentation of the production:
By integrating looping techniques, we generate intricate textures and rhythms that harmonize with the visual elements and the overall ambience of the performance. Moreover, it aids in establishing and sustaining a unified musical framework during the entirety of the performance, facilitating smooth transitions between different segments or movements. This consistency enhances the overall fluidity and cohesion of the performance, resulting in a more immersive and captivating experience for the audience. In essence, the looping music workshop acts as a collaborative and interactive component of the performance, enriching the creation of a compelling artistic experience that surpasses conventional boundaries between music and visual art. Therefore, we might consider using the looping technique for our live performance.
It’s good to see the feedback on our initial submission, and I have compiled a summary of the project’s progress so far. This blog describes our ideas, experiments, solutions and decisions in response to the tutor’s comment.
Initially, I’d like to emphasise the vital role that interactive media plays in our performance, as we strive to swiftly immerse the audience. Given the brevity of the actual performance, engaging the audience beforehand becomes invaluable as a warm-up tactic.
Reflection 1:
The primary format still requires clarification—what is the format we intend to present to the audience? Essentially, we plan to convey the content primarily through live performances by puppet shows and video projection at the main stage, complemented by captivating music and set decoration. Ideally, we aim to incorporate a blend of video and other formats displayed on the screen, such as shadow play or puppet shows. Our goal is to enhance the visual presentation and achieve an extravagant effect, thereby providing a relatively varied show to deliver an immersive experience. Moreover, we are currently investigating the potential of generating animations with the aid of Artificial Intelligence. There exist various methods and tools for production, and below are my experiments:
Use TensorFlow’s pretrained style transfer model to transfer the style from an image to the target content image. The model inference was performed on Google Colab, with minor modification on the code to accept personalized inputs(my drawings). After several tests, I find that the style image is suppose to be photo with white spaces, which is a drawback. The modified code was generated by ChatGPT. I assume that the generated images could be put into our projection video. https://www.tensorflow.org/hub/tutorials/tf2_arbitrary_image_stylization
Producing numerous similar images within Midjourney and assembling them into moving images or frame-by-frame animations. （AnimateDiff）
Inputting the images to Runway Gen-2 to generate animations of up to 4 seconds. Nevertheless, challenges include the high cost and the complexity of ensuring stability and dynamism in AI-generated videos. As evident, the carps exhibit very gradual and subtle movements in the video, making it challenging to accentuate the visual impact.
Overlaying the drawings, photographs, animations and videos captured on-site to construct a blended video by CapCut.
Reflection 2:
More importantly, it’s valuable to ponder the moral stance we aim to convey, urging resistance against our modern urges for competition, and emphasizing that fulfilment originates internally. It’s essential that the performance doesn’t simply conclude abruptly but instead offers a narrative resolution for the audience. Consider integrating elements reflecting the pervasive theme of today’s competitive lifestyle into every aspect of the performance narrative. Firstly, how to visualise the concept to the audience: how can they perceive and comprehend the theme of peer pressure within the story? One approach to tackle this is via illustrating the intense competition, highlighting the scene where carp scramble to jump. We might apply abstract ways and intense drum beats we can take to express this tension, for instance, viewing through the fish’s perspective, the splashes of water from their leaps into the world evoke a sense of rapid transformation of everything, accelerating heartbeats, and tension with a psychedelic effect. Secondly, this could involve incorporating specific sounds reminiscent of social media or email notifications into the soundscapes, complementing the narrative. We’ve now got some voice-over sound composition, infusing it with a sense of dark urgency that aligns with the overarching concept.
Reflection 3:
We’re all working hard on our own, but now it’s key to blend these elements and see how they fit in a performance, along with our physical presence. Thereby, the next step is to determine how the visuals and music of each scene work together, dedicated to a complete narrative performance –what will the audience be able to understand the narrative as being performed live? I’ll write in detail listing how the visuals and music work together for each scene.
Reflection 4:
Things to consider, listed by Andrew:
Consider what can be performed live with real input when performing this can be particularly engaging for an audience – e.g. the voiceover for part 1 or later voiceovers.
Lighting control – it will be important for you to still use lights but it may be necessary to use simpler lamps – you may consider building simple control dimmers/devices.
Linking live instruments to the control of the visual story – local microphones having video implication or effect – link the live performance to the video performance/visual textures.
The theatre set studies you highlight with soft screen projectors, backlighting and shadow puppetry are all very intriguing – it might be interesting to combine front projection with a scene or some narrative device along with backlit shadow puppetry – maybe using a localised focused light such as a torch to be able to layer different elements to your performance.
Think very carefully about audience choreography/orchestration – how will they know to move through a space – when they need to linger, when they need to move on – this can easily be done through lighting or where audio is coming from but does need consideration to avoid needing to usher people.
May a clear plan for each scene with what is happening – what effects, set dressing, audience location, audio is occurring and where is it coming from – this will be a working document to enable you to keep track of where you are at developing the performance.
Here are a few additional suggestions: conduct more experiments! Don’t need to invest heavily in purchases; instead, utilize waste materials and plastics to craft props.
As an illustrator, the term live performance immerses me in an expansive realm of fantasy that could, for example, encompass the theatre’s ambience, auditory and visual effects, and, notably, the narrative.
WHAT: we have come up with several theme ideas together, and I prefer the topic of marine pollution.
Portraying marine pollution in an abstract way（plastic/nuclear waste/overfishing）
Portraying marine pollution through the perspective of ocean creatures, e.g., mainly focusing on their living conditions, with the above points.
It could be a work to point out the destructive behaviour of humans towards nature. Due to the epidemic, war, nuclear radiation and other reasons, the ocean creatures will begin to mutate and chaos.
WHY: I’ve chosen this topic in response to reports of Japan’s ongoing discharge of nuclear wastewater into the ocean. The contamination spreading through seawater threatens global oceans and people worldwide. However, many still need to be made aware of the issue. The performance aims to raise awareness and shed light on this critical issue. It is an engaging way to portray marine pollution and highlight the significance of environmental protection. Besides, I am passionate about marine and fish crafts as making stage props installations such as fish lanterns.Second-a-Day
HOW: in terms of the visual effects, my very first reference to show is an illustration I’ve done before, which described the horrible world after that chaos. It is beneficial for other members to visualize concepts and discern potential avenues for further exploration.
Here are more images as the presenting formats found by Qiyan:
Andrew suggested we think about the narrative structure behind this theme, leading me to go further on research; I found the antiwar film <Most Shocking Second a Day> by an advertising company, Don’t Panic, and a community organisation, Save the Children. The film is based on the true story of a Syrian asylum seeker, contrasting her once-happy life with the upheaval she experienced after the war. This contrasting technique is heartwarming and brings the audience closer to the experience.
Overall, this is the general orientation I’ve got in the initial stage, and we’ll have a meeting to decide our final topic after. For the next step, I will set up a study plan with a Gantt Chart to ensure our project is feasible in time, allocate jobs, and start on further research of storyboard/experiments…etc.
