First Things First This is 4003-590-09 / 4005-769-09 Welcome to - - PDF document

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Welcome to Virtual Theatre

First Things First

• This is 4003-590-09 / 4005-769-09

– (Virtual Theatre)

• I am Joe Geigel…your host!

Plan for this evening

• Logistics
• Answer the questions

– What is this course about? – How will the course will run – What exactly is Virtual Theatre…in general & specifics – How do I fit in

• But first…

– Student Information Forms

Logistics

• The LDAP database

– Be sure that your e-mail is correct.

Logistics

• Course Web Site:

– http://www.cs.rit.edu/~jmg/vtheatre

• Contact:

– office hours: MW 2-4 or by appt. – Office: 70 (GCCIS) Rm 3527 – e-mail: jmg@cs.rit.edu – phone: 475-2051

• Slides:

– Will be available (in B&W – PDF) on Web site.

Logistics

• Official Prerequisite – one of the following:

– Computer Graphics 1(CS 570/761) – Foundations of 3D Graphics Programming (IT 502) – 3D Graphics Programming (IT 735)

• However…

– Need expertise in

• Networking
• Basic programming
• Audio
• …

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Virtual Theatre VR and Theatre

• Virtual Theatre

– A distributed computer system whereby performers, stage crew, and audience can be in physically separate places yet share in the same live theatrical performance. – 4003-590-09 / 4005-769-09 – MW 4-6

Peripherals

I-glasses Head Mounted Display w/head tracker 5DT Data Glove

UT-CAVE DTI Stereo Monitor Logistics

• This is a project based course
• Teams will be assembled

– Each team will build a VT software component – Components will be connected via a common networking infrastructure. – Team Web site!

• Collective goal:

– To build the framework for a virtual theatre system – Test the framework out on short virtual performance.

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Logistics

• Collaboration

– Within teams – Between teams – With artists in SoD and SOFA

• Questions so far?

How will the course be run?

• Weeks 1 & 2

– Intro material – Team formation / definition

• Weeks 3 – 8

– Group work – Lectures: status meetings / working sessions – 4 checkpoints

• Week 9 –10

– Dress Rehersal: Integration

• Finals Week

– The Virtual Performance

How will the course be run

• Checkpoints

– Mini-demos that show progress – Defined and determined by each team – Dates

• Mon, March 22

– Event definitions – other checkpoint requirements

• Mon, April 5: Checkpoint 1
• Mon, April 19: Checkpoint 2
• Mon, May 3: Checkpoint 3

How will the course be run

• Status meetings

– Announcements / new developments – News from the artistic side – Update on team progress

• Short (5 min) presentation
• Indication on Team Web site

– Intra-team issues – Guaranteed team working time.

Assessment

• Team grade

– Software (35) – Documentation (35) – Meeting checkpoints (20) – Team Web site (10)

• Team Evaluation

– Evaluation of team members from within teams

• Peer review

– Evaluation of teams from those not in teams

Grad Students

• Grad Students are required to write a

detailed report on one aspect of virtual theatre:

– In preparation of project / thesis proposal – Grad students please stick around after class.

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Assessment

15% 10% Peer Review 20% Grad Report 15% 10% Team Evaluation 70% 60% Team Grade Undergrad Graduate

Plan for today

• Answer the questions

– What is this course about? – How will the course will run – What exactly is Virtual Theatre…in general & specifics – How do I fit in

• Any questions?

What is Virtual Theatre

• Virtual Theater is…

– Live Performance – Distributed – Shared Experience

What is Virtual Theatre

• Categorizing Virtual Theatre

– Stage – Staging (Stage element control) – Actors – Acting (Actor control) – Performance – Viewing

What is Virtual Theatre

• Stage

– Where is the show being performed? Physical Stage ------------------ Virtual Stage

What is Virtual Theatre

• Staging

– How are stage elements being controlled Human Control ------------ Computer Control Scripted --------------------- Improvisational

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What is Virtual Theatre

• Actors

– Who are the actors? Physical (Human) ------------------ Virtual

What is Virtual Theatre

• Actor Control

– How are actors being controlled Human Control ------------ Computer Control Scripted --------------------- Improvisational

What is Virtual Theatre

• Performance

– How will the performance be editted Realtime ------------------------- Editted

What is Virtual Theatre

• Viewing

– What will the audience be seeing Live ---------------------------------- Prerecorded

Examples

• Traditional Theatre:

– Stage = physical – Staging = Scripted / human or computer controlled – Actors = human – Acting = Scripted / human control – Performance = realtime – Viewing = live

Examples

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Examples

• J&H w/Hasselhoff:

– Stage = physical – Staging = Scripted / human or computer controlled – Actors = human – Acting = Scripted / human control – Performance = realtime – Viewing = pre-recorded

Example

– Stage = physical / virtual – Staging = Scripted / human control – Actors = human / virtual – Acting = Scripted / human control – Performance = editted – Viewing = pre-recorded

Example Example

– Stage = virtual – Staging = Scripted / human control – Actors = virtual – Acting = Scripted / human control – Performance = editted – Viewing = pre-recorded

Example It / I (MIT Media Lab)

• "I" (played by a human actor) and "It"

(played by a computer) in a pantomime about the relation between people and technology.

• "It" monitors the scene with video cameras

and reacts to "I"'s actions by displaying real time computer graphics objects and synthesizing sound.

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It / I (MIT Media Lab) It / I (MIT Media Lab) It / I (MIT Media Lab) 1997

– Stage = physical – Staging = Improvisational / computer control – Actors = virtual / human – Acting = Improvisational / human control – Performance = realtime – Viewing = live

Improv (NYU MRL)

• SIGGRAPH 1995
• Interaction with virtual

actors in a virtual space

• Human actions tracked

by video

Improv (NYU MRL)

– Stage = physical / virtual – Staging = Improvisational / computer control – Actors = virtual / human – Acting = Improvisational / human control – Performance = realtime – Viewing = live

Floops (SGI – 1997)

• First VRML Actor

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Floops (SGI – 1997)

– Stage = virtual – Staging = Scripted / human control – Actors = virtual – Acting = Scripted / human control – Performance = realtime – Viewing = prerecorded / (somewhat live?)

VRML Dream (1998)

• VRML Dream is an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's

Dream (MND) for a live presentation on the Internet. An important function of this project is test the technology to see how a 3-D theatrical experience can work over the Internet. However, another important rationale for using VRML as the medium for presenting the play is to enhance particular themes inherent within the play itself.

VRML Dream (1998)

– Stage = virtual – Staging = Scripted / human control – Actors = virtual – Acting = Scripted / human control – Performance = realtime – Viewing = live

Fight of the Bumblebees (RIT 2004?)

• After the break

Motivational Film

Fight of the Bumblebees (RIT 2004)

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Fight of the Bumblebees (RIT 2004)

• Actors

– Lead bee – controlled by human actor wearing HMD and dataglove – Bee Flock – Autonomous (emotion controlled by lead bee actor)

• Staging

– Flower

• controlled by stage manager
• Input from audience

Fight of the Bumblebees (RIT 2004)

• Audience experience

– Will view performance via a “stage” application – Each member will have his/her own seat – Can clap / boo

• Live recording

– Record motion for high quality, off-line rendering.

Fight of the Bumblebees (RIT 2004)

– Stage = virtual – Staging = Improvisational / human control – Actors = virtual – Acting = Improvisational / human-computer control – Performance = realtime – Viewing = live

VT Components

• Audience View App

– Stage application from audience viewpoint

• Must display all actors
• Must be able to import predefined models /

animations

– Support multiple viewing locations – “Clapping” interactivity – Sound

VT Components

• Actor’s View App

– Stage application from lead bee viewpoint

• Must display all actors
• Must be able to import predefined models /

animations

• Not necessarily same “view” as audience.

– Interoperability with HMD / DataGlove

VT Components

• Stage Manager’s View App

– Stage application from stage manager’s viewpoint

• Must display all actors
• Must be able to import predefined models / animations
• Not necessarily same “view” as audience or lead bee

– Interoperability with Stereo Monitor or UT-CAVE – Must be able to “hear” audience.

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VT Components

• Real Time Recorder

– Record actor’s motion + sound for off line rendering

• Networking Infrastructure

– Common event based framework – M2MI?

VT Components

• Performance specific modules

– Emotive bees / flocking model

• K. Law, grad student

– Emotive sound / music? – Predefined model / animation loader/converter.

• Others?

– TBD

• Questions?

Next time…

• More detailed determination of component,

teams, responsibilities

• Think about what component you might

wish to work on.

– Will ask you to send me e-mail by next Monday.