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Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005

LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage1

LUMIERE GHOSTING & THE NEW MEDIA CLASSROOM

DAVID GILLETTE

INTRODUCTION

IntheWinterof2003Ibeganupdatingthecurriculumformyinteractivemediaandinformationdesigncourses.Likemostofuswhoteachnewmediadesignandtheory,Ihadmanydifferentwaystoapproachthematerial,buthadno“standard”tofallbackonsincethisareaofpedagogyandresearchissonewand

continuestoevolveaswework.Likemanyofus,Ihavetriedmostofthepopularapproachestoteachingonlinedevelopmentandwritinginthepasttenyears.Whenthewebfirstbecamepopular,Itaughtmynewmediacourses(thencalledhypertextcourses)throughthelensofclassicalrhetoric,focusingonPlato’sconceptionofthedialecticalexchange.Asonlinedesignalsostartedtobecomeavitaltoolofcorporatepromotionandtraining,Irefocusedmycoursesthroughthelensesofprojectmanagement,industrialuser-centereddesignandusabilitytesting.

Asonlinenewmediatechnologyimprovedandallowedforthecreationofweb-basedmaterialthatfunctionedlikestand-alonesoftware,Irefocusedmycoursesaroundthestructureofnarrativeandhowitusestheatricalformsofinteractioninthepresentationofcomplexonlinehelpandinstructionalsystems.Neverquitecomfortablewithanyofthesecoursedesignsnorwiththeoverallreceptionofmycoursematerial,Ihavecontinuallyreeditedmycurriculumandprojectdesigns.Ikeepchangingcourseapproachestoadapttochangesinthefield,andtokeeppacewithstudents’foreknowledgeofthetechnologiesweuseintheclassroom.

WhatIhaveessentiallybeenlookingforallthistimeisapoeticconceit,asolidstoryline,anarrativeandtheoreticalblueprintthatIcanusetobuildapedagogicalhomeforawiderangeoftheoreticalapproaches,culturalandtechnologicalhistories,andstudent-driventechnologydevelopmentwork.LevManovich’srecentimportantworkonnewmedia,The Language of New Media,anditsfocusonnewmediadevelopmentasaformofinteractive,multiculturalcinema,recentlyprovidedmewiththeinspirationforawaytotieallmyinterestsandpedagogicalapproachestogetherintoasinglecurriculum.

Manovich’sfocusontheintegrationoffilmhistoryandtechniqueintonewmediatheoryprovidedmewithawaytopresentmycoursematerialinaninteractivemannerthatdrawsstudentsdirectlyintothecentralconcernsofourfield.BecauseIbelievepraxisisessentialinengagingstudentsbyaskingthemtoactuallycreateanewtechnologyoranewprocessfromtheinside(insteadoflearningtoonlycritiquethecompletedworkofsomeoneelse),IdecidedtotakeManovich’sideasagooddealfurtherbyaskingmystudentstoinventanewformofcinema.ForthelastyearandahalfIhaveaskedstudentstobringfilmandnewmediatechnologydevelopmenttothenextlevelasweworktocreateanextgenerationtheater,aholodeckofsorts,thatnowhasstudentsthinkingofthemselvesasnextgenerationfilmmakersandasnewmediainformationdesigners.

“Thepowerofmodernliterature[narrative]liesinitswillingnesstogiveavoicetowhathasremainedunexpressedinthesocialorindividualunconscious:thisisthegauntletitthrowsdowntimeandagain.Themoreenlightenedourhousesare,themoretheirwallsoozeghosts.”ItaloCalvino,TheUsesofLiterature.

TheprojectstudentshavebeenworkingoniscalledtheLumiere Ghosting Project,andthenewmedia,immersivetheatertheyaredesigningiscalledthe CompuObscura.Thepoeticconceitthatdrawstheentireworktogetheristhehumanfascinationwiththeunseenwhichhasoftenbeenpresentedintheater,poetry,prose,photography,andfilmthroughtheimageoftheghost.Inmanyways,forayearandahalfnow,ourstudentsandfacultyhavebeenworkingonasophisticatedbutdeceptivelysimplehauntedhouse.

Thisworkisactuallythreeseparateessayscombinedonlineintooneinterconnectedhypertextpresentation,andcollectedhereinaprint-readycollectionofsequentually-numberedpages.

Thefirstessayinthisprintcollectionintroducesreaderstothehistories(personalandsocial)thatsupportthisongoingpedagogyproject.Ibeginthissectionoftheessay(Inspiration)bydiscussingwhatIlearnedaboutteachingbyrunningasmallEnglishlanguageandcultureschoolinthecountrysideoutsideofOsaka,Japan.DuringmyyearsinJapanteachingEnglishasasecondlanguage,Idiscoveredthattellingghoststoriesanddiscussingtheideaofghostsservedasaneffectivemethodtoinitiatelongerandmoreinvolveddiscussionsaboutculture,visualmetaphor,mediaimageexchange,history,language,andnarrative.Inthefollowingyears,Ihavefoundmanywaystoweavesimilardiscussionsaboutghostsintomyuniversitynewmediaandcommunicationcourses,exceptnowweconnectghostswiththeconceptsofculturaltransmissionandtransformationbegunbywritersandcriticssuchasWalterBenjamin,Barthes,Ong,andcontinuedintocurrentworkbyrecenthypertextandnewmediascholars.

Thesecondessayinthisprintcollectiongivesreadersanoverviewofhowthetechnologiesthatweareinventingwilleventuallycometogetherintoasinglecreation,anewformofinteractivetheaterthatwecalltheCompuObscura.Inhisessay(Innovation)IbrieflytouchonsomeofthetechnicalaspectsofhowtheCompuObscuraworks,whilealsoofferingdetailsonsomeofthecommonscenariosweimaginewilleventuallytakeplaceinsidethedevice.

Thethirdessayinthisprintcollection(Illumination)providesabriefdiscussionofhowallthistheoryandtechnologydevelopmentworkhasbeenintegratedintoaseriesofnewmediacourses.ThethirdessayalsoshowshowwehaveconnectedtheLumiereGhostingProjectanddevelopmentworkontheCompuObscuraintoadiverserangeofcoursesfrommanydifferentacademicdisciplinesatCalPoly.

Becausesomuchofourprojectworkrevolvesaroundvisualinteraction,thefirstgroupofstudentswhoworkedonthisprojectdecidedthatweshouldusethehumaneyeasour“icon”throughoutourwork(asemioticconceitthatplayswell,ofcourse,withthecinematicfascinationwiththeeye)andalsotheletter“I”whichweusefor:

•Inspiration(PersonalandSocialHistory)

•Innovation(TechnologyDevelopment)

•Illumination(PedagogyandCurriculumDesign)

Ihavefollowedmystudent’sadviceindecidinghowtostructurethevisualandprosedivisionsforthiswork.Aswithanypieceofhypertext,youmayreadthesepagesinanyorder.Iencourageyoutoexplore,butIhavealsodesignedthisprint-readyversionofmytexttobereadfrombeginningtoendsoreadinginlinearfashionmightsuityouthebestwhenexploringthisversionofmywork.

BecausetheLumiereGhostingProjectisstillverymuchaworkinprogress,andbecauseKairosissuchanactivenexuspointinourcommunity,weareeagertohearyourresponsestothisarticle,toourworkthusfar,andtoourplansforfuturecollaborationswithstudentsandcolleaguesacrossthecountry.Pleasedowritemeatmyemailaddress(ddgillet@calpoly.edu)toletmeknowwhatyouthinkasyouread.

Likemanynewmediainstructors,Ihavehadtolookoutsidemyacademic“department”(English)insearchofcolleaguesandstudentstocollaboratewithinthisinterdisciplinarypedagogyandtechnologydevelopmentproject.Therefore,whilethisarticleismyindividualandquitepersonalstatementaboutwhatwehavecreatedtogether,thisprojectistrulyagroupcollaborationthatdependsonthecontributionsofmanythinkers,designers,andinstructors.

INSPIRATION

My Life in Brush with GhostsIhadbeenlivinginasmalltownoutsideofOsaka,Japanforoverayearbeforesomeonefinallytoldmethegroundbeneathmyapartmentwashaunted.Isuspectedsomethingwasamisswiththatpartoftownsincemyroom’sflorescentbulbwastheonlylightflickeringintheareaatnight,andtheapartment(whichconsistedofnotmuchbeyondmysmallroom,ahotplate,asinkandacabinet-sizedbathroom)wasperchedatopapipe-cuttingfactoryandfrequentlyusedfertilizerstorageshed.Thenearesthomeswereafewblocksaway.

Everyoneintownapparentlyknewthehistoryofthelandbeneaththefactory,theparkinglot,andtheprivateschoolwhereItaughtEnglishclassesacrossthestreet.Nooneexceptanignorantforeignerwouldwillinglyagreetoliveanywherenearthere.Thelandwashauntedbecauseitwaslayeredwithskeletonsfrombattlesfoughtinthenearbyswampsandricefieldshundredsofyearsbefore.Everyonewhodugafoundationeventuallyhitbone.Thespiritsofallthesoldiers,villagersandbanditswholosttheirlivesonthatlandweresaidtowandertheshadowsatnightsendingthechillofdeathscamperingdownthespineofanyoneunluckyenoughtoencounterthem.

Ithadn’ttakenmelongtodiscoverthatmyadoptedsmalltownwasalivewiththeideaofghosts.Myyoungstudentsallknewandlovedtellingstoriesoflocalghosts,zombiesandspiritsthathauntedeverypartoftownfromthegrapevineyardsupinthehillsdowntothewarehousesalongtheriver.Mymiddle-agedstudentstoldmeabouttheirdisturbingandvividdreamsofghostlyancestorschokingthemintheirsleepeverytimetheyconsidereddoingsomethingunconventional.Thenonenight,inasmalladultclass,myoldeststudentquietlytoldtheclass,innearlyperfectEnglish,thatshehadbeenhauntedbytheghostofheryoungdaughterforoverthirtyyears.Thefiveyearoldgirlhadbeenridinginthebackseatofacarthatwashitbroadsidebyatruck,killingthelittlegirlinstantly.Eversincethen,whentheweatherwashotandcloseasitwasthenightthegirldied(andasitwasthenightweheardthisstory),thegirl’sghostwouldbrieflyappearintheshadowsofherneighborhood,driftingfromdoorsteptodoorstep,asifthelittlegirlwastryingtofindherwayhome.Afterthewomanfinishedherstorywesatinsilenceforquiteawhilewithnoideawhattosaynext.

NearlyeveryinchofJapanismarkedbyitspastanditsspirits,theyseepupfromthelandintothecultureandbecomepartofthelanguageitself.Mostopenpatchesofgroundaremappedbyshrines,temples,familyheadstonesandhistoricalmarkersofallsizeanddescription,andmostcommerciallandhasreservedspaceforspiritual,politicalandpersonalrecognitionsofthepast(Addiss).Thecountrysideissimilarlyspottedwithmarkersofthehistorythathaspassedacrossit.Theghostsofacommunity’sancestorsandpastinstitutionsdriftthrougheveryconversationandinfluencenearlyeverypersonalinteraction(Heinrich,Matsumoto).

BecausetheJapanesesenseofplaceandsenseofresponsibilityforpersonalandfamilyhistoryissodistinctlydifferentfromhowmodernAmericanculturedealswithitspastandsenseofplace,ghostsstoriesandfamilyhistorybecamethecenterofmanyofthediscussionswithmystudents;ghostsofallkindsfloatedthroughmanyofourclassroomexchanges.Ghosts,andthestoriesthataccompaniedthem,becamethemediumIusedforteachingaboutEnglishsyntaxandgrammar.GhostswerethestartingpointformanyofmyclassesaboutEnglishliterature,andghostsplayedaprominentroleinourdiscussionsaboutmodernAmericanculture.

Itwasduringoneoftheseghost-inspiredEnglishclassesthatastudentinadvertentlyrevealedIwaslivingandworkingonhauntedground.ThisstudentclaimedthatthefactIwaslivinginthepresenceofsomanyghostsisquitelikelywhymyschooldidn’tchargemeformyroom—awayofassuagingtheschooldirector’sguiltshouldanythingawfulhappentome.AftermystudentsassuredmenothingwouldhappensinceIwasaforeignerandwasthereforeessentiallyinvisibletolocalspirits,wereturnedtoexploringthedifferencesbetweenAmericanandJapaneseghosts.

Theoldeststudentintheroom,awomaninherearly70ssaidthatJapaneseghostswerepartoftheearthandexistedinallthenaturalelementsaroundus.SheaskedmewhereAmericanghostslived.WiththemoviePoltergeistinmind,Isaid,withwhatIthoughtPoltergeistinmind,Isaid,withwhatIthoughtPoltergeistwasobviousdeadpanhumor,thatbecauseAmericawasobsessedwithtechnologyandbecauseAmericanskeptmovingandwerealwaystearingdownbuildingsandputtingupnewones,Americanghostswerenolongerrootedtoaspecifichouseorpieceofland,andhadinsteadbeguntohaunttheone“place”thatallAmericansvisitedeveryday,theelectronicairwaves;IsaidthatAmericanghostslivedintheblankchannelsbetweentelevisionstations.MystudentsnoddedastheyseriouslyconsideredwhatIhadtoldthem,thentheyoungeststudentintheroom,asecretaryinherearly

20ssaid,“TheyliveintheTVheretoo,andinmypurse.”ShepulledatomogachitoyfromherpurseandproceededtoshowushowshehadbeenkeepingaliveasmallelectronicghostofachildshecalledAnne-chanwholivedinthepager-sizeddeviceinherhand.

Ghosts Adrift in JapanAlice in WonderlandandAlice in WonderlandandAlice in Wonderland Anne of Green Gables arejusttwoofthemoreprominentWesternstoriesthathavebecomefullyintegratedintoJapanesepopularculture.Inthe1980ssomereferencetoAnneorAliceappeareddailyontelevision,inprintmedia,orinpracticallyanyconversationwithateenagedgirl(Craig).Sincetheeighties,thosestorieshavebeensupplantedbyotherWesternor“foreign”narratives,butthesenewnarrativesaresimilarlypervasiveandsimilarlyimbeddeddeepintotheculture(Martinez).ButwhenIwasfirstlivingandworkinginJapaninthemid80s,WonderlandandGreen Gableswerethebomb.

Formystudent’smodeloftomogachi,thenarrativebehindAnne-chanwasthatshehadrunawayfromGreenGablesandstumbledintoaWonderlandsimilartotheonedreamedupbyLewisCarroll.InthisalternateWonderland,Anne-chaniskilledbyamalevolentplayingcardspirit,leavingaghostofherformerselfadriftintheworldofeverydayelectronicJapan,shiftingfromdevicetodevice(television,phoneline,ricecooker,videogame)asshesearchesforsomeonetonurtureherandkeepherfromvanishingaltogether.Thestudent’sresponsibility,asownerofthisparticulartomogachi,wastointeractwithAnne-chanthroughouttheday(bypushinganumberofvery,verysmallbuttonsclusteredonthefrontofthecase),ensuringthatthelittleghostcontinuedtofeellovedandcaredfor.

WhilethetomogachifadquicklyburneditselfoutinAsiaandtheWest,thepresenceofvirtual,ghostly“friends”(tomodachiisJapaneseforfriend,thuswithslightalterationwearriveatthetradenametomogachi)informedbyavibrantmixofWesternandEasternvisualandprosenarrativesisstillquitepopularinJapan(Morton).NowthisexchangeofmediaghostshasgonewirelessthroughInternet-drivencellphonesthatallowteenagerstotradetomogachi-likecharactersfromonephonetotheotherasacompaniontotheircontinualstreamoftextmessaging.Theseexchangesofghost-likeanimatedcharactersisavitalpartofthisyouth-drivenwirelessculture(calledkeitai cultureinJapan—keitaiistheJapanesewordforthesespecifickindofgaming/text-enabledcellphones)astheseyouthfulcellphoneownerstakepartinlarge-scalemulti-playergameswhilecommutingtoschoolorwhenfillingdullmomentsatapart-timejob.

The“real”worldisnowalsoaddedtotheseexchangesasthetradingofcharacterscanbeaccompaniedbythetradingofvideoandstillimagescapturedbyonephoneandshippedimmediatelytoanother—sometimesallowingvirtualcharacterstoinhabitworldsformedofimagescapturedfromtherealworld.TheelectroniccharactersthataretradedbackandforthoftenarequotedfromJapaneseanimenarrativeswhichinturnborrowliberallyfromthepopularcannonofWesternliterature,film,music,andfromcomponentsofinternationalpopculturecultslikethosethatsurroundMadonna,theBeatles,BjorkorSailorMoon;thecountryisthereforealivewiththeghostlypresenceofitsownhistoryintermixedwiththehistories,stories,symbolsandimagesofmanyotherculturesaroundtheglobe.

Ghosts Merge in the ArcadeTheeclectic,highlyenergizedtransmutationofdiverseculturalimages,narrativesandideologiesmergedintooneseeminglyconsistentculturalidentity(thewell-knownJapaneseprojectionofculturalsingularity)iswhatmostoutsiderscommentonwhenfirstencounteringJapanesecultureonhomeground(McCormack&Sugimoto).Ashortstrollthroughanyofthelabyrinth-liketrainstations/shoppingarcadesinTokyomeansbeingabruptlyintroducedfirsthandtoanearly21stcenturymanifestationofelectronic,media-driven,culturalandcommercialglobalization(Baudrillard).Culturalmarkersandsymbolsthatmayatfirstappeartobelifteddirectlyfromoneculturewithoutalterationorcommentary(elaboratelydecoratedChristmascakesondisplayeverywhereinDecemberorMr.DoughnutshopsoneveryurbanstreetcornerblastingacontinualstreamofclassicAmericanrockmusicfromgiantspeakersperchedraven-likeabovetheentrances)quicklyrevealthemselvestobeinherentpartsofJapaneseculturethatbytheirwholesaleadoptionhavebeentransformedintosomethingtruly“Japanese”whileretainingessentiallyWesternEuropeanorAmericansurfaceassociations(Park&Curran).

VerymuchinthespiritoftheParisianarcadesthatfascinatedWalterBenjaminintheearly1900s,thepostmoderntrainstationsandshoppingarcadesofTokyo,Yokohama,Kyoto,OsakaandHiroshimaallowtheimagesandcharactersofmanyculturesandnarrativestocollideandcreateamedia-inspiredhybridcultureofintermixednarrativeandmyth,aphysicalmanifestationofwhatBenjaminreferstoasthesubconsciousdesiresanddreamsofhybridculturesmadevisibleor“actual”inthemediacollagesofearly20thcenturyindustrialculture.InThe Dialectics of Seeing,SusanBuck-MorssreferstoBenjamin’svisionthisway:

“Underneaththesurfaceof

increasingsystemicrationalization,onanunconscious‘dream’level,thenewurban-industrialworldhadbecomefullyre-enchanted.Inthemoderncity,asintheur-forestsofanotherera,the‘threateningandalluringface’ofmythwasaliveandeverywhere.Itpeeredoutofwallpostersadvertising‘toothpasteforgiants,’andwhispereditspresenceinthemostrationalizedurbanplansthat‘withtheiruniformstreetsandendlessrowsofbuildings,haverealizedthedreamed-ofarchitectureoftheancients:thelabyrinth.’Itappeared,prototypically,inthearcades,where‘thecommoditiesaresuspendedandshovedtogetherinsuchboundlessconfusion,that[theyappear]likeimagesoutofthemostincoherentdreams.’”(p.254).

Benjamin’sculturalsubconscious-made-realisespeciallyevidentinJapanesevideogamearcades,cybercafes(whichalsoofferlate-nightbroadbandnetworkedgameplay),andinthecellphonesoftwareandserviceshopswherethedreamghostsofmanydifferentculturesareliterallyinserteddirectlyintothetechnologyofmodern

JapanesesocietyandplacedsnuglyinthehandsandpocketbooksofJapaneseusers(Derley).Theshiftwiththecybercaféandthecellphonenetworkgame,however,isthatthearcadeofculturalexchangehasnowbecomecompletelyvirtual,existingnowhereandeverywheresimultaneously.

WhilethesenewphysicalandvirtualJapanesemediumsforexpression,explorationandplayremediatepreviousmediaandcommunicationmethodsinthesamewaythatBolterandGrusinclaimthathypertextandearlynewmediaformsremediatemeaning,thespinthatJapanesecultureplacesonthisprocessisthatJapaneseculturehasalwaysbeenaremediationmachinethatencouragesacontinualintegrationofoutsideculturalartifactsdirectlyintotheheartofthesupposedly“unique”and/or“authentic”aspectsoftheJapanesecultural/historicalexperience(Napier).Thewallsbetweenwhatis“actual”andwhatis“virtual”havealsoalwaysbeenpermeableinaculturethatconstructsgardenstorecreate(remediate)actuallandscapesinminiature,orthatplantscherrytreesonthehillsidesinapatternthatmakesitappearthatcloudsaredriftingartfullyamongstthefoliagewhenthecherryblossomsbloombrightwhiteamongthelayersofgreen.Becausemakinglargepartsofan“outside”culturepartofone’sownculture

isanauthenticallyJapanesethingtodo,andbecausethereisacomfortableacceptanceofintegratingthevirtualandtheactual,it’seasytoseewhynetworkedgaming,virtualreality,andpervasivecomputingwouldquicklybecomeakeypartoftheculture,especiallywhenconnectedtoyouthandpopularculture.

Alongwithadaptingthe“markers”orculturalghostsfromothersocietiesintotheirownculturalnarratives,modernJapanesesocietyhasalsoconnectedthissocialintegrationprocesswiththeprocessofmanipulatingthemediatingtechnologiesaswell(Craig).TheinteractivenetworkedgamingtechnologiesfromJapanesecybercafesandcellphoneserviceshaveanopenandeasilyaccessiblestructurethatplacesmuchofthenarrativeremediationandreformationprocessdirectlyintothe

controllinghandsoftheuser.Forexample,throughavarietyofcommercialservices,JapaneseuserscanselecttheuseofinteractivecharactersthatariseoutofWesternnarratives(MickeyMouse,BugsBunny,theClintEastwoodmanifestationofDirty Harry,azombiefromNight of the Living Dead,acharacterfromanimatedNight of the Living Dead,acharacterfromanimatedNight of the Living DeadseriesofThe AniMatrix),placetheirchosencharactersin“themed”Japaneseworldsthatoftenwerefirstimaginedinmangabooksoranimefilmsbutnowexistasfull-scaleonlineenvironments,andthendictatehowtheyaregoingtointeractwiththeirchosencharactersandenvironmentsthroughtheuseofhybridcellphonesorothervarioushandheld,wirelessdevices.Theuserschoosethecharactersfortheirstories,choosetheirgamingenvironments,choosetheir“real”cohortsfornetworkedplay,thenchoosethemediatingtechnologiestheywilluseasplaytools.BecausemanyJapaneseinternetusersskippedthestageofhomecomputingasitappearedintheWest(especiallyasitappearedintheUSA),manyuserswentfromhavingnouseorknowledgeoftheNettobeingquitecomfortablewiththeideaofhavingtheNetallaroundthem,accessiblethroughawiderangeorportals,alwaysonandalwaysreadyforinteractionthroughtechnologythattheyholdintheirhandorslipintotheirpocket(Lent).

Haunting Technology into the ClassroomThedirectconnectionbetweennarrativereformationandtechnologicalmanipulationofmediaisperhapsoneofthereasonsthatspirit-enhancedcyber-worldfictionissopopularinJapaneseculture(Poitras).TheJapanesefascinationwithghostsinhabitingtechnologyisapparentinnearlyallJapanesesciencefictionandinthepostmodernurbansurrealismofwriterslikeHarukiMurakami(Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, A Wild Sheep Chase)totheimaginaryworldsthatJapaneseartistsandwriterscreatefortheiranimeandmangatechno-narrativesthatrangefromthefilm-noirtechno-spiritualisminolderworkslikeAkiratothepastoralbildungsromanShinto-corporatismofnarrativeslikeSpirited Away (Drazen).ThisobsessionwiththespiritworldandtechnologyismostclearlyevidentintherecentJapanesehithorrorfilm,Ringu,inwhichanevilspirit“lives”inavideotapeandprojectsitselfintoourworldthroughthetelevisionscreeneverytimethevideoisplayed.ButclaimingthisobsessionwithghostsandtechnologyasaparticularlyJapaneseonewouldbeimproperhoweverasnearlyanyexaminationofthenarrativesfromatechnology-dependentculturewilloftenrevealaclearinterestinhowtheuseoftechnologyinteractswiththespiritworld(Aitchison&Lewis).

WhenpresentingthistopictoAmericanstudentsIbeginwithJapaneseculturemainlyduetomypersonalhistoryandbecauseithelpsstudentsbecomeawareoftheeffectsofmediaghostsintheirownculturebyfirstexaminingadistantculture.ThemorewediscussJapanesecultureinclass,themorestudentscometoseethatagooddealofmoderncultureisconnectedtoourfascinationwithourcommunicationtechnologiesandthefacesthatthosetechnologiespresenttousasweinteractwiththem.Atthispointinourdiscussions,IintroducestudentstoRemediationbyBolterandGrusin.Aftercontinuingdiscussion,manystudentsseethatBolterandGrusin’sremediationsofnarrativeeffectarenotonlycentraltothenewmediaexperience,butarepresentinnearlyalltechnologicalformsofnarrativemediation,thereforealwaysconnectingtheconstructionandreceptionofnarrativetothetechnologiesusedasaformofpresentation.

Becausemanyofthenarratingtechnologiesinmodernindustrialculturearecomplextechnologiesthatoftenconcealthemachineryofthisprocess(inanattempttomakethemediationas“seamless”aspossible),theaverageuseroftenbeginstoimagineacertaindegreeofcognitionispresentinthemediatingdevice,therebyinhabitingthestorytelling“device”withaspiritorasenseofawareness(Carey,Norman).Thiseffectcanbetracedbacktotabletsthat“speak”touswiththevoiceofGod,booksendowedwithevilspirits,andtothetelevisioninthemoviePoltergeistthatservedasatechnologicalmediumtothespiritworld.AndweallknowPoltergeistthatservedasatechnologicalmediumtothespiritworld.AndweallknowPoltergeistpeoplewhobelievethattheircomputersdon’t“like”themorhavetotakeextratimeto“think”theirwaythroughaparticularlycomplexproject(Gaggio).

Incoursesthatdealwithcomputingandcommunication,studentsareveryawareofthecross-culturalfascinationwithtechnologiesthatcontainspiritsorghosts,andwethereforespendsometimetracingthisobsessionasittravelsfromculturetoculture,fromtechnologytotechnology,frommediumtomedium.Forexample,mystudentsandIrecentlylookedatarecentJapanesehorrorfilm,themovieRingu,asarecentcompendiumofcross-culturalreferencestotheideaofspirit-endowedtechnology(Lau).RinguwasmadeintoanAmericanhorrorfilmlessthanayearafteritssuccessfulreleaseinJapanandbothversionsofthefilmmakeobviousreferencetotheAmericanfilmPoltergeist,whichitselfreferenceslow-rentzombieandcold-war-feardrive-inmoviesfromthe1950s(Williams&Gledhill).ThesecoldwarandzombiemoviesoftenborroweddirectlyfromearlyAsimovian-likeconcernsabout“ghostsinthemachine,”(Gorman&McLean)combinedwithallthepopandsubversivemanifestationsofShelly’sFrankensteinmythologyandCaribbeanvoodoodollnarrativesaswellassimilarCentralEuropeanstoriesaboutanimated“spirit”dolls.Manyofthesenarrativeconcernscanthenbetracedbackthroughculturalnarrativesaboutspirit-endowedtechnologicalconstructionssuchasthestoriesoftheavengingclayfigureoftheGolemintheJewishdiasporaofEasternEuropeandtosimilarstoriesofanimatedhumanfiguresthatarisefromtheliteraturesofCentralChinaandSoutheasternAsia.ByfollowingthischainofassociationswecanfindsourcematerialthatrollsbackintoJapanwherethefolkliteraturefromthe14thcenturyisfilledwithstoriesofghost-filledsuitsofarmoractingasassassinsforjusticeandstoriesabouthauntedswordswithmindsoftheirownthatturntheirbearersintokillingmachines,beginningyetonemorerunaroundtheringofculture-to-culturetransmissionandthefascinationwithconnectingspiritandghostly“presence”totechnologicalinvention.

Thistypeofround-robinnarrativeandculturalsemiotictracinganddetectiveworkisplayfulandofcoursehighlysubjective(ifyoulookforredcars,you’llseeredcars),butitisalsosomethingmanystudentsenjoytakingpartinandithelpsme,astheirinstructor,illustratesomeofthemorecomplexideasaboutmedia,mediation,andnarrativetransformationprofferedbytheoristsandwriterssuchasBenjamin,Barthes,Ong,BolterandmorecurrentworksonnewmedialikethosefromJoyce,Grusin,Bolter,LandowandManovich.Takingstudentsonajourneythroughtimeandculture,drivenbyaconnect-the-dotsformofnarrativeassociationandtechnologicalremediationhelpsmakesstudentsmoreawareofthecross-culturalmediationprocessoflanguageandcommunication,therebyalsohelpingtostrengthentheirskillsasreaders,researchers,andultimatelymakingthembetterinformedandculturallysensitivetechnologydesigners(Selfe).Thisround-robinnarrativetripalsohelpstudentsbegintolookwithamorecriticaleyeattheelectronicmediathatsupportsthenon-stopcross-culturalexchangeofimagesandideasthattheyseeontheircomputer,cellphone,andtelevisionscreens.

IoncetoldmyJapanesestudentsthatIthoughtAmericanghostslivedintheblankchannelsbetweentelevisionchannelsasaspur-of-the-momentjoke,buttheideaofghostsinthetelevisionisaninterestingandadaptivemetaphorthathelpsuslookathowwemakeuseofourmediatingtechnologiesliketelevision,film,andtheweb.AsMcLuhanpredicted,wedoindeedliveinanelectronicglobalvillage,atownthatexistsnowhereinparticularandeverywhereallatonce(McLuhan).Theonelocationthatweallshare,aswemovefromtowntotown,statetostate,countrytocountry,isthevirtualmeetingplaceofourelectronicmedia,ourelectronicglobalvillageinsideofwhichweappear(evenifonlyforaWarholianfifteenminutes)asghostlyvisionsofourselves.Wehavecreatedasharedvirtualrealityoftheworldthatnoneofusliveinbutthatwealsocan’tignore.

Whenaculturebecomesunstuckfromasolidsenseofplace,whenitfreesitselffromtheconfinesofpermanence,thenthatculture’sideasaboutpersona(theethosofspirit),abouthistory,andaboutcommunitybecomerootless,shifting,andopentorenegotiation(Chen).Collage,recombination,andcontinualreinventionbecomethenormandthemediatingtechnologiesthattheseculturesusetotalktothemselvesadaptbycreatingavirtualplace,anephemerallocation,ametaphoricalhome,thatisequallyshiftingandcontinuallyopentorenegotiation(Smith).ThisideaofanadaptivemetaphoricalhomethatisacommercialandsocialnexuspointwherethephysicalandvirtualcaninteractispreciselywhatBenjaminnoticedintheParisianarcadesattheturnofthecentury.Whathesawinthosearcadeswasacarnivaloffreeassociation,ofongoingculturalrecombinationandcollagethatcreatedasenseofcoherencethroughthephysicalityofproximity—thearchitecturalconstructofthearcade,thealleyway,thethoroughfare,providedachannelalongwhichparticipantscouldbeledfromonevisual,textual,andtexturalnon-sequitortothenext(Richter).Theonlyconsistencyoftheexperience,theonlycohesivenarrativeforwhathappenedinthatarcadewasthereliabilityofthephysicalframeofthearcadeitself,theknowledgethatthewallsaroundtheparticipantwerenotgoingtosuddenlyexpand,andthatthealleywayitselfdidindeedhaveaterminus,theexperiencewouldeventuallycometoanend,theshopswouldclose,thevisitorswouldgohome.

Thewebsite,thetelevisionchannel,thevideogamecartridge,thedigitalvideodisc,andthemovietheatermegaplexareentrywaysintothecurrentmanifestationofBenjamin’sParisianarcadewhichnowresidesontheNetandintheopenendedbuteverpresentrealmofworldwideelectronicmedia(Hillis).TheprimarydifferencesbetweentheParisianarcadeandthetwenty-firstcenturyworldwideelectronicarcadeisthat,withafewexceptions(themovietheater,forone),thephysical“spaces”thatprovideusentryintotheelectronicarcadearerarelyshared,rarelypublicandfocusedmostlyonthesensesofsightandsound(thecomputerscreen,thelivingroomtelevisionscreenforexample),buttheexperiencesthatarepubliclysharedonceweentertheelectronicarcadearemuchmorediverseandpotentiallymorechaoticandpowerfulthanthoseencounteredonatripthrougharealParislocationintheearly1900s(Thorburn&Jenkins).Ourmodernelectronicarcadeiscontinuallyopen,continuallyexpanding,andcontinuallyrevisingitself.Wecantravelthoughthisarcadesimplyasviewers,remainingsomewhatinvisible,leavingverylittletraceofourselvesaswepass.Orwecanlinger,interactandbecomepartofthearcade’sedifice(Browne&Fishwick).Wecan

announcepartofanevent(beinterviewedaboutstormdamagefortheTVnews),wecanengageincommerce(buysomethingoneBay),engageinplay(beateammemberforanetworkedgamewithpartnersinTokyo,ChicagoandTaipei),engageindiscussion(posttoadiscussionlistaboutteacherstoavoidatacertainuniversity),andtherebycontributetotheexpansionofthearcadesinceinthismodernarcade,everythingthatwedoisrecordedandisthenplasteredonthewalls(archived)tobecomepartofthespace,partoftheoverallexperience.Engagingintheelectronicarcade,eveninaminimalfashion,allowsustohauntthearcadewithghost-likeimpressionsofourselveslongafterwearegone.

Inthisvirtualarcade,inthisephemeralglobalvillage,theseductivepersonaofMonroe,therampagingshadowofGodzilla,andthecombativepresenceoftheJohnWaynecowboyfloatthroughtheelectronicetherasghoststhatwecanobserve,talkwith,andupdateorrecombine.Inmanyways,theseghostlypersonasinteractwithuswithacertaindegreeofparity,thefactthattheyareactuallydead,ornevertrulyexistedinthefirstplacehasnorelevanceinthevirtualworld(Heim).Realityandrelevance(andtheattendantsenseof“fame”)intheelectronicarcadeisachievedthroughpersistence—themoreoftensomethingoccurs,themorepervasiveitspresencebecomes,themore“real”thatidea,thatimage,thatpersonathenbecomesinthealleywaysoftheelectronicarcade(Crang&Crang&May).Asnewmediadesignersandusers,weareoftenquiteawareofhowweleaveghostlyimpressionsofourselvesaswemovethroughandcreatenewadditionstotheelectronicarcade,butlearninghowtobuilduponpersistenceandhowtobestshapeourvirtual,ghostlyimpressionsforeffectiverhetoricalorartisticpurposecanbeextremelydifficult.

AsIsaidintheintroductiontothisessay,Ihavelongbeenlookingforanarrativethreadtotietogethermyvariousapproachestoinstructingnewmediatheoryanddesign.Ihavebeentryingtofigureouthowtomakemyclassesmoreconsistentandcoherent,andtoalsohelpmystudentsbecomebetterthinkersanddesigners.Whilemoststudentsexpectnewmediacoursestoteachthemabouthowtousecertainsoftwarepackagesorvariouspiecesofhardware,Ihavebeenreluctanttospendmuchtimeinmyclasseson“training.”TeachingaboutthetechnologiesthemselvesoftenseemstometobetooreductiveandcontainsacertaindegreeoftechnologicaldeterminismthatIfinddistastefulandinaccurate.Technologytrainingtendstoimplythatthemediasweusedeterminethemessageswecreate(whichIdobelieveissomewhattrue)(Mantovani),butthatthosetechnologiesthenalsodeterminehowweactuallythink(whichIbelieveisnottrueandisanassumptionthatleadstoextremelypoordesign).

Inmyexperience,studentswhofocustoomuchonthethetechnologiestheyareusingoftencreateweakfinaldesigns.Technology-focuseddesignerstendtodesignandcreatewithintheconstraintsoftheirtechnologiesandoftenarepoorlyinformedabouthowtheworldwillputtousewhattheyhavecreated.Therefore,theytendtocreatedevicesforothertechnologists,notfornovices.Byfocusingtoomuchonthetechnology,theyforgetwhattheyaretryingtosaythroughthecreationitself;theylosetrackoftheirthesis(Gipson&Oviedo).Studentswhosimilarlyfocustoomuchontechnologymayproduceworkthatappearsfunctional,andthatactuallymaylook“nice,”butthatis,intheend,notreallyuseful(Eisenstadt&Vincent).Likemanyofusinthefield,Ihavebeentryingtofindawaytoteachaboutnewmediawithoutteachingjustthetechnologyitself,butinsteadteachingabouttheprocessofnewmediadesignfromthepointofviewoftheartist,thestoryteller,thenarrator,fromthepointofviewoftheaudiencememberandthenon-technologist.Thetrickhasbeentryingtofigureoutawaytocombinetheinstructionofnarrativeandculturewiththeinstructionoftechnologicaldesigninawaythatmakessensetostudentsandisalsoconnectedwiththepraxisofnewmediaconstruction(Everett&Caldwell).

AsIdiscoveredwhenIfirstbeganteachinginJapan,peopleliketellingorhearingghoststories,andthereforethisfondnessforghosttaleswasaneffectivenarrativehooktouseinthepresentationofmorecomplexsubjectmatter.Theghoststorynotonlyisasimplenarrativetoconstruct,itisalsocross-culturallypervasivesinceghoststoriesalwaysdealwiththeonethingweallshare,mortality.Ithoughtthatusingthemetaphoroftheghostandtheideasassociatedwithhauntingaphysical(orvirtual)spacecouldbeaneffectivewaytobridgethegapsbetweentheculturesoftechnologists,designers,artistsanduserssinceweallshareaninterestandasetofpreconceptionsaboutghostsandghoststories.

Bycombiningtheghostmetaphor,Benjamin’sideasofthearcade,andsomestandardnewmediatheoriesaboutpersonaandpresence(andtheirattendantrhetoricaleffectsonnewmediauseandconstruction),andthencombiningallthiswithstudents’naturalinterestincinemaandthemovingimage,weestablishedtheoutlineforthepedagogyprojectthatwenowcalltheLumiereGhostingProject.MycolleaguesandIhavethentakenthisapproachonestepfurtherbyimmersingstudentsintotheprocessofinventinganext-generationnewmediatechnology(wecallittheCompuObscura)thatwhenusedbyitsintendedaudiencewilldemonstratetoparticipantshowtheelectronicarcadeactuallyworks,andwillalsocreateaspacewherewecandemonstratesomeofourideasabouttheelectronicarcadethroughtheactualprojectionandcreationofinteractivemediaghostsandvirtualpersona.

Integrating History of the Obscura ImageBecauseinventingsomethingnewoftenrequiresareturntofundamentals,Idecidedthatasstudentsandinventors,weshouldexaminetheearlydaysoffilmtechnologyitself,andthenlookevenfurtherbacktosomeoftheearliestpresentationsofthemovingimage.Therefore,inthelecturesanddiscussionsaspartoftheLumiereGhostingProjectandinourdesignworkfortheCompuObscura,wehaveoftenlookedtotheearlyusesofcameraobscuratechnologyandtothefirstdaysoffilmasitdevelopedwiththe

Lumierebrothersandtheirsimple,butpowerfulmotionpicturecamera,thecinematograph.

TheideaofthecameraobscurahasbeenknownsincethetimeofAristotle,andhasbeenusedintheartsintheEastandtheWestforhundredsofyears.AsusedinEnglandandtheUnitedStatesinthe1800s,acameraobscurawasadarkroominsideofwhichviewerscouldgathertoviewaprojectedimageofaselectedviewoftheworldoutside(Wolf).

Atfirst,justthephenomenonofseeingleavesblowingontrees,orofwaveswashingagainsttheshoreprojectedfromoutsideandintotheroom,downontoatableorupagainstawall,wasenoughtoattractanaudience.

Eventuallycameraobscuraartistsandoperatorscreatedpantomimedramasthatwereperformedoutsidethecameraobscuraandthenwereprojectedinsidethedeviceanddisplayedtoapayingaudience.

Becausethepopularityoftheoccultinthelate1800sinNorthAmericaandEurope,anumberofcameraobscuraartistsandoperatorsconnectedtheir“projectedpantomimedramas”withséance-likeactivitiesinsidetheircameraobscuras,therebydirectlylinkingthedisplayofaprojected,narrative-basedmovingimagewithghosts,andavisualprojectionoftheinvisible,theunknown,andoftheparallelspiritworld(Coleman).

Tocombinetheideaofthemediaghostandtofindawaytolookintothemodernelectronicarcade,wehave

startedaninventionprocesstocreateadevicethatwecalltheCompuObscura.Similartothecameraobscura,theCompuObscuraisatheaterandaprojectorcombined,andlikeearlyfilmcamerassuchastheLumierebrothers’cinematograph,theCompuObscuraisacameraandanimageprocessingdevice.

Whilethecameraobscurasimplylooksoutontheactual,physicalenvironmentthatsurroundsthedevice,theCompuObscurainsteadlooksdirectlyintothereal,butalsoinvisibleandparallelworldofmovingimagesontheNetandinourotherelectronicmedia.TheCompuObscuraservesasanewentrypointintotheelectronicarcadethatallowsparticipantstosimplyobserveortobecomeactiveparticipantsintheconstructionofthearcadeitself.

TheCompuObscuradeviceisdirectlyconnectedtoahighspeedconnectiontotheInternetthatallowsittopeerintotheelectronicarcade,theworldofimages,textsandsoundsthatismostlyconfinedtosmall,twodimensionalspaceslikethecomputer,television,cellphone,ormoviescreen.

Insteadofhavingactorsperformapantomimedramaintheenvironmentoutsidethedevice,theCompuObscuraborrowsandthenmanipulatesimagesfromfilms,televisionshows,andwebbroadcastsastheyflowthroughtheInternet.WhenstandinginsidetheCompuObscura,viewerscaninteractwithotherCompuObscuraviewersindevicesspreadaroundthecountry(oracrosstheglobe)andcanalsointeractwithelementsoftheworldwideelectronicarcadethatappearsinsidetheCompuObscura.

TheCompuObscuradeviceisdesignedtovisuallypresenttheideasofthemodernelectronicarcade.AsIstatedearlier,whenwepassthroughtheelectronicarcade,weoftenleaveimpressionsofourselvesbehind,ghostlypersonasthatbecomepartofthearcadeitselfevenlongafterwearegone.TorepresentthisideaintheCompuObscura,weintroduceghostlyscreensintotheenvironmentonwhicharedisplayedimagesgatheredatrandomfromvarioussitesaroundtheworld.Someoftheseimagesarecapturedfromtelevision,moviesorwebbroadcasts,butsomearealsoimagescapturedindistantlocationsbyotherCompuObscuradevices.ParticipantsintheCompuObscuracantheninteractwiththeseghosts,andcanalsointeractwiththepersonasofotherparticipantswhoappearaspuppet-likefiguresintheenvironment.

TolearnmoreabouttheparticularsoftheCompuObscuradevice,seetheInnovationsectionofthisessay.

Our Technological SéanceEversincetheintroductionoftheLumierebrothers’cinematograph,themovingimagehasbeenakeypartofshapingourculturalandpersonalnarratives,especiallyastheseimagesnowfreelymovearoundtheglobeaspartoftheelectronicarcade.Forthepurposesofourteachingandresearch,werefertothiscomplicatedprocessofimage-basedcross-culturaltransmission,interactionandtransformationasLumiere Ghosting.TheimagesofourselvesandofothersthatcomprisethestructureoftheelectronicarcadewerefertoasLumiere Ghosts—ghost-likepersonasthatweallleavebehindusaswejourneythroughthearcade.LumiereGhostsarealsoghost-likepersonasthathavebeencreatedovertimethroughtheirpersistenceandrepetitionthroughouttheenvironmentofthearcade.

SomeLumiereGhostsbeganasimagesofrealpeople(aswithMonroe)butthenquicklytranslatedintoiconicrepresentationsofaformthatother

peoplecaninhabitovertime(suchastheimagetotheleftofMonroewhichisactuallyadragperformerreenactingafamousphotographaspartofhisrepresentationofhimself).OtherLumiereGhostswereneverrealatall,suchastheghostofSupermanwhichiscontinuallyrepresentedandinhabitedbyawiderangeofrealandvirtualpersonasforawiderangeofreasonsandtoawidediversityofeffects.

Thiscomplexprocessofimagecreation,animation,transference,andreconfigurationiscentraltothemodernculturalsubconscious,andofteninfluencesourpublicandprivatelivesinwaysoftentoosubtletofullycomprehend(Barthes).TheLumiereGhostingProjectisanattempttoexplorethisprocessasstudentsandasresearchers,andthroughthedevelopmentoftheCompuObscura,wehopetocommentontheprocessthroughthecreationand“physical”manipulationofLumiereGhostsinsidetheCompuObscuraenvironment.

TheLumiereGhostingProjectandtheCompuObscuraisareactionagainstmanycurrentvideoandnewmediaartinstallationsthatoftenappearenrapturedwiththemarvelsandimmediacyoftheimagetechnologieswithwhichtheartistsareworking(Packer&Jordan).Evenifthestated“theme”oftheseworksistocritiquemodernmedia,ortheinfluenceofcorporateimagesoneverydaylife,wefeelthatmanyoftheseworkstendtobefairlyshallowortoosimplisticintheircritiqueandseemunawareorunconcernedwiththehistoriesthatfeedintothetechnologiesinuse.Asweworkedtodevelopthefirstmanifestationofourmovingimagetheater,theCompuObscura,wenotedthatmanyofthedigitalartandinteractivenewmediaworkswereviewedseemedtodealwithmediause,andmisuse“issues”thattheartistsoftenclaimedtobequiterecentdevelopments,withadipintoahistoryspanningonlytenortwentyyears(Morley).TheLumiereGhostingProjectandtheCompuObscuraisareactionagainstmanycurrentvideoandnewmediaartinstallationsthatoftenappearenrapturedwiththemarvelsandimmediacyoftheimagetechnologieswithwhichtheartistsareworking(Packer&Jordan).Evenifthestated“theme”oftheseworksistocritiquemodernmedia,ortheinfluenceofcorporateimagesoneverydaylife,wefeelthatmanyoftheseworkstendtobefairlyshallowortoosimplisticintheircritiqueandseemunawareorunconcernedwiththehistoriesthatfeedintothetechnologiesinuse.Asweworkedtodevelopthefirstmanifestationofourmovingimagetheater,theCompuObscura,wenotedthatmanyofthedigitalartandinteractivenewmediaworkswereviewedseemedtodealwithmediause,andmisuse“issues”thattheartistsoftenclaimedtobequiterecentdevelopments,withadipintoahistoryspanningonlytenortwentyyears(Morley).

Asanewmediainstructorinterestednotjustinimageandcommunicationtechnology,butintherhetoricthatinformstheuseofthosetechnologies,Iwantedtoworkdirectlywiththehistoryoffilmandmovingimageprojectiontoexamineoursociety’scurrentobsessionwiththenegativeeffectsofglobalization,mainlybecausemycolleaguesandIhavecometobelievethatthe“globalizationissues”oftheearly21stcentury(culturalconfusion,lossofidentity,exploitation,fearofthe“other,”theimpositionofuniformity)haveactuallybeenaroundforaverylongtime(Kraus&Auer).

Eversincetheintroductionofliteracy,illustratedtextsandmass-productionprinting,cultureshavesharedstories,mythsandtechnicalinnovations,integratingconceptsthatareuseful,ignoringoractivelyrejectingothers;thissharinghasthenmanifesteditselfinpositiveandnegativewaysthroughvariouspolitical,economic,social,andpersonalstruggles(Essary).Therefore,aswedefineitinthescopeofourproject,globalizationisnothingnew,itisjustmovingfasterthaneverbeforewhilemakinguseofelaborate,complexandwidelydistributedandinterlinkedvisualandtextualmetaphor,thereforedrawingmoreattentiontotheprocessthroughitspersistentpresenceinnearlyeveryworldculture.

Filmasweknowitnowessentiallybeganasadocumentaryformatandwasoftenadvertisedforitsscientificpossibilitiesanditsabilityto“honestly”documentreallife.Thispromotionoffilmasasemi-scientificformforcarefuldocumentationwasaconcertedefforttoseparatetheearlymediumfromthepeek-show,vaudeville-likeentertainmentandlow-classvenueswhereitsvisualprogenitorshadmostlybeenputondisplay.Promotingfilmasaseriouscomponentofsciencecertainlymadeiteasiertoraiseresearchanddevelopmentfundsfrom“respectable”sourcesandithasalsoendowedthemediumwithanelementof“truthtelling”thathasneverquitegoneawaynomatterhowfancifulandfantasticfilmshavebecome(Mellencamp).Thewritingsaboutfilmfrommanyearlyfilmmakersareoftenfilledwiththesenseofmissiontowardtruthtelling.Filmwasatfirstconsideredasanewwaytoseetheworld,asawayofpeeringintoplaceswheretheaverageviewerwasunabletogo.Theuseofthetechnologyasastorytellingmediumwas,atfirst,ofsecondaryconcern.

Itimmediatelybecameapparenttoearlyfilmmakersthatmuchmoremoneywastobemadefromattractingalargeaudienceofviewers,manyofwhomweremorethanwillingtopaytoviewthesamepresentationmanytimes,aslongastheimageswerecompelling.Whilealargenumberofearlyfilminnovatorsclearlyconsideredthemselvesmenofscience,withnobleidealsfortheirtechnologicalinventions,orasartistsinterestedinthisnewformofpersonalexpression,thepressureofeconomicsandthelureofquickwealthalsoencouragedthemtobeshowmen.Therefore,thehistoryoffilmisasmuchaboutthetechnologyasthehypethatsurroundedthenewtechnology(Abel).

Earlyfilmcamerasweresmall,abletofilmonlyafewminutesofactionatatime,andrelieduponalotofavailablelighttoimpressaviewableimageontothefilm.Thefirsttrulypopularmovingpicturecamerawasthecinematograph,ahand-heldmotionpicturecamerainventedbytheLumierebrothersin1895.Theprimary“invention”oftheLumierebrotherswasinmakingthemechanicsoffilmmakingeconomicalandfairly

convenient.TheLumierecinematographallowedfilmmakerstocaptureimagesduringtheday,developfilmintheafternoon,thenwhenthefilmmakerturnedthedevicearoundandilluminateditwithagaslightorasmallelectricbulb,hecouldprojectthemovingimageshehadcapturedjustafewhoursbefore.

Topromotetheirnewdevices,theLumierebrothersestablishedacollectionoffranchiseagentswhotookonthetaskofmakinghundredsofthefirstfilms,andshowingtheresultsaswidelyandasfrequentlyaspossible.Lumiere’snascentfilmmakerstraveledthroughoutEurope,theneventuallyovermostoftheglobe,capturingmovingimagesastheywent.Themostfamousshortfilmfromthisperiod—theonealwaysdisplayedwhenpresentingahistoryoffilm—isofworkersleavingafactory(seeastillframefromthisfilmonthepreviouspage).Manyearlyfilmmakerswantedtosimplycaptureselectedmomentsfromtheday,preferablymomentsfilledwithsometypeofactionthatcouldnotbeadequatelyrepresentedthroughstillphotographyorpainting.Theearlymotionpicturecamerawasconsideredto

beadevicetohelpuslookatlifemoreclosely,tohelpusslowmotiondownorspeeditup,tohelpusseeourbodiesandtheworldaroundusinanewlight.Butitwasalsomainlyseenasawaytopresentactionitselfjustforthesakeofshowingaction;thisisperhapswhysomanyearlyfilmsresemblefootagecapturedfromasurveillancecamera.

Bythestartofthe20thcentury,cinematographsandother,moreadvancedmotionpicturefilmcameras,hadspreadaroundtheworld,capturingscenesofpeopleengagedinthemundanedetailsoftheirlives.TheseimagesoflifeindistantlandswerebroughtbackhomeandprojectedtoaudiencesthatintegratedtheseearlyLumiereGhostimagesintotheirevolvingvisionsoftheworld.Storytellersalsoquicklybecameinterestedinthefactthatlarge,diverseaudienceswillinglypaidtoexperiencethisnewmedium.Thevaudevilleandcheap-shownatureofthemediumflourished,moreandmorestoriesandnarrativeusesforthemediumwerecreated,andwithinafewyearsthefilmindustryandthetechniquesofpresentingpersuasive,compellingandentertainingscreenedmotionhadfullytakenshape.

Asweexploredtheusesofthecameraobscura,andexploredearlydevelopmentswithstillphotography,webegantoseeareoccurringsocialfascinationwiththeoccultandmagicinconnectiontotheuseofcapturedand/orprojectedstillormovingimages.Anygoodlookatthehistoryoffilmandphotographyeventuallyrevealsthattheprocessofcapturinga“realistic”imageonfilm,eitherforstillsorforthemovies,hasoftenbeendirectlyassociatedwiththepresenceofghosts(Cherchi).AsIdiscussedearlier,cameraobscuratechnologywasusedasacomponentofaformalséance,andearlystillphotographywasalsoassociatedwiththeattemptto“capture”theghostlyimagesofthedeceasedastheyfloatedclosetothosewhohadrecentlylostalovedone.EarlyfilmwasthereforesimilarlyassociatedwithaspectsoftheoccultoroftheworldofghostsandsotheuseofLumiereGhostsasaunitingmetaphorforourworkseemsquitenaturalasacomplimenttothehistoryoftheimagetechnologiesthatprecedeus.

Therefore,asdevelopers,asinstructors,asstudents,andasartistsworkingwiththeLumiereGhostingProjectwearepassionatelyinterestedintheideaofghosts,bothintheoccultsense(hauntingandforeboding),thespiritualsense(religious,historical,philosophical),andinthetheatricalsense(asanarrativedevice,asaconvenientdistractiontocoveraslightofhand,asafrighteningandthrillingcrowdpleaser).Inthedevelopmentofthetechnologiesforourproject,wearealsointerestedinmatingtheideasoftheoreticalinteractionandcriticaldialecticwiththeactual,somewhat“physical”interactionwithimageryitself.Wearealsointerestedintheideaofmakingthe“subject”ofanimageasimultaneous“creator”ofthatimageinthesamewaythatJapanesekeitaiuserscancreateandinteractwiththeirvirtualtomogachicharacters,andtheneventuallyletthemlooseintotheworldtotakeonlivesoftheirown.

Weare,tobesimplistic,interestedinahightechformofséancethatworksequallywellasaformoftheater,asacommentonhistoryandasametaphoricalcenterpieceforinterdisciplinarycollaborationandinvention.Oneofthegoalsofthistechnologydevelopmentandstudyprocessistoallowusasteachers,studentsandinventors(andtheneventuallytheusersofourinventions)todirectlyinterveneintheelectronicarcadeandtherebylearnmoreabouthowthearcadeinfluencesoureverydaylives(Postman).Bytappingdirectlyintothetexts,imagesandsoundsbeingbroadcastonthewebandontelevision,wehopethatournewmediatheater,theCompuObscura,willhelptodemonstratehowLumiereGhostshavebeenincorporatedintoourcultureastheyappearinnewscastsandsoapcommercials,playedagainandagaininBollywoodmusicalsandinlate-nightRussiansatires,flashedongiantscreensina

Tokyoentertainmentdistrictandflickeredasacell-phonebackgroundinateenager’shandinUlanBator(Reiser).

TheLumiereGhostingProjecttriestomakethecloaked,theinternalizedandthehiddenvisible,tangible,understandableandsomethingwecanindividuallycontrol.Thefirststepistomakethisprocessvisible.Thesecondistomaketheprocesssmallenough,specificenough,thatwecangraspitinourhands.Thethirdandvitalstepistoallowustobecomeactive,informedparticipantsintheprocess,toallowustodirectitfrominside,tohelpuspreserveandpromoteindividuality,difference,differentiation,uniqueness,andthequirkyeverydayaspectsofhumanculture(Collier).

Questions of Shadow, Play, Ghosts & TransgressionWhenwecollaboratewithstudentsinourLumiereGhostingdiscussionsandinthedevelopmentprocessfortheCompuObscura,weoftendivideintosmallgroupsfocusedonsomeoftheproject’sprimarythemes.Thesethemesthenserveasstartingpointsforthequestionsthatweaskeachotherthroughouttheterm.ThesethemeshavealsoservedasthebasisforthedevelopmentofdifferentphysicalstructuresourarchitecturestudentscreatedfortheCompuObscura.

What four themes are central to the Lumiere Ghosting Project?I. Shadow Play & Live Theater—Allmodernmoving-picturemediaarebuiltupontheideasandnarrativesdevelopedforlivetheatricalpresentationandshadowpuppetplay.Thekeystotheseelementsarethehumanvoice,themotionofthehumanform,theabstractionofshadowandtheshiftingmetaphorsofinteractivevisualsigns.LumiereGhostingwantstomakespecificreferencetothishistoryoflivetheaterandshadowpuppetsinthedesignoftheCompuObscuradevice.

II. Film as Sideshow—Whenfilmfirstbeganitwasadocumentaryformat.Filmmakerswentintoacommunity,shotfootage,developedit,thenshoweditintheeveninginmake-shifttheaters.Someofthese“theaters”werenothingmorethanatreewithasheethangingfromabranchasascreen.Othertheatersweremorelikecarnivalsideshowtentsthatcouldbeputupfortheday,thentakendownandmovedtothenexttowninabag.Thisearlyformatwasshort,ephemeral,andoftendirectlyconnectedtotheenvironmentinwhichtheimageswereshot.LumiereGhostingwantstomakespecificreferencetothishistoryofthetemporary,side-shownatureofearlyfilminthedesignoftheCompuObscuradevice.

III. Camera Obscura & the Occult—TheideaofthecameraobscurahasbeenwithussincethetimesofPlato(seetheallegoryofthecavefromThe Republicforanideaofthis)andwasoftenusedaspartofthevisualarts.Fromtheverybeginning,theprojectionofmovingimagesthroughacameraobscuraformathasbeenassociatedwiththesupernaturalandhasoftenbeenpartofmagicandsorcery.Duringthe1800scameraobscurasbecameapopularformofentertainmentaspeoplebecamemoreandmoreaccustomedtoattending“theaters.”

Afterthenoveltyofgoingintoacameraobscurajusttoseeanimageprojectedintotheroomfromoutsidefaded,cameraobscuraoperatorsbeganconnectingtheircameraobscuraswithséances(toalsoadapttothelate1800sfascinationwiththeoccult).Actorsoutsidethedevicewouldperformas“ghosts,”theirimageswherethendrawnintothecameraobscuratobeprojecteddownontoatabletoparoundwhichpeopleweresitting,holdinghands,tryingtosummonthedead.Mistorsmokewasoftenintroducedintotheroom,alongwithvariousscents,vibrations,andsoundstoenhancetheexperience.

Thiswasallquitefakebytoday’sstandards,andevenmanyoftheparticipantsatthetimewereawareofthefalsenessoftheexperience,andyet,manystillalsobelieved(orwantedtobelieve)inwhattheywereseeingandhearing.LumiereGhostingwantstomakespecificdesignreferencetothishistoryoftheconnectionbetweentheoccult,ghosts,andthe“beyond”withthemodernmanifestationsoftheprojectedmovingimage.

IV. The Effects of Globalization—Globalizationhasbeenwithusaslongaswehavebeenabletotravel.Ithasbeenlimitedinscope,however,bythemediumsweusedfortravelandforcross-culturalcommunication.Globaleconomicmarkets,thephoneandtelevisionsystems,satellites,andtheInternethavevastlyacceleratedtheprocess.Manyculturesnowfeartheywillbeleveledintoboring,meaninglessuniformitybythepressofcorporate-statedrivengenericimages,concepts,andtechnologiesthatseemtobeallaroundus.TheLumireGhostingProjectisinterestedinthisconceptofculturalleveling,aswellasculturaltransmissionandinteractionthroughthemediumofthemovingimage,andtheeffectsofglobalizationarerepresentedorreferencedinthephysicalaswellasvirtualaspectsoftheCompuObscura.

What role does transgression play in the Lumiere Ghosting Project and in the CompuObscura?Thedesiretoparticipateinanactoftransgression,voyeurism,andmagic,combinedwiththesuspicionthatwhatyouareabouttoseemightchangeyourlifeiswhatdrawsustowardfilmandtothepresentationofthemovingimage(Dalle).Earlyfilmoftenwasshownatfestivalsoraspartofatypeofsideshow,andsowasalwayssurroundedbythemystiqueoftransgressioncombinedwithanelementoftechnologicalmagic.Aswehavebecomemoreaccustomedtothefilmviewingprocessandasithasbecomesuchaneverpresentpartofourculture,moderntheatershavebecomemorelikevendingmachinesandlesslike“theaters,”doingtheirbestto

obliteratethesenseofoccasionandnoveltyfromthecinematicexperience.ManylargebudgetHollywoodmoviesalsodriveoutalotofthisnoveltyastheycompetetopresentbiggerandlouderspectacle.Andso,moviesoftennolongercontainmagicformanyviewers(Helfand).Sincetelevisionsliveinourhomes,asanextrafamilymember,theytoohavecompletelylosttheirsenseofnoveltyanddanger.ThecarnivalmystiqueandthesideshownatureoftheCompuObscura’sexternalandinternaldesign,therefore,isanattempttoreunitetheimageviewingprocesswithtransgression,suspicionandmagic.

DuringtheearlydaysoftheInternet,thesenseofbeingallowedintoareasthatwerepreviouslyforbiddenwascertainlyanimportantlureoftheenvironmentanditsattendanttechnologiesfortheaverageuser(Hoveyda).Eventoday,peopletalkaboutplacestheyhavefoundontheInternet,orstumbledacrossandreturntooften,sometimeswhentheyfeelthatnooneislooking.TheInternetisvastwhilealsobeingintenselyprivate;nettechnologyallowsmillionstopubliclyviewthesupposedlyprivateliveactionsofpeoplelivingadormroomwhichiscontinuallyonshowthroughanopenwebcam,forexample.TheInternetalsoallowsviewers,surfersand“participants”tocontinuallyplaywiththeconceptsofidentity,secrecy,andtransitivepersona(ontheInternet,nooneknowsyou’readog).Therefore,theactofviewingimagesandvisitinghard-to-findwebsitesontheInternetstillgeneratessomeofthesamefeelingsoftransgressionandseductionthatwereavitalpartofviewingearlyfilmswhich(likesurveillancecamerasandwebcamsoftoday)allowedviewerstoviewtheeventsoftheeverydaywithouthavingtoactuallytakepartinthoseeventsandthereby“reveal”themselves(Levy).

TheCompuObscurabuildsuponthesenseofthe“unknown”andthe“forbidden”inhowitcapturessectionsofthehiddenInternetandthemediastreamaroundus,andputsitonspecialdisplay,onlyallowingafewpeopleatatimetoseetheimagesinsidethedeviceandsharetheexperiencethesamewaycameraobscuravisitorsinteracted100yearsago.

What does it feel like to “experience” the CompuObscura?Thecommonresponsetothisquestionisthataudiencemembersarenotsloweddownorinterruptedbythetechnologyoftheroom.Participantsarefreetomovearoundwithoutanywiresorheavytechnologyattachedtothem.Intunewithourinterestinhistoryandearlyfilm,theexperienceofinteractingwithimagesintheCompuObscurawillbemuchliketheprocessofviewingimagesincameraobscurasinthe1800sorlikeseeingsomeoftheearlyLumierebrothers’filmswhentheywerefirstshown—participantscometogetherinadarkroom,inasmallgroup,toseesomethingmagical,somethingslightlysurreal,theyaretheretoexperiencesomethingthatwillstaywiththemfordaysandweeksafterward.Audiencemembersdon’tneedtomakeanyspecialpreparationtobepartoftheevent;theydon’tneedto“make”ithappenbybringingsometechnologywiththem,theyjustneedtobepresentandhavetheireyesopen.Oneoftheimportantaspectsofbeingaparticipantinacameraobscurainthe1800s,orbeinganaudiencememberatthefirstshowingofanewLumierefilmwasthesenseofdoingsomethingspecial,somethingoutoftheordinary.Inmanyways,beingatatanearlyfilmeventwasliketakingpartinafestivalorbeingpartofacarnival.ParticipatingintheCompuObscurashouldmakeaudiencemembersfeelthattheyaredoingsomethingabitcheesythatisalso,atthesametime,slightlyscaryandtransgressive.

InthefinalmanifestationoftheCompuObscura,audiencememberswillslowlyfindthemselvessurroundedbydarknessandshadowsastheymovethroughthedevice.Atfirsttheyapproachfromtheoutsidewherethedeviceshouldlookpleasing,charming,festive—likeafestivaltentoracarnivalride.Butastheygetcloser,theyfindthereareslightlyfrighteningelementsinthedesign,elementsinshadowthatmakevisitorssuspiciousofwhattheywillfindiftheygetcloser,butalsointerestedtoseewhatisinside.Whenparticipantsenterthedevicetheyfindthemselvesinadimlylitpre-stagingarea,wheretheyaretoldaboutthedeviceitselfandsomeoftheideasthatgointoit.Thisissimilartothepre-stagingareawhereaudiencemembersinacarnivalshowinteractwiththeMasterofCeremonies,who“sells”themonwhattheyareabouttosee,getsthemexcitedandeagertoseewhatisjustbehindthecurtain.Oncetheparticipantsare“hooked”onthestoryofthedevice,thenarethenledintotheinteractionareawhichisdarkerthanalltheotherareasencounteredthusfar.

Eventuallytheymakeoutimagesonawallanddiscoverthatoneofthoseimagestheycanseeisaversionofthemselves,andthat“virtual”versionsoftheparticipantsareinteractingwithotherimagesinastrangecollageofdifferentenvironmentsthatlooklikerealplaces,andyet,arealsoslightlydisplacedanddistorted.Thelongertheparticipantstandsthere,themoreshecanseeonthescreen,andthemoresheisabletocontrolthevirtualversionofherselfintheroomthatsheobservesonthescreen.

Eventually,theparticipantsareencouragedtoleave.Oneuserfulwaytosignaltoparticipantsthatitistimetoleaveistocopyastandardmotiffromcinema—the“film”simplyrunsout.TheCompuObscurathereforesignalstheendoftheexperiencebysimulatingtheprojectionofwashedoutfilmframesflickeringacrossthescreen,untilthescreenisfilledwithpurewhitelight.Assoonasthefilmrunsout,allthelightsintheroomgoup,thescreenvanishes,andpeoplefindthemselvesjuststandingthere,lookingateachother,thenanexitsignlightsupandtheyleave.

INNOVATION

The Intention of Our Invention

AttheCaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversity(CalPoly),SanLuisObispo,aninterdisciplinaryteamofprofessorsandtheirstudentsfromthedepartmentsofEnglish,ArtandDesign,Architecture,fromthedepartmentsofEnglish,ArtandDesign,Architecture,

ComputerScience,andGraphicArtsandCommunicationhavedesignedaninteractivenewmediatheatercalledtheCompuObscura,adevicethatupdatestheconceptofthecameraobscuraandconnectsittootherCompuObscurasaroundtheglobethroughInternetIItechnology(InternetIIisafasterversion—twicethethroughput—ofthecurrentInternetthatiscurrentlyrestrictedforusebyselectresearchcentersandmajoruniversitiesintheUSA).ToinformthedevelopmentanddesignoftheCompuObscura,theCalPolyfacultyandstudentshavecollectedthistechnologyinvention,developmentandtestingprocessintoaresearchcollectivecalledtheLumiereGhostingProject.

WhiletheCompuObscuraisafairlycomplextechnicaldevice,andtheLumiereGhostingProjectisacomplicatedcombinationofresearch,pedagogy,usabilitytesting,andprogrammanagement,theultimategoalforalltheseprojectsisfairlysimple,andsomewhatlight-hearted—theybothrevolvearoundplayandexperimentationwithemergingdigitaltechnologies.

TheoverallgoaloftheCompuObscuradeviceistoencourageplaybetweenaviewerandasetofimages.Likealltrulygoodplaythegoalistosimplyallowviewerstohavefun,toexplore,andtointeractwithimagesasfreelyandasseamlesslyaspossible.Good,open,freeandexpressiveplayoftencreatesourdeepestandmostmeaningfulimpressionsandourmostmemorablenarratives(Missac&Nicholsen).Asinstructors,studentsandresearchersweareattemptingtocreateanartisticplayandexplorationspaceforadultsandchildrenthatallowsthemtocreatetheirownimpressionsandnarrativesthroughthefacilitatedprocessofinteractingwithavarietyofprojectedmovingimages.

Throughfree-form,interactiveplay,theLumiereGhostingProjectisdesignedtohelppeopletakeafreshlookathowtheprojectionandwide-spreaddistributionofmovingimageshavecomplicated,andincreasedthespeedofculturalchangeandculturalinteraction(Nielsen).TheLumiereGhostingProjectisalsodesignedtoserveasacurriculumframeworkinsideofwhichstudentsandfacultycanexplorethetheoreticalandhistoricalramificationsofthiswide-spreadsocialchangeandinteraction.Tohelpaccomplishthesegoals,theLumiereGhostingProjectmakesuseoftheCompuObscurabothasadeviceforcreation,fortechnologicaldevelopment,andforstudy.StudentsandfacultyconnectedwiththeLumiereGhostingProjecthelpdesign,

developandrefinedifferentaspectsoftheCompuObscura,butatthesametimetheyareallencouragedtoexplore(andaddto)thehistoriesthatsupporttheobject’sdesign,andtostudyandlearnfromthewayviewersinteractwiththedevice.

Alice’s Mirror in the CompuObscuraTheCompuObscuraisaninteractivenewmediaartworkthatallowsviewerstointeractwithimagesondisplayinsidethedevice.TheimagesdisplayedinsidetheCompuObscuraarecapturedandmanipulated,realtime,fromvarioussiphonpointsaroundtheworldandfromotherCompuObscuradevicesscatteredacrosstheglobe.

BecausetheCompuObscuraisnowbeingusedasaresearchtoolandasaninteractiveartwork,therearecurrentlynoprojectedcommercialapplicationsforthisdevice.Theactual“content”oftheCompuObscurawillalsoevolveovertimeasitisusedsinceitisalsodesignedto“record”theactionsofitsparticipantsandincorporatethoseactionsintofuturemanifestationsoftheCompuObscuraenvironment.

ThewaythattheCompuObscuradisplayschangingimagesissimilartohowamirrorinapublicspacecontinuallydisplays(withsomedistortion)thecontinuallyshiftingenvironmentthatsurroundsit.TheCompuObscurais,ineffect,amirrorofchangingfacadeofthemodernelectronicarcade.The“mirror”oftheCompuObscura“reflects”justoneperspectiveofthiscollageofimages,sounds,texts,andformsofelectronicinteraction.

LikethemirrorinLewisCarroll’sThrough the Looking Glass,amirrorwhichallowedAlicetoslipintoaninteractive,fullyimmersiveparallelworld,theCompuObscuramirrornotonlyprovidesaviewoftheelectronicworldofimagesthatsurroundsit,italsoallowsviewerstoslip,seamlessly,pastthemembraneofthemirrorandcrossdirectlyintoonesmallcornerofthatparallelworldofmovingimages.

Updating the Classic ObscuraTheCompuObscuraisaself-containedroom-sizeddevicemodeledontheideaofthetypeofroom-sizedcameraobscurasthatwerebrieflypopulararoundtheendofthe1800s.Largemanifestationsofcameraobscuratechnologyusedaroomsealedofftoalllight,exceptforapinhole-sized“window”inonewallthat,overtime,allowedaninvertedimageof

whateverwasoutsidethewindowtobeprojectedontheoppositewall.Essentially,cameraobscuraswerelargepinholecameras,andwereanearlycrossbetweenavaudevillehall,amovietheater,andabackroomséance.

Fromtheoutside,wehavedesignedourCompuObscuratoappearsimilartotheornateconstructionofacameraobscura.Butinside,thedeviceisacombinationofadigitaltelevisionstudio(withgreen-screencapability)andanInternet-

channeledvideoprojectionandviewingfacility.

TheCompuObscuraholdsapproximatelyfourparticipantsatonetime.Participantsmayeithersitonthechairsprovidedalongthewalls,ormovefreelyintheopenareainthecenteroftheroom.TheCompuObscuracontainsahigh-resolutiondigitalvideoprojector,andahigh-resolutiondigitalvideocamerathatcapturesthemotionoftheCompuObscura’sparticipants.Aspacebeneaththefloorcontainsasmallcomputernetworkconnectedwithahigh-speedconnectiontoInternetIIthatinturnisconnectedtoanadvancedimageprocessingcenteratCaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversityandwithanumberofotherCompuObscurainstallationsaroundtheglobe.

TheCompuObscuracapturesandreprocesseshigh-resolutionvideoimagesandhigh-qualityaudioonthefly,thenusesthehigh-speed,massivebandwidthcapabilitiesofInternetIItechnologytoswapthesecompositeimagesandremixedaudiotracksfromoneCompuObscurainstallationtothenext.

AgainstthelargestwallintheCompuObscura,wedisplayanimagethatfillstheentirewall.ThisimageshowstheCompuObscuraparticipantsimmersedinavirtualenvironmentcomposedofarchitecturalcomponentsliftedfroman“actual”environment(avillageplazainNorthernItaly,forexample).ThisprojectedenvironmentalsocontainsliveimagesofotherCompuObscuraparticipants(interactingindistantCompuObscurainstallations),andghost-likeimagesofotherpeoplecapturedfromsurveillancecamera

installationsinpublicspacesaroundtheglobe.

Alsoinsertedintothisprojectedenvironmentareanumberofghost-likewispsofsmoke(roughtlythesizeoftheparticipants)whichdisplayawidevarietyofLumiereGhostimagesliftedfromfilms,televisionshows,andmovingimagessiphonedontheflyfromInternetfeedsaroundthecountryandfromanumberofcountriesinEuropeandAsia.AsCompuObscuraparticipantsmovearoundtheroom,theycanseethattheirmovementsinfluencethemovementoftheLumiereGhostimages

intheprojectedenvironment.CompuObscuraparticipantscanalsointeractwithsomeoftheghost-likeparticipantsintheprojectedenvironmentwhomay,infact,beparticipantsinother,distantlylocatedCompuObscurainstallations.

Experiencing the CompuObscuraThemostfrequentlyaskedquestionsabouttheCompuObscuraare:

•Whatdoesitactually“feel”liketoparticipateinthedevice?•Whathappensaftertheparticipanthasmovedintothecenterofthedeviceitself?

Toanswerthesequestions,Ihavewrittenabriefscenariothatexplainsthisprocessfromthepointofviewofasinglefemaleparticipant.Wehavealsodevelopedashortvideodemonstratingthisprocess.Thevideocanbeviewedbyfollowingthelinkatthebottomoftheimagesarrangedtotherightofthistext.

AparticipantenterstheCompuObscura,whichisfairlydark,andshestandsforafewmomentstolethereyesadjust.Shenoticesafewotherpeopleintheroomwithher,somestandingstill,somewalkingaround.Projectedagainstonewallisalargevideoimage,showingthattheparticipantandherfellowCompuObscuraparticipantsarestandinginacornerofaplazainItaly,takinguproughlythesameamountofspaceintheplazathattheyaretakingupintheCompuObscura.Thekeythingthattheparticipantwillnoticeimmediatelyisthattheimageofherselfintheplazaispuppet-like,itisasiflargephotographsofpartsofherbodyhavebeenpiecedtogethertoformalarge,somewhattwo-dimensionalpuppet.

TheeffectofstandinginthemiddleoftheCompuObscuraandlookingatthevideoissimilartolookingatawall-sizedmirrorreflectionoftheCompuObsuraroom,exceptthereflectioncontainselementsthatarenotpresentinthe“actual”room.Scatteredaroundtheprojectedplazaenvironmentareafewotherpuppet-likefigures,buttheyarenotrepresentativeofthepeoplewhoareintheactualCompuObscura,atthesametimeasoursubject--thesepuppetsareclearlypairedwithparticipants“beamedin”fromsomedistantlocation,probablyfromanotherCompuObscuradevice.

AstheparticipantmovesinsidetheCompuObscura,theprojectedimageofherselfalsomovesaroundtheItalianplaza.Afterafewminutes,shenoticesthattheprojectedplazaisstartingtofillwithlargewispsofsmoke(theLumiereGhosts)eachoneofwhichdimlydisplaysashiftingcollectionofmovingimagesasiftheyareprojectedontothesmokeitself.Ifshemovesintoorthroughoneoftheseghostlyscreens,shenoticesthattheghostscreen(andtheimageitcontains)wrapsaroundherandthendissolvesmuchas“real”smokewouldreactinaphysicalenvironment.Therefore,movingherarmsupanddowneventuallycausesghoststodissipateorseparate,andmovingquicklythroughthemcausesthemtosweepinbehindher.

Shealsonoticesthattheotherpuppetsintheplazaareawareofherpresence,thereforeifshewavesatoneofthemtheymaywaveback,andtheseotherpuppetpeopleintheplazaarealsointeractingwiththeghostscreensthatdriftnearthem.Theimages

thatarebeingdisplayedonthewispsofsmoke,ontheghostscreens,appeartobesamplesfromoldmovies,andthenalsoselectionsfromtelevisionshows,stillphotosgraphs,andotherimagesgatheredfromavarietyofcultures.IftheparticipantwatchestheseimageslongenoughshewillrealizethattheyarebeingcollectedontheflyfromInternettrafficfromaroundtheglobe,withacollectionpointforanhourcenteredoverRussia,forexample,thenforanotherhourcenteredoverFrance,thenBrazil,thenSouthAfrica,thenCanada,andsoon.

Finally,theparticipantnoticesthatshecanmanipulatethewispsofsmokeintosomewhatstableshapesthatlingerinthevirtualair,allowinghertosculptthesmokeintoadesignthatiscontinuallydisplayingastreamofimages,asifsheisbuildingathreedimensionalscreenofInternetimagery.ThemoretimethattheparticipantspendsintheCompuObscura,themoreaccustomedshewillbecometohowdifferentformsofinteractiontakeplace,andhowdifferentgesturesofherscanactuallybe“read”bythesoftwareoftheroomtoexecutecertaineffects,suchasstoringthesmokeorghostshapesthatshecreatessotheycanlaterbereleasedintotheenvironmentforotherpeopletoencounter.Eventually,thedesignoftheenvironmentsinsidetheCompuObcurawouldbegintoreflecttheinteractionsofthosewhopassthroughit,capturingtheir“statements”abouttheinteractionandmakingitpartoftheexperienceforallfuturevisitors.

MuchliketheholodeckdevicefromtheStar Trektelevisionseries,weenvisiontheCompuObscuraasatypeStar Trektelevisionseries,weenvisiontheCompuObscuraasatypeStar Trekofinteractive,holographictheaterinwhichtheimages,the“stories”projectedandcreatedinsidethedevicecontinuallychangeandshiftwiththeinterestsandinteractionsoftheparticipants.Therefore,theimagesandtheformsofinteractionavailableinsidethedevicewillcontinuetoshiftovertimeasweareabletointegratemoresophisticatedimagecapture,display,andinteractiontechnologiesintotheenvironment.Buttheoverallgoalremainsthesame--teachingaboutimagemanipulation,imagedistribution,andtheculturalimpactofthatimagemanipulationthroughtheplayfulandcreativeusesoftheCompuObscuradevice,andthroughtheconcentrated,insider’sappreciationoftechnologyrequiredinthedevelopmentoftheCompuObscuradevice(Hocks&Kendrick).

ThewholeCompuObscuraexperienceisbrokenintoaseriesoffourstages:

One—Approachingthedevicefromadistance.Asparticipantsapproachthedevice,theywillbegintomakeguessesaboutwhatisinside,usingcluesfromthedesignandtheirexperiencewithsimilararchitecturalconstructionstoforetellwhatisgoingtohappentothemwhentheypassthroughtheentrance.Aswehaveworkedontheinteriorandexteriordesignofthedevice,wehavedecidedthattheelementofplay,carnival,andtransgression(manifestedthroughtheactofvoyeurism)canbeincorporatedintothe“shell”ofthedeviceitself.Studentshavebecomeattachedtotheideaofthescreen,andIamattachedtotheideaofthecircustent,andsowhenworkingwithagroupofarchitecturestudentsonthedesignwedecidedtoconnecttheideaofthecircustentwiththepracticalitiesofaprojectionscreen.Manyofthedesignsthatstudentscreatedusedlightmaterialstomakethestructureeasytoputupandtakedown,andalsocreatedscreen-likesurfacesonwhichimagescouldbeprojectedfromtheoutsidein,orfromtheinsideout.Thefinalmanifestationofthedevicewilllikelybeacombinationoftentandscreen,alongthelinesofthestructurescreatedbythearchitecturestudentsinthespringof2004.

Two—Pre-stagingasparticipantsfirstenterthedevice.Theprestagingareaisasmallareawhereparticipantsareencouragedtostandfairlystillforafewminutes(nomorethanthreeminutes),whilethesoftwareforthesystemcapturestheparticipants’imagesandprocessesthemfordisplayinsidethedevice.Thecommonwaytomanagethisinmanythemeparkridesistointroduce“riders”intothenarrativeoftheridewhiletheyarestillstandinginline.Thisintroductionisprovidedthroughvideoscreensthatprogressivelyrevealthebackstoryfortherideasthelinemovesahead,fromwaitingroomtowaitingroom.Whiletheywaitinlinetheridersarealsosurroundedbythesounds,smells,andvibrationsoftherideitselfdistractingthemthefactthattheyhaveactuallybeendoingnothingmorethanstandinginlinefor20-40minutes,waitingforaridethatoftenonlytakestwoorthreeminutestocomplete.Whilewedon’tanticipatehugelinesofpeoplewantingtoexperiencetheinsideoftheCompuObscura,wecanstilladaptsomeofthetechniquesofprovidingbackstoryandnarrativediversionintothedesignofthepre-stagingroomoftheCompuObscura.ThemostobviouselementtoincludeisashortvideothatgivesthehistoryoftheLumiereGhostingProjectandsomeofthebackstoryoftheCompuObscuradevice.Whileparticipantswatchthevideowecapturetheirimage(frontandrear)formappingontotheirvirtual,interactivepuppetthatawaitstheminthenextroom.

Three—Interactioninthemainroom.Participantsmoveherefromthepre-stagingareaandfindthemselvesinanemptyroomthatisquitedark.Theyhearsoundscomingfromonewall,anddiscovertheyarelookingatadimscreenthateventuallylightenstoallowthemtoprogressivelyseemoreofwhatisgoingon.Aftercapturingtheirattentionthroughtheuseofthescreen,wethenmovesoundaroundtheroomusingmultiplespeakerspositionedhighandlowandineverycornerofthedevice.Mostcameraobscurasweresimplydark,emptyrooms,withtheirviewsdisplayedononewall.Or,theyhadatableinthecenteroftheroomthatdisplayedtheimageprojectedfromdirectlyabove.BecausetheimagesthatwillbeondisplayintheCompuObscuraarequiteactiveandinteractive,andbecauseparticipantsareencouragedtointeractwiththeimagesofotherparticipants,thespaceisfreeofclutterandisasopenaspossible,therebydivertingfromthecameraobscuraandearlyfilmtheatersinonecentralaspect—participantsareencouragedtomoveopenlyaroundthespace.

Four—Anexitarea.Thiscanisashorthallway,leadingawayfromtheinteractionroom.Aftertalkingwitharchitecturestudentsandfacultyaboutbuildingdesign,wecametotheconclusionthatleadingpeopleouttoasmallhallwayorroombeforedumpingthemcompletelyoutsidewasagoodidea.Thisexithallwayisaspacewhereparticipantsareabletodecompress,reviewtheexperiencetheyhavejusthad,andalsogivethemtimeandspacetoformallyleavetheirimpressionsoftheexperience,becomingpartofapermanentrecord.Avideojournalisthemostlylikelyrecordthatwillbeavailableintheexithallway,containedinakioskthatallowsparticipantstopauseontheirwayoutofthedeviceandquicklyvoicetheirimpressionsoftheexperiencethatarethenrecordedontoaharddriveforlaterreplayaspartoftheaudiotrackforthesystemitself.

Development PhasesTheprimarydevelopmentphaseoftheprojectisnowwellunderway.Weareworkingoncapturingimagesontheflythencompositingthoseimagesforimmediate,interactiveinsertionintoavirtualspace.WearealsolearninghowtobesttransferallthisdatathroughanInternetIIconnection,movingvideoimagesfromcamera,intotheInternet,intoadistantprocessingfacility,thenbackforinsertionintoavirtualspacewithasmuchspeedaspossible.

Duringthe2004-2005academicyear,wehopetobegintheconstructiononaworkingmodeloftheCompuObscura.Atthispoint,allthevideoprojectionandcapturesystemswillbeinstalledintheCompuObscura,thentheentirestructurewillbeconnectedtothenetwork,andtestedwithawiderangeofparticipants.AfterthesystemissomewhatstablewewillthenmoveintointegratingvideocollectedfromdistantCompuObscuradeviceandothermovingandstillimagesthatwesiphonfromarevolvingcollectionofInternetlocationsscatteredaroundtheglobe.

AsthetechnologyfortheCompuObscuracontinuestodevelop,weenvisionanumberofphasesforthedevice’sdevelopmentanduse.

Phase One—Inthismanifestation,theCompuObscuraonlyhasoneparticipantinthedevice,lookingathim/herselfonascreenwhichshowsthepuppetversionoftheparticipantroamingaroundavirtualenvironmentthatwehavecreatedinadvance.Thisenvironmentwouldbesomeplace“foreign”orquitedistanttotheparticipant’slocation--forexample,iftheparticipantisinLosAngeles,theenvironmentondisplayonthescreenwouldbeaplazainItaly.ThisisthemostbasicmanifestationoftheCompuObscuraenvironmentanditistheonewearecurrentlymodelingandusingasatestingenvironment.Theenvironmentneedstobesimpleatfirstsowecanperfectanumberoflowtechmethodstotrackthemotionoftheparticipant,thenconnectthatmotiontrackinginformationontheflywiththepuppetversionoftheparticipant.Thesimplicityofthedesignalsoallowsustoexperimentwithvariousformsofinteractionmadepossiblebetweenthemotion-tracking-controlledpuppetandthevirtualenvironmentthatcontainsthatpuppet.

Phase Two—Thisphasebuildsuponphaseone,butnowallowsanumberofCompuObscuraparticipantsencountereachotherinthevirtualenvironment,usingtheInternettoconnectthemtogether.ThisincludestwotothreepeopleatatimeparticipatingfromoneCompuObscura,andthentwotothreepeopleatatimeparticipatingfromanotherCompuObscura.Allparticipants,however,areimmersedinthesamevirtualenvironmentinwhichtheycaninteractwitheachotherinasimilarmannertothewaythatplayersinteractinnetworkedgamingenvironments.Thevirtualenvironmentiscomprisedofrealfootagetakenfromadistantlocationimmediatelypriortotheentranceoftheparticipantsintothedevice,orconcurrentwiththeiractualinteractionwitheachother.Forexample,acamera(orsetofcameras)willbesetuptomonitoraplacelikearealplazainSpainandthatimageryisthenintroducedintotheCompuObscuraenvironmentsotheCompuObscuraparticipantscanplayinthatvirtual,butalso“real”place.

ThisphaseofthedeviceintroducesparticipantstotheLumiereGhostingProject’sideasaboutglobalizationbyallowingpeoplefromdistantlocationsto“explore”arealenvironmentinrealtime,withaudiencesparticipatingfromdistantlocations,usingdifferentCompuObscurasastheirgatewayintothesystem.Theactualdevelopmentofthismanifestationofthetechnologyisstillayearormoreaway,butwearecurrentlydevelopinganumberofvideodemosthatshowhowthissystemwilleventuallywork.

Phase Three—Oncethetechnicalaspectsofphasetwohavebeentestedandprovenreliable,CompuObscuradeviceswillbeconnectedtoeachotherthroughhigh-speedInternetIIconnections,andwillbelocatedindifferentplacesacrosstheglobe.Participantscanseeeachotherandinteractinavirtualenvironment(asinphasetwoabove),butnowtheimagesandsoundsthatareusedtocreatethevirtualenvironmentandtheimagesthataredisplayedontheghost-likescreensfloatinginthecentralCompuObscuraroomaresiphonedontheflyfromliveInternettraffic.Thesiphonpointsswitch,occasionally,fromonepointontheglobetoanother.Therefore,forthirtyminutestheenvironmentthattheCompuObscuraparticipantsseeisconstructedfromimagesandsoundscapturedontheflyfromasiphonconnectedtoanInternettrafficpointinSt.Petersburg,thenthirtyminuteslateralltheimagesandsoundsaresiphonedfromacollectionpointoutsideofTokyo,thenSydney,thenSanFrancisco,thenAmsterdam,thenParis,andsoon.

Atthispoint,asdesigners,weloseagooddealofcontroloverwhathappensinsidethesedevicesasthecontentcontinuestoshiftasthesiphonpointsmovearoundtheglobe,gatheringfairlyrandomimagesandsoundsonthefly.Occasionallytherewouldbeconvergencepointsbetweenalltheimages—forexample,ifthiskindofsystemhadbeenrunningonSeptember11th2001,mostoftheimagesatanysiphonpointintheworldwouldkeepcomingbacktotheWorldTradeCenterTowersastheyburnedandcollapsed.Thissystemwoulddynamicallydisplaytheeffectsofglobalizationastheyplayoutthroughmediaacrosstheplanet,inrealtime.ThisphasedisplaysoneofthemajorinnovationsoftheCompuObscuradeviceandtheLumiereGhostingProjectasitallowsfortheinteractiveviewingandmanipulationofelectronicimagerygathered,live,fromallovertheglobe.

ThedesignofthisInternetsiphonisaprojectthatwewishtobeginwithcooperationfromvariouscomputersciencestudentsandfacultywithhopesthatwewillbeabletotestthissiphonandintegrateitintoanimagedisplayandmanipulationsystemwithinthenexttwoyears.

Phase Four—AfinalphaseoftheCompuObscuradevicedependsupontechnologicalinnovationsinimageprojectionthatwilleventuallyhappen,butwhicharefarbeyondourdevelopmentcapabilitiesasfacultyandstudents;thisphaseinvolvesmovingtheimagesoffthephysicalscreenmountedontheactualCompuObscurawallandmovingthemintotheroomitselfasakindoffree-formhologramthatallowsparticipants,withouttheuseofgogglesorgloves,tointeractwiththeimagesthatactuallyfloataroundthemintheroom.Inthisversionofthedevice,participantsdon’tseeapuppetversionofthemselvesinteractingwithother“puppets”onscreen—participantsareactuallyimmersedintheenvironmentitselfjustastheywouldbeiftheywereinsideaholodeck.Phasefourisclearlymanyyearsaway,butbasedonthetrajectoryprojectedfromphaseonethroughthree,aholodeck-likeenvironmentisclearlywherewe’reheadedwiththistechnologydevelopment,pedagogicalcollaboration,andartisticdesignprocess.

ILLUMINATION

Adapting to Change

Fromtheverybeginningofmyteachingcareer,Ihavebeenveryinterestedinintroducingstudentstothevisualandtextualsemioticsconnectedtocross-culturenarrativesharingand

culturalremediation.Examiningtheghostsofmediatransmissionculturalremediation.ExaminingtheghostsofmediatransmissionhasbeenacentralpartofwhatIpresentinmyclassrooms.BecauseIbeganmyteachingcareerinstructingEnglishasasecondlanguagewhilealsoworkinginnon-Englishspeakingenvironments,makinguseofcross-culturestudyandcross-culturemediainfluencemakesobvioussense,anditisalsowhyIeventuallygravitatedtowarduniversity-levelinstructioninsideanEnglishdepartmentframework.

Whenreleasedfromthenarrowconfinesofreading,interpreting,anddebatingthefinepointsofWesterncanonicalliterature,Englishcanbeaneclectic,extremelyinterdisciplinaryandflexiblefieldofstudythattouchesuponmanydivergentaspectsofcommunicationandlanguage(Bolter).Also,theexpertisethatEnglishscholarshipappliestothecreation,revision,andinterpretationofnarrativestructureisvitallyimportanttostudyinghowaudiencesofallkindsrespondtoallmediatedformsofcommunication.Finally,theinstructionofwritingatanylevelalsocallsforeasyaccesstoandcomfortwithawiderangeoffieldsofstudyandthereforeagooddealofinnovativeinterdisciplinaryworkandcross-culturalstudyinsideanEnglishdepartmentusuallyarisesfromthecomposition,technical/professionalcommunication,andwritingacrossthecurriculumprograms(Landow).Itisinsidethesekindofprogramswheremanyofushavebeguntorefineourdiscussionswithstudentsabouttechnologically-enabledtransmissionofnarrativeghostsandenergizedelectronicsemioticexchangesfromculturetoculture,usuallyorganizedundertherubricofstudyinginformationarchitectures,human-computerinterfacedesignandtherhetoricalaspectsofonlinecommunication.

Whileithasbeenfairlyeasyandstraight-forwardtotracethemostblatantandprosaicelementsofthiscross-culturalpollinationprocessthroughfilmandprose(resultinginthewidespreaduseoftraditionalandpostmodernliterarytheoryfortheuseoffilmcritique),manyofus(especiallythoseofuswithbackgroundsintechnicalcommunication)havefoundthatwiththeadventofpervasivecomputing,theintermixingofimagesandideologiesfromfar-flungcultureshasbecomeacentralcomponentofthepracticalusabilityfortheoperatingsystemsandinformationstructuresofmanymoderncommunicationmediums(Lunenfeld).

AsImentionelsewhereinthisessay,pervasivecomputinghasnowputthetoolsoftechnologicalelsewhereinthisessay,pervasivecomputinghasnowputthetoolsoftechnologicalelsewhereinthisessaycommunicativeconstructiondirectlyintothehandsoftechnologyandmediausers,allowingustodirectlymanipulatetheshape,intention,andsymbolicrepresentationofouronlineand/orcomputer-enhancedcomputerinteractions.Therefore,likemanyofusworkingwiththenewmediaoremergentmediatheoryaspectsofEnglishandrhetoricalstudy(Landow,Buckingham),Ihavemovedawayfromexclusivelyhelpingstudentslearnhowtocritiquethemediaartifacts,narrativesandcross-culturalsymbolsthatsurroundthemandhaveinsteadturnedtowardhelpingstudentslearnthepraxisofadaptingtheircritiquesintotheinventionandconstructionoftheobjectsthemselves.Whileteachingaboutculturalmediationandtechnologicalremediationiscomplicatedenoughaspartofhelpingstudentslearnmethodsofproseandvisualcritique,itcanbedevilishlycomplextointegrateintoacohesivepedagogythatmakesinvention,creationandtechnologydevelopmentkeycomponentsoftheprocess(Goldfarb).Integratingprojectworkdirectlyintoanewmediarhetoriccurriculummeansthatanumberofimportantandpersistentquestionsimmediatelyarise:

•CannewmediadevelopmentworktrulyfindahomeaspartofanEnglishdepartmentwhenthecourseandthestudentsdealwithsuchawiderangeoftheoreticalconcernsandwithsuchawiderangeoftechnologicalpractices?

•Dostudentsalwaysneedtocompletetheirwork?Andhowdoesonedefine“completion”inaninteractive,newmediadesignprocess?

•Howdoyouassessthequalityandlevelofsuccessorfailurefortheprojectsthatstudentscreate,especiallywhenyou’reaskingstudentstocreatesomethingcompletelynewandhighlyexperimental?Whatdoyouuseasaguideforassessmentthatmakessensetoyouasinstructorandtoyourstudents?

InthissectionoftheessayIwillbrieflyanswerthesequestionsinconnectiontotheLumiereGhostingProjectandtheinventionandconstructionprocessfortheCompuObscura.Whilethereareelementsofthisnewmediadevelopmentprojectthatarequitesimilartomanynewmediarhetoric,writingandcriticaltheoryprojectscurrentlyunderwayaroundthecountry(Liestol,Hansen,Samsel&Wimberley),mycolleaguesandIfeelthatwiththeLumiereGhostingProject,wehavestumbledonausefulpedagogyandtechnologicaldevelopmentmodelthatmayhelpinformandpossiblyimprovehowadiverserangeofnewmediatheoryandpracticecanbecombinedintoonelargescale,collaborativeproduction.

Problems of Interdisciplinary Design

Can new media development work truly fi nd a home as part of an English department whenthe course and the students deal with such a wide range of theoretical concerns and with such a wide range of technological practices?

Yes,ifEnglishisopentothespecialneedsandrequirementsoftrueinterdisciplinaryteachingandcoursedesign.Thiscanbeaskingalot,however,fromanyspecificfieldofstudysinceinterdisciplinaryteachingcanbequitedifficulttosuccessfullyintegrateintoanycurriculum.

Theconcernattheheartofanyinterdisciplinary,media-centeredapproachtoteachingnewmediaishowmuchforeknowledgeofmediastudyandpracticeinstructorscanexpectfromtheirstudents.Interdisciplinarystudyis,bynature,fairlyanarchic,drawingstudentsfromallpartsofauniversity,bringingwiththemawiderangeofacademic,social,andtechnologicalbackgrounds.Thewidertherangeofcoursesofferedbytheuniversityandthemorefieldsofstudyoffered,themorediversethestudentmake-upwilloftenbeforanewand/orexperimentalinterdisciplinarycourse.Therefore,thisleavesinstructorswithaquandary—shouldtheyteachtoasimplelevelthatallstudentswillbeabletounderstand,ormoveaheadquicklyintoadvancedworkthatmaywellleavemanyofthestudentsbehindwhenitdivergesfromtheirprioracademictrainingand

experience?

Assomeonewhoiscontinuallyexperimentingwithmycoursedesignsandwithmyapproachestowardteachingaboutemergingmediatechnologiesandtheories,Ifacethesequestionsanewatthestartofeverynewacademicyear.Thekeytosuccessfulinstructioninthesekindofcoursesistofindacommonelementthatnotonlyjoinsthemanydisciplinesunderreviewandinclassuse,butthatalsosupportstheexpertiseoftheinstructorandissomethingwithwhichmostofthestudentswillbefamiliar.

Likemanyofusstrugglingtocreatethisnewformofteachingbasedonhypertextcompositionandmixed-media-informedrhetoricaltheory,Ifoundthatonesingleapproachtothematerial,ortheuseofonetheoreticalschoolofthoughtwasalwaysinsufficienttokeepupwithchangesinthefield,andoftenlaggedbehindtheleapsincreativityandunderstandingthestudentsweremakingontheirown,throughtheirownformofsynthesisandrecombinationoftheories,techniques,andcommunicationtechnologiesthattheybroughtwiththemfromtheirdivergentacademicandpracticalbackgrounds(Selber).

AlongthewayIhavefollowedmanyofthepreceptsforthistypeofmixed-media,rhetoric-basedpedagogythatweallnowarefamiliarwithfromthearticlesinComputers and Composition, Technical Communication Journal, Technical Communication Quarterly,theearlyresearchworkofSelfeandhercolleaguesatMichiganTech,theworksandtheoriesdevelopedbyRobertCooverandhisstudentsatBrownUniversity,andthetheoreticalworkofBolter,Landow,Liestol,Moultrhop,andsomeofthelatercollectionsassembledbyLunefeldforMITPress.Whilemanyoftheideasabouthypertextuality,interconnection,interactionandthedesignof“experience”mentionedbyalltheseworkshavebeenuseful,Ihavealsocometotheconclusionthatourfieldwillalwayscontinuetobe,asLunefeldmentionsinhisintroductiontoaDigital Dialectic,aworkinprogress,acontinuallyuncompleted,unfinishedandunresolvedformofteaching,study,andcreation—anongoing,neverendingdialecticalexchangebetweencreatorandaudience,designeranduser,instructorandstudent.

Do students always need to complete their work? And how does one defi ne “completion” in an interactive, new media design process?Yes,studentsneedtoreachapointwiththeirworkthattheycanfeelisindeedacompletionpoint.WhileIalwaystellstudentsthattheLumiereGhostingProjectandtheconstructionoftheCompuObscuraarelong-termcollaborationsthatmaywellneverhaveasatisfying,verifiable“end,”theindividualworkthattheycreateforclassdoes,indeed,havedeadlinesandendpoints.Followingsomeofthepreceptsputforwardbythosewhousecontractgradingstructuresintheircompositioncourses,Iworkoutacontractwitheachstudent,earlyintheterm,statingexactlywhatwillbecompletedandalsostatingwhattermswillbeusedtodeterminetherelativesuccessand/orfailureofthatcompletion.Butbeyondthissimpleandsomewhatreductiveprocessnecessaryforgradingandrecordkeeping,Ifeelthatfocusingtoomuchoncompletiontakesawaytimethatneedstobecenteredoncollaboration,debate,discussionandexploration—focusingonwhatstudentsandfacultycanlearntogetherbyworkingthroughanopen-endedtechnologydevelopmentprocess.

FocusingonprocessoverproductinapedagogicalconstructionliketheLumiereGhostingProjecthelpsinstructorswhoareinterestedinrhetoricreturntoourrootsasWesternrhetoricians.ThecontinualquestioningandreevaluationsofpriorassumptionsthatispartandparcelofourworkwithLumiereGhostingProjecthasallowedusasinstructorsandasstudentstousetheunfinishednatureofthedevelopmentprocessasawayoflookingfortruth,oratruth,whilealsomovingtheteachingsituationclosertothesocialsenseofwhattheGreeksreferredtoaspaideia(thedesigntoformandtoeducate).

Bycenteringourconcernsontheparticularsofprocess,andbyacknowledgingthatthisprocessmayhavenoclearendpoint,wemakewhatwedointheclassroomandinourtheoreticalworklessofa“study”andlessabout“instruction”andmoreabout“conversation,”“approach,”and“invention”asitwasenvisionedintheoriginalAcademy.ThroughworkwithLumiereGhostingandtheCompuObscura,wehaveoftenfoundour

coursediscussionsandthe“products”thatwecreatedtakingontheshapeofthedialecticasPierreHadotdiscussesPlato’sapproachtophilosophyinWhat is Ancient Philosophy?:

“SuchwasthedeepestintentionofPlato’sphilosophy.Hedidnotaimtoconstructatheoreticalsystemofreality,andthen“inform”hisreadersofitbywritingaseriesofdialogueswhichmethodicallysetforththissystem.Instead,hisworkconsistedin“forming”people—thatistosay,intransformingindividualsbymakingthemexperience,throughtheexampleofadialoguewhichthereaderhastheillusionofoverhearing,thedemandsofreason,andeventuallythenormofthegood.”(Hadot,p.73)

How do you assess the quality and level of success or failure for the projects that students create, especially when you’re asking students to create something completely new and highly experimental? What do you use as a guide for assessment that makes sense to you as instructor and to your students?Assessmentofstudentsuccessandfailureoftendepends,first,onstudentsunderstandingofhowtodevelopandthenfollowagooddevelopmentcontract.ThecontractthatIworkupwithstudentsfortheirprojectsisbuiltupontheirclearunderstandingofhowtheyaregoingtousepriorknowledgeintheconstructionoftheirnewmediawork.Successisthereforedefinedasmovingbeyondalreadyunderstoodskillsandtheoriesintonewterritory.Forstudentswithconsiderablebackgroundwiththematerial,findingnewareastoexplorecantaketimeandrequiresthestudentstodosomepreliminaryresearchintothefieldinconjunctionwithme.Forbeginningstudents,mappingoutareasforthemtodiscoverrequiresmetohaveasolidunderstanding,basedonpastexperiencewithotherbeginningstudents,whatisreasonabletoachieve(intermsoftechnicalskillsandintheoreticalgrasp)inagivenperiodofstudyandalsohowtobestintegratethisnewstudentwithongoingprojectdevelopment.

Whenjudgingeachother’sroughdraftand“final”works,IhavebeenaskingstudentstoturntoManovich’stext,The Language of New Media,forguidanceandforanumberofrubricsthatcanthenbeapplieddirectlytotheirprojects.MuchliketheadvicethatSorapureprovidesinherKairosarticle,“FivePrinciplesofNewMedia:Or,PlayingLevManovich.”

Integrating with CoursesInFall2002I,andacolleague,EnricaLovagliofromtheArtandDesignDepartment,receivedaninternaluniversitygrantfromCaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversity(CalPoly)tofunddevelopmentofnewwaystousethehighbandwidthavailablefromtheuniversity’snewInternetIIconnection.WeusedthisfundingtopurchasesomevideoequipmentandtohelpuscoordinateoureffortstostartcreatingaworkingmodeloftheCompuObscura.

StartinginSpring2003,webeganexperimentingwithabasicteam-teachingstructuretosetupthestudentbasefortheLumiereGhostingProjectbycombiningtwoalready-existingcourses:Interactive Document Design offeredfromtheEnglishDepartmentandtaughtbyme,andCollaborative Studio--Rendering, Animation and Modeling offeredfromtheArtandDesigndepartmentandtaughtbyEnricaLovaglio.Wesharedlecturesforourcourses,andthenworkedtogethertoselectanumberofstudentstodevelop

thebasicresearch,onlinedesignandtechnicaldevelopmentthatservedasthefoundationforLumiereGhostingProjectdevelopmentandforcreatingearlymodelsoftheCompuObscura.

InSpring2004,weinvitedtwoArchitectureprofessors(ThomasFowler&TomDiSanto)andtheirstudentstojoinourproject.Thearchitecturestudents,workinginfourdifferentgroups(eachgroupchoosingaprimarydesignthemetodefinetheirwork),proposedanumberofarchitecturalmodelsfortheCompuObscura.Weworkedwiththestudentstoselectthebestelementsofeachdesign,whichwerethenincorporatedintothefinaldesignandthephysicalmodeloftheCompuObscura.Weaskedthestudentstoworkwithinanumberoffinancialandconstructionconstraints.Thefinaldesigncostsroughly$18,000inmaterial,andcanbeputuportakendowninanafternoonwithsmallgroupofnon-technicalassistants.

Arrangedtotherightofthistext,youseeaselectionfromtheimagesofthefinalprojectmodel,ontowhichvariousLumiereGhostsareprojectedtosimulatehowthedevicewillappearwheninuse.Ihavealsoscatteredafewoftheseimagesthroughoutthisessay.

InthecomingtermswehopetobroadenthereachofourprojecttoincludecolleaguesandstudentsfromtheComputerScienceDepartmentatCalPolyandplanonworkingwithanumberofcolleaguesandstudentsatotheruniversitiesintheUSAandabroad.

Integrating Lumiere Ghosting into a New Media Arts ProgramTheLumiereGhostingProjectalsoservesastheprimarypedagogicaldevelopmentprojectforastill-developingnewmediaartsprogramatCalPoly.Asthisprogramexpandsanddevelops,itwillserveasthefocalpointforthetheoretical,pedagogical,andtechnologicalworkthatsupportstheLumiereGhostingProject.Theprogramiscurrentlydefinedbyitsthreecorecourses:

•NewMediaI:Narratives & Semiotics

•NewMediaII:Technologies & Construction

•NewMediaProjects:Synthesis and Performance

Duringoneyearofstudy,studentstaketheseclassesinorder(New Media I, II, and New Media Projects).Astheyparticipateinthesecourses,studentsarerequiredtoproducetheirownnewmediadevelopmentprojectswhichrangefromcommercialapplicationstoentirelyartisticworks.Bytheendoftheseriesofcourses,studentsarealsoaskedtocontribute,evenifinasmallway,totheongoingdevelopmentoftheCompuObscuraandtheLumiereGhostingProject.Attheendoftheacademicyear,allthestudentworksproducedduringthatyeararepresentedinavarietyofpublicforums,andthebeststudentworkproduced

fortheLumiereGhostingProjectisaddedtoawork-in-progresspresentationforanationaltechnologyforum,suchastheSIGGRAPHconference.

New Media I: Narratives & Semioticsintroducesstudentstothefoundationsofnarrativeandthestudyofsigns(visual,linguistic,social)thatsupportsolid,persuasive,andinnovativenewmediaconstruction.Thecourseisprimarilybasedonreading,viewing,discussionandappliedtextualandvisualcritique.Thecourseisequallydividedbetweenthestudyoflinguisticortext-basedtheoryandthestudyofvisualdesigntheory.Studentsmustsubmitafullyrevisedseminar-lengthvisualandtextualessayexaminingthenarrativeandsemioticstructureofacomplexnewmediaworkandacomplex“canonical”literary,theoretical,orvisualtext.StudentsmustalsocompleteafullyrevisedproposalforasmallnewmediaprojecttheywillbuildanddisplayinNewMediaII.

New Media II: Technologies & Constructionintroducesstudentstotheprimarytechnologiescurrentlyatuseintheprofessionalcreationofnewmediaworks.Studentsworkdirectlywithawiderangeofnewmediatechnologiesinastudiosituation.Thecourseisequallydividedbetweenworkingwithtext-centeredsoftwareandworkingwithimage-centeredsoftware.Eachstudentcompletesthecoursewithaworkingknowledgeofatleasttwoorthreenewmediaproductionprograms,andisrequiredtocreateonefullyfunctionaldemonstrationoftheprojecttheyproposedinNewMediaI.SomeofthestudentprojectswillbedirectlyrelatedtotheCompuObscuraortheLumiereGhostingProject,butstudentsarealsoallowedtodevelopcompletelyindividualprojectsthatfollowthatstudent’sinterestsandresearch.Somepastindividualstudentprojectshaveincludedworksuchasdevelopingaworkingkioskdesign(softwareinterfaceandphysicalcontainerdesign)fortraveler’saidstationstobelocatedinairportsaroundtheglobe,aninteractivepersonalessayaboutfamilyandidentitypresentedthroughwebandfilmtechnology,andastand-alonesoftwareprogramdesignedtoteachmiddleschoolchildrenaboutpenguins.Mid-waythroughthequarter,studentswillpauseintheirprojectdevelopment,documenttheirworktodate,andthenconvertthatdocumentationintoasubmissionforentryinaprominentnationaltechnologyforum.Attheendofthecourseallstudentsintheclassdisplaytheirworkinalocaltechnologyforum,anactivitythatisthenlaterrepeatedinvariousplacesaroundthecountrybythosestudentswhohavehadtheirworkselectedfornationalpresentation.

New Media Projects:Synthesis and Performanceisafullstudioandgroup-workcourseinwhichtheentireclass(studentsandinstructors)workstogetheronimprovingandintegratingvarioussmallerprojectsintothelatestmanifestationoftheLumiereGhostingProjectandforinclusionaspartofwhatisdisplayedinsidetheCompuObscura.TheprimaryfocusofthecourseisinthepracticalsynthesisofthetheoriesandtechnologiesstudentshaveworkedwithinNewMediaI&II.WhiletheclassfocusisondevelopingworkfortheLumiereGhostingProjectandtheCompuObscura,studentsarealsostillencouragedtocontinuerefinementworkontheirindividualprojects.Inthiscourse,studentslearnhowtomanagehigh-levelgroupproductionprojects,practiceprofessionalpresentationtechniques,andalsoinvestigatesomeofthecommercialandprofessionalaspectsofnewmediaproductionthroughsitevisitsandguestlecturesthatcoverworkproducedforthemarketplaceandforthefinearts.Thestudentwork(bothindividualandgroup)iscritiquedandrefinedthroughoutthequarterbyin-classparticipationfromarotatingboardofevaluatorsgatheredfromacademiaandindustry.

Student Creation, Design & InventionStudentshavebeeninvolvedwitheveryaspectofthisproject.Astheyparticipateinthedevelopment,inventionandresearchworkfortheLumiereGhostingProjectandfortheCompuObscuradevice,studentslearnaboutthehistoryoffilm,photography,television,andnarrativedesignalongwiththepracticalconcernsofvisualandtextualrhetoric.Studentsalsolearnaboutprojectmanagement,cooperation,invention,andtestingproceduresastheyactuallybuildtheCompuObscuraanddevelopsomeofthesmallertechnologyelementsthatweuseforlecturesorgroupworkinotherpartsoftheLumiereGhostingProject.

Therangeofstudentcontributionshavebeensotightlyconnectedtocollaborativecoursedevelopmentand

discussionthatitisnearlyimpossibletoaccuratelyattributespecificdevelopmentstothisorthatspecificstudent.However,afewstudentshavecreatedstand-outworkfortheLumiereGhostingProjectandhavemadeessentialcontributionsinthedesignoftheCompuObscuradevice.Iwouldliketousethisspacetohighlightafewofthesecontributions.

Key Student ContributionsJonElsdon(jon@eefx.com)recentlycompletedhisMAinArtandDesignfromCalPoly.Hiscontributiontoourworkhasbeeninvaluable.WehopetofundJonElsdoninthenearfutureasafull-timeprofessionalcollaboratoranddeveloperbothfortheLumiereGhostingProjectandasoneofthecentralteammembersinthedevelopmentoftheCompuObscura.

JondevelopedallthemotiontrackingmodelsweusetotrackparticipantsintheCompuObscura,employingverylowtechsolutionsthatarebrilliantandcunningusesofverylimitedtechnicalresources.Jonhasalsocreatedallofthe3D-modeleddemonstrationsoftheprojectedenvironmentinsidetheCompuObscura.YouhavealreadyseenmanyofJon’simagesscatteredthroughoutthisarticle,butyoumayliketoseethisworkinmotion.Intheonlineversionofthisarticle,IhaveattachedalinktoashortvideowhichcontainsasequenceJonproducedtodemonstratetheprocessofcapturingtheimageofaCompuObscuraparticipant,mappingthatimagedatatoadigitalpuppetandthendroppingthatpuppetintoavirtualenvironmentcreatedfromreal-worldimages.

JulianadeFreitas-Draper(design_jdfd@yahoo.com)andIlsaBrink(ilsa@charter.net),workinginconjunctionwithProfessorLovagliointheArtandDesignDepartmentatCalPoly,developedthefirstcomprehensivewebpresentationoftheideasandhistoriesthatcomprisedtheearlystagesofourworkwiththeLumiereGhostingProject.Theworkthesetwobrilliantdesignstudentscreatedisbeautifulandisalsohighlyreflectiveofthespiritoftheprojectitself.Pleasetakesometimetoexploretheirsite,presentedaspartoftheonlineversionofthisarticle.Weusedcomponentsofthissiteforanumberofacademicpresentationsin2004(includingapresentationattheSIGGRAPHconferenceinAugust2004),andwewillcontinuetousethebulkoftheimageryofthissiteforourfutureworkwiththeproject.

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