kairos layout draft2
Transcript of kairos layout draft2
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage1
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage2
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage3
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage2
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage3
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([email protected])toletmeknowwhatyouthinkasyouread.
Likemanynewmediainstructors,Ihavehadtolookoutsidemyacademic“department”(English)insearchofcolleaguesandstudentstocollaboratewithinthisinterdisciplinarypedagogyandtechnologydevelopmentproject.Therefore,whilethisarticleismyindividualandquitepersonalstatementaboutwhatwehavecreatedtogether,thisprojectistrulyagroupcollaborationthatdependsonthecontributionsofmanythinkers,designers,andinstructors.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage4
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage5
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage4
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage5
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage6
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage7
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage6
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage7
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage8
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage9
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).
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage8
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage9
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage10
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage11
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage10
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage11
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage12
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage13
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage12
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage13
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage14
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage15
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).
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage14
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage15
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage16
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage17
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage16
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage17
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage18
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage19
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage18
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage19
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage20
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage21
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,
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage20
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage21
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-
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage22
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage23
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage22
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage23
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage24
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage25
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage24
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage25
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage26
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage27
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.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage26
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage27
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).
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage28
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage29
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage28
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage29
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage30
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage31
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage30
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage31
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage32
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage33
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
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage32
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage33
discussionthatitisnearlyimpossibletoaccuratelyattributespecificdevelopmentstothisorthatspecificstudent.However,afewstudentshavecreatedstand-outworkfortheLumiereGhostingProjectandhavemadeessentialcontributionsinthedesignoftheCompuObscuradevice.Iwouldliketousethisspacetohighlightafewofthesecontributions.
Key Student ContributionsJonElsdon([email protected])recentlycompletedhisMAinArtandDesignfromCalPoly.Hiscontributiontoourworkhasbeeninvaluable.WehopetofundJonElsdoninthenearfutureasafull-timeprofessionalcollaboratoranddeveloperbothfortheLumiereGhostingProjectandasoneofthecentralteammembersinthedevelopmentoftheCompuObscura.
JondevelopedallthemotiontrackingmodelsweusetotrackparticipantsintheCompuObscura,employingverylowtechsolutionsthatarebrilliantandcunningusesofverylimitedtechnicalresources.Jonhasalsocreatedallofthe3D-modeleddemonstrationsoftheprojectedenvironmentinsidetheCompuObscura.YouhavealreadyseenmanyofJon’simagesscatteredthroughoutthisarticle,butyoumayliketoseethisworkinmotion.Intheonlineversionofthisarticle,IhaveattachedalinktoashortvideowhichcontainsasequenceJonproducedtodemonstratetheprocessofcapturingtheimageofaCompuObscuraparticipant,mappingthatimagedatatoadigitalpuppetandthendroppingthatpuppetintoavirtualenvironmentcreatedfromreal-worldimages.
JulianadeFreitas-Draper([email protected])andIlsaBrink([email protected]),workinginconjunctionwithProfessorLovagliointheArtandDesignDepartmentatCalPoly,developedthefirstcomprehensivewebpresentationoftheideasandhistoriesthatcomprisedtheearlystagesofourworkwiththeLumiereGhostingProject.Theworkthesetwobrilliantdesignstudentscreatedisbeautifulandisalsohighlyreflectiveofthespiritoftheprojectitself.Pleasetakesometimetoexploretheirsite,presentedaspartoftheonlineversionofthisarticle.Weusedcomponentsofthissiteforanumberofacademicpresentationsin2004(includingapresentationattheSIGGRAPHconferenceinAugust2004),andwewillcontinuetousethebulkoftheimageryofthissiteforourfutureworkwiththeproject.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage34
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage35
TEXT CITATIONS
Abel,Richard,andRickAltman.TheSoundsofEarlyCinema.Bloomington,IN:IndianaUniversityPress,2001.
Addiss,Stephen,AsiaHouseGallery.,andHelenForesmanSpencerMuseumofArt.JapaneseGhosts&Demons:ArtoftheSupernatural.1sted.NewYork:GeorgeBrazillerinassociationwiththeSpencerMuseumofArtUniversityofKansas,1985.
Aitchison,Jean,andDianaM.Lewis.NewMediaLanguage.London:Routledge,2003.
Barthes,Roland.EmpireofSigns.1stAmericaned.NewYork:HillandWang,1982.
Baudrillard,Jean.SimulacraandSimulation.TheBody,inTheory.AnnArbor:UniversityofMichiganPress,1994.
Benjamin,Walter,etal.SelectedWritings.Cambridge,Mass.:BelknapPress,1996.
Bolter,J.David.WritingSpace:Computers,Hypertext,andtheRemediationofPrint.2nded.Mahwah,N.J.:LawrenceErlbaumAssociates,2001.
Bolter,J.David,andRichardGrusin.Remediation:UnderstandingNewMedia.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,1999.
Browne,RayBroadus,andMarshallWilliamFishwick.TheGlobalVillage:DeadorAlive?BowlingGreen,OH:BowlingGreenStateUniversityPopularPress,1999.
Buckingham,David.MediaEducation:Literacy,Learning,andContemporaryCulture.Cambridge,UK,Malden,MA:PolityPress;DistributedintheUSAbyBlackwellPub.,2003.
Carey,JamesW.“TheMythosoftheElectronicRevolution.”CommunicationasCulture:EssaysonMediaandSociety.Boston:UnwinHyman,1988.139.
Chen,Chaomei.InformationVisualisationandVirtualEnvironments.London;NewYork:Springer,1999.
CherchiUsai,Paolo.TheDeathofCinema:History,CulturalMemory,andtheDigitalDarkAge.London:BFIPub.,2001.
Coleman,A.D.DepthofField:EssaysonPhotography,MassMedia,andLensCulture.1sted.Albuquerque,NM:UniversityofNewMexicoPress,1998.
Collier,MaryJane.ConstitutingCulturalDifferencethroughDiscourse.InternationalandInterculturalCommunicationAnnual;V.23.ThousandOaks,Calif.:SagePublications,2001.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage34
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage35
Craig,TimothyJ.JapanPop!:InsidetheWorldofJapanesePopularCulture.Armonk,N.Y.:M.E.Sharpe,2000.
Crang,Mike,PhilCrang,andJonMay.VirtualGeographies:Bodies,Space,andRelations.SussexStudiesinCultureandCommunication.London;NewYork:Routledge,1999.
DalleVacche,Angela.TheVisualTurn:ClassicalFilmTheoryandArtHistory.RutgersDepthofFieldSeries.NewBrunswick,N.J.:RutgersUniversityPress,2003.
Darley,Andrew.VisualDigitalCulture:SurfacePlayandSpectacleinNewMediaGenres.SussexStudiesinCultureandCommunication.London;NewYork:Routledge,2000.
Drazen,Patrick.AnimeExplosion!:TheWhat?Why?&Wow!OfJapaneseAnimation.Berkeley,Calif.:StoneBridgePress,2003.
Eisenstadt,Marc,andTomVincent.TheKnowledgeWeb:LearningandCollaboratingontheNet.London:KoganPage,1998.
Essary,Loris.“OnLanguageandVisualLanguage.”VisualLiteratureCriticism:ANewCollection.Ed.RichardKostelanetz.Carbondale:SouthernIllinoisUniversityPress,1979.97.
Everett,Anna,andJohnThorntonCaldwell.NewMedia:TheoriesandPracticesofDigitextuality.AfiFilmReaders.NewYork:Routledge,2003.
Gaggi,Silvio.FromTexttoHypertext:DecenteringtheSubjectinFiction,Film,theVisualArts,andElectronicMedia.PennStudiesinContemporaryAmericanFiction.Philadelphia:UniversityofPennsylvaniaPress,1997.
Gibson,StephanieB.,andOllieO.Oviedo.TheEmergingCyberculture:Literacy,Paradigm,andParadox.Cresskill,N.J.:HamptonPress,2000.
Goldfarb,Brian.VisualPedagogy:MediaCulturesinandBeyondtheClassroom.Durham[N.C.]:DukeUniversityPress,2002.
Gorman,Lyn,andDavidMcLean.MediaandSocietyintheTwentiethCentury:AHistoricalIntroduction.Malden,MA:BlackwellPub.,2003.
Hadot,Pierre.WhatIsAncientPhilosophy?Cambridge,Mass.:BelknapPressofHarvardUniversityPress,2002.
Hansen,MarkB.N.NewPhilosophyforNewMedia.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,2004.
Heim,Michael.TheMetaphysicsofVirtualReality.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,1993.
Heinrich,AmyVladeck.CurrentsinJapaneseCulture:TranslationsandTransformations.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1997.
Helfand,Jessica.Screen:EssaysonGraphicDesign,NewMedia,andVisualCulture.NewYork:PrincetonArchitecturalPress,2001.
Hillis,Ken.DigitalSensations:Space,Identity,andEmbodimentinVirtualReality.ElectronicMediations;V.1.Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1999.
Hocks,MaryE.,andMichelleR.Kendrick.EloquentImages:WordandImageintheAgeofNewMedia.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage36
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage37
Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,2003.
Hoveyda,Fereydoun.TheHiddenMeaningofMassCommunications:Cinema,Books,andTelevisionintheAgeofComputers.Westport,Conn.:Praeger,2000.
Joyce,Michael.OfTwoMinds:HypertextPedagogyandPoetics.StudiesinLiteratureandScience.AnnArbor:UniversityofMichiganPress,1995.
Kraus,Elisabeth,andCarolinAuer.SimulacrumAmerica:TheUSAandthePopularMedia.EuropeanStudiesinAmericanLiteratureandCulture.Rochester,NY:CamdenHouse,2000.
Landow,GeorgeP.,andPaulDelany.TheDigitalWord:Text-BasedComputingintheHumanities.TechnicalCommunicationandInformationSystems.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,1993.
Lau,JennyKwokWah.MultipleModernities:CinemasandPopularMediainTransculturalEastAsia.Philadelphia,PA:TempleUniversityPress,2003.
Lent,JohnA.AsianPopularCulture.InternationalCommunicationandPopularCulture.Boulder:WestviewPress,1995.
Levy,Pierre.Cyberculture.ElectronicMediations;V.4.Minneapolis,Minn.London:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2001.
Liestol,Gunnar,AndrewMorrison,andTerjeRasmussen.DigitalMediaRevisited:TheoreticalandConceptualInnovationinDigitalDomains.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,2003.
Lunenfeld,Peter.TheDigitalDialectic:NewEssaysonNewMedia.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,1999.
Manovich,Lev.TheLanguageofNewMedia.Leonardo.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,2001.
Mantovani,Giuseppe.NewCommunicationEnvironments:FromEverydaytoVirtual.London;Bristol,PA:Taylor&Francis,1996.
Martinez,D.P.TheWorldsofJapanesePopularCulture:Gender,ShiftingBoundariesandGlobalCultures.ContemporaryJapaneseSociety.Cambridge,UK;NewYork,NY,USA:CambridgeUniversityPress,1998.
Matsumoto,DavidRicky.UnmaskingJapan:MythsandRealitiesAbouttheEmotionsoftheJapanese.Stanford,Calif.:StanfordUniversityPress,1996.
McCormack,Gavan,andYoshioSugimoto.TheJapaneseTrajectory:ModernizationandBeyond.Cambridge[Cambridgeshire];NewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,1988.
McLuhan,Marshall,andBruceR.Powers.TheGlobalVillage:TransformationsinWorldLifeandMediainthe21stCentury.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,1989.
Mellencamp,Patricia,andPhilipRosen.CinemaHistories,CinemaPractices.TheAmericanFilmInstituteMonographSeries;V.4.Frederick,MD:UniversityPublicationsofAmerica,1984.
Missac,Pierre,andShierryWeberNicholsen.WalterBenjamin’sPassages.StudiesinContemporaryGermanSocialThought.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,1995.
Morley,Simon.WritingontheWall:WordandImageinModernArt.Berkeley;LosAngeles:Universityof
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage36
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage37
CaliforniaPress,2003.
Morton,Leith.ModernJapaneseCulture:TheInsiderView.SouthMelbourne,Vic.;Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,2003.
Moser,MaryAnne,DouglasMacLeod,andBanffCentrefortheArts.ImmersedinTechnology:ArtandVirtualEnvironments.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,1996.
Napier,SusanJolliffe.AnimefromAkiratoPrincessMononoke:ExperiencingContemporaryJapaneseAnimation.1sted.NewYork:Palgrave,2001.
Nielsen,Jakob.MultimediaandHypertext:TheInternetandBeyond.Boston:APProfessional,1995.
Norman,Donald.TheInvisibleComputer:WhyGoodProductsCanFail,thePersonalComputerIsSoComplex,andInformationAppliancesAretheSolution.Cambridge:MITPress,1999.
Ong,WalterJ.OralityandLiteracy:TheTechnologizingoftheWord.London:Routledge,1982.
Packer,Randall,andKenJordan.Multimedia:FromWagnertoVirtualReality.Expandeded.NewYork:W.W.Norton,2002.
Park,Myung-Jin,andJamesCurran.De-WesternizingMediaStudies.CommunicationandSociety.London;NewYork:Routledge,2000.
Poitras,Gilles.TheAnimeCompanion:What’sJapaneseinJapaneseAnimation?Berkeley,Calif.:StoneBridgePress,1999.
Postman,Neil.“TheJudgementofThamus.”Technopoly:TheSurrenderofCulturetoTechnology.NewYork:AlfredA.Knopf,1992.16-17.
Richter,Gerhard.Benjamin’sGhosts:InterventionsinContemporaryLiteraryandCulturalTheory.Stanford,Calif.:StanfordUniversityPress,2002.
Rieser,Martin,etal.NewScreenMedia:Cinema/Art/Narrative.London:BFIPub.,2002.
Samsel,Jon,andDarrylWimberley.WritingforInteractiveMedia.NewYork:AllworthPress,1998.
Selber,StuartA.MultiliteraciesforaDigitalAge.StudiesinWriting&Rhetoric.Carbondale:SouthernIllinoisUniversityPress,2004.
Selfe,CynthiaL.TechnologyandLiteracyintheTwenty-FirstCentury:TheImportanceofPayingAttention.StudiesinWritingandRhetoric.Carbondale,IL:SouthernIllinoisUniversityPress,1999.
Selfe,CynthiaL.,andGailE.Hawisher.LiterateLivesintheInformationAge:NarrativesofLiteracyfromtheUnitedStates.Mahwah,N.J.:LawrenceErlbaumAssociates,2004.
Selfe,CynthiaL.,andSusanHilligoss.LiteracyandComputers:TheComplicationsofTeachingandLearningwithTechnology.ResearchandScholarshipinComposition;2.NewYork:ModernLanguageAssociationofAmerica,1994.
Smith,M.W.ReadingSimulacra:FatalTheoriesforPostmodernity.SunySeriesinPostmodernCulture.Albany:StateUniversityofNewYorkPress,2001.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Spring 2005
LumiereGhostingandtheNewMediaClassroom printpage38
Sorapure,Madeleine.“FivePrinciplesofNewMedia:Or,PlayingLevManovich.”Kairos:AJournalofRhetoric,Technology,andPedagogy8.2(2003):Coverweb.
Thorburn,David,HenryJenkins,andBradSeawell.RethinkingMediaChange:TheAestheticsofTransition.MediainTransition.Cambridge,Mass.:MITPress,2003.
Williams,Linda,andChristineGledhill.ReinventingFilmStudies.London,NewYork:Arnold;Co-publishedintheUnitedStatesofAmericabyOxfordUniversityPress,2000.
Wolf,BryanJay.VermeerandtheInventionofSeeing.Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,2001.
IMAGE CITATIONS
Foracomprehensivelistingoftheimagesusedinthispiece,andusedevenmoreextensivelyintheonlineversion,pleasereferdirectlytotheCitationssectionoftheonlineversionofthiswork.