Class 1 – Define: Live Media

(reading + assignment for class at bottom of post)

In the first class we tried defining the concepts of “Live” and “Media”. We ended this discussion with the introduction of some concepts from Cybernetics.

We also looked at some venerable ancestors of Live Media work, including Nam June Paik, Gary Hill and Ant Farm.

To view the entire documentary “Processing the Signal, containing the Paik interview we screened in class, go here.

Tech-wise, we introduced the Dataflow programming paradigm and got a start on Max/MSP Jitter which we’ll be using throughout the class. Here are two basic videos from Cycling74:

First is an introduction to Max 5:

Second is an introduction to Vizzie, the new set of Jitter modules that let you utilize some basic modular video patches “out of the box”:

For class 2:

1. Reading:
   1. Hayles / Boundary Disputes: Homeostasis, Reflexivity, and the Foundations of Cybernetics – in portal
   2. Lev Manovich, LNM 264-269 (the Narrative Loop) – full book pdf in portal
2. Max Tutorials 1-9: Go over the Max tutorials that come with the program, get there
   through Help >> Max Tutorials from within Max. Start from 1 (“Hello”),
   go all the way to 9 or 10 (Mouse Drawing/Random Drawing). Poke around
   the help files in general.
3. Vizzie patch:  Try making a simple video processing patch, with input from camera
   or video, something that happens to it, and output, using only the
   VIZZIE objects. These are ready made modules, very simple to use “black
   boxes” who’s purpose is mainly to serve as introduction to video with
   Max (they’re very limited in terms of outside control, so not super
   useful for more advanced work – kind of like a brightly colored
   tricycle, with training wheels).  You can reach them by right clicking
   anywhere in an unlocked patcher window, then choosing from the context
   menu that pops up: Past From >> VIZZIE-CLIPPINGS >> select any object
   you’d like – try them all! An intro video for Vizzie is posted on the
   blog, together with the Max intro video.
4. Optional readings:

Lev Manovich, LNM 49-63 (The Principles of New Media) – Highly recommended!

on Gordon Pask: http://www.cybsoc.org/gordon.htm

also see pdf on Pask by Maria Fernandez in portal

short piece on interaction: http://www.creativeapplications.net/theory/what-is-at-stake-in-animate-design-theory/

Golan Levin, The Hands Up Pose: http://www.flong.com/texts/essays/essay_pose/