Re: telematics

Terry Braun (terry@illumin.co.uk)
Tue, 25 Mar 1997 10:49:30 +0000

You wrote:

>We are planning this workshop to be 'basic research' into the nature of
>telematic presence within the frame (which we are stuck with until we
>project holographic dancers which might be with us in 2018 if all goes
>well). We have decided to stick to two simple activities in relationship to
>this -- arriving and departing in telematic space. Hellos and Goodbyes,
>Beginnings and Endings, Entering and Exiting. We will look at how this works
>in a narrative structure (like how cinema handles something like coming on
>screen and going off) and in a non-narrative way (like how an might take
>place more formally on the edge of the screen).
>
>Anyone whom I haven't already talked to who has done similar work -- would
>be nice to hear from you.

I would certainly encourage you - but perhaps not in the directions that
you outline in your email.

My primary thoughts are 1. not to be too driven by the technology and 2.
not to be un-aware of technique. As a film-maker I have often been asked to
contribute to video/dance workshops and I have always avoided excercises
based on ideas like:
> (like how cinema handles something like coming on
>screen and going off)

And I'm not convinced that
>Hellos and Goodbyes,
>Beginnings and Endings, Entering and Exiting
go far enough.

Furthermore, this "frame" you refer to is not one thing - it is many things
to many "framers", complex and difficult to create and use. To consider the
frame without considering lighting, use of lens, focus, movement, etc.etc.
is to artificially isolate one element (framing) from a very complex and
historically rich set of techniques, used by a wide range of art-forms
(film, photography, painting, etc.)

In any case - these are all formal notions that are morally, esthetically
and philisophically *neutral* - they only have meaning in context. For my
part and for what it is worth, I have always encouraged participants in my
workshops to try and express / communicate an idea - it is certainly more
difficult and calls for the participants to expose themselves a bit more
than they would by simply engaging in a "technical" excercise, but in my
opinion what one learns is more useful. And who knows, someone may come up
with a good idea.

So what are the contexts, the ideas - the choreographic concepts that drive
your experiment?
Because without them .....

T.

Terry Braun

Illuminations
<http://www.illumin.co.uk/>
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