Cycle 2
Posted: November 19, 2019 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Booo tech sucks. Not really, but I was really excited for this cycle because I figured out the most technologically advanced thing I’ve ever done thus far in my life to implement into this cycle only to have my presentation be hampered by significant tech problems from sound to video quality. I think everyone was able to get the gist of my ideas though, so not the end of the world, but still disappointing.
Nevertheless, I was super proud of myself for learning basic electrical engineering and how to close MakeyMakey circuits to use in my Isadora patch. Phase 3 of my project brings three videos of my mom and I at home (or rather will as I’m making those videos over Thanksgiving Break when I go home.), and participants will be able to toggle between the three videos by interacting with one of my dolls (also to be retrieved from home! Shoutout to Baby Jesus for standing in for us from Brianna Rae Johnson’s desk) and various Black hair products that I have set up on a table. They doll and products outfitted with MakeyMakey buttons connected to keyboard watcher actors in Isadora, allowing it to switch between each of the three video playing scenes.
I learned a lot about Isadora and actors in constructing these mechanics, and while after spending two hours figuring out to make Isadora switch between three videos at random all from within the same scene, Alex came to me at the next class with a much simpler option, which is how we ended up putting them in separate scenes and using a keyboard watcher to trigger a Jump++ actor to move forward and backward between scenes.
Once I figured out the patchwork, making the buttons was quite simple. I just used some pieces of packing cardboard that was in a box from a recent Ikea purchase, wrapped them in foil, and clipped alligator head end of the wire to the foil. Baby Jesus (which will be one of my own Barbies in C3) served as the ground, so by picking up the doll and one of the hair products, you could switch the video that was playing.
One additional change that I made was removing the written option for the “Thank a Black Woman” phase that opens the experience. I thought it would better streamline entry inside the space. A “thank you” is how you gain access to the space.
Feedback was still very good. The “thank you” section continues to resonate deeply. There were more people in the space thanks to guests from the Sonder film that was visiting, so the playback moment was longer, which was really great. I’m still towing around with the idea of pre-recording thank yous to intersperse throughout Phase 3.
Things I Need to Do/Make for Cycle 3:
* Make larger “Thank a Black Woman” signage for entrance by microphone
* Projection map videos
* Enhance hair product station (table cloth, pictures, etc) and make instructional signage
* Shoot film of my mom and I and edit/compile footage