INTERACTIVE VIDEO INSTALLATION
Conceptual and technical description
Luis Soldevilla luchosoldevilla@gmail.com w w w. l u c h o s o l d e v i l l a . c o m
*The images used in this document are a registry of assemblies done at the Schijnheilig gallery and at the EYE Film Museum (both in Amsterdam). The final aspect and dimensions of the installation will vary according to the space designated for the montage. To have a more accurate idea see the video at
https://vimeo.com/41444608
CONCEPT The idea of a door comes from the assumption of dividing a reality in two. It comes with an innate idea of mankind of keeping these spaces apart from each other. The installation wants to play with these limits, with transition, with the ability of the door to transport us to different environments and states.
aerial view
exterior side
interior of installation (projected side)
The idea is to place the installation in a spot where its location invites people “to use” the installation to be able to circulate, in order that the fact of entering and going out of the installation be of mandatory traffic to cross from side to other, reinforcing the proposed concepts.
The door, more than opening and shutting, it also means to get into and out from an atmosphere. Crossing the threshold is much more than entering or leaves a space; it is a “portal” to another reality. Within this concept, inside the installation the projection is on the wall where the door of entrance is, and the location of the door in the video fits the physical door of the installation. This makes the spectator entering and leaving the installation through a door that holds the symbolic load of the projected video.
montage done at the EYE Film Museum
montage done at the Schijnheilig gallery
The interactivity in the installation is generated between the projected video and the action of the spectator when crossing the physical door of the installation. Every time a person enters or leaves the installation, the images of doors in the projection will turn into another door with another symbolic load (indoor). If after a certain lapse of time nobody enters or goes out of the installation the projected video transforms in a wide view of the shore (outdoor).
INTERACTIVITY
> Activity / Facades or interiors ( Indoor )
The interactivity has basically two moments: the activity -‐ when somebody crosses the threshold -‐ is related to the concept of interiors (indoor). The inactivity -‐ when nobody crosses -‐ is related to the concept of exteriors (outdoor) that associates at the same time with nature and with a contemplative state.
Under the idea that that we spend most of our time indoors and shade has become our natural habitat, in the video, the door instead of becoming a boundary and transition between an inside and an outside (indoor / out door), the door turns into a constant bond of enclosed spaces. Whenever a spectator crosses the threshold of the door (enters or leaves the installation), the door in the video will transform in other door.
> Inactivity / Doorframe at the seashore ( Outdoor ) Being outdoors represents always a escape from daily activity, this escape is a moment of rest and of calmness. Under these ideas, if nobody enters or goes out of the installation (inactivity), the projected video transforms in a wide view of the sea; on the shore and in the place of the door, we only see the frame of an half opened door. This moment unlike the rest is the only one with depth (volume) and internal motion (waves at the shore). It is also the unique moment in which we see the sky. This loop of the seashore and the sensation of calmness that it generates will be interrupted when someone leaves or enters the installation, and in this way the whole cycle of interactivity is restarted. The spaces presented by the video changes according to the activity of the door. The flow of spectators affects the way of seeing the piece, giving the spectator a very active role in the installation.
ABOUT THE MONTAGE
One wall / Single or dual projection
This installation is very versatile for its montage, it can be presented in different ways and can be adapted to diverse space conditions. A key factor is how wide the video projector to use will be, this will determine the necessary length to fill the projected wall and door. It is necessary to bear in mind the light and sound isolation.
This form of mounting is the simplest and can be adapted to any architecture . The projection may be on one side of any wall (with a door), or the same video can be projected on both sides of the wall with a simple video splitter. This assembly can also be adapted to any room or hallway by placing a scenographic wall and door.
The installation is already operative for a wall of 292 x 257 cms and a door of 211 x 83 cms. The projected video can be easily adapted for oher dimensions but the exact measurements need to be known with some time in advance in order to prepare the footage. The idea is to place the installation in a spot of high transit, so its location reinforce its immersive quality and take advantage of the space as an expressive resource aiming to a more surprising change of atmosphere.
Montage inside a black box This form of assembly requires the same technical equipment but a much larger space (or a room with two or more acces doors).
ABOUT THE CONTENT The visual strength of the installation relies on the personality of each door. Every single one of the 43 facades have been re-‐constructed from its original form or by mixing diverse elements from different pictures (as the one on the right). The result is a door that looks normal at first glance, but if you look deeply you could realize that it is an impossible perspective. Due to each door is displayed only for short time, it is possible that the spectator does not realize this, but in a subconscious level it generates an intriguing image, that together with the fact that the image fits the real door, gives a sort of natural and weird look, giving to each door a strange and fanciful architecture.
DOORs images
preparing the footage
DOORs images
preparing the footage Furthermore than fitting the original facade into the the projected wall, the idea is to generate an architecture that -‐ although could be feasible-‐ in real life would not make any sense. On the picture on the right for example, the three doors have been put together to fit the projection, but besides that, all of them have different sizes. Although this detail can pass unaware, is by means of these kind of details and visual tricks that each image have a sort of surreal touch, adding to this piece something more than a regular mapping.
INTERACTIVITY, DOORS AND CONTENT Each time somebody crosses the threshold of the door, the projected facade transforms into another facade (or door) with a different symbolic load. In order to make this change more contrasted and meaningful, the 43 doors have been arranged in 4 groups that vary on style, atmosphere, location and textures. The doors change randomly from one group to another, and in each group a door is also picked randomly. This opens widely the possibilities and combination of doors and content. In the following pages you will see doors presented in each group.
Group A
Group B
Group c
Group D
FIRST CONCEPTUAL CHART TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
-‐ a laptop or computer -‐ an Arduino board (if neccesary could be provided by the artist) -‐ sensors (if neccesary could be provided by the artist) -‐ a video projector of 4000 lumens minimum -‐ active speakers or speakers and amplifier (this installation can be also mute) -‐ audio, video and electric extentions and cables -‐ scenographic wall an door with hidarulic arm ( if the space requires it) * the hidraulic arm is neccesary so the door closes itself.
CREDITS Pictures and video : Luis Soldevilla Programming : Javier LLoret Colaboration in post-‐production : Sebastian Cimpean Audio editing : Luis Soldevilla Audios and samples : the Free sound project Original idea : Luis Soldevilla 2010 -‐ 2012