Interactive Installation for 12 Players
(2) x UHD Video Walls
TouchDesigner, Kinect, Nvidia Quadro K6000, Custom Server Hardware
Composition VI is a site-specific artwork installed in the lobby of Viacom's Times Square building at 1515 Broadway.
The piece was the result of a series of independent creative iterations, beginning with meditative live image manipulation and eventually arriving at this complex force and particle system using Kinect input to drive interaction.
As visitors move through the lobby space, their paths and body movement are flattened into an orthographic space, spanning both massive video walls across the lobby, rendered as directional flechettes, and painted with a dynamic color system.
A sophisticated rule set, refined through extensive user testing, assigns attractive and repulsive forces and particle emitters to users' heads and hands. The result is a balanced system that responds immediately to passersby, welcomes initial exploration, and yet rewards long-term play and engagement.
We created this piece with our old pals and collaborators Slanted Studios and we're already looking forward to more fruitful collaborations and wondering why we haven't been doing this stuff together all along.
This piece was commissioned by Viacom's Catalyst group, supported by Art at Viacom, and made with TouchDesigner.
Special thanks to Matt Hanson and Matt Heron at Catalyst making this possible. Thanks also to Kathryn Henderson and Ana Kim at Slanted for making it real, and thanks to our rad group of test subjects for all the arm waving.
Honors:
Nominated: Animated Com Award, Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film
Production Companies: Slanted Studios & Hard Work Party
Artists: Michelle Higa Fox and Noah Norman
Producer: Kathryn Henderson
Optimization: Mary Franck
Production Assistant: Ana Kim
Special Thanks: Kinda Akash, Sougwen Chung, Yussef Cole, Guillermo Echevarria, Stuart Fox, Manna Hara, Erin Kilkenny, Gabe Liberti, Stephanie Lopez, Guilherme Marcondes, Nika Offenbac, Gabriel Pulecio, Dave Rife, Jake Rosenthal, Daniel Savage, David Schmüdde, Stephanie Swart, and Ed Uberia
Viacom Catalyst:
Director of Screen Content: Matt Hanson
VP/Executive Producer: Matt Herron
Senior Vice President, Brand Strategy & Creative: Cheryl Family
Video Documentation
Producer: Kathryn Henderson, Jennifer Vance
DP: Chris Willmore, D. Schmüdde
Editor: Ana J. Kim
Music: Mokhov
October 13 – November 17, 2015
