Contents
Contributors
Preface
Acknowledgments
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
FROM FIREPIT TO KINDLE FIRE, THE RISE OF DIGITAL MEDIA
DEFINING DIGITAL MEDIA IN TERMS OF THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE
DEFINING THE ROLE OF THE DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGNER
BASIC SKILLS OF THE DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGNER
DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGN AS A CAREER
JOBS FOR A DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGNER BEYOND THE THEATRE
WHY USE DIGITAL MEDIA?
MEANING MAKING AND THE LANGUAGE OF DIGITAL MEDIA IN THEATRE
A Designer’s Practical Taxonomy
Examples of Atmospheric and Interactive Digital Media
Atmospheric Digital Media
Interactive Digital Media
REFERENCES
CHAPTER 2 INTEGRATING DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGN INTO THE THEATRICAL TEAM
PRODUCERS AND PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Budget
Scheduling
Personnel/Crew
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Digital Media in the Rehearsal Hall
ARTISTIC TEAM
Directors
Actors
Rehearsing with Interactive Digital Media
TOWARD A UNIFIED DESIGN
Scenic
Screens
Materials and Textures
Self-Emitting Media Gear
Staging
Floor Treatment
3D Models
Shared Documents Created by the Scenic Department
Ground Plan
Elevations and Sections
Line Set Schedule
Lighting
Projections
Direction of Light
Projector Placement
Color Temperature
Color Palette
Brightness
Tech
Sound
Who’s in Charge of What?
Audio Playback in the Performance Space
Costumes
Props
CHAPTER 3 DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGN PROCESS AND WORKFLOW
FIRST STEPS
Salary
Negotiating Deliverables
Setting Limits
Working with Budgets
Equipment
Consider the Schedule
Know the Venue
Design Meetings
Production Meetings
THE SCRIPT
Working with Scripts
Reading the Script for the First Time
On the Second Reading
On the Third Reading
A List of Lists
DEVISING
How to Be Productive in the Devising Process
Constraints
DESIGN PHASE I: RESEARCH
To Research Previous Productions or Not?
Finding Your Research
Organizing and Sharing Research
Mood Boards
DESIGN PHASE II: CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
Conceptual Design Statement
Design Presentations
DESIGN PHASE III: FROM SCRIPT TO CUE LIST
Creating the Cue List: Scene-by-Scene Content Breakdown
Elements of a Good Cue List
The To-Do List
Reviewing the Cue List with the Director: Early and Often
Cue Numbering
Looking Ahead to Calling Cues
DESIGN PHASE IV: DECIDING ON SYSTEM AND TECHNOLOGY
System
Stock Equipment
Rental Equipment
Purchasing Equipment
Projector Placement
DESIGN PHASE V: CONTENT CREATION AND SHOW INTEGRATION WORKFLOW
Initial Phase: Roughs
Initial Phase: Firsts
Intermediate Phase: Seconds
Intermediate Phase: Finals
Onsite Phase: Finals in the Theatre
DESIGN PHASE VI: LOAD-IN AND TECH WEEK
Paperwork
Rendering
The Order of Tech and Dark Time in the Theatre
Load-In and System Setup
Alignment/Warping/Blending
Mapping/Masking
Programming/Cueing
Tech Notes
Training Operators
DESIGN PHASE VII: FINALIZING THE DESIGN
Getting Final Sign-Off from the Director
Locking Down Equipment, Cables, and the Media Server
Show Reports
DESIGN PHASE VIII: DOCUMENTING YOUR WORK
DESIGN PHASE IX: ARCHIVING THE PROJECT
CHAPTER 4 CONTENT CREATION 101
2D AND 3D CONTENT IN A 3D WORLD
CREATING CONTENT IN RELATION TO THE THEATRICAL SET AND FOR SURFACES OTHER THAN PROJECTION SCREENS
HOW MUCH CONTENT DO YOU NEED AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CREATE?
ORGANIZATION OF ASSETS
BACKING UP YOUR DATA
THE BASICS OF DESIGN
Style
Line
Shape
Composition
Rule of Thirds
Negative Space
Unity
Variety
Balance
Color
Texture
Emphasis
Contrast
Scale and Proportion
Repetition and Pattern
Typography
THE BASICS OF DIGITAL CONTENT
Bits and Bytes
Pixels, Rasters, and Resolution
Pixels Are Data
Pixels in Displays
Pixelization
Raster vs. Vector
CMYK and RGB Color, Bit Depth, and Alpha Channels
CMYK
RGB
Hue, Saturation, and Value
RGB(A): Alpha Channels
Digital Color Space
Chroma (Color) Subsampling or 4:2:0 vs. 4:2:2 vs. 4:4:4
Contrast and Dynamic Range
Compositing
TYPES OF CONTENT
Custom Content
Found Content
Stock Content
Still Images
Photography
The Ubiquity of the Photograph
The Basics of Photography and Still Images
Moving Images
Video Basics
Analog vs. Digital
Interlaced/Progressive
Frame Rates and Standards
Video Resolution/Aspect Ratio
Bit Rate
Compression, File Types, Codecs, and Containers
Transcoding
Making Movies: Video Production 101
Types of Shots
Video Lighting
Audio
Video Editing
Linear vs. Nonlinear
Pace/Speed
Looping
Cutting on Action/Matching Eyeline
Montage
Animation
2D Animation
3D Animation
Real-Time Effects on Prerecorded Content
Generative Art/Video as Content
The Basics of Generative Art/Video
Data as Content
Interactive Systems as Content
Meaning Making from Interactivity
Live Video/Cameras
Real-Time Effects on Live Cameras
Rehearsing with Cameras
To See a Camera Operator or Not?
Computer/Machine Vision
Tracking Performers and Objects
VJ Style
Video Game Theory and Technology
Hybrid Content/Systems
RENDERING, STORAGE, AND PLAYBACK
RENDER VS. REAL-TIME
CHAPTER 5 GEAR AND TECHNICAL TASKS
SYSTEMS
VIDEO SIGNALS
Video Cables
The Anatomy of a Video Cable with a Single Strand of Wire
Coax
BNC
RCA
S-Video or Y/C
VGA
DVI
HDMI
DisplayPort
SDI
Fiber Optic
Thunderbolt
USB
FireWire
Cat 5 and Cat 6 Ethernet cable
Video Signal Distribution Hardware
EDID Managers, Video Amplifiers, Replicators, Extenders, Repeaters, Splitters, and Distribution
Datapath
Matrox Triple Head
Video Scalers
Video Mixers
Video Cable Adapters and Signal Converters
Wireless Video
RF Modulator
Cat 5/6 Extenders
Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) and Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC)
MEDIA SERVERS
Types of Media Servers
Timeline-Based Media Servers
Layer/Cue Stack-Based Media Servers
Node-Based Media Servers
VJ-Based Media Servers
Common Media Server Features
Built-In Mapping and Masking Features
Max # of Inputs
Max # of Outputs
Max # of Layers
Max # of Simultaneous HD Videos
Notable Supported Protocols
PROJECTORS
Projector Types
DLP
LCD
LCoS
Laser
Technical Specifications of Projectors
Lumens
Resolution and Aspect Ratio
Contrast Ratio
Inputs/Outputs
Fan/Air Flow/Filters
Network Capable
Installation
Projector Lenses
Types of Lenses
Working with Projectors
Focus
Keystone
Lens Shift
Convergence
Calculating Surface Brightness/Luminance
Calculating Screen Size, Throw Distance, and/or Lens Needed
Calculating Pixel Size, Pixels per Square Inch (PPI), and Approximate Perceived Pixel Size
Projection Calculators
Warping and Projection Mapping
Masks
Using Multiple Projectors
Blending
Step 1: Calculate the Overlap
Step 2: Align the Projected Rasters to the Calculated Overlap
Step 3: Adjust the Media Server’s Blend Function to the Same Percentage of Overlap
Step 4: Adjust the Gain, Gradient, or Blend Amount in the Media Server
Projector-Related Equipment
Lamps
Dowsers
Mounts and Cages
PROJECTION SCREENS AND SURFACES
Screen Gain and Viewing Angle
Front and Rear Projection Screens and Fabrics
Sharkstooth Scrim
EMISSIVE DISPLAYS
LED Displays
Monitors/TVs
CAMERAS
Camera Basics
Aperture
Shutter Speed
ISO
White Balance
Digital Image Sensors
DSLR
Video Cameras
Cameras for Live Video
Latency
Lighting for Live Cameras
VIDEO CAPTURE CARDS AND DEVICES
VIDEO PRODUCTION GEAR
Camera Kit
Audio Kit
Light Kit
Miscellaneous Video Gear
Editing System
NETWORKING
Open Sound Control (OSC)
DMX512-A
MIDI
Art-Net
Wired and Wireless Routers/Switches
Network Cable
Cat 5/6 Ethernet Cables
Serial Cables
SENSORS
Infrared (IR) Cameras
Marker-Based Real-Time Tracking of Performers and Objects in 3D
Depth Cameras
Microphones
Encoders
Gyroscopic
Pressure, Flex, and Contact
REFERENCE
Endface
Glossary
Index
