Abstract:
As an incoming Freshman at Ball State, I knew two things for certain: I had a passion for theatre,
and I wanted to pursue a career in video. For all I knew, these were separate worlds. Theatre is
based on live performance, and is meant to be beautiful in the moment. Often times video
recording is prohibited in theatrical performances not just for legal reasons, it is simply not how
the art form is meant to be consumed. Theatre is meant to be seen and experienced live and in
person. Video on the other hand exists in a world of re-takes and post enhancements that allow it
to be fine-tuned into a perfect and deliverable product. Combining the worlds of live and raw
with edited and specific was something that I only imagined was possible, that is, until I found
projections.
Projection design is the art of creating and integrating assets such as video clips and motion
graphics, with technology through projectors, cameras, monitors, even LED walls. This can be
used to enhance a performance for theatre, dance, concerts, etc. However, projections can be
taken one step further. Instead of simply playing content and projecting ·It into a space, I wanted
to explore interacting with the content as well. When it comes to the interactive world, there are
an infinite amount of possibilities, and from all of my projection design experience from
designing theatrical shows, I have never been asked, or challenged, to do an interactive piece.
For my Honors Thesis Project, I would like to combine both research and creative components to
create an interactive projections piece.
