Qian Gu
SomnaReem
Immersive, Interactive, Improvised
Somna" is derived from "somnus," the Latin word for sleep.
"Reem" could be associated with the idea of dreaming or realms.
"Somnareem” signifies a realm or space related to sleep and dreams.
The thesis project proposes a system that optimizes multi-disciplinary collaboration within the realm of production design, catering to the specific needs of architecture and theatre professionals. By facilitating enhanced communication, coordination, and workflow among diverse experts, including directors, dancers, musicians, lighting designers, and set designers, the proposed system enables real-time response and immersive, improvised, and spontaneous collaborative experiences.
Research includes the collective improvisation employed in live Jazz performances; it is the heartbeat of live jazz, where musicians come together to create spontaneous, interactive, and captivating musical dialogues. In this system, a group of musicians collaborates in real-time, weaving their unique musical voices into a cohesive and ever-evolving tapestry of sound. For example, a quartet starts with a melody. The pianist embellishes it with rich chords, the drummer adds syncopated rhythms, the bassist weaves a walking bassline, and the saxophonist contributes expressive solos. The musicians listen and react, engaging in a dynamic musical conversation. This interactive exchange gives birth to unique and unpredictable performances, highlighting both individual artistry and the collective synergy of the ensemble. I analyzed and organized it by following the topic of “role”, and “instrument” matching to its “improvisation responsibility” and how they “collaboration” to further understand and develop the proposed system.
In this sense, the proposed system considers numerous factors: movement, visual elements, audio components, and the overall environment. They are all organized by following“role”, “instrument” “improvisation responsibility” and “collaboration” through analysis and parameter evaluation.
For example, the chosen track has a lively tempo of 120 Beats Per Minute (BPM), and the dancers synchronize the speed of their hand movements to the beat. In this project, I experiment real-time body tracking to generate query parameters and trigger other interconnected factors by using Microsoft Kinect and Intel RealSense. The primary function of these cameras is to capture depth information from the surrounding environment, recognizing facial, hand, and gesture movements.
The objective of my thesis is to provide theatre and performance practitioners with a sophisticated solution that empowers them to effortlessly navigate the intricacies of multi-disciplinary collaboration. This solution offers enhanced collaboration, streamlined workflow, real-time visualization, and expanded artistic possibilities!
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