Presently Performing Tele-Presence Pleasantly

In this interactive workshop, participants will be introduced to two platforms that can facilitate online communication and storytelling. These platforms include our own open source tool Virtual Director, developed in TouchDesigner, for compositing multiple participants in a shared virtual space in order to communicate tele-immersively [1], as well as open-source creativity helpers such as an automated slide generator [2].The workshop will start with warm-up exercises taken from improvised comedy practice, and conclude with short live improvised presentations made by the participants. Over the course of the workshop, participants will learn a range of skills and best practices, derived from applied improvisation and cinematographic language, that will help them foster a sense of presence, connection, and creativity in digitally immersed environments. In Part I: “Virtual Director - Designing tools for improvisation”, participants will learn how to use our own open source tool for facilitating live interactive tele-immersive performance, rehearsal, and improvisation. In Part II: “The virtual theatre DJ/VJ: Directing ensembles in virtual spaces”, participants will engage in a series of games and activities that demonstrate best practices for helping performers feel connected and present with each other, facilitating physical and emotional connection through the visual language of cinema and the pedagogy of improvisation.