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Matthew Hilla
K-Arts Spring Semester Lecture and Lab outline
Introduction / Art & Engineering
Part 1: Introduction lecture about the speaker: Matthew Hilla, the
topics that will be covered in the semester, why they were chosen,
how they relate to each other. There will be video examples of
technologies that we’ll be talking about and learning more about (3D
projection / Video Mapping / Multimedia Integration / Touch
Interfaces / Natural User Interface)
Part 2: Art & Engineering - Discover the close relationship between
the artist and the engineer. How one has influenced the other
throughout history. How one can not survive without the other.
Performance Technology: Naturally Enhancing Artistic Vision
We will discuss technologies available today that have a huge impact
on stage and theatrical performances, and how to use them in a
natural way. We’ll be taking a look at clips from Cirque Du Soleil’s
“O” show in Las Vegas, and discussing in detail how engineering
technology enhances without destroying artistic vision. We will
investigate how proper use of technology makes live performance
experiences more natural, and how technology should enhance but
not overly control the artistic vision. We will then take a look at
some performance technologies that are easily affordable (or free)
that students can readily utilize and learn on their own.
Natural User Experience: The Human Element
In this session we will be diving deeper into “Natural Experiences”
in relation to art & technology. How do you make something
inherently unnatural (like a computing device) feel instinctive to
use? What drives as as humans to interact with objects in a certain
way? How to we use these basic human instincts & behaviors to
create a more “natural” experience?
To answer these and other questions, we’ll discuss theories around
Human Behavior, Perception, How the brain perceives data (Right vs
Left), and the discuss how to identify culturally learned behaviors
and utilize them in art.

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3D: Facts and Fictions about the third dimension
This session will cover one of the hottest topics in film, television,
and performance art: 3D. We will take a look at the technology
offered today in the field of 3D. The differences in 3D technology.
How 3D is being utilized in performance art. How some of these
technologies are not really 3D, but a 2D illusion. How can we apply
principles learned from “Natural User Experience” to 3D? What it
takes to make Good quality vs Bad quality 3d. Understanding how
the human eye / brain sees 3D. We will also take a look at a simple
3D camera system, and demonstrate 3D filming concepts.
Sound: It can be more important than vision
The importance of sound is often overlooked in both static and
performance art exhibits. Sound is considered by many to be
secondary to sight, but this could not be further form the truth. Our
ears are actually the most sensitive of our senses. Sound plays a
much bigger role in our environmental awareness than vision (which
is filtered). So much so that even the absence of sound can have a
great impact on awareness. In this lecture we will investigate the
natural human tendencies to understand certain sounds (pentatonic
scale exercises, etc). How we can communicate cross-culturally with
sound that isn’t language. New and creative ways we can deliver
sound using technology (directed microwave, solid drive, piezo
vibration). How quality of sound is more important than volume.
How sound is best recorded and engineered for art.
Video Mapping: Interactive Lecture
One of the newest fields in media art is Video Mapping. Despite the
relative ease of of utilizing the technology, the field of Video
Mapping remains in part - undiscovered. In this lecture we will teach
the basic concepts of Video Mapping on 3D surfaces. What
disciplines are needed to successfully create a mapping project.
What components are needed to properly “MAP” a structure. How
the biggest challenge is essentially “time”. The students will also be
given links to free software they can begin to experiment with to
map on their own.

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Substrates and Surfaces: New Physical Materials
There are a variety of new substrates and surfaces available to the
Media artist, particularly those who wish to work with any form of
projected light.
We will talk about the new films available from companies such as
3M and SpyeGlass, and show examples of their uses. We will cover
what types of “films” to use and when. What the positives and
negatives of these new materials? How are these materials are being
used in product design? How they can be used in new and
innovative ways.
Social Distortion: Transmedia Storytelling
Transmedia storytelling is a technique of telling stories, and sharing
artistic vision across multiple platforms and formats simultaneously.
It is on of the newest type of social media being discussed today,
and is considered to be the fastest growing trend in mixed media.
We will investigate its applications, and uses, and discuss ways in
which Transmedia concepts can be applied to both performance and
static art. We will also dive into applying concepts of Social
Networking to aid in artistic vision and meaning.
1+1 = 5? : The Art of the Mash-up
Some of the greatest interactive experiences come from combining
things that are seemingly unrelated. In this lecture we’ll highlight
some new and innovative “Mash-ups”, discuss the social impacts,
and create some of our own. In the process, we’ll discover tools that
make creating mashups easier.
We’ll discover how thinking in new and different ways can further
open creative envelopes and experiences. How there really is no
“wrong” way to do it. Topics will range from Music & DJ’s, to
Interactive Systems.

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Digital Surfaces: LED, OLED, LCD, PLASMA, DLP, LASER
With so many display technologies, it becomes difficult to choose
what works best. We’ll go over the technology available today, and
talk about the positives and negatives of each. We’ll look at specific
examples of how each technology can be best utilized for a
particular project and installation.
Ultra High Definition & Hyper Reality
As prices for computing displays continues to trend downward, and
their sizes continue to grow larger, new types of display canvases
can be built. We can now work with resolutions and imagery that we
have never seen or experienced before. The world is trending
towards the “Hyper Real”, where definitions become so high that we
can allow people to see things in ways we have never imagined.
We will cover real-world installations of these systems, how they
were built, and talk about what it takes to create content for such
installations.
Video MetaData: the Third Track
Traditionally the Video industry as relied on two pieces of
information: Picture + Sound. However, new systems are now
allowing a third piece of information: MetaData. This data track
represents a new way to convey information about a piece of media,
and gives artists new ways to control and represent video data.
We will discover how this will change the face of the video industry
in the years to come. We will also get a first-hand look at some of
the new exciting tools and technologies that are becoming available
to view Meta-Enabled content.

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How to Prototype Touch and Interactive Surfaces
What does it take to create a touch-based interface? What types of
Interactive surfaces exist? We will learn about the hardware that
exists, and also learn how to create new interface designs.
Prototyping these interfaces is easier than you may think. Using
simple programs such as FLASH and AFTEREFFECTS we will
engineer a variety of simple and intuitive touch interfaces quickly.
We will put into practice the concepts we learned in the “Natural
Interfaces” lecture, learn to build a prototype touch interface, and
animate them using simple tools, and learn about what types of
experiences work best for touch.
VIDEO Mapping LAB 1 - Basics / Learn Modul8
This is a hand-on session to get more detail with Mapping tools such
as Modul8, a widely used VJ softare for mapping. We’ll begin by
creating simple mapped elements and learn how to control them
using Modul8
VIDEO Mapping LAB 2 - Advanced Techniques
Continuing what was learned in the Mapping lecture and LAB1 we
will explore further tools, and learn how to precisely control and edit
our Mapped environments. We will learn about the advanced
methods the professionals use for Mapping on buildings and
monuments.