Guest blog: Live video remixing controlled by a theremin at HATCHfest

Guest blog: Live video remixing controlled by a theremin at HATCHfest

October 3, 2008, 4:35 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: hatch, hatchfest, theremin controlling video

Bozeman, MT. Oct 3, 2008.

Theremin --> VDMX --> 16 Screens around The Innovator's Lounger

Good morning to all you Moogies around the world.  I want 5 minutes of your time to share a story from an extraordinary event we were involved in last night at HATCHfest Bozeman.  First, you should know that HATCHfest is an innovative arts festival that brings together groundbreaking artists with established leaders in their disciplines.

The Bob Moog Foundation has worked with the HATCHfest Asheville crew a couple times before, but this was the best yet.  Greeting a crowd of hundreds of people with a Bob Moog Foundation interactive setup (“MoogLab” as we’ve begun to call it), we wanted to do something special.  So we connected a Theremin to live video remixing software and added in a webcam so that people could manipulate live video of themselves playing a Theremin in real-time.  The software that ran the performance was VDMX from VidVox–amazing software that the guys at VidVox donated to the foundation.

The crowd loved it. I had the opportunity to personally talk to dozens of people about how the technology worked, what we’re up to with the Bob Moog Foundation, and to tell the story of Dr. Robert Moog to artists from around the world.

HATCHfest Asheville Co-Chair Ali Watson disappears into the ether (no Photoshop--I swear)

We were in good company, as a part of the party at the “Innovator’s Lounge”.  It was part of the promotions for HATCHfest in Asheville, coming April 2009, where we’re hoping to have a BIG Moogie presence (email me for details if you want to join us). The event was sponsored by Advantage West, the economic development corporation for Asheville and Western North Carolina (where the Foundation has its headquarters).

And talk about inspiration:  we shared the performance space with an amazing interactive fashion show by Asheville designer Brooke Priddy (with support from data visualization rock star Nick Owens from booksmuggler) and world-renowned DJ King Britt.

So what’s all this worth?

First off—we carried forward the Moog legacy of innovation at the intersection of art & science.

That is key.

DJ King Britt pays the Foundation a visit

Second, we connected with some of the most amazing artists in the country.  From filmmakers to architects, I met people the foundation needs to know.

Most important:  we empowered people to make art and even taught them a thing or two about history and science while we did it.

Have you created innovative art with Theremins or do you know of someone who has?  Please send write-ups, pictures or videos to me–I’d love to see them!

Peace, love & Bob Moog.

Sean McDonald

(smcdonald@moogfoundation.org)

Sean McDonald is a Bob Moog Foundation Board Member and Chief Marketing Officer of Jute Networks.

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