Information
Paul Sermon >
»Telematic Encounter«, 1996 - 1996
Co-Workers & Funding:
Telepräsenz,http://creativetechnology.salford.ac.uk/paulsermon/encounter/
Technology
Hardware
2 x ISDN line connection (2 B kanäle = 128 kbps) - 1 for each location 2 x Deutsche Telekom T-View 100 videophone
2 x Internet connection and IP number - 1 for each location
Hardware
2 x 3CCD professional video camera - Sony DCR-VX1000E 4 x Sony Trinitron PVM-2730QM video monitor
2 x Philips SuperScreeen video monitor
2 x Panasonic WJ-MX50 chroma-keyer
Hardware
2 x Macintosh PowerBook 1400cs/117 16 MB Ram & ethernet transceiver 2 x Colour QuickCam and stand
Installation Requirements / Space
2 x Angle-poised-lamp 8 x Object for draw
Installation Requirements / Space
2 x Ceiling mount for camera (the type used for fixing security cameras to walls and ceilings) 1 x Blue office table with draws - simple design - 75cm x 120cm x 73cm high
1 x Wooden office table with draws - simple design - 75cm x 120cm x 73cm high
2 x Wooden office chair - swivel chair on wheels - simple design
1 x Blue carpet - 400cm x 400cm
1 x Grey carpet - 400cm x 400cm
4 x Blue office partition screens - 200cm x 200cm
4 x Grey office partition screens - 200cm x 200cm
2 x Monitor plinth - wooden box painted blue - 65cm x 44cm x 73cm high
2 x Monitor plinth - wooden box painted black - 65cm x 44cm x 73cm high
Descriptions & Essays
Two dispersed installations are connected via an ISDN teleconferencing link, enabling audio and video communication between the two sites. The first installation (location 1), the main gallery installation consists of a table and chair on a carpet surrounded by three monitors. A camera, suspended from at a 45 degree angle to the table from the ceiling, sends a live image of a person sitting at the table to the second installation (location 2), via the ISDN teleconferencing link. The image is received in location 2 and fed directly to a digital chroma-keyer. The installation in location 2 is identical (chair and table) to location 1, the camera is suspended in exactly the same way, and this image is also sent to the digital chroma-keyer. The two identical installation images are chroma-keyed together into the same image. The two dispersed users sitting at the separate tables sit at the same telepresent table.
The only difference between the two installations is that the table, carpet and back drop in location 2 are all painted chroma-key blue, only the chair and various draws - contained within the table, are wood in colour. This allows only these objects, and the user, to be keyed on top of the image from location 1. All the blue objects in location 2 appear as invisible in the final chroma keyed image.
Both tables contain draws around the top and on the legs. It is only possible to open certain draws in Location 1, the draws that are fixed correspond to the draws that can only be opened in location 2. The two users discover that they are able to open the draws and find certain props that allow a narrative structure to unfold. Some draws will contain music on opening, a bottle of wine, a glass, a candle, a table cloth, a knife, a letter, a gift and more. The scenario and its props will resemble the narrative structure of a silent movie melodrama - the fixed camera position, the exagerated gesture of expression and the experimental use of the teleconferencing media.
Literature
Morse, Margaret. »Paul Sermon - Holder of ZKM Stipend 1993.« .
Exhibitions & Events