Author: K337

Final Project

Project Objective:

Make a convincing narrative MV to the song Truisms 4 Dummies by Headache using a moving depth video.

I’ve been wanting to make something out of this song for a while, and I wanted to use the noisy output of a depth camera to convey an abstract narrative of the lyrics.

Inspo:

Faith Kim (2017) —Pittonkatonk festival immersive 3D project  

I used the OAK-D Camera since it was compatible with my Mac and a Ronin S3 Mini gimbal for the most minimal setup/rig for capturing moving depth footage. Much of the work process was to get the technology to work. There weren’t too many ‘beginner-friendly’ resources out there with the OAK-D to  TouchDesigner workflows but with help from A LOT of people (Nica, Alex, Kelly, Emmanuel,..) I got it to do the things. (Thank you)

Direct Grayscale Depth Video Output

Touchdesignering…. 

TD takes data from the OAK camera (via a select operator) & Reorder TOP with vertical and horizontal ramps to map positions for instancing. This data flows to a Resolution TOP for formatting, then to a Null TOP, which passes it to a Geometry COMP (driven by a circle SOP and constant material) for instancing, and finally renders it to the screen.

How it looks with the gimbal setup.

Test vid of Lilian walking the walk

After getting the camera & rig to work successfully I went to shoot some clips for the song. Since the lyrics of the song are somewhat deep but also unserious, I thought matching those tones would be convincing.

Some test footage in different spaces:

Bathroom Mirror Find — Cubic space through angles of mirror reflection..

Theory: The OAK-D camera I used utilizes stereo vision algorithms (calculates depth by determining the disparity between corresponding points in the left and right images) instead of an infrared (IR) structured light system or Time-of-Flight (ToF) which uses the calculation of how light bounces off in space. So when it is placed where the mirror and the wall meet, it is still able to recognize the reflections and outputs it as another wall. (Could this be used to make virtual 3d space of mirrored spaces? mirrored realities? underwater? water reflections?)

Final Video (Final Video Featuring my friend Lucas)

Final Project Proposal – WIP

Narrative Project

For my final project, I would like to experiment with 3D scanners & depth sensors to create abstract volumetric video footage. I want to take advantage of the distorted scenes created from limited depth perception to convey an abstract narrative/poetry. And if time permits, I would like to try to make the footage audioreactive. (tbd after convo with Nica & Golan)

Inspo:

Faith Kim (2017) —Pittonkatonk festival immersive 3D project 

does it have to be fixed? could it be moved around?

….if this doesn’t work then would like to attempt lyrical typography capture of the narrative/poem from composites of letter scans.

Project 2: Person in Time “Quiddity”

I’ve always found a certain fascination in reflections and comfort in hiding behind a reflection—observing from a space where I’m not directly seen by the subject. There’s something quietly powerful in capturing moments from this hidden vantage point, where the world unfolds without the pressure of interaction. The reflection creates a barrier, a layer between myself and the moment, allowing me to observe without being observed. It offers a sense of safety, distance, and control while still engaging with the world around me.

This project emerged from that same instinct—an exploration of the subtle dynamic between visibility and invisibility,

Self-Glance Runway

For this project, the process was centered on capturing spontaneous human behavior related to this phenomenon—how we, as individuals, instinctively pause to check our reflections when presented with the opportunity.

 

Setting up at Merson Courtyard, just outside the UC building, provided an ideal backdrop. The three windows leading up to the revolving doors created natural “frames” through which passersby could glimpse themselves.

To discreetly capture these candid moments, I placed a DJI Osmo Action 4 camera on a tripod inside, a compact setup that minimized visibility, while a Bushnell Core DS-4K wildlife camera outside caught “behind the scene clips”. I took measures to make the glass more reflective by dimming indoor lights and using movable whiteboards to create subtle, controlled lighting.

     

The footage was taken on 11/07th from approximately 12:3oPM-5:30PM. And edited by hand in Premiere Pro. I wish I somehow made a system to organize these clips with a system instead of manual labor but I also don’t know how accurate it might’ve been especially in a group movement.

Reflecting on this project, I found myself confronting something unexpected. While editing the hours of footage, I felt a strange authority over the people outside the window, watching their lives unfold in these small, unguarded moments. There was something powerful in observing the casual details—how they dressed, who they were with, the lunches they carried—moments they never intended for anyone to see. But toward the end of the footage, I noticed something unsettling as the sun started to set. With the changing light, more of the indoor space I was working in started to reflect through the windows. I hadn’t timed it right; I didn’t anticipate how early the inside would become visible. Suddenly, as I was watching them, I was on display too, exposed to the very people I thought I was quietly observing.

It felt strange, almost as if I had crafted a scene meant to be invisible, only to find myself unexpectedly pulled into it. The dynamic of gaze and surveillance shifted as the light changed, turning the lens back onto me.

Work in Progress

People’s interactions in a room

Smokers allowed discussion. : r/nathanforyou

smokers allowed reference-In the “Smokers Allowed” episode of Nathan For You, Nathan Fielder helps a struggling bar owner increase business by creating a designated smoking area inside the bar, circumventing smoking laws. His solution involves reclassifying the bar as a “theatrical performance” where smoking is allowed as part of the act. Patrons are told they are watching a play, though it’s just regular bar activity. The episode escalates when Fielder decides to refine this into an art piece, staging intricate performances based on the footage recorded during the regular bar activity down to the detail of their conversations -under the guise of theater.

people in a room/everything happening at the same time (being able to zoom into people’s private interactions – maneuver volume level, high-light certain areas)

play intermissions, retail store, orchestra/band?

Looking Outwards 04

 

1. Paul Sermon’s Telematic Dreaming (1992)

 

Paul Sermon’s Telematic Dreaming is an interactive installation that allows two individuals to interact virtually in separate locations via video projection onto a bed. Participants see themselves and their remote counterpart lying together in the same space, despite being physically distant. This project fascinates me because it explores intimacy and presence in a virtual world, emphasizing the ethereal nature of human connection in an increasingly digital age. It captures not only a moment in time but also transcends physical boundaries, creating a dreamlike experience of togetherness.

2. Stefan Draschan’s Photography of Museum Visitors

https://www.dw.com/en/people-matching-artworks/video-52219715

https://www.dw.com/en/people-matching-artworks/video-52219715

. Stefan Draschan Captures Museum Visitors Who Accidentally Match The Artwork - IGNANT  People Matching Artworks: Photos by Stefan Draschan | Daily design inspiration for creatives | Inspiration Grid

Stefan Draschan’s photography is renowned for capturing museum visitors whose clothing or posture coincidentally aligns with the artwork they’re observing. Draschan patiently waits for these serendipitous moments where the viewer unintentionally becomes part of the artwork itself. I find this project interesting because it plays with the idea of temporality and synchronicity, turning candid, fleeting moments into art. The subjects aren’t posing, yet their interactions with the art they’re viewing create natural, yet curated, compositions that offer new ways of perceiving both viewer and artwork.

3. Carl Knight’s Moving Pictures 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8aC05Uu7ll/?igsh=MTBoZTU1MGZ2N2J6bQ%3D%3D&img_index=1 

In Carl Knight’s Instagram series Moving Pictures, the artist creates cinemagraphs—still images with subtle, repeated motion. These moving portraits capture a moment in time that feels continuous, as if frozen in an ongoing loop. In this example, the use of motion adds a hypnotic quality to a seemingly static scene. I am drawn to this project for its ability to merge stillness with movement, capturing time in a way that feels both suspended and in constant flux, offering a deeper reflection on the passage of time within portraiture.

 

 

 

Typology Machine: The White T-shirt Architecture

A white T-shirt is often seen as the most classic basic garment. But how “basic” is your basic white T-shirt? In my project, I explored the construction of “basic white tees” from various brands, examining them from an inside perspective. By capturing the volumetric surface area of the insides, I hoped to bring out the subtle uniqueness of these shirts from the differences in linings and looming methods to the placement of tags and the varying hues of “white.”

Final Project

Approach

Similarly to the studies of the insides of things,

“Architecture in Music” 

Lockey Hill Cello Circa 1780

I used a 360-degree camera to get a fisheye perspective of the shirts and edited them to upload into a spherical viewer. This approach allowed an immersive navigable experience, giving you a feel of what it’s like to be inside these shirts and appreciate the details that set them apart.

Process

Setup: 1 Softbox, 1 Box Fan, 1 Chair dolly platform under the fan to allow airflow, 2 Foldable Panel Reflectors, 1 Rectangular Lightbox for more even light distribution, 2 chairs to set them up, some wooden clothespins, and string.  

Mi Shpere 360 Camera Test Shot

After a few adjustments, I made an expandable funnel with a cutout to direct airflow and allow access to manipulate the shirts.

 

360 Camera POV

When the photos were taken I cropped and edited them in Photoshop.

Footages taken of UNIQLO, Levi’s, ProClub, Hurley, Matin Kim, and Mango.

I uploaded the edited images to a JavaScript-based tool that renders and allows interaction with 360° panoramic images. This enabled navigation through the insides of the shirts.

Finally, Leo helped me create an HTML website using GitHub Pages to host the images, allowing for simultaneous navigation of multiple shirts.

Draft using localhost portal

Browser website using GitHub Pages

Summary

By focusing on the inside of the garments, I highlighted the structural details that are often overlooked. The materials and construction techniques—whether from mass-produced or higher-end garments—show interesting contrasts. While expensive clothes may have finer finishes, the actual differences aren’t always as big as expected. It’s in the smaller details, like stitching and tag placement, where the craftsmanship, or lack of it, becomes most apparent.

Reflection

I enjoyed the literal process of “configuring the shirt inside out.” It was particularly interesting to examine the side seams and how some didn’t have them because it used a tubular looming method. It also expanded into narratives of the owners of the shirts (my friend in industrial design vs my friend in graphic design).

Something I would’ve done differently in my process is to use a DSLR with a fisheye lens because I noticed a lot of details were getting lost with the particular model of the 360 camera I used.

In the future, I think it would be cool to expand this project into a shopping website for white shirts or certain kinds of garments where the only visual information you will get is the inside of the shirts rather than the external appearance or branding. This concept challenges traditional consumer habits, pushing back against superficial buying trends and the impact of mass production. It encourages consumers to think more critically about the construction and quality of the items they purchase.

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Typology

For my typology project, I wanted to capture the inner perspective of different garments. If done right, I thought it would be an interesting concept to compare expensive vs cheap clothes and details such as linings and finishes that are not apparent from the outside. Could extend to brand study (maybe put the focus group on one particular brand).

Reference Images:

Story pin image.

My attempt so far with this setup using a hairdryer lol:

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Might need a bigger air source like a fan and a better lighting environment with better equipment for the quality of the picture.

Comments: – Transparent mannequin(?) – Use gravity! – Narrowing subject scope to what type of clothing garments I want to capture: could be things I wore for a certain week, garments from a certain price point, something said about capturing the “inside” of something/ thrift stores, intimate stories.  wet dry vacuum, air-tight plastic inflatable

Photography and Observation

The article highlights how William de Wiveleslie Abney’s efforts in 1874 to capture the transit of Venus faced significant challenges despite meticulous planning. Abney used various emulsions, like collodion and albumen, each with different sensitivities and results. Even with military precision in timing and preparation, the photographic data was inconsistent, and the results were deemed failures by astronomers. This struggle between achieving objective records and dealing with practical limitations offers a compelling artistic opportunity: exploring how the limitations and imperfections in early photographic methods can reveal deeper insights about the nature of objectivity and the role of human error in capturing reality.

Pocket Postulating

GhostTube SLS: I was playing with this app, and I thought it was interesting to capture shadows and to what extent the app identifies a human figure. Once I switched my direction and my shadow deformed, it stopped recognizing it with the tree shadows blending in as well.

Polycam With this app I captured my food and wanted to see how my dumpling would look up close and to see what it is like to be in the food container. I say it was pretty successful.

Timelapse tennis! – The app is effective with still shots and a lot of movement.

Looking Outwards 02

Street Ghosts by Artist Paolo Cirio took photos of people found on Google Street View and posted at the same physical locations from where they were taken. Life-size posters were printed in color, cut along the outlines, and then affixed to the walls of public buildings at the precise spot where they appear in Google Street View. His project challenges our perception of privacy, consent, and the boundaries between digital and real-world spaces. By making these ghostly figures visible in the urban environment, Cirio forces us to confront the pervasive nature of surveillance and the erasure of personal identity in the digital age.