The use of interactive multimedia within live performance is now well established and a significant body of exciting and sophisticated work has been produced. However, almost all work in the field seems to start by creating at least some of the software and hardware systems that will provide the infrastructure for the project, an approach which might involve significant duplication of effort. The research described in this thesis sets out to discover if there are common features in the practice of artists from a range of performance backgrounds and, if so, whether the features of a system which might support these common aspects could be established. Based on evidence from a set of interviews, it is shown that there are indeed common factors in work in this field, especially the intensive linking of elements in performances and the use of triggering or cuing. A statement of requirements for a generic system to support work in digital performance is then established based on interview analysis and personal creative work. A general model of live performance, based on set theory, is described which provides a rationale for the integration of digital technology within live performance. A computational model outlining the formal requirements of a general system for use in live performance is then presented. The thesis then describes the creation of a domain specific language specifically for controlling live performance and the development of a prototype reference implementation of a generic system, the Live Interactive Multimedia Performance Toolkit (LIMPT). The system is then evaluated from a number of standpoints including a set of criteria established earlier in the study. It is concluded that, while there are many resources currently used by artists working in digital performance (a comprehensive survey of current resources is presented), none offer the combination of functionality, usability and scalability offered by the prototype LIMPT system. The thesis concludes with a discussion of possible future work and the potential for increased creative activity in multimedia and live performance.

The Atlantic Canadian provinces (Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia) have long been associated with agricultural romanticism. Economically and culturally entrenched in a stereotype of quaintness (Anne of Green Gables is just one of many examples), the region continuously falls into a cycle of inferiority. In this thesis, I argue that queer theory can be infused into performance analysis to better situate local theatre practice as a site of mobilization. Using terms and concepts from queer geographers and other scholars, particularly those who address capitalism (Gibson-Graham, Massey), this research outlines a methodology of performance analysis that looks through a queer lens in order to destabilize normative assumptions about Atlantic Canada. Three contemporary performances are studied in detail: Christian Barry, Ben Caplan, and Hannah Moscovitch's Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, Ryan Griffith's The Boat, and Xavier Gould’s digital personality “Jass-Sainte Bourque”. Combining Ric Knowles' "dramaturgy of the perverse" (The Theatre of Form 1999) with Sara Ahmed's "queer phenomenology" (Queer Phenomenology 2006) allows for a thorough queer analysis of these three performances. I argue that such an approach positions new Atlantic Canadian performances and dramaturgies as sites of aesthetic and semantic disorientation. Building on Jill Dolan's "utopian performatives" (Utopia in Performance 2005), wherein the audiences experience a collective "lifting above" of normative dramaturgical structures, my use of "queer phenomenology" fosters a plurality of unique perspectives. The process of complicating normalizing tendencies helps dismantle generalizing cultural stereotypes.

Les environnements mixtes sont des dispositifs, des mises en scène, des installations, hybridant tangible et numérique, espace physique et espace informationnel ou fictionnel. Ces environnements permettent à leurs expérimentateurs d’être simultanément ici et maintenant et liés à un ailleurs ou une autre temporalité. Ils peuvent emprunter à la magie du spectacle autant qu’aux technologies de l’ingénieur. Ils rejoignent la performance lorsqu’ils permettent de créer ou de donner accès à d’autres mondes. Ces mondes peuvent être des plateformes 3D ou des fictions. Les environnements mixtes relèvent d’enjeux moins spectaculaires que performatifs, fictionnels et plastiques. Les dimensions techniques, qu’il s’agisse de technologies numériques, de mise en forme cérémonielle ou scénographique, rejoignent les enjeux plastiques. Faire performance dans de tels environnements, c’est rechercher, permettre ou provoquer des états de corps conjoncturels, relatifs au contexte spécifique d’une démonstration. Cette thèse a également pour objet de rendre compte, en dehors du temps de leur présentation publique, de ces formes invitant à des expérimentations multiples et singulières et également des différentes explorations, celles de performers et d’expérimentateurs. / Mixed environments are devices, stagings, installations, which hybridize what is tangible and what is digital, physical space and informational or fictional space. These environments allow for their experimenters to be here and now, but also simultaneously linked to an elsewhere or to another temporality. They borrow as much from the magic of the spectacle as from the engineer’s technologies. When they allow to create or to give access to other worlds, they join with performance. These worlds can be 3D platforms or fictions. Mixed environments are defined less by spectacular issues than by performative, fictional and plastic ones. The technical dimensions, be they digital technologies, the ceremonial formatting or stage design, join with the plastic dimensions. To perform in these environments is to search for, allow or provoke temporary states of the body that are related to the specific context of a demonstration. Aside from their public presentation, this dissertation work will also address these forms, which invite to multiple and singular experimentations, as well as the different ways they are explored, by the performers or by the experimenters.

The purpose of this study is to develop, present and assess a skillsdevelopment module in pre-recorded digital performing arts (PRDPA) that may enable performing artists to become practitioners of pre-recorded digital performing arts. The module is encapsulated within the South African educational paradigm. A secondary function of the pre-recorded digital performing arts module is to enable young performers to introduce themselves to an online audience, promote themselves as performing artists and enhance their online presence and digital footprint. The proposed skills-development module potentially enhances agency and an entrepreneurial mindset while democratising the domain of performance in the workspace and entertainment industry. The research consists of three parts. The first part of the research is located in two domains to design a module in pre-recorded digital performing arts. The study draws on the domain of mediality, which includes online presence, digital performance and pre-recorded digital performing arts; and on the domain of education, which includes social constructivism, and teaching and learning in a social network environment. The second part requires the presentation of the module to a select group of participants with the support of a continual feedback loop. The third part is the assessment of the module through an analysis of prerecorded digital performing arts videos created by the participants. To do so, I analyse the pre-workshop videos and the videos created as part of the workshop by the workshop participants, as well as the responses of a group of experts, to the material generated by the participants before and after the presentation of the module. This analysis is supported by a module evaluation by participants. The research concludes that there is a noticeable difference between the two videos created by each participant and that the skills-development module in pre-recorded digital performing arts is effective. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Drama / PhD / Unrestricted

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In the digital era, the comics medium has been transported from print to computer screen, and thus its evolution takes place in digital performances based on full-body interaction technologies. The major implication of this process is that the conventions of comics will be merging with those of performance, film, and animation. In a comics story implemented with full-body interaction technologies, representational space shifts from two to three dimensions. Physical elements can now easily be combined with virtual ones. The participants' contribution to the experience now includes a larger set of kinesthetic choices. Earlier media offer the readers the opportunity to read the story with their eyes, turn pages, and click a mouse. Instead of one or perhaps two readers of print and screen-based comics, a digital performance can be experienced by a group of viewers positioned in space in various ways. By utilizing the tools of computer vision, the projection of a participant can be made the main character of the comics story. Consequently, the comics and animation frame changes when moved to digital performance spaces. The frame becomes embodied, nested, elastic, and dynamic. The first two qualities relate to the physicality of the medium, where performers and viewers are simultaneously present in both the real and fictional spaces. The second two qualities relate to the procedurality of the medium and the potential for computational manipulation within the frame based on changing relationships across space (distance) and time (story).

This thesis examines the new theatrical form of cyberformance (live performance by remote players using internet technologies) and contextualises it within the broader fields of networked performance, digital performance and theatre. Poststructuralist theories that contest the binary distinction between reality and representation provide the analytical foundation for the thesis. A critical reflexive methodological approach is undertaken in order to highlight three themes. First, the essential qualities and criteria of cyberformance are identified, and illustrated with examples from the early 1990s to the present day. Second, two cyberformance groups – the Plaintext Players and Avatar Body Collision – and UpStage, a purpose-built application for cyberformance, are examined in more detailed case studies. Third, the specifics of the cyberformance audience are explored and commonalities are identified between theatre and online culture. In conclusion, this thesis suggests that theatre and the internet have much to offer each other in this current global state of transition, and that cyberformance offers one means by which to facilitate the incorporation of new technologies into our lives.

Der Mehrwert der Digitalisierung liegt vor allem in der Skalierbarkeit, die durch Standards und Vernetzung gefördert wird. Hochschulen sind inzwischen keine Inseln – mit isoliert zu betrachtenden Systemen – mehr, sondern Hochschulen sind (inter-)national vernetzt und tauschen auf unterschiedlichsten Wegen Daten aus, die dann digital und idealerweise standardisiert verarbeitet werden. Denn Daten, wie die hier betrachteten (Hochschul-)zeugnisse, müssen nicht nur valide, sondern auch maschinell lesbar sein.... Im Rahmen des nationalen Verbundprojekts „Der Digitale Campus: ein Portal vernetzter Plattformservices“ (DAAD o.J.) soll internationalen Studieninteressierten die Vorbereitung auf ein Studium in Deutschland erleichtert werden. Geplant ist, den internationalen Studieninteressierten passende Informations-, Lern- und Prüfungsangebote anzubieten, damit diese den Herausforderungen eines Studiums an einer deutschen Hochschule zukünftig besser begegnen können.... [Aus: 1 Ausgangslage]

傳統展演中，觀眾和表演者被視為是兩個獨立的個體，表演者與表演者間及表演者與觀眾間互動不多，若使用穿戴式裝置結合科技與藝術的「虛實互動數位展演」，能協助營造現場的互動氣氛，是既新穎又富有創意的表演模式，還能結合故事劇情與觀眾互動，此種互動的情境氛圍，會比一般的資訊傳遞更容易讓觀眾有所感受。 而目前許多表演活動的展演特效系統，都是由特效控制技術人員根據展演人員的動作與節目進程來呈現。如果由展演人員自行操作、建置與管理的話，便需要瞭解特效控制的相關技術，此外也需要和技術人員互相溝通與合作。而彼此觀念、資訊與背景的不同，難免容易造成控制上的失誤、延遲或是溝通不良導致表演效果不佳以致於觀眾不好的視聽感受。基於上述問題，本研究將設計一個基於多租戶概念的雲端互動展演系統整合平台，展演人員只需透過網路連結至展演系統網站，配合連網感應器的穿戴式裝置，不需自行建置、管理系統平台，登入後可依個人需求使用直覺圖形化邏輯編輯器，使用滑鼠拖拉，控制需求，不需繁複的技術教學訓練，便根據穿戴式裝置回傳的感測訊號做出響應式的展演效果變化，達到展演人員可簡單好上手地自行操作展演特效系統，減少與特效控制技術人員合作上的失誤。 / In traditional performance art, viewers and performers are regarded as two independent individuals. There is less interaction between performers and performers, performers and audiences. If wearable devices are used in the "cyber-physical interactive digital performance art", it can help create an interactive atmosphere in the scene. It is a creative, innovative mode of performance, and it also creates a combination between scenario and the interaction of the audiences. The interactive atmosphere is easier for the audience to be affected than ordinary information transmission. Currently, many special effects are presented by the technical staff. They are based on the performers and progression of show. If the special effects are managed by the performer-selves, they need to understand the relative technologies. In addition, they have to cooperate and communicate with technical staff. However, the difference of concept and background between each other, it's hard to avoid the mistake, delay, or misunderstanding of control. It may cause that the poor performance bring audience about the bad auditory and visual feeling. According to above issues, this study will design and implement a multi-tenant cloud platform for cyber-physical interactive performance art. The performers just connect to the performance art system website via the Internet, with the wearable device, and they do not need to set up and manage system platform by themselves. They log in the website, with the GUI editor, and use mouse to control demand. Without complex technical training, the variety of special effects are presented which based on the wearable device’s signal. We suppose that the platform makes the performers operate special effects system by themselves simply and easily. It also reduces the misunderstanding with the technical staff.