🎭Intro to Performance Studies Unit 8 – Digital & Virtual Performance

What's Digital & Virtual Performance?

• Involves using digital technologies to create, enhance, or deliver performances
• Can include live streaming, virtual reality, augmented reality, and interactive experiences
• Enables performers to reach audiences beyond traditional physical spaces
• Allows for new forms of artistic expression and experimentation
• Blurs the lines between performer and audience, creating opportunities for interaction and participation
  • Audience members can influence the performance in real-time through comments, reactions, or direct input
• Encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including theater, dance, music, and performance art
• Challenges traditional notions of what constitutes a performance and how it is experienced

Evolution of Digital Performance

• Early digital performances in the 1960s and 1970s utilized video and computer technologies
  • Examples include Nam June Paik's "TV Buddha" (1974) and Laurie Anderson's "United States" (1983)
• The rise of the internet in the 1990s expanded possibilities for digital performance
  • Artists began experimenting with online spaces, such as chat rooms and virtual worlds
  • Telematic performances connected performers and audiences across geographical distances
• Advancements in technology have continued to shape digital performance in the 21st century
  • High-speed internet, smartphones, and social media platforms have made digital performances more accessible
  • Virtual and augmented reality technologies have opened up new immersive possibilities
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital performance practices
  • Many artists and organizations turned to live streaming and virtual events to continue reaching audiences during lockdowns

Key Technologies and Platforms

• Live streaming platforms (Twitch, YouTube Live, Facebook Live) enable real-time performances and audience interaction
• Virtual reality (VR) technologies create immersive, 360-degree environments for performances
  • Examples include VR theater productions and virtual concerts
• Augmented reality (AR) overlays digital elements onto the real world, enhancing live performances
  • AR can be used to create interactive stage sets or provide additional information to audience members
• Video conferencing tools (Zoom, Skype) facilitate remote collaboration and performances
• Social media platforms serve as spaces for artists to share their work and engage with audiences
• Gaming engines (Unity, Unreal Engine) are used to create interactive virtual performances
• Motion capture technology records performers' movements for use in digital animations or virtual characters

Types of Digital Performances

• Live streamed performances broadcast performances in real-time to online audiences
  • Can include theater productions, concerts, dance performances, and more
• Virtual theater productions create immersive, interactive experiences using VR or online platforms
  • Examples include "The Under Presents" (2019) and "The Tempest" (2020) in VR
• Telematic performances connect performers and audiences across different locations using video conferencing or streaming technologies
• Augmented reality performances enhance live performances with digital elements
  • Examples include "ARIA" (2018) by Tosca and "Unboxed" (2019) by Cirque du Soleil
• Interactive online performances engage audiences through chat, voting, or direct input
  • "Twitch Plays Pokémon" (2014) allowed viewers to control the game through chat commands
• Virtual concerts and music festivals bring together artists and audiences in virtual spaces
  • Examples include Travis Scott's "Astronomical" (2020) in Fortnite and "Secret Sky" (2020) festival

Creating Digital Performances

• Requires a combination of artistic vision and technical expertise
• Artists must consider the unique affordances and limitations of digital platforms
• Collaboration between performers, technologists, and designers is often essential
• Rehearsals and technical run-throughs help ensure smooth execution of digital performances
• Adapting existing works for digital platforms involves rethinking staging, interaction, and audience engagement
• Creating original digital performances allows for experimentation with new forms and narratives
• Incorporating interactivity and audience participation requires careful planning and design
• Technical considerations include bandwidth, latency, and compatibility across devices and platforms

Audience Engagement in Virtual Spaces

• Digital performances offer new opportunities for audience engagement and participation
• Live chat and reactions allow audiences to interact with performers and each other in real-time
• Interactive elements, such as polls or choose-your-own-adventure narratives, give audiences agency in shaping the performance
• Virtual meet-and-greets and Q&A sessions foster a sense of connection between performers and audiences
• Social media integration enables audiences to share their experiences and extend the conversation beyond the performance
• Gamification techniques, such as rewards or challenges, can incentivize audience participation
• Accessibility features, such as closed captioning or audio description, ensure a more inclusive experience

Challenges and Limitations

• Technical issues, such as lag, connectivity problems, or device compatibility, can disrupt performances
• Digital performances may lack the immediacy and energy of live, in-person experiences
• Engaging and retaining audience attention can be challenging in virtual environments with many distractions
• Monetizing digital performances can be difficult, as audiences may be reluctant to pay for online experiences
• Copyright and intellectual property concerns arise when distributing performances online
• Ensuring accessibility for diverse audiences, including those with disabilities or limited internet access, requires additional considerations
• Maintaining the quality and integrity of artistic vision while adapting to digital platforms can be a balancing act

Future of Digital Performance

• Continued advancements in technology will open up new possibilities for digital performance
• 5G networks will enable higher-quality, lower-latency streaming experiences
• Haptic feedback and other sensory technologies will enhance immersion in virtual performances
• AI and machine learning will be used to create responsive, personalized performances
• Hybrid performances, combining live and digital elements, will become more common
• Virtual and augmented reality will become more accessible and integrated into mainstream performance practices
• New business models and revenue streams will emerge to support digital performance creators
• Digital performances will continue to evolve as artists push the boundaries of what is possible in virtual spaces