User Requirements for Immersive Mediated Performance Spaces

Abstract

Over the last two decades performance artists have made use of videoconferencing systems for installations, joint performances and rehearsals; often negotiating costly and bespoke (custom-made) soft and hardware. More recently, pervasive and low-cost videoconferencing technology has successfully been applied in mediated installations, paving the way for the technology to be incorporated into the curriculum of performance colleges thereby creating a need for systematic user requirement research. We report on a study in which theatre and dance students collaborated across a videoconferencing connection. The results highlighted different requirements for distributed theatre and dance practitioners and these findings form an input into an EU Framework 7 research program focusing on how to better support the mediated performance space and enable audience feedback and interaction. We highlight theoretical perspectives relevant to telepresence in performance. Lastly we describe how insights into user requirements for immersive mediated performance spaces led to building a prototype consisting of two Computer Aided Virtual Environments (CAVEs) connected via the Internet.