Progress with mindset and Processing

We already achieved reading brainwaves in real time and launching different videos according to our algorithm previously described in the post about classification criteria.

This is our “to do” list now:

-Make the system automatically launch a video 20 seconds after the observer puts o the mindset.

-Make the looped home video appear when the obersver removes the mindset

- Write the code in Processing so that no video can be repeated for the same observer.

If we reach all this goals soon, we have the last task: having two displays at the same time, one to show the videos of the project and a separate screen to watch the brain activity of the observer.

The “home” video – LOOP

I created this small and simple loop to use it as the “home” video of the interactive installation. When there is no one using the mindset and no brainwaves are detected the system will launch this video, as soon as someone puts on the midset the system will read his/her brainwaves for 30 seconds and will decide which scene from the 13 scenes that compose the project should the viewer see first.

vimeo plus

I didn’t like watching my videos in SD quality so I just bought my Vimeo PLUS account (for one month) so that I can upload my videos in HD. I want to finish polishing the 13 videos during this month and put them all up in vimeo and then update the “THE SCENES” page in my blog to have all the videos HD… (I hope it’s worth it)

Last version of scene 9 – subtitles?

Now that scene 9 is basically finished  (needs a little polishing) it has raised a question. Should I put subtitles in the scenes that have narration? I guess I should. Scene 9 is about an experience that Kylla, a close friend of mine, had.  She participated of  an unusual ayahuasca ceremony. It was in the jungle at day time. The shaman was guiding them through paths of the jungle while they were in the middle of the dizziness. Kylla told me that at a certain point she kneeled on front of a tree because she was seeing all the energy channels alive and was impressed on how the tree was sort of dancing, full of life. She mentally said to the tree “How beautiful you are” and the tree answered “if you see it in me, it’s because it’s in you”

Scene 8 – (progress so far)

I just put together scene 8… this is how it’s looking so far. I am working on a small hand drawn animation for the end.

Scene 5: almost done

This is how scene 5 is looking so far (i feel it is almost done, but as soon as I open the project again I am sure I will keep making small changes to it)

Progress on scene 1 so far…

This is how scene 1 is looking so far…. this video is about the web of connection that many people see in their ayahuasca ceremonies, and was my first ayahuasca vision. (This video only shows the middle of scene 1, I am still working on the beginning, end and the sound)

Scene 2 so far

This is how scene 2 is looking so far. Now I need to focus on the sound! I met a guy some weeks ago who has been recording icaros (ayahuasca chantings) from great masters. He had compiled them in CD’s and you can even buy them in itunes. I talked to him about my project and he let me use the icaros so I will go ahead and buy some icaros to use them… I am very exited about it!

the dark side of scene 8

This is how this part of scene 8 (the dark side of scene 8) is looking so far… The fire and smoke effects are done using Adobe After Effects. It will still change a bit while incorporated to the rest of the scene…

new seed animation END OF SCENE 5

During my last ayahuasca ceremony I had time (and inspiration) to think about the timings and rythms of my scenes, and I realized that the way I was finishing scene 5 was too fast and I was using the wrong kind of animation. So I decided to create another animation using morph effect. This animation is done with 13 frames I painted in photoshop of a human-seed growing on the ground:

With those frames I did this morphed-animation in After Effects: