drama/theater

Zoom, but for X: How startups are building for our new video normal [Carson]

On 09/23/2020, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, attention, blended learning, business, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, communications, content development, corporate universities / corporate training, creativity, digital audio, digital storytelling, digital video, drama/theater, education, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, flipping -- inverted learning, future, game-changing environment, graphics, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), hybrid learning, ideas, innovation, instructional design, interactivity, internet, IT in HE, K-12 related, law schools, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning hubs, multimedia, online learning, online media, online tutoring, platforms, play, presentations, user experience (UX), vendors, videoconferencing, vision, web-based collaboration, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Zoom, but for X: How startups are building for our new video normal — from protocol.com by Biz Carson
Meet the startups building the next take on video.

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

Trying to liven up the monotony of Zoom meetings, Phil Libin hung up a green towel behind his desk and started projecting images onto it, like Dr. Anthony Fauci hovering over his shoulder, just to make his team laugh. At first, it was a bit of a performance and a way to break up the monotony as Zoom fatigue set in a few months into the pandemic at the end of May. But then Libin, the former CEO of Evernote and founder of startup studio All Turtles, realized the “Weekend Update” style could be more than just a gimmick.

A bit of coding and a fantastic demo later, Libin closed a seed round of $4.5 million to launch his new company, Mmhmm. His big belief is that we’re moving to a hybrid world where things don’t fit neatly into boxes like in-person or online or live or recorded. Instead, it’s all going to be a mix.

Also see:

From “A New Way Forward” –> Big Picture Learning: Grab the Remote!

On 09/03/2020, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, change, content aggregration, content development, content repositories, Daniel S. Christian, digital equity, digital learning, distance education, drama/theater, education, education reform, face-to-face, future, game-changing environment, homeschooling/homeschoolers, ideas, innovation, instructional design, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, legal reform, legislatures / government / legal, online learning, pedagogy, platforms, policy, political science, reinvent, remote teaching and learning, second screen apps, smart classrooms, smart/connected TV, social learning / networks, society, staying relevant, streams of content, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, teachers, teaching & learning, technologies for your home, telepresence, television, traditional / tradition, tvOS-based apps, United States, user experience (UX), using teams, vendors, virtual K-12 schools, vision, web-based collaboration, youth, by Daniel Christian

From A New Way Forward:

Also see the following “Must Reads” from A New Way Forward:

Get Real! by Carlos Moreno and Elliot Washor
(Source: Navigating Our Way)
To Reimagine the Future of Education, Innovation Isn’t Enough
by Kelly Young and Josh Schacter
(Source: The 74 Million)
An Opportunity to Disrupt Education for the Better: Lessons From Starting a School in a Pandemic by Tom Woelper
(Source: Getting Smart)
Keeping Your Child Engaged During Distance Learning by Elizabeth Yun
(Source: Altitude Learning)

From DSC:
Along these lines…in regards to digital equity, I’m reminded of this recent graphic:

DC: For those involved in Theatre, here’s to such innnovation in the future!

On 08/21/2020, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, active learning, attention, career development, change, collaboration, colleges, communities of practice, community colleges, computer science, content development, creativity, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital video, distance education, drama/theater, education, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, engagement / engaging students, future, higher education, ideas, innovation, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, learning ecosystem, liberal arts, media/film, multimedia, music, online learning, participation, platforms, pooling resources, programming, project-based learning, real-world assignments, remote teaching and learning, society, storytelling, student-related, surviving, tvOS-based apps, United States, universities, user experience (UX), user interface design, using teams, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, vision, web design and production, web-based collaboration, writing, XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

From edsurge.com today:

THOROUGHLY MODERN MEDIA: This spring, a college theater course about women’s voting rights aimed to produce a new play about the suffrage struggle. When the pandemic scuttled those plans, professors devised a new way to share suffragist stories by creating an interactive, online performance set in a virtual Victorian mansion. And their students were not the only ones exploring women’s voting rights as the country marks the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment.

…which linked to:

The Pandemic Made Their Women’s Suffrage Play Impossible. But the Show Went on— Virtually — from edsurge.com by Rebecca Koenig

Excerpts:

Then the pandemic hit. Students left Radford and Virginia Tech. Live theater was canceled.

But the class wasn’t.

“Neither of us ever said, ‘Forget it,’” Hood says. “Our students, they all wanted to know, ‘What are we doing?’ We came to them with this insane idea.”

They would create an interactive, online production staged in a virtual Victorian mansion.
…
“Stage performance is different than film or audio. If you just have audio, you only have your voice. Clarity, landing sentences, really paying attention to the structure of a sentence, becomes important,” Nelson says. “Students got a broader sense of the skills and approaches to different mediums—a crash course.”

From DSC:
Talk about opportunities for interdisciplinary learning/projects!!! Playwrights, directors, actors/actresses, set designers, graphic designers, fine artists, web designers and developers, interactivity/interface designers, audio designers, video editors, 3D animators, and more!!!

Potentially-useful sites for developing writers out there:

Writingclasses.com

Grammarly.com

Something to keep an eye on

On 02/12/2020, in Apple, digital video, drama/theater, emerging technologies, media/film, podcasting, vendors, by Daniel Christian

DC: Something to keep an eye on:

You can record multiple videos at the same time on an iPhone with FiLMic’s Double Take apphttps://t.co/QtOeU1YWIE

— Daniel Christian (@dchristian5) February 12, 2020

FTI 2020 Trend Report for Entertainment, Media, & Technology [FTI]

On 11/13/2019, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, algorithms, Amazon, analytics, Apple, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning, Asia, Augmented Reality (AR), Australia, Blockchain, bots, business, Canada, career development, change, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, communications, computer science, content development, content repositories, convergence, corporate / business world, creativity, digital audio, digital photography, digital video, drama/theater, education technology, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, engineering, entrepreneurship, Europe, experimentation, Facebook, freelancing, future, game-changing environment, generational differences, gesture / gesturing, global / globalization, Google, human-computer interaction (HCI), IBM, ideas, immersion, India, innovation, intelligent systems, interactivity, internet, law schools, leadership, learning ecosystem, legislatures / government / legal, media/film, Microsoft, Mixed Reality (MR), multimedia, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Near Field Communication (NFC), parents, photography, platforms, policy, privacy, programming, psychology, publishing, robotics, smart/connected TV, social learning / networks, social media, society, strategy, streams of content, technology (general), telecommunications, television, tools, trends, United States, vendors, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, vision, voice recognition / voice enabled interfaces, wearables, workplace, XR - extended reality, youth, by Daniel Christian

FTI 2020 Trend Report for Entertainment, Media, & Technology — from futuretodayinstitute.com

Our 3rd annual industry report on emerging entertainment, media and technology trends is now available.

157 trends
28 optimistic, pragmatic and catastrophic scenarios
10 non-technical primers and glossaries
Overview of what events to anticipate in 2020
Actionable insights to use within your organization

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Synthetic media offers new opportunities and challenges.
Authenticating content is becoming more difficult.
Regulation is coming.
We’ve entered the post-fixed screen era.
Voice Search Optimization (VSO) is the new Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Digital subscription models aren’t working.
Advancements in AI will mean greater efficiencies.

Kansas City high schools add real-world learning — from gettingsmart.com by Tom Vander Ark

Excerpt:

The good news is that more young people are graduating from high school than ever. The bad news? High school is often less relevant to them and their futures than ever.

The largest effort to make high school more valuable—to young people and their communities— is underway in the six-county two-state Kansas City metro area.

About 60 schools in 15 districts from Kansas and Missouri are spending this school year investigating ways they can make high school more valuable to young people by incorporating more real-world learning.

From DSC:
I know that by the end of his junior year, our son was so tired of having information crammed down his throat. He viewed so much of the content of his courses as irrelevant and unimportant. This year, he is immersed in what he wants to do — acting. And now he is soooooo much more motivated to learn and to grow now that he is able to pursue his passion.

How augmented reality will overhaul our most crucial industries [Diamandis]

On 09/28/2019, in 24x7x365 access, 3D, A/V -- audio/visual, assistive technologies, attention, Augmented Reality (AR), collaboration, digital learning, distance education, drama/theater, education, education technology, educational games / serious games, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, global / globalization, health, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), ideas, innovation, internet, K-12 related, learning, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, library / librarians, lifelong learning, love of learning, marketing/social marketing, media/film, Mixed Reality (MR), personalized/customized learning, platforms, professional development, science, society, tools, training / L&D, trends, XR - extended reality, by Daniel Christian

How augmented reality will overhaul our most crucial industries — from singularityhub.com by Peter Diamandis

Excerpts:

Healthcare
(1) Surgeons and physicians
(2) Assistance for those with disabilities
(3) Biometric displays

Retail & Advertising
(1) Virtual shopping
(2) Advertising

Education & Travel
(1) Customized, continuous learning

Within the classroom, Magic Leap One’s Lumin operating system allows multiple wearers to share in a digital experience, such as a dissection or historical map. And from a collaborative creation standpoint, students can use Magic Leap’s CAD application to join forces on 3D designs.

In success, AR’s convergence with biometric sensors and AI will give rise to an extraordinarily different education system: one comprised of delocalized, individually customizable, responsive, and accelerated learning environments.

(2) Training
(3) Travel

Manufacturing
(1) Design
(2) Supply chain optimization
(3) Quality assurance & accessible expertise

Transportation & Navigation
(1) Autonomous vehicles
(2) Navigation

Entertainment
(1) Gaming
(2) Art

Artificial Intelligence in Future and Present [datafloq]

On 09/26/2019, in accessibility, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning, Augmented Reality (AR), career development, corporate / business world, digital storytelling, drama/theater, education, education technology, future, game-changing environment, health, ideas, innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, internet, IT in HE, law schools, learning, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, legislatures / government / legal, media/film, Mixed Reality (MR), Natural Language Processing (NLP), personalized/customized learning, platforms, society, story, storytelling, student-related, United States, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Artificial Intelligence in Future and Present — from datafloq.com
A look at what AI might do and what it can actually do in various industries…

Artificial Intelligence and Medicine
Artificial Intelligence and Finance
Artificial Intelligence and Manufacturing
Artificial Intelligence and Media & Entertainment
Artificial Intelligence and Education

For you actors/actresses out there, read this excerpt from “Make it Stick”

On 06/21/2019, in drama/theater, learning, learning ecosystem, learning theories, media/film, memory, by Daniel Christian

For you actors/actresses out there, read this excerpt from Make it Stick:

Start at bottom of page 217 here and read about Nathaniel Fuller learns about and masters a new role.

Image from this article.

Reflections on “Choice -> Ownership -> Empowerment -> Deeper Learning” [Juliani]

On 06/21/2019, in 21st century, attention, curriculum, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, drama/theater, education, education reform, engagement / engaging students, K-12 related, more choice more control, pedagogy, society, teachers, teaching & learning, youth, by Daniel Christian

Choice -> Ownership -> Empowerment -> Deeper Learning — from AJ Juliani

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

Students continue to fall into the same trap year after year with traditional schooling. They rarely have a chance to choose their learning path in school, and routinely treat school like a “job” instead of the most valuable learning experience they will ever have…

By the time students get to high school, over 83% are stressed out, [and] 67% say they are bored half the time, and many learn to “play the game of school” worrying about what will happen to them if they do not get a particular grade and get into a specific college.

What we end up with are students who are never given a chance to explore their own interests in school, who end up confused about what they want to do with their future because they continue to march down a path that has been chosen for them for 12 years. Many of these students end up getting jobs in fields they think are “safe” or “practical” but don’t have a personal connection or interest to the work they are doing.

Choice in what content our students consume, what activities they take on in and out of school, what assessments they take, and choice in their purpose for learning.

Choice drives student ownership of their learning, which kicks engagement into high-gear, and ultimately leads to learning that is intrinsic and powerful and deep.

From DSC:
Our son has become a game-player. He knows just what he needs to get that A. No more, nor less. He doesn’t care about learning. And he is tired of getting information crammed down his throat. Information he doesn’t care about…at all. Since 10th grade, he has become disengaged.

Next year (for his senior year of H.S.), he is heading to studying what he wants to study — acting. Although it will be very difficult, I think he will blossom. He will become fully engaged…because he’s doing what he chooses to do.

American students have changed their majors — from bloomberg.com by Justin Fox
Health professions are in, education and the humanities are out. Here are some reasons for the shift.

Thank you LORD for your grace, love, forgiveness…and for music which moves our souls.

On 04/16/2019, in Daniel S. Christian, drama/theater, faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society, youth, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
Thank you LORD for your grace, your love, your forgiveness…and for all kinds of music which moves our souls. Especially as we reflect on the gift that was offered for us this week…thank you LORD! While we were yet sinners…you died for us. You paid the price. Then you rose again!

The gifts of grace, music and eternal life! Thank you LORD.

10th Annual Writopia Lab Worldwide Plays Festival Competition: Submissions due Friday 2/1/19

On 01/28/2019, in drama/theater, student-related, writing, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
I just found out about this and I wanted to pass it along to you aspiring young writers/playwrights out there! If it’s too late for this year, put it on your radar for next year!

Worldwide Plays Festival Submission Deadline: February 1, 2019

Announcing the judges of the 10th Annual Writopia Lab Worldwide Plays Festival Competition, an exciting, immersive festival of plays written by young playwrights ages 5-19, turning a multi-roomed theater space in midtown Manhattan into The Neighborhood, where audiences will be lead from place to place, play to play, plunged into the wacky and provoking minds of children and teens.

The Judges are:

Gideon Glick (currently on Broadway in To Kill A Mockingbird),
Abe Koogler (Obie Award Winner for Manhattan Theatre Club’s Fulfillment Center),
Jordana Spiro (Netflix’ Ozark),
Madhuri Shekar (writer on upcoming HBO’s The Nevers),
Matthew Shapiro (Emmy Winning Co-Producer Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Named after David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants due to funding of earlier festivals, Writopia Lab’s Worldwide Plays Festival has produced hundreds of full productions of plays written by young playwrights over the past decade.

This year, we invite playwrights from 1st through 12th grade around the world to enter our competition. We will select winning plays in three age groups: Elementary School, Middle School and High School.

From hundreds of submissions from across the country, 36 will be selected for production and three will receive a cash prize as part of our festival in May of 2019 at TheaterLab, in the theater district of New York City. Prizes include $750 for best high school play, $500 for best middle school play, and $250 for best elementary school play.

Winners will be notified by March, 2019.

For more information about how to submit, please visit: https://www.writopialab.org/programs/specialty-programs/worldwide-plays-festival

This Year’s Theme:

The Neighborhood
“Life is so rich when you go off the logical path and embark on eccentric adventures,”

Steve Young, producer and writer of Bathrooms over Broadway, and former head writer at The Late Show with David Letterman.

In this spirit, we ask playwrights from all walks of life-from homeless shelters to townhouses-to embark on eccentric adventures in their own neighborhoods and share their discoveries with us on the stage. Plays take place in one of three locations: The Convenience Store or Bodega, The Community Center (Church, Mosque, Synagogue, Yoga Studio, etc.) or Outside Your Door. Most of our writers attend highly segregated school systems and find great comfort-and meaningful challenge-in working closely in workshops with peers from diverse backgrounds.

At showtime, actors playing a rich array of complex neighborhood characters (also written by young writers), lead groups of audiences from room to room, weaving together a multitude of plays by young playwrights–urban and suburban, gay and straight, binary and nonbinary, outside and in-celebrating a totality of experience around the corner, down the block, across the hall in your America.

Festival Performances:
Where: Theaterlab, 357 West 36th Street, 3rd floor
When: Wednesday May 1st, 2019 to Sunday May 5th, 2019

Media Contact:
Lance Laytner
Public Good Relations
(917)573-8960
lance@publicgoodrelations.com

Also per Inside VR & AR:

Google has teamed up with Boston-based Commonwealth Shakespeare Company to produce a VR version of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Called “Hamlet 360: Thy Father’s Spirit,” the Bard’s classic tale of murder and revenge was tailored specifically for virtual reality, with some scenes lengthened and the overall run time pared way down. Director Steven Maler told the New York Times the production is a way “to show people how exciting it can be to be in the space where it’s happening.” The viewer sees the action from the point of view of the ghost of Hamlet’s father. Hamlet 360 was filmed on a Yi Halo 360 camera and is posted on WGBH-Boston’s YouTube channel. — NYTIMES

From DSC:
Not too long ago, I really enjoyed watching a program on PBS regarding America’s 100 most-loved books, entitled, “The Great American Read.”

Watch “The Grand Finale”

While that’s not the show I’m talking about, it got me to thinking of one similar to it — something educational, yet entertaining. But also, something more.

The program that came to my mind would be a program that’s focused on significant topics and issues within American society — offered up in a debate/presentation style format.

For example, you could have different individuals, groups, or organizations discuss the pros and cons of an issue or topic. The show would provide contact information for helpful resources, groups, organizations, legislators, etc. These contacts would be for learning more about a subject or getting involved with finding a solution for that problem.

For example, how about this for a potential topic: Grades or no grades?

What are the pros and cons of using an A-F grading system?
What are the benefits and issues/drawbacks with using grades?
How are we truly using grades Do we use them to rank and compare individuals, schools, school systems, communities? Do we use them to “weed people out” of a program?
With our current systems, what “product” do we get? Do we produce game-players or people who enjoy learning? (Apologies for some of my bias showing up here! But my son has become a major game-player and, likely, so did I at his age.)
How do grades jibe with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)? On one hand…how do you keep someone moving forward, staying positive, and trying to keep learning/school enjoyable yet on the other hand, how do you have those grades mean something to those who obtain data to rank school systems, communities, colleges, programs, etc.?
How do grades impact one’s desire to learn throughout one’s lifetime?

…

Such debates could be watched by students and then they could have their own debates on subjects that they propose.

Or the show could have journalists debate college or high school teams. The format could sometimes involve professors and deans debating against researchers. Or practitioners/teachers debating against researchers/cognitive psychologists.

Such a show could be entertaining, yet highly applicable and educational. We would probably all learn something. And perhaps have our eyes opened up to a new perspective on an issue.

Or better yet, we might actually resolve some more issues and then move on to address other ones!

Learning Ecosystems

Something to keep an eye on

For you actors/actresses out there, read this excerpt from “Make it Stick”

Thank you LORD for your grace, love, forgiveness…and for music which moves our souls.

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