Five steps for producing a video clip:

 


Step 1: Html & Movement
For some years now I have been interested in experimenting with html (= hypertext mark-up language), the langugage of the World Wide Web, and movement. Html consists of so called "tags" - the building blocks of the language. So how can this work? I was thinking of applying the functionality html serves in a Web browser to physical gesture and movements, performed by a dancer/performer/etc. So as a performer I am forming an "image"(*) with my body similar to how the Web browser "translates and diplays" an html tag. For the html-movement-library I am interested to collect "physical moving images" representing the thirteen most commonly used html tags.

When I started inviting colleagues and friends to join me in these experimentations, I used the W3.org guidelines and extracted especially the explanations for the functionality of each tag -- as they may sound very abstract -- and presented this to my experiment-willing participants. That's what i needed from them - and now from you, the user, right here: to come-up with approaches for how these terms/images (could) look like. First you can "meditate" a bit on their "inner" content and then perform the following words/tags/images:

  1. "html" stands for the language itself: the hypertext mark-up language; it can also be seen as a kind of introduction.
  2. "head" - head stands for...head (although how would you express "head" with your whole body?)
  3. "title" - is quite self explanatory...
  4. "link" I explained it as "the link in the head." Because this is where it is positioned within the html structure.
  5. "script" script.
  6. "body" - see the body as a canvas where content appears: text, images, or colors, etc.
  7. "table" table.
  8. "div" stand for a "grouping element" (a container for content), i often referred to it as "grouping together."
  9. "a" - means the link, or anchor, in the body. (Again, that's where it is sitting in the html document)
  10. "form" - is an abstract term per se --> open for interpretations!
  11. "input" is seen as "controlled" form, so i often just referred to it as that.
  12. "img" always refers to the "embedded image."
  13. "map" - map.

Lots of the performers have had little experience with html, and it is NOT a requirement to know it in order to perform it! If you are interested in learning more about the html language and its tags you can go to the W3C recommendations on the w3.org website which further exemplifies each tag and its meaning.

You can also first take a look of how other performers/submitters approached the idea by browsing through the video clips library.

(*) I found a intriguing parallel between the functionality of displaying html tags in Web browser and Butoh. Butoh, a contemporary dance form originating in Post World-War II Japan, is defined in Wikipedia, is "a diverse range of techniques and motivations for dance" and "it typically involves playful and grotesque imagery". The inherent approach in Butoh is that a performer does not "express" an idea, but "becomes" the "image". My personal confrontation with Butoh for several years and practicing this process for a while I saw a similarity of becoming (the impersonation of) a "web browser" scanning through an html document and "becoming" an html tag through movement.

Step 2: Stage & Film
Equipment: You will need a digital video camera to record your or sombody else's performances. Best results derive when staging and filming in a well-light space with white walls, ideally using a roll-paper as a back drop. It is also recommended that the perfomer wears darker cloths so the movements stand off from the background. Field of View: When you film your performer you can film a full body shot or you can decide to film a close-up of the face.
Regarding the "title" or the "tag": You chose to stage a certain tag, and now you wonder how to add the "title" to the beginning of the movie. You can either decide to edit a title tag in later with a movie editing software, or, to make it easier for you, you can just display the "tag title" in any other form in the beginning of the movie, i.e. by holding up a piece of paper with the tag such as <BODY> written on it.

Step 3: Edit & Save
You can use any movie editing software to save your video clip. Mac's come with iMovie, a simple and easy to use movie editing software. It will save your movie to Quicktime format. Submitted videos can be nearly any format. The video tranfer tool that is used in the library will transfer almost any compression and movie formats. Size, lenght of video: Movie clips will be reduced to 160 x 120 pixel. Movie lenght: up to 40 seconds. Movies should not be larger than 5 MB.

Step 4: Send to Library
In order to upload your video clips you need to be signed-in. After you have logged-in you can upload your html-movement videos. You can add new video clips and change your submission and information afterwards if you need to.

Use your own material! Please send your own work! Don't submit material that isn't yours, or you don't have the copyright to, and don't send anything offensive, as it will get removed.

Step 5: Participate in Art
With submitting a movie clip and providing the according information you enable and ultimately participate in many web-based performances!


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Browse through the library!

The history of the html-movement-library.
Five quick steps for producing a video clip.
Guidelines in detail.
Submit a video clip.


Questions, Comments, Suggestions?