Presentation of the Deptford.TV method & the Free.TV work (Bitnik.org) post by constandvzw
A workshop Open Source Video exploring collaborative practices and tools.
Remixes, re-using imagery, recycling visuals and reworking the same source material is an exciting artistic field which gained momentum with the rise of the internet. Audio visual material that is free of author rights, films, clips and rushes published under open content licenses, offer the possibility of creating different types of audio visual productions, video databases, live streaming events, internet tv channels and collective documentaries.
The Open Source Video workgroup (osvideo.constantvzw.org) organise this workshop because we are enthousiastic about the possibilities the web offers for video collectives, artistic, journalistic and cultural organisations working together in remote locations using vlogs, internet tv, videofeeds, video-archives to give new impulses to their collaborative practices. The workshop attempts to give models of open source workflows; how video can be shared through the internet, contributing to a healthy ecology of knowledge exchange.
Guests among others: EngageMedia, Miro, V2V, Pirate Cinema Berlin, Pad.ma, Oxdb, Deptford.tv, Bitnik.
The workshop consists on the one hand of a series of hands on exercises in open source encoding, sharing (P2P) video, distributed editing and Content Management Systems for video sharing and archiving, and on the other hand of a series of evening presentations focusing on inventive practices of video-sharing by Brussels and international audio visual makers. The workshop explores the possibilities of open source codecs, non linear video browsing, collaborative working methods and collective approaches. Together this offers an intensive introduction to the possibilities of systems, practices and work ethics of collaborative video work.
by Lilia Perez
In session 04 Bitnik.org gave a brilliant presentation about their general philosophy summarized in the slogan “A hack a day.” As an example, they showed images and gave a detailed description of their Opera Calling (Arias for All) presented in 2007, at Cabaret Voltaire, Zürich. In this project, they placed “bugs” made with old cellphones inside the Zürich Opera House. This phones were connected to an application fed with the whole city’s white pages. During the opera concerts, the computer would call a random number in the telephone directory and connect it “live” with the phone-bugs transmitting from the opera house. This way, everybody could enjoy the performance without having to pay the costly tickets, and without having to leave their homes. For more info about “Opera Calling” see: http://www.opera-calling.com/about
The second part of the day’s session was practical. Bitnik handed us all a small manual entitled “Your own private TV Staion Making P2P Television”. The manual itself was a nicely design, “do it yourself” booklet of which I’m including a picture. We followed the steps and before lunch time had our own TV station running. I think that we should do this at the JvE as soon as possible. We could even have a live journal for the opening week!
The day ended with an overview of how to use Cinelerra:”The community developed version of this non-linear video editor.” Documentation in several languages available here: cinelerra.org
We had some technical problems, so we didn’t get to see it running 100%.
That night, at a bookstore, Bitnik set up the TV station at the Quarantaine bookshop in Ixelles neighborhood and transmitted local filmmaker’s works for all the “barrio”.
http://imaginaryproperty.com/node/77
http://gallery.constantvzw.org/main.php?g2_itemId=23101
http://osvideo.constantvzw.org/wiki/doku.php?id=about