Lessons from Collaboration david beining director LodeStar Astronomy Center, University of New Mexico

Overview of LodeStar Programs & Personas As a daily planetarium & museum Educational Mission Community Service As a UNM academic center Art, Science & Education Research As a community resource and center Entertainment Economic Development Digital Plaza

LodeStar Mission Primary Mission –Expand communitys science literacy through informal education based in astronomy Secondary Mission –Support and augment UNM formal programs Core Values –Serve community through available means & needs –Create a culture of Exploding the Frame

Dome Theater SkyVision/DigitalSkyHD by Sky-Skan 17M, 25-degree tilt dome 5.1 audio 150 seats

L* as a UNM Center Digital art courses for students Computer Science (Maya) Media Arts (video & digital arts) Research for faculty & researchers Immersive science visualization Real-time system development Rendering, data management, etc. Art & art education programs –Arts Technology Center Artists-in-Residence programs Lectures, workshops & events Show clips by UNM staff Will animate for food

As community center Productions by local pros & others Art, Entertainment, and Education For L*, for self, for export Community event center Student/Community presentations Flicks on 66 Digital Film Festival Rio Grande Chapter of SIGGRAPH Economic development in digital arts Real-world production opportunity Digital Pueblo Project, DAWGStars, etc.

As art house The immersive cognitive environment offered by digital domed theaters offers unprecedented opportunity for artists to expand narrative; break from the expected traditional visual codes of scale, time and ground; and work at the foundation of building a breakthrough aesthetic in a new medium. –Danae Zoe Falliers, Assoc. Director Arts Technology Center Courtesy: Gronk w/ Hue Walker

As art house With UNM & Larger Community –UNM faculty, instructors & students Danae Falliers, Arts Technology Center Bryan Konefsky, Mary Tsongias, etc., CFA –Other universities faculty Santa Fe Institute, UC-Berkeley, Stanford, Mills College –Professional artists & media producers Gronk, Lynette Wallworth, Gregg Stephens, etc. Michael Stearns, Brad & Andrea Carvey, etc. Courtesy: Gail Wight, ATC Artist-in-Residence

Starting Collaborations Encouragement by IMAX Pros –Ben Shedd & Michael Stearns Identifying key supporters –Faculty & Instructors Pro producers as lecturers & models Orientation to technologies –Processes, vocabulary, specs, etc. Events & meetings –Increase dome time –Class reviews, public show

Building Understanding Ben Shedds talks & writings Playtime for key instructors & artists SkyVision & in-house library Instructional materials –Fulldome animation –Production manual Student orientations & review sessions Talks & screenings Courtesy: Ben Shedd, Princeton

Working with Students Full-Dome projects optional Encourage experimentation Theater tour & shows Techniques & specs Instructor direction L* staff support Little dome-time during production Closer to real-world Courtesy: Mark Nava, UNM

SOP for Collaboration Orientation to medium Screenings Primer document Camera Rigs Folder Sets Feedback Loops Spitzs Glom

DomeFest A place for sharing & experimenting 2003 & 2004 Programs –See Sky-Skan Festival DomeFest 2005 –Submissions 11 Feb 05 DomeFest 2008 –IPS, Chabot?

Standard Thoughts (by Nat Handy) –Agree on mediums moniker--needs branding –Were all in this medium development together –Most standards will evolve through experience –Double-edged digital sword: Flexibility –Story first, distribution second –Redesign part of production budget –Leave legacy (analog) standards behindnow –Collaborative spirit and practice –Support creativity, experimentation & diversity –DomeFest as resource/opportunity

Arrow to the Sun Gerald McDermott & LodeStar Character-based Community-driven Not for every theater –Design –Style/Spirit

Links –LodeStar –DomeFest –Fulldome Users Group (coming) –Arts Technology Center –Digital Pueblo Project –Ben Shedd –me