Performative Media : Assignment 2: Concept Proposal & Early Prototyping
Performative Media
Week 6
This week in class, our group discussed and confirmed the core direction of our project. We decided to create an ice-and-snow visual effect inspired by Elsa’s magic from Frozen. The interaction is simple: when the audience raises their hand, ice crystals, snowflakes, and light patterns will appear on the screen, responding as if the space itself is reacting to their gesture.
With this concept set, the instructor reminded us to focus on making the interaction functional and meaningful. We clarified our interaction flow—hand as input, detection as process, and icy visuals as output—and considered how space, projection, and materials can support the atmosphere.
By the end of the session, we set our priority for next week: complete the core interaction so the ice-and-snow effect can appear smoothly when the hand is raised. Visual refinement will come later, but the prototype must already “work.”
Week 7
❄️ Group Project Feedback: Snow-Themed Interactive Installation
Our group presented our concept to the lecturer:
“To create an interactive snow experience for Malaysian audiences who have never seen real snow.”
We plan to use TouchDesigner to generate snowfall effects that are triggered when a viewer enters the frame. The lecturer approved our direction and gave several suggestions:
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The concept is strong—clear theme, emotional resonance, and relevant to “experience” and “seasonal memory.”
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She encouraged us to add more playfulness, such as allowing the audience to “push,” “scatter,” or “blow” the snow rather than simply watching it fall.
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Our current interaction (snow triggered by entering the frame) is too basic. She suggested exploring depth sensing or skeleton tracking for more accurate motion detection.
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If a depth camera (e.g., Kinect) is unavailable, we can use MediaPipe to detect body outlines or skeletal movement to drive the snow flow.
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For the prototype stage, we should focus on building the interactive snowfall in software only.
For the final exhibition, we can add physical elements—ground snow, lighting, and set design—to enhance immersion. -
She also reminded us to consider equipment needs and borrow or request sensors early if we plan to use them.
Overall, the lecturer believes our direction has strong potential. By deepening the interactive experience and adding more playful elements, the project can become even more compelling.
We also finalized our project title: The Absent Winter, a name that reflects the narrative and emotional meaning behind our concept. After the discussion, each group member completed their individual documentation for the class.
The work assigned to me last week;
Week 8
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Our instructor provided crucial feedback on our group project, The Absent Winter. He first praised the overall visual style and our mood board, highlighting the maturity of the atmosphere. He noted that the installation does not feel childish; instead, it conveys a quiet, introspective, and emotionally rich winter feeling, perfectly suited for a university audience.
However, he also pointed out that our concept currently leans toward “emotional fragments” and lacks a cohesive narrative. In other words, while we have established the mood, emotional direction, and interaction logic, we are missing a textual explanation that answers key questions: Why winter? Why is it absent? What story is the audience experiencing in this space?
This narrative will serve as the most important “wall text” in the exhibition, guiding viewers to understand the metaphors and meaning behind the interaction. Strengthening this aspect will make the concept much more complete and help the audience connect emotionally with the work.
Mood board
For our project The Absent Winter, the instructor praised the visual style and mood, describing it as mature, calm, and emotionally resonant—suitable for a university audience. However, he noted that the concept currently consists of “emotional fragments” and lacks a cohesive narrative. We need text explaining why winter, why absent winter, and what story the audience experiences—this will serve as essential wall text to guide viewers in understanding the metaphors behind the interaction.
Technical issues, such as projection occlusion, are normal and can be addressed by adjusting angle, distance, scale, or projection path. For the prototype, start with a standard camera for motion detection and feedback before upgrading to Kinect or other depth sensors. The instructor also advised setting immediate and Stretch goals to manage team workload.
We changed the layout design.
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We realized we had completed the parts we missed in week seven, so we showed them to the teacher again. Here is the teacher's feedback.
📘 Class Feedback Summary | November 14
This week we presented our concept, visuals, and interaction ideas for The Winter That Was Missing. The teacher recognized our project’s clarity and cohesive visual style but highlighted areas for improvement in conceptual depth, playability, and spatial design.
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Deepen the concept—explore the emotional and symbolic meaning of the “absent winter.”
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Enhance playability—make interactions joyful and game-like.
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Build an immersive space—create a winter world visitors can experience physically.
With these directions, our next prototype and iterations will be more focused and conceptually rich.
After discussion, we proposed two other different solutions.
Here is the feedback:
The teacher mentioned that snow doesn’t need to be the central focus of our story; it can simply serve as a visual element. We can start by developing the emotional narrative and background story first.
Following the previous class feedback, our group held another discussion. We came up with a revised plan, which we will combine with other elements and then send to the teacher for further feedback.
Regarding team tasks, next week (Week 9) we have a presentation. We need to submit two parts, and we have already prepared supporting documents. The next step is to assign the content for our presentation slides.
We divided the work again.
Week 9
After presenting the interactive installation prototype, the lecturer provided detailed feedback: he praised the solid foundation of our interaction flow, touch logic, and spatial layout, while noting that the visual presentation and lighting still have room for improvement. He pointed out that projections may be weakened by ambient light and suggested adjusting light sources or using lighting as the main visual medium, exploring DMX lighting to enhance the atmosphere. He also emphasized the need to clarify the core visual output, reevaluate the relationship between space and lighting, and refine the installation sketches for the next development stage. Overall, the project’s concept is clear and the interaction logic is sound; optimizing visuals and lighting will further elevate the overall experience.
Reflection
My concept proposal builds on my earlier research on emotional visualization and immersive experiences. Based on this research, I explored how to externalize human energy and subtle gestures through light, particles, and spatial design, using Winter and Spring as seasonal metaphors to turn abstract emotions into tangible interactive experiences.
Through early prototyping, I discovered that even small gestures can produce noticeable visual feedback, highlighting the importance of gesture sensitivity and real-time response. I also realized that space design, lighting, and particle effects together shape the user’s emotional experience.
In the next stage of the assignment, we will further develop the TouchDesigner implementation, optimizing interaction logic and visual effects, and conduct continuous iterative updates. Through user testing, we will keep improving the immersive experience and interactivity. I aim to make the transition from Winter to Spring smoother while highlighting each participant’s individuality. Early challenges, such as tracking stability and clarity of visual cues, have already guided our design adjustments, and I will continue iterating through prototyping and team collaboration.
This process has helped me better understand how to convey abstract emotions through visuals and experience, and it motivates me to explore more nuanced and rich interactive designs in the next stage.
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