D3: In Tow

Since late January we've (Toy Satellite/c2o) been producing an interactive installation piece for the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Technically challenging, philosophically uncompromising, sonically engaging... yeh, you can throw all the cool terms and arts speak at it and it won't fall down. That's cause it's build with lerve...

This photo was taken about four weeks or so ago during the tail end of Andrew Thomas's last visit to Melbourne (our interface designer). He made two trips to work on-site with us, at his own expense, which is remarkable given the budget and timeline we had to work with.

We've tackled what many would not have tackled, we've wrestled with Flash and survived, dealing with undocumented features and others that have not been implemented in new versions of PHP... We've built a custom version of the WOK to manage the vast resources populated throughout the interactive and the works people will create with it.

d3 is an interactive work inspired by the Situationist Internationale, enabling the creation of unique video assemblages representing a personal dérive through Melbourne's CBD. d3 will go public mid-July.

Days like this...

Sometimes there's only one way...

Every day is a challenge... today was no less so. Some how, if one remembers to look at the sky, and if nothing falls, you get by. And then there's beer...

To finish off, Frank, our patient XML and database developer, finished off his last email to me stating that, "Things will always go wrong - that's inevitable. It is what we do with those experiences in the future that make the difference..."

In the meantime, I'll settle for beer and consider the options once we're back from Hobart... But in the meantime, there is the long night ahead, one of what appears to be a string of all-nighters as we wrestle c2o into shape.

Wok 'n' Woll!

Look, everyone tells me the web is saturated with content management systems... Well, let me tell you... when we started out on the long road to automation, there was nuthin!

To cut a long story short, we started off with the Big Pipe, developed by Jary Nemo... from there we built a content management system for Avantcard (still in use), then one thing led to another... we wound up with the WOK, or Web Origami Kit.

That's Bobby... He loves the WOK, open source, linux, GPS, his wife and his son... oh, and he loves beer too. He lives in the Philippines and if we're nice to him, he might help us develop the WOK for colleagues in his beautiful country.

New tech at c2o

Since 1997 I've been a Director of Community Communications Online (c2o), an organisation that grew from the ashes of Pegasus Networks. More on Pegasus later. In about 98, Justina became a Director as well and in 2000 Toy Satellite was absorbed into c2o.

More recently, the third Director and co-founder, Bruce Morrisson, resigned taking with him a vast body of intuative knowledge... he basically setup c2o, it's hosting services and all things server orientated.

A few weeks ago we were fortunate to appoint a new Tech Director, Grant McHerron, a person we had known for some years. Here's Grant in work mode... Yes, he's fast! And enthusiastic...

Not only does Grant come with a lot of energy, he's keen to help us build c2o so it can truly sustain itself... and he loves talking to clients too!

As we move into this new phase with c2o I'll spend a few moments each week documenting what it is taking to re-establish an online service provider given the risks, market saturation and a host of missed opportunities...

Sessions brief time out at LGB

For the past 10 months we've had an early week residancy at Fitzroy's Lambsgo Bar... We played so much music, organised one off events, recorded an album, encouraged people who hadn't mixed before to DJ, bringing to the bar an extensive variety of sound and experience, mostly revolved around beer, and a jolly good time had by all.

SOMETHING ON THE OTHER SIDE

I was reminded of a memorable evening on Kings Farm, Northern NSW, in an enlightened state of mind with my long time buddy, David Nerlich... Was it 1989?

We penned this piece together which I subsequently wrote into early performances of Black Harlequin. Thanks Dave, for digging this one out :)

A ringed moon,
Trunks of trees carved light and shade out of the mist
solid dark
in and out of shadow and bright
some felt the earth through feet swollen with the pounding
through and through the night
the moonlightfull
brimming with dew
the foggy breath of the heart of the place
so easy to find
the cup that runneth over the hill
the nightbirds that screetch, the cows that wail,
a full moon is for lovers and practitioners of ritual alike
we don't cross the fence 'cause something on the other side roars
the grass goes untrodden
it echoes its own valley
we've got ours

As we descend into the mist a new line of shore
a halo of mystery that decieves the eye
but all eyes are decieved
until they know they are decieved
and no more are believed.

Tired...

Tired after long session on text for d3 help screens... Had planned to redraft these days ago, along with completing sound design, but keep getting side-tracked on admin and project management issues.