spectacle vivant, scènes numériques / “Live entertainment needs R&D” Alexandra Marin (SAT)

As a key player in Montreal’s digital ecosystem, the SAT (Society for Arts and Technology) has established itself as one of the world’s leading centers for innovation and artistic R&D. Dozens of projects are supported in this way, profoundly questioning the role of technology in the creative field, particularly in live performance. Alexandra Marin, R&D service manager at SAT (a role akin to that of producer), emphasizes the role of innovation and describes some current experiments.

Interview conducted on the occasion of Alexandra Marin’s invitation to the SVSN professional meetings, an event co-organized by Dark Euphoria, Le Grenier à Sel, La Villa Créative, Avignon Université and French Tech Grande Provence. July 5 and 6, 2024 as part of the Avignon Festival.

Cover: Bluf 📸 Andrée-Anne_Laroche

At SAT, there’s the dome… but that’s not all. In particular, you need to look no further than the innovation department to appreciate the quality of the work undertaken over almost two decades. “Our mission is to support creators in their exploration and experimentation through an R&D and research-creation approach. It’s research at the service of the artist community, not the other way around. Our role is essential in unlocking creative potential,” reminds Alexandra Marin, before going on to say, “Our position is clear: we want to encourage innovation by local and international artists and structures, through support and open innovation“. In concrete terms, experts and several PhDs in research (spatialized sound, pose detection, scenarization of immersive environments, etc.) make up the Laboratory team, which offers a range of solutions, including the pooling of resources: “There’s an open-source toolbox. We’re looking to build as many bridges as possible between open source technologies and proprietary software such as TouchDesigner and Ableton live, which are widely used in the creative sector, in order to adapt to the real needs of artists“.

Is technology the key to hybridization?

Among all these creative possibilities, the Innovation Department (and SAT in general) has taken a keen interest in digital experimentation in live performance. Alexandra Marin, who will be taking part in the July 2024 round table discussion “Scènes réelles vs scènes virtuelles: l’avenir du spectacle vivant sera-t-il hybride?” at the Spectacle Vivant, Scènes Numériques event to be held in Avignon on July 6 (see program), begins by clarifying the terms of the debate: “Hybridization – or hybridity – covers different realities and perceptions, depending on the speaker. The concept is based on three notions: hybridization of spaces, hybridization of disciplines and hybridization of media“.

Be that as it may, Alexandra Marin refuses to believe in a future where live performance is totally dematerialized: “even if the COVID-19 period has accelerated dematerialization, it’s probably not the only answer. We’ll undoubtedly have to find a mix between dematerialized performances and live performance in concert halls. In my opinion, this is a complementary offer that still needs to be explored. This is one of the reasons why the performing arts industry needs R&D“.

Telepresence

Dans cette optique, la SAT a engagé un vaste chantier sur la téléprésence à travers Scenic, un outil de collaboration audiovisuelle en téléprésence qui permet aux artistes et aux diffuseurs de créer des spectacles, des expériences immersives ou d’autres activités en plusieurs lieux simultanément. “La question est de savoir comment des acteur·rices peuvent interagir dans deux lieux différents, ? Qu’est-ce que cela produit ? ” explique Alexandra Marin. Pour le néophyte, la plus-value du dispositif ne saute pas directement aux yeux. Pourtant, imaginez que des flux de données (celles produites par les artistes ou par le comportement du public) puissent influer sur une création ? Bluff, une production entre trois théâtres, a ainsi laissé entrevoir de belles promesses. “La pièce a été conçue pour être jouée par 3 acteurs, sur 3 scènes et pour 3 publics différents.Les acteur·rices interagissent entre eux et à distance. La scénarisation et la scénographie sont conçues en fonction de ces contraintes. Le jeu est différent. Ce sont des nouveaux codes qui ouvrent des perspectives de création.” poursuit Alexandra Marin. 

With this in mind, SAT has embarked on a vast telepresence project with Scenic, a telepresence audiovisual collaboration tool that enables artists and presenters to create shows, immersive experiences or other activities in several locations simultaneously. “The question is, how can actors interact in two different locations? What does this produce? “explains Alexandra Marin. For the uninitiated, the added value of the device is not immediately obvious. Yet imagine how data flows (produced by artists or audience behavior) could influence a creation? Bluff, a production between three theaters, has shown great promise. “The play was designed to be performed by 3 actors, on 3 stages and for 3 different audiences, with the actors interacting with each other and from a distance. The actors interact with each other and from a distance. The acting is different. These new codes open up new creative perspectives,” continues Alexandra Marin.

On the occasion of MUTEK Montréal‘s 25th anniversary, two prototypes – imagined by artists Lunice, Simon Chioini and Myriam Boucher – will also be presented to the public, in partnership with Moment Factory: “Two demonstrations will allow us to present case studies of hybrid performances. We’re particularly interested in artist-artist, artist-audience and audience-audience relationships. These performances will capture data flows and re-translate them, sometimes abstractly, in another room. We’ll be observing how audiences perceive the work in the room they’re in, but also how they feel about the presence of performers and audiences at a distance. The idea behind this new research project is to refine the mechanics of telepresence interaction,” explains Alexandra Marin. An assessment and recommendations will then be drawn up to guide future developments.

New territories for distribution

The innovation department has also spearheaded other inspiring initiatives. Between 2020 and 2023, a project was launched with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) to explore new ways of listening to classical music outside the concert hall. Alexandra Marin explains that “the SAT team recorded a concert using ambisonic capture methods. The prototype of the piece captured in spatialized sound was then presented in the SAT dome. The idea was to create a unique experience, allowing you to navigate the orchestra and get up close to an instrument. In fact, it provided an experience that would be impossible anywhere else but through this device.” Satellite is another tool developed by SAT that can be applied to live performance. It is a webXR , social, accessible and customizable platform offering an experience close to the idea of a metaverse. “With Satellite, we took the question of orchestra navigation a step further. We have deployed it online so that it is accessible on the web and allows users to experience a symphonic piece in spatialized form in the comfort of their own home.”

A solution, certainly not a panacea

Despite all these possibilities, Alexandra Marin refuses to see these devices as a miracle solution to the current challenges facing the cultural sector. First of all, she puts into perspective the recurring argument of renewing audiences thanks to digital technology: “We haven’t carried out an impact study on this subject, and I’m not sure it’s as simple as that,” she says, before concluding on the ecological impact: “You could say that all these solutions save on travel for artists or audiences, that they go in the direction of decarbonization. But to be honest, I prefer to be cautious when it comes to ecology and technology. Digital technology tends to increase our footprint. These are also things we need to take into account in research and innovation“.

SAT programming