On Sunday, September 10th, at 12 pm SLT, the Kondor Art Center will be the stage for a great cultural event to evoque Shakespeare and all his legacy in modern times, with a special photography exhibition by Scylla Rhiadra — “The Women of Shakespeare” and theatrical readings by Bajoy, actress and Artistic Director of the ACT (Avilion Cameo Theater).
All of this will take place in the Kondor art Square.
FOCUS Magazine spoke with Scylla and Bajoy about this special event.
Hermes: Scylla, what means this special art project to you ?
Scylla: When I accepted Hermes Kondor’s challenge of producing a series of images that explored the role of women in Shakespeare’s plays and poetry, I commenced from a premise that shouldn’t seem controversial: Shakespeare is a living author. By that I mean that his work is not mummified in its historical Elizabethan context; it continues to be experienced today as a living, dynamic part of our culture. It is embedded in our language, and in our own sense of who we are.
None of us is capable of experiencing Shakespeare’s canon in the same way that his contemporary audiences did, even if we wished to. The fact that Shakespeare’s works live for us is owing to the fact that their complexity and ambiguity continue to offer new ground for every generation to rediscover and, ultimately, remake them in ways, produce new meanings, insights, and relevance.
And that is the power of Shakespeare. Were this not so, they would be texts fit only for the literary historian.
So, what (I asked myself) do Ophelia, Cordelia, Juliet, Viola, Beatrice, and the many other women of Shakespeare’s plays “mean” to us today? What insights can they provide into the nature of women, and into our evolving and dynamic understanding of the function of gender?
How do I, personally, feel about them? What makes these women, and their triumphs and tragedies, “live” for us, today, over 400 years after they were conceived? My exploration of that question through these images is frequently personal but will also, I hope, have some resonance to my own audience, even when it sparks discussion, disagreement, and debate. For that too is the continuing power, and vitality, of Shakespeare.
Hermes: Bajoy, how do you see, and what means for you, this challenge of reading, and acting as a Women of Theatre, Shakespeare texts inspired by the art works of Scylla ?
Bajoy: As an actress, and theatre director, I am delighted to participate in Scylla Rhiadra’s extraordinary photography exhibition based on Shakespeare’s women.
My role in the event is to bring the artist’s photographs to life by sharing the thoughts, opinions, and feelings of these women through the words that Shakespeare himself put into their mouths. In my performance readings, I invite listeners to experience each woman’s world to discover what they will find there. It is my belief that how these women deal with the challenges they face can still resonate with us today.
Combining the power of the artist’s photographic images with the actor’s performance of text Is a dynamic way of presenting Shakespeare and making his work come alive in an innovative, multi- dimensional way.
This special occasion, when Shakespeare will be interpreted by the photographic art of Scylla and the artistic theatrical readings of Bajoy, will mark the start of the new exhibitions and cultural events in the Kondor Art Centre, where from September to the end of the year, you can enjoy at least once a week, a new exhibition opening, or any other kind of art and cultural experiences.
Reflections are in the Future of Second Life
For those of us who have weathered Second Life through its many changes, including the initial resistance among residents with the introduction of mesh, the confusion over BOM (which some have still not figured out), and most recently the change from windlights to EEP assets, there is another big change coming. Perhaps the biggest.
Virtual worlds wouldn’t exist without textures. The ground, our homes, our avatars all have textures on them to make them seem more realistic. However, if one were to compare graphics in Second Life to some of the games available today, the depth and realness of the textures are lacking. Let me try to explain how Second Life textures work right now.
Have you ever been in an SL house that has permanent window reflections on the floor? Those reflections look great during the SL day because they imitate sunshine coming through the windows. But even at night, those window reflections are still there. The reason is because textures in SL are made to look like they react to light, but in actuality, the shadows and highlights are “baked” into the texture using software like Substance Painter. So when a creator uploads textures they have created for a particular object, say a table, the texture is made to look as if light is affecting the object. It really isn’t. The same shadows will be in the same spot no matter which direction the object faces in relation to a light source. You can create a light projector and throw extra light on an object, but that doesn’t affect the texture.
SL Creators now work with 3 basic types of textures (also called “materials”) that are layered onto an object to make it appear realistically illuminated. Even if you’re not a creator, you’ve probably heard these terms. First is the “diffuse map,” which is the main texture that gives a table color and contours rather than looking flat. Shadows are “baked” into the texture to give the impression that the object is reacting to a light source. When you upload one of your photos into SL, you are uploading the diffuse texture to place on a prim frame, just without baked in shadows. The second type is “normal map.” These are bump maps that add small details to make an object seem three-dimensional. The third type is “specular map.” This texture is black and white versions of the diffuse texture that accentuate the whites and black to add more dimension and glossiness to an object.
Lots of people who aren’t creators have no interest in figuring out how to make a normal or specular maps, so they simply upload the diffuse map. Plus, being able to see the fancy bumps and glossiness of the extra textures usually requires advanced lighting and high graphics. Many people turn off advanced lighting and lower their graphics in order to get around in SL because it’s too hard on their computers. Being at a shopping event with tons of textures and a crowd of avatars while using high graphics can be taxing, especially on older computers.
PBR, an acronym for Physically-Based Rendering, will change the way we use textures. PBR means that objects are textured to react closer to the way they would in the physical world. Light is distributed in a physically correct way. PBR is not new and has been an industry standard in gaming for close to a decade.
Second Life is adopting the “Metallic – Roughness” PBR model, which will react with light in a natural way — the way it does in RL. Textures will be reflective of light, and we will finally get mirrors! It’s going to be a visual revolution. Eventually our skin, eyes, make-up, clothes, and environments will all reflect light. I’m looking forward to reflective lip gloss instead of having that weird, white blotch in the center of the lip. I know it’s meant to give the impression of light reflection, but a real reflection will be so much nicer!
However, according to the Firestorm website, “PBR’s richness comes at a cost—increased computational demands.” This will be partially because we won’t have the option to turn off ALM (advanced lighting). Personally, I still wander around SL on medium graphics and ALM off. I am almost always running Skype, Discord, about 20 tabs in my internet browser, PhotoShop, Word and any number of other applications at the same time. That may have to change when I run SL in the future. Though the “fix” for those with older computers avoiding the cost of an upgrade is the ability to disable reflections and shadows in Preferences. The only issue with that is new products will be made without baking in shadows and lighting (i.e. faux lighting like we do now). So to those who turn off reflections and shadows, I presume everything will look flat.
As for virtual photographers in SL, upgrading to PBR will mean a few big changes. For one, EEP assets will not work the same way. For instance, taking photos in an enclosed place like a skybox or house will require lighting. Right now, you can choose a bright EEP or use alpha masking for light. For those in countries with sketchy internet services or those who can’t afford a computer upgrade, you may eventually log into a world of flat textures.
This is because PBR uses GLB instead of simply uploading a JPG or PNG. While creators will still be able to upload JPGs and PNGs, there would be no point in having a diffuse map (remember, that is the main texture applied to objects) because the object will be intended for PBR. Without a diffuse map, we will just see that shadowless wood texture that comes automatically on prims we create now.
I imagine, at least in the beginning, creators will make a slow transition by keeping the diffuse map, but it’s more work and cost. A GLB file, created in software like Substance Painter, combines the necessary layers into one “materials asset” in SL. These include base color, metallic-roughness (this will give objects in SL their light reflective properties), emissive — which will allow for glow, and the normal map (that we also use now).
I’m not entirely sure, but I think rather than uploading three textures per object, creators will be in effect uploading 4 textures. This means an extra 10L per GLB upload. If you include the diffuse map (the one with baked-on lighting and shadows that we use now) to accommodate late adopters, that is another 10L. 20L doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up quickly. Consider a clothing creator making one dress that comes in 5 colors. So we can probably expect prices to rise.
Additionally, the number of creators in SL will likely drop due to the added skill set necessary to create a GLB file. There are many creators who purchase full-perm mesh with UV maps and create their diffuse and specular maps using Gimp. If these creators don’t learn how to create a GLB file and possibly pay for expensive apps, they might soon be out of business. Though I did a quick Google search and there are websites that can convert your necessary JPGs to a single GLB.
Consider photography sims in SL that are the main places where many of us take photos. Right now, they are filled with expensive trees and plants, perhaps ponds and homes, collected over the years. Those objects have diffuse maps with baked on lighting and will all need to be replaced at some point.
And lastly are virtual photographers’ art uploads. Will your photo look as good if it isn’t reflecting light? My guess is no.
From a larger perspective, migrating to PBR is a huge step in the right direction for Linden Labs. Graphics will be comparable to other games with graphics that were years ahead of Second Life. And as it says on the SL Wiki page, “Second Life is an ever-evolving platform, and to continue to do so, some changes are inevitable.”
From the individual’s perspective, it could mean more expense. I also think this moves us away from Second Life’s original intent which was a virtual world created by users with basic skills and a vision. This is also a big step toward consumerism in SL. Though, as one person quipped, “Your world, your imagination… Our revenue!”
Ultimately, one thing we’ve learned is that even though the changes in SL can be hard at first, we eventually end up liking them — or tolerating them until we’ve accepted them! Ideally, by 2025, we will wonder how we ever lived without PBR and materials assets.
If you’d like to this try out, Firestorm has an “Alpha release” available through the in-world group, “Phoenix-Firestorm Preview Group.” Once you join, check the notices for download instructions.
secondlife:///app/group/7ba4569c-9dd9-fed2-aaa7-36065d18a13c/about
The Artistry of Lighting Effects for Music Events
So much of what we experience in SL deals with how we see the virtual environment. This Focus on Ideas essay is about one interesting aspect of how we see the places we experience. The argument here is that the surrounding lighting is an important artistic consideration in our virtual experience. Indeed, the artistry of lighting effects in SL plays a crucial role in creating immersive and visually captivating experiences. Lighting in virtual environments has a significant impact on how users perceive and interact with the digital space, influencing the mood, atmosphere, and overall realism of the virtual world.
In virtual environments, lighting can move freely in 3D space. Designers can experiment with lighting effects that come from unexpected directions, adding depth and dimension to the performance space. For this article I had the privilege to meet and speak with one of the better lighting designers in SL.
Myrdin Sommer is a lighting effects specialist for Lynchland, a group that puts on DJ-based music events in Second Life. It is a group that was formed in homage to David Lynch, who famously created the TV series Twin Peaks, as well as directing several critically acclaimed movies. They do events periodically with changing themes. I was able to talk with her about her craft. That discussion is what follows.
Fynn: How’d you get started with the lighting aspects of Lynchland? Was it always part of the Lynchland concept?
Myrdin: In RL, I was a lighting tech for a band for a long time. I also make ceramic light objects in RL, so light was always my passion. When I came to SL in 2008, very early on I was making particles and light objects. Back then I did shows with DJ ChrisOdd. We called the events “I hear colors.”
Eventually, it evolved to doing 2-hour light shows for various DJs. When we started Lynchland it was a no brainer that I would do lighting effects. So now I do like 10 hours of effects when we have an event.
I use my effects in an old school way, so no HUDs or rezzed items. All you see is what I wear, so I attach and detach every item. I’m just like a live musician constantly attaching and detaching to make a “scene” that fits with the tunes.
Fynn: Is there artistic purpose to your lighting effects?
Myrdin: I don’t know about art, but to me, lighting effects that please me are lights that build in “layers” and the colors go well together, and it goes with the music. So, if you don’t think about it, the lights almost feel like they’re “normal” to be there at that point in time. It creates something extra together with music, like 1+1=3 sort of thing. My “artistic purpose” is to make an environment that feels good to people, like you almost can “see” the music. If that happens, then I did well. I also never do lights, just to do lights. If the scene or music don’t need lights, or just minimal lights, I do minimal, but always in layers. I dislike particle shows where they use like a gazillion colors and textures and the screen is flooded and it is not even pretty. I try to make an environment that lets you make cool pictures or video. So, each venue has its own “need” for lights.
And so we see how Myrdin helps us understand that creating captivating lighting effects for virtual world music shows involves a fusion of artistic creativity, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of how light can enhance the musical experience. Virtual music shows offer unique opportunities to push the boundaries of lighting design and create mesmerizing visual spectacles that synchronize with the music. In other words, the lighting effects should be tightly synchronized with the music’s tempo, rhythm, and mood. This synchronization can amplify the emotional impact of both the music and the visuals, creating a seamless multisensory experience. Also, virtual environments allow for rapid and dramatic lighting changes that seamlessly transition with the music’s transitions. The lighting effects can evolve as the music progresses, enhancing the sense of progression and excitement.
The artistry of lighting effects in virtual world music shows extends beyond mere illumination. It becomes an integral part of the performance, enhancing emotions, amplifying impact, and creating a unique sensory experience that blurs the lines between music, visuals, and technology. As virtual technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for pushing the boundaries of lighting artistry in music shows are virtually limitless.
Theatre as a Reality and a Passion – Part 1, by Hermes Kondor
Second Life is really a fascinating place to meet new, and amazing people.
During my research to find someone with the right abilities to read some Shakespeare texts for the opening of a new Art Exhibition by Scylla Rhiadra, exploring the subject “‘Shakespeare’s Woomen,” I had the opportunity to meet Bajoy, a very interesting and kind person, who was delighted to contribute to this project.
As I got to knoww this amazing Lady better, I found an excellent opportunity to bring theater to the pages of Focus Magazine. With this interview, Bajoy shares her passions, and motivates us to explore acting and directing plays as a vibrant and growing reality in the cultural realms of Second Life.
Hermes Kondor: First of all, thank you, Bajoy, for accenting to share with us your passion for theatre, in SL, and also in RL. Can you please tell us a bit about your journey in Second Life. How did you find SL, what motivated you to enter in the virtual world, and who is Bajoy as an actress and director in both the real world and Second Life?
Bajoy: Bajoy is my Second Life name. People ask how I chose it, expecting profound answers. One person even surmised that it was an encrypted message meaning — ‘Be-A-Joy’. However, the truth is more mundane. I am Bajoy because, when I joined SL, the advice was to choose the first two letters of your first name and letters from your middle name to form your SL moniker. As a ‘newbie’, I did as I was instructed. I became Bajoy because my real name is Barbara Joy. I joined Second Life out of curiosity to find out more about it when I was incapacitated with a broken leg, Once I entered SL, I was enchanted by its endless possibilities for creative endeavour, so I never left.
In ‘real life’, I came interested in theatre early, inventing plays as a child and performing them for bemused parents, with my younger brother as a reluctant co-actor. Later I performed in community and university productions while studying, graduating with a B.A. with Honors in Speech and Theatre Arts. Over the years, I added to this with M.A.s in Rhetorical Theory (Speech); Library Science; and Medieval Studies. My Ph.D. was in the field of Education, specialising in Primary Education, Children’s Literature, and Library Science. Always playwriting, acting, and play production were my passions, whether I was teaching children as a school librarian or lecturing students at the university in my role as Associate Professor in charge of Creative Dramatics and in the Faculty of Education at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia.
Hermes: How did you become interested in pursuing a career in acting and directing, both in traditional and virtual environments like Second Life?
Bajoy: In real life —
As a playwright and author:
I write stage musicals, including the book, lyrics, and music. Two of these have been performed in Sydney theatre venues. The first, ‘aloft!’ told the story of Captain Taylor Penfold, a dare-devil Australian balloonist in the early 1900s, while the second focused on the life of Quong Tart, a famous 20th century Chinese entrepreneur who loved Scottish poetry and knew how to dance the highland fling.
I have written a textbook about the ways that drama and theatre can be used in teaching and learning in schools. In addition, I have co-authored books on storytelling and readers’ theatre.
As an actress:
In addition to appearing in community theatre productions, I performed in primary schools as a storyteller, focusing on shows that featured folktales from many cultures. My first introduction to performing in schools was memorable. I decided to dress in a kangaroo costume. I travelled to the town where I was to perform wearing the costume with my luggage in the hold of the small plane. When I got there, I hopped out of the plane as a kangaroo to greet the children while the plane took off again with my luggage still onboard. I was stuck in the kangaroo costume for three days.
I studied dance and was the Sydney Freelance Dance Company’s resident storyteller, performing in a number of their productions.
As a director:
For a number of years, I directed a children’s theatre company. The training teachers, who were the actors, toured schools as part of their practical learning experience to become teachers.
In Second Life— As a director:
Since 2015, I have been the Artistic Director of ACT (The Avilion Cameo Theatre ), a theatre company that has its home on the medieval fantasy RP sim, Avilion. In that time, ACT has presented 55 shows that represent a range of genres and styles.
These include- (Names in brackets refer to the writer/director)
*Original plays, such as ‘Ghostwriters’ about the supposed post-humous publication of a work by Mark Twain as channeled through a medium. (Bajoy)
*Performance poetry, such as ‘Journey of a Soul’ about finding one’s true self. (Hollie)
*Adaptations of novels, such as ‘Women of their World,’ based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic, ‘Little Women’ (Bajoy) and ‘As You Wish’, based on Goldman’s ‘The Princess Bride’ (Bajoy)
*Adaptations of folktales, such as ‘Arabian Tales’, based on ‘the 1001 Arabian Nights and ‘700 Cinderellas’ based on the French, Egyptian, and Canadian versions of the Cinderella story (Bajoy)
*True stories from history, such as ‘The Deep Divide’ based on the American Civil War’ and‘Love Eternal’ that recounts the love story of the medieval Abelard and Heloise (Bajoy)
*Tributes to famous people, such as ‘A Tribute to Hans Christian Andersen’ (Bajoy) and ‘A Tribute to Angela Lansbury’, the well-known actress (Hollie)
*New plays by new playwrights, such as ‘Double Bill’ and ‘Triple Bill’.
*Dance programs, such as ‘CREATE’, where choreographers showcase their work.
*Collaboration with other creators (e.g. poets, musicians, dancers, artists) to develop plays, such as ‘If Music is the Food of Love’, a play about a possible working relationship between William Shakespeare and the musician, William Byrd. (Bajoy & Byrd)
*Collaboration with other groups (e.g. Rocca Sorrentina Players) to develop shows, such as ‘All Star Vaudeville’ (Sere & Bajoy) and the opera, ‘La Serva Padrona’ (Sere & Bajoy).
In addition to directing ACT, I am also the Director of the Renaissance Players, a new company based at The Globe theatre at Renaissance Island, that is dedicated to presenting plays based on legends, folklore and historical stories, as well as the adaptation of Shakespearian and other plays from the Elizabethan period.
Hermes: What unique challenges and rewards do you find in working within a virtual platform like Second Life, compared to traditional theater?
Bajoy: Challenges. Perhaps the biggest challenge faced in putting on plays in a virtual environment relates to ‘time’
- finding the time to engage in virtual world productions that involve rehearsals as well as performances when a person already has a busy real life;
- catering for the various time zones of the performers and the artistic team; and
- taking into consideration the health concerns related to spending extended time sitting in front of a computer screen
Another challenge that virtual performers face is gaining the recognition they deserve as an authentic performer, particularly from those individuals who do not understand the medium and regard it as ‘only a game’. Virtual theatre is a ‘real’ experience that involves as much professionalism. skill, and commitment as traditional theatre — even if the theatrical outcomes are achieved through different means.
Rewards. The biggest reward for me has been to see actors grow and blossom from their involvement in theatre production and the friends they make as they work together to create a play. Some of these individuals would not have had the opportunity to be involved in traditional theatre, for a range of reasons—including health issues and proximity to theatre venues.
Personally, working in virtual theatre has given me the opportunity to do what I love best — playwriting and having the opportunity to bring these works to the stage for production. I enjoy working as part of a team to create a new theatrical work. I now have many friends from around the world and even have had the opportunity to visit a few of them in person.
Hermes: How do you approach creating and directing performances in a virtual environment? What are some of the differences in your creative process compared to traditional theater?
Bajoy: As in traditional theatre, the process of creating a play is a team effort. It is advisable to have differentiated tasks and to make these clear at the beginning of the process, so there is no confusion later. In addition to actors, ACT works with costumiers, choreographers, set designers, and those doing the publicity to create a show and to bring it to fruition. Each individual has an important role to play in the overall process.
One of the obvious differences between a virtual environment and a traditional environment is that everyone in SL is performing through an avatar, which adds another layer to the interactions.
Although committed to a production, it inevitable that actors may sometimes face RL situations that need resolution, or the server may be down so they are unable to get online, or the sim crashes causing disruptions. These are part of the SL experience and need to be accepted with good grace.
It is easier, too, in a virtual world for one person to play many roles. Costume changes are usually instantaneous with the push of a button, and the gender of the actor is no problem either, because this can be changed as easily as a costume change. This makes it possible, if needed, to create a show with a large number of characters with only a few actors. Realistically, however, I find the optimum number of actors is 9, although frequently I work with as many as 17, because there is so much enthusiasm for being in SL plays.
Strategic planning is critical to ensure that the actors from different time zones are able to attend rehearsals, preferably not in the middle of their nights.
Hermes: What tools and techniques do you use to bring to create your artistic vision to life in Second Life?
Bajoy: If an artistic vision is to flourish, it must be nurtured in a supportive environment. This is critical on many levels.
First, base the theatre company on a sim where you will receive support and a receptive audience. The Avilion Cameo Theatre (ACT) has been fortunate in this. Avilion, the home sim of ACT, has always supported the theatre company by giving it space and by providing Avilion Trustee Juniper Darrow as its patron. Also, Avilion’s Trustees, Administrators and residents (in addition to others from outside the sim) attend the plays. ACT is affiliated with the Bards of Avilion, led by Moon Aerandir, who also provide an ongoing source of support. Many of the bards perform as actors in ACT’s shows.
Second, it is useful for the theatre group to have a management structure to provide support and ongoing feedback. In ACT, I am the Artistic Director, but I am supported by three Associate Directors (SL names – Hollie Aluveaux, Layne Thomas, and Sere Timeless) who help in the ongoing decision making processes and can deputise for me if I need to be away from SL for a period of time.
Third, as a director of plays, it is crucial that actors, some of whom are new to the experience, be given encouragement, are made to feel comfortable in the group, and are helped to develop their skills. Not only do they need to learn how to operate their own animations, but also they need to accept invitations to dance HUDs as required and how to interact with others to form effective stage pictures.
Four, when working with a theatre group in Second Life, I think it is important to have a long range plan. For example, planning the next year’s season this year, so that everyone involved understands what productions are upcoming and what their commitments would be if they chose to participate. (ACT makes every effort to include in a production in some capacity all those who have expressed an interest in it. There are no formal auditions except ‘expression of interest’.)
Hermes: Theater often involves close collaboration. How do you foster teamwork and collaboration among your cast and crew in the virtual setting of Second Life?
Bajoy: ACT is open to anyone who is interested in acting in a play or wants to help create one as an artistic team member (e.g., director, choreographer, set designer, costumier, publicity creator).
There are a range of reasons why individuals choose to enter a virtual world. For this reason, ACT aims to foster tolerance and acceptance of difference. Of course, ACT aims at a high standard of performance, too, but equally important is the welfare of those involved in the production.
Enjoying the process, having fun, and learning new skills are all part of this process. More experienced performers are encouraged to support the newcomers.
Members of ACT are asked to give suggestions for plays they would like to see staged and are invited to write, direct, choreograph, design or take on other theatre-related tasks. This gives them a sense of ‘ownership’ of the ongoing process. As a result, some individuals keep coming back and have been in most of ACT’s productions.
