Hypertext 08

Here's a summary of my participation in the June conference:

“CHANGING KEY”
A hyperdrama video and lecture-demonstration
By Charles Deemer



Overview

In “Changing Key” I will introduce the dramatic principles of hyperdrama, illustrate them with a short dramatic video, and discuss the “nuts & bolts” of writing and producing hyperdrama both for live performance and for film. The entire package will be a structured video accessed through a website with embedded videos that are hosted at YouTube.


Structure

Changing Key is organized in three parts.

• Introduction: I’ll begin the video by comparing the differences between traditional dramatic storytelling and storytelling driven by the new dramaturgy of hyperdrama.

• A Short Drama: The new dramaturgy will be illustrated by a short video drama called “Changing Key.” It’s the story of an aging and addicted jazz pianist who has placed himself under house arrest at his sister’s home in order to get straight but then decides he must escape in order to participate in a special gig in New York. The story features 7 actors, each with a unique narrative path through the hyperdrama.

• Nuts & Bolts: I’ll conclude the video with a discussion of the techniques of planning, writing, directing and producing hyperdrama, including the use of specialized software.


Access

Changing Key will be accessed from a website hosted by Ibiblio at the University of North Carolina, in my archival area. Each video link will be embedded at the site, and the links will be structured in a user-friendly fashion for moving through the narrative. Along the way, the user will make particular choices that define a unique path through the overall video presentation.