New Media Dramaturgy – for Physical Performative Spaces
From April 30th to June 27th 2025
7 online lessons at 3 hours in English Language via Zoom & one in person showcase in Berlin.
Wednesdays, 4-7 PM, Berlin Time
About the Course
Join us for a 8-lession masterclass study on movement media and technology telling stories through media environments, presented in collaboration with Kanapé Collective.
Hosted by Helin Ulas, an educator and researcher in the Digital Arts Department at HfG Karlsruhe, this course will concentrate on media dramaturgy within performative environments, following a practice-based learning approach, in which participants are invited to work in groups on a project. Helin will be assisted by Belçim Yavuz, an interdisciplinary artist, performer, multimedia designer and architect whose work blends interactive digital media, movement, and performance.
The class series will begin with an introduction to a “Creative Brief*” and then explore media dramaturgy methods through various case studies and references. Each group will be able to create a narrative response: “Composition**” to the brief and the examples covered in class.
We will then concentrate on a hands-on demonstration with Touchdeisgner, showing the participants how to translate such narration models into Touchdesigner. The participants are encouraged to use the media creation method they prefer; in Touchdesigner, we will look into how these media sources could be translated into a times-based or non-linear story-telling environment within a performative space.
Within Touchdesigner, we will examine Interfaces, controlling presets and parameters with trigger-based timelines and time-based timelines for real-time media management. Each group will be asked to respond to the “Creative Brief” and create a prototype of a preset-based system that applies a “Composition” for real-time-based storytelling using “Media Dramatury***” methods.
The class will finalize with a showcase in a physical space in Berlin at Zönoteka Space of Kanapé. Project presentations will be held, followed by a performance produced through the class series, which creates a unique opportunity for practice-based learning. It would be possible to join the final presentations online or in person, as we will create infrastructure to enable people to join online.
The class is aimed at performers looking for ways to learn and understand media dramaturgy within the performative space and at media practitioners who would like to learn further about the performative aspect and collaborate through the class.
1. Creative Brief:
A conceptual framework outlining the thematic focus and key questions for creative exploration in a project.
“Technology no longer shapes our self-perception—it simulates the self and replaces it with its own simulation” – Lorenza Pignatti – Experiments in Eternity: Erkki Kurenniemi
Through the creative brief, we are invited to explore the relationship between the body and technological interfaces using a combination of composition (structured frameworks) and dramaturgy (conceptual narratives).
2. Composition:
The deliberate arrangement of design, visual, spatial, and temporal elements within an installation to create meaningful relationships and support narrative flow.
3. Media Dramaturgy: The conceptual structuring of media elements (video, sound, lighting) to create narrative progressions within immersive environments.
The course final output will be a collaborative, interactive and performance bridging physical and difgital spaces to create a shared experience. This final, hybrid group performance will be staged at the Zoenoteka project space, a symbiotic project and production space for innovative encounters located in the heart of Neukölln Berlin.
Designed for artists, designers, performers, and creative coders, this course provides conceptual and practical tools for working with (interactive) media in the performing arts.
What will you learn?
Lesson 1 – Introduction and Setting the Stage
Course introduction, participant introductions, and an overview of tools and themes. Looking into some case studies in media dramaturgy. A soft introduction to the creative brief.
Reading: New Media Dramaturgy CHAPTER 1 – Cue Black Shadow Effect(pg 1-16)
Lesson 2 – Toolbox for media I – Touchdesigner
Introduction of TouchDesigner operators, methods for real-time animation, interfaces, and methods for time-based media management (interfaces). Introduction to the Idea of Composition and Dramaturgy.
Homework: Create a brief composition (in three sentences or fewer) that conveys actions in a performative environment. Identify corresponding operator parameters in TouchDesigner for your composition. List other media creation tools you use, how you can integrate them with TouchDesigner, and what you would use instead of TouchDesigner for your composition, along with relevant parameters and terminology.
Reading: Cyborg Manifesto Donna Haraway
Lesson 3 – Toolbox for media & methods of collaboration II
We will review your homework results and discuss the questions to establish a solid understanding of the newly introduced tools and techniques. This session is with Belcim, and it is designed to check in on the homework. The class will focus on answering questions and providing examples to explore the class concepts further. Additionally, we will introduce the simulation environment and scenography, allowing you to play with media elements.
Exercise: Discuss how we can form collaborative working environments with tools in hand. Discussion on collective practice(groups).
Homework: Note down your ideas, create a mood board, and see which other class participants align with your ideas. Bring your ideas to the next class.
Lesson 4 – Creative Brief & Timed-Based Performative Spaces
Exploring time-based media spaces, looking into case studies from New Media Dramaturgy and defining “the body.” Deep dive into “Composition” & “Dramaturgy” with in-class exercises. Discussion of the participants’ ideas and looking into possible groups emerging from dramaturgy ideas within the class.
Homework: Start writing down a dramaturgy and composition to formalize your ideas. Complement it with visual references and moods.
Lesson 5 – Spatial Exploration & Composition
What type of interfaces can we create with media media dramaturgy?
Look into examples from the class, focusing on spatial instances with varied media placements. Discuss how different arrangements influence both the environment and the agency level given to the space or the audience.
Homework: Continue working on your compositions and dramaturgy, transforming them into a technical environment for use in the application.
Lesson 6 – Project Polishing Consultation
This lesson will focus on polishing participants’ projects to a deliverable state. Helin and Belcim will be available for individual and group consultations and individual troubleshooting on your projects.
7 – Q & A with Belcim
Open consultation session about your projects with Belcim Yavuz – group or individual.
8 – Project Presentation : Hybrid Collaborative Performance
Sharing, critiquing, and reflecting on participant work and course learnings.
Present your artistic research and your collection of processes throughout the class.
Feedback session and sharing learnings.
The final group performance will transition into a 10-day exhibition showcasing the work. Online participants will be able to control aspects of the physical environment remotely, while in-person participants will be involved directly in the performance and exhibition setup.
What if you can not attend the final presentation in Berlin?
We understand that the majority of our students do not reside in Germany, and for some, attending the showcase in person may not be feasible. We will however make sure, that everybody can participate (remotely) and that everybodies work is documented and credited properly.
Requirements
- A recent PC or MAC Computer (discrete GPU recommended) with stable internet connection.
- Zoom Client installed (please test your audio setup beforehand), wired internet is recommended.
- 3-Button Mouse recommended.
About the Instructors
Helin Ulas creates networked installations and performances that blend fictional narratives of machines and organics. Her research explores socio-political changes, cultural memory, and ecological perspectives. Ulas serves as a lecturer and researcher in the Digital Arts Department at HfG Karlsruhe, focusing on digital cultures, creative computation and ecological themes. She also guest lectures at institutions like NYU’s IMA Low-Res program and the NODE Institute and navigates community-centred practices through Kanapé Kollektiv.
Belçim Yavuz is an interdisciplinary artist, performer, multimedia designer and architect whose work blends interactive digital media, movement, and performance. She creates participatory performances and installations using body-tracking technology, multimedia design, and choreography to engage audiences in reflections on self-perception, surveillance, and collective identity. Belçim’s work bridges disciplines, creating dynamic spaces that invite dialogue and interaction across digital and physical realms.
Flexible Pricing
As with all our courses, we offer three pricing categories to accommodate the different economic value this course can have to different participants. Be fair and respect our work and the instructors by doing the right thing! Assess your situation and choose which ticket is right for you.
– Student & Hobbyist
You are currently studying or want to learn TouchDesigner for personal reasons that are not related to your source of income.
– Professional
You are working professionally as a self employed or freelancing person and want to learn TouchDesigner to advance your career and win new customers by expanding your skills.
Maybe you work as an employee in another field, but want to qualify yourself for new challenges, yet your company is not supporting you on this path.
– Company
You are employed with or are running a company that will leverage the new skills acquired in their work with clients. You want to further qualify your employees and support them on their learning path.
These prices include German VAT (19% ).
Depending on your country of residence you may have to pay a different or no VAT.
You will see your individual price on check out.
