Pioneering Inclusive Digital Arts: The AndroidicaLab Journey

AndroidicaLab stands at the forefront of a transformative initiative in the digital arts landscape. As a coalition of artists and creative workers, we're embarking on a journey of self-reflective R&D with a noble purpose: to empower and uplift fellow creatives who face systemic barriers in the industry.

Our mission is multifaceted and ambitious:

1. Explore Web3 applications within the metaverse
   
   
2. Develop comprehensive training programs for artists, covering:
   
   
   • Digital tools
   • Performance techniques
   • Advocacy skills
   • Hybrid art creation
     
     
3. Foster a vibrant community that unites working-class, neurodiverse, and disabled artists with technologists and allies

This endeavour is not just a project; it's a movement towards a more inclusive and diverse creative sector. We recognise that to truly make an impact, we must extend our reach beyond our immediate circle. We're eager to engage with the broader Innovate UK network, seeking collaborative opportunities, shared insights, and diverse perspectives. We acknowledge that we're at the beginning of this journey and that we have much to learn. Our success hinges on open dialogue and meaningful exchanges with a wide array of voices from various backgrounds and experiences. We're committed to avoiding the pitfall of operating in an echo chamber, instead actively seeking out challenging conversations and fresh ideas.

By sharing our vision with the Innovate UK community, we hope to:

• Gain valuable insights and feedback
• Forge partnerships with like-minded innovators
• Identify potential mentors and advisors
• Discover complementary projects and initiatives

We invite you to join us in this conversation. Together, we can shape a more accessible, inclusive, and vibrant future for the digital arts.

To find out how you can be involve with research or participate as an artist

• email the PCM production office [[email protected]]
• visit the PCM immersive ANDROIDICA project hub webpage 

 

Restarting My Blogging Journey

Hey everyone, Thank you to those who check back and remind me I need to blog again.

It's been a while since I last sat down to write a blog post, so here I am to announce that I'm restarting my blogging journey! Typepad has always been a special place for me to share my thoughts, experiences, and the stuff happening in the world around me and going forward, the theatre and staged productions I’m involved with. And of course the amazing artists I’m humbled to be supporting as I stand up and be counted as a Producer! 

Today, I want to share ‘Producers Pool’. https://www.chrisgrady.org/producers-pool/ 

Producers' Pool June Gathering

We were on Zoom for the Producers' Pool June online gathering. For those who may not be familiar, Producers' Pool is a fantastic community of producers who come together to share ideas as well as give advice and support to one another. This month’s meeting was packed with insightful discussions.

The highlight was Chris Grady's preview of the ‘Producer Persona’ , a bespoke developed managed database system. Simple and Strong. This platform is designed to help producers connect more efficiently, making the often daunting task of finding the right collaborators much simpler.

Producers can sign up at https://www.producerspersona.com  

Check out my profile and the platforms elegant yet simple style

Non-Player Character at the Edinburgh Fringe

On a personal note, I am beyond excited to share that last year's Can’t Be There, Be Here is on hiatus! Why excited? Because instead I am supporting as producers and company manager, Brendan Bradley and his Virtual Reality one man musical Non Player Character and we are heading to the Edinburgh Fringe this year! This virtual reality musical has been a labour of love for its core team Brendan, Maurice and Michael and I can't wait to open at Yotel Edinburgh for a 24 show run on Aug 2nd. During the Producers' Pool meeting, we discussed some of the technical aspects and promotional strategies for the show, including inviting fringe artists and cast groups to ‘Come Play’ which we hope will generate buzz and attract press attention for both shows.

 

Building My Online Presence

As I prepare for the marathon that is the Edinburgh Fringe, I'm also focusing on building back up my online presence. Blogging will be a key part of this journey, allowing me to document my experiences and connect with a wider audience for when the show programmes a 2025 UK tour. But, I need your help!

Growing My Readership

Here are a few ways you can help me grow my readership and spread the word about Non Player Character:

1. Subscribe and Share: If you enjoy my posts, please subscribe to the blog and share it with your friends and networks. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful!
2. Engage with My Content: Leave comments, ask questions, and share your thoughts. The more interaction we have, the more visible the blog becomes.
3. Follow Me on Social Media: Stay updated by following me on Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin. I’ll be posting regular updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more.
4. Join the Conversation: Use the hashtag #NPCmusical when talking about the show online. Let's get the conversation started and create a buzz!
5. Collaborate: If you're a blogger, podcaster, or content creator, let’s collaborate! Guest posts, interviews, and cross-promotions are great ways to reach new audiences.

Thank you for your continued support. I am so excited to share this journey with you and look forward to connecting with new friends along the way. Here’s to the exciting times ahead!

Until next time, Caron

Small Town to Big Screen - Equity East Midlands star-ting with a dream.

It's time to get the branch wheels back in motion. Anyone who was an Online Branch regular may recall that Jan, Feb and Mar were call to action time in regard to formulating and submitting motions for the annual conference.

The Equity Conference is the place where the most representative slice of the union come together to debate and pass new motion which guide and direct the unions activity. It’s the voice of the members. *cough* !! I love Equity but it is far from perfect. Don't ever think that because I post with fanfares and trumpets I don't feel the icy bite of living beyond the fiery warmth of Guild House! The Equity Staff work tirelessly on our behalf.

The winds of change have passed and 2024 in the landscape we inherit. The new framework dictate that motions now need to reach head office by the start of March with regions meeting to determine which branch motion progresses to conference by the end of March.

For the East Midlands Branch who meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the month we have just Jan 10th and Feb 14th to formulate and score consensus on a motion from the branch. The Midlands Regional meeting is Mar 22nd.

So to those not in a branch you are of course welcome here in the Online and Beyond group. However, Branches need a minimum of 10 people in attendance to make decisions. Make it your new year resolution to attend one meeting this year. Find your branch. Join its Facebook Group. Make it your business to get to know the committee. Also think about what you’d like to change and how you think that might formulated into a motion for the annual conference.

In the meantime… The East Midlands Branch is open to everyone. This group is also affiliated to the North & South London Branches as a place for travellers no longer served by the branch boundaries.

New Branches are finding their social media homes which is not as easy as it once was. The Highland & Island Branch is a perfect example. Hello to Myette. The Birmingham & West Midlands Branch too with Tracy Briggs taking the Campaigns Office role. Manchester’s Chris Clarkson visit the East Mids Zoom as well as actively contributing in the Loomio Equity Members Network to share his insight to West Midlands’ Tracey Briggs and Georgie Taylor. What’s happening at your branch?

But I started this post to share with you the next East Mids Branch speaker, Brendan Bradley.

Brendan is an accomplished actor and storyteller who has performed in over 100 TV shows, movies, video games, and immersive experiences. He's shared the screen with Hollywood stars, while also creating his own original content.

Currently based in LA, Brendan has been on the frontlines of the recent SAG-AFTRA strike serving as a strike captain making daily videos explaining the common sense demands that actors and writers are fighting for.

Brendan is a pioneer in live virtual reality performance, having acted on 3 continents in real-time VR. He's supported 50 XR prototypes at the Innovation Lab he founded at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts

Join me and welcome Brendan as he shares insights from his wide-ranging acting career on stage, screen, and the metaverse. He'll be pulling back the curtain on the actor's life and helping us stair into the matrix in 2024.

The meeting is on Zoom. It starts at 7.30 UK time. Speakers tend to go first and branch business is second. There will be a breakout rooms session for digital ‘bar and banter’. For the truly adventurous you can visit the XR Web and VR space which will host its Edinburgh Fringe meet up in the Summer. I love this space commission my Cybersalon its a faithful recreation of the very first Cyber Cafe Siberia which was located at 39 Whitfield Street in London. It is currently a hub to access 3 Galleries created for the RSA’s Augmented Society Network and curated by them.

The Galleries are accessible 24/7 but guided public tours are being host during January.

2024 is going to be a crazy year to be alive.

Some of you may know I have a word to the year. In previous years I’ve had Legacy, Boundaries, Mindfulness, Posture and last year was Balance. This year is Converse. So… talk to me! I want to be a better listener as well as a more engaging conversationalist.

I did not expect this to turn into a blog post but hey... here we are!

If you want to take part in the East Midland Branch activity, you don't have to be an Equity Member living in the East midlands. Just bare in mind those that do are eligible to vote when consensus is required. All Equity Members are welcome as well as the Equity Curious. We are a branch with total current active membership of around 60 and a members list of in benefit Equity Members of 1100. Meeting tend to get between 15 and 25 member attending. That means its easy to get hear if you have something to say!

So some links

1. The Branch's temporary website with past meetings and new updates Doh! now I realise that needs updating!!
2. The Meeting Registrations via Eventbrite or Register directly for Zoom. We are a Room and Zoom set up.
3. Our East Midlands Branch webpage on the Equity site for contacting the regional officials is live but the branch does not yet have access to update it hence the temporary solution included as link 1.
4. Check out Brendan's Instagram
5. Find your Equity Branch
6. Check out the RSA:ASN XR/VR Gallery Tours 11th and 25th Jan
7. Go visit the Cyberia XR Cafe in Spatial.io. Here is a quick first time entry guide to take a peek without having to sign up

We have a Facebook Page and private group as well as a account on X. We are EquityEastMids.

Thanks for reading.

 

The Rise of Thinking Machines: What Performers Need to Know

 

At the October meeting of Equity's East Midlands Branch the speaker, the first “Branch Talks with…Industrial Officials” guest was Liam Budd.

The use of Artificial Intelligence across the audio and entertainment industry is on the rise. At the recent Equity East Midlands branch meeting, Liam from Equity's recorded media department gave an eye-opening presentation about artificial intelligence and its impacts on the entertainment world.

Liam is a strong advocate for the protection of performers from unregulated technology. In June 2023, he called on the government to “step in with robust measures to properly regulate the use of AI in the entertainment industry”.

AI, Liam clarified refers to "thinking" machines that can perform tasks requiring human intelligence and creativity. While the technology presents opportunities, legitimate concerns exist around job displacement, infringement of rights, and ethical implications.

As highlighted in Liam's talk, AI is already being used to clone the voices, images, and performances of individuals - sometimes without consent. Harmful deep fakes represent one troubling application, with women frequently victimised.

Liam explained Equity's efforts to empower members through initiatives like the "Stop AI Stealing the Show" campaign and a comprehensive AI toolkit. The union aims to strengthen performer rights and incorporate ethical AI clauses into collective bargaining agreements.

Key principles include centring human creativity, requiring consent, giving artists control over digital likenesses, ensuring fair compensation, and promoting transparency.

As AI capacities rapidly advance, we face a critical window of opportunity. Performers must educate themselves on the issues and possibilities surrounding thinking machines. Groups like Equity are advocating for ethical frameworks, but success hinges on members proactively exercising their rights.

The future remains unwritten. But by banding together and insisting technology serves creators - not replace them - we can author a new script. Our art forms depend on the infusion of humanity. As Equity's toolkit states, progress cannot lower the curtain on live performance.

Write up by Caron Lyon (assisted by Claude.AI)

RESOURCES

“Guidance on Artificial Intelligence work for artists” is one of the resources produced by the department. Equity has also compiled an AI Toolkit to help members begin to give context to this new technology and help you understand how to recognise and manage it as it impacts and integrates into our working lives. It will affect everyone differently.