Eboman
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Eboman has been professionally active since 1995, and since then has built up an international reputation as a pioneer in the areas of video sampling and real-time video manipulation. His work has brought him a wide range of awards, including the BV Pop Prijs, the NPS Cultuurprijs, the Edison/Silver Harp, various Dance Awards, two TMF Award nominations and a Webby Award.
Since 1995, he has produced dozens of projects, including live performances: Sample madband (1996), skrtZz int_R_faCe (2000), skrtZz pen (2003), Gedoe of Gedaan (2004), Verknipt (2005)), Sample madnesS films including Fort Ebo GoLd (1997), d Driver must be a MAdMaN (1999), LLib LLik (2004)) and online projects including LinkWood (2002), Grand Theft Audio (2002), Viva la Creacion (2007), Breaker.nl (2009), www.wikivideo.info (2011), hypervideo player (2011)).
Eboman has been involved as an audiovisual designer in projects by the Postbank, Doc vs. Doc, Telefonica, 55DSL, Nike, Heineken, Apple, Nederlands Filmmuseum, TNT, Agnes B, Nokia, XS4ALL, Bløf, Doe Maar, VPRO, MTV, Ferry Corsten, Ray-Ban, Deloitte, Fortis, Achmea, Friesche Vlag, Levi's, KPN, Caixa and Sony Playstation.
Over the years, he has performed more than 600 times, on stages all over the world as diverse as: Roskilde festival (DK); the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam; Lincoln Centre, NYC; Sonar (SP); OnedotZero (UK); Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona; ICA London; MOMA Montreal; Liquid Room (JAP); Queen Elisabeth Hall, London; the FNCNM (CAN); Brixton Academy, London; Lowlands festival and Pinkpop (NL); Centre Pompidou, Paris; Holland Festival Amsterdam and Tribal Gathering (UK).
A complete overview of all of the projects produced by Eboman can be found in Eboman’s Projectography. On this page, you can also see, project-by-project, the compositions Eboman has published on the internet.
History of Eboman
1985–1992: of Sample madnesS
My first Sample madnesS compositions date from 1985, and used the common
radio-cassette recorder of the time as an instrument. By connecting my cassette player to my mother’s cassette recorder,
I was able to copy fragments from one tape to another, and thereby make remixes. My first scratches also date from this period.
I used my father’s turntable, downstairs in the living room. ZZ Top and Peter Koelewijn.
I called my mixes S" (Super inch,
a wordplay on 12" (twelve inch)) remixes.
In 1986, this dabbling became more serious.
Together with Maurice van Brummelen, aka 'Moreezz', I set up dSQ (Demon Sample sQuad).
I had a lot of fun chopping up sounds with Maurice. We also made cartoon strips and other creative chaos. But our real passion was for chopping and splicing fragments.
At the end of 1986, I bought my first: the Casio SK-5.
I was rather disappointed with the sound quality and the limited sequence options. The sounds that reached my teenage bedroom from Dutch VPRO radio
and dodgy German pirate stations were difficult to replicate. Thanks to the Casio sampler, I was however able to create my first sample database: a collection of cassette tapes with interesting short fragments from the radio, synthesizers and VHS video tapes, organised using a note pad. The combination of Casio sampler and mixing using tapes led to the first fully fledged sample compositions, such as 'Tragic Error'. The beats for this track were played live using the SK-5, over which sound fragments from video tapes were recorded and mixed.
At this time, I was not yet aware of musical styles. My involvement with music was not yet that serious. I was more interested in playing around with sound fragments and effects, in order to create my own (musical) world. Everything went into the mixer with this in mind: Eddy Murphy films, episodes of the Muppet Show, the news, hip hop, acid, the moon landing, the Pixies, noise, Rick Astley: anything. I was enjoying the freedom of sampling.
An important step in my development as a sampList was given new impetus through the acquisition of a Commodore Amiga computer. Computers made a great impression on me ever since I first saw one, but in 1987 they were still far too limited to be used as a real creative instrument: I derived most pleasure from programming text adventure games and making ASCII pictures. This all changed with the arrival of the Amiga: 4096 colours! stereo sound! hallo! A professional studio at home! Thanks to the Amiga, I was able to happily experiment with sound and images using "Dpaint" (a drawing and animation program), the semi-software synthesizer "Sonix" and sample sequence software "Soundtracker". Initially, I only worked with the standard samples and sounds in "Sonix" (sometimes combined with the Casio SK-5, with a serious loss of sound quality). Once I had obtained an audio-digitizer, I was able to work with my own samples in Soundtracker (and Protracker, Startracker, Octalyzer, Noise tracker, Octracker, etc.).
After 1989, I discovered funk and jazz, and started to take the timing and nature of tracks more seriously. Thanks in particular to Public Enemy, I became aware of the power of abstract samples and the boost you can give a track through clever timing and layering. In 1990, with some friends from the neighbourhood, I set up 'PRC': our own hip hop crew. I provided the music and scratches.
In 1991, I moved to Hilversum to study Image and Media Technology at the School of Arts. This study opened up a new world to me: the world of art and professional AV design. It took a while for me to get used to this. I had come straight from grammar school, where I had studied science subjects. Furthermore, all my experience I had gained as a sampelist/animator had been in my own creative world, without much interference from outside.
In Hilversum between 1991 and 1992, I experimented a great deal with animation, video and sound, but my plan to use this course as a springboard to take my animation and sampling skills to a higher level came to nothing: they had the same Amigas I had at home (in fact, I now had two: twice their sample power!). In addition, there wasn’t much more to learn about sampling, and even less about how to combine this with animation, never mind video. In 1991, digital video was not yet available to poor students: so it was back to my simple Amiga set-up.
1993–1995: towards successful Sample madnesS
In 1993, I released my first vinyl record: 'Runn into jaZz'. This became a sort of jazz-dance club hit. This Amiga composition was part of the soundtrack for a fashion show I produced in 1992. For this release, I recreated the Amiga composition in a studio in Roermond, using 16bit samples. This was my first experience of 16bit equipment and a professional studio environment.
1993 also saw my first video sample composition. The basis for this composition was formed by a sample from a video by the rapper Paris, who had recorded a station call for MOtv (the local Utrecht broadcaster). At that time, it wasn’t yet possible to render the composition as a video clip, so I saved the video sample separately on three separate floppy discs, alongside the audio composition. I digitised the video material at college. You could get a black & white video fragment lasting about a second, at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels, with a frame rate of 12 frames per second and 16 grey shades, on a floppy disk. I couldn’t yet edit video, so I could only work on the audio. It was not until years later that I stuck the video onto the audio.
In addition, (with the help of some teachers) I programmed a number of simple 'video filters' in C++.
In the same year, I also produced my first 'audiovisual FX'-type animation for a bumper for MOtv.
In 1994, I bought my first professional sampler. The Roland S760. A fine sampler, but with one significant disadvantage: the Amiga’s great all-in-one-studio production process was disrupted. Together with Peter Kardolus, I set up a studio around this sampler in Utrecht. In the ladies’ toilet of the school building where we were living at the time, with egg cartons (and the accompanying mice) from a chicken farm on the walls and on the ceiling as 'sound insulation/reflectors'. Together, we tried to get to grips with a professional production process and undertook a lot of experiments with 16bit mixing.
It was around this time that Peter gave me the name Eboman, which came from a mix tape I had made for him. This tape opened with a funny, quasi-cool 1970s fusion-jazz track about the 'Eboman'. This track is on the LP 'mr. Fathead' by David Newman and is called – you guessed it – Eboman. Ebointro, the opening song from the first Eboman EP, starts with a fragment from 'Eboman'.
The first completed compositions from this new work process emerged on the houseboat I lived on in Arnhem in 1995. This then led to the first Eboman album (unreleased). A major role in this was also played by the TB-303 synth. Together with the S760 sampler and my Apple hard-disk recorder, this formed a great set-up for me. In the summer of 1995, I had a lot of fun messing about with this on my houseboat (and playing with the ducks). This is also where I designed the Eboman logo and the Sample madnesS logo.
1995–1997: start of successful Sample madnesS
The first Eboman live performance took place in the tower of the Dom (cathedral) in Utrecht on 14 mei 1995. Following this gig, I was soon approached about more performances. The energetic presentation, loose, hectic groovy feel of the performances, the wild energy of the music and the madness with which all kinds of styles were thrown together was extremely successful. This live concept offered a great deal of space to experiment with sound... and images!
Together with Armin Drøge, at the end of 1995 I linked an Amiga computer to my S760 sampler. The Amiga could play visual samples in synch while the S760 played audio samples. This gave us an audiovisual sampler with which I could trigger audiovisual samples in real time. Composing with video samples was now possible. In a short time, I then created two compositions of particular importance to me: GarbiTch and NoMoClearanCe (eFFenaar).
An interesting fact is that the samples I used for this came from the same video tapes I had used in 1987 for my audio samples: the 'roetoekadoeng' sample from 'Runn into Jazz' and 'Tragic Error', Schoolly D from the same documentary I had used for 'Tragic Error', Louis Armstrong for NoMoClearance, 'if you continue...' for NoMoClearance, Public Enemy scratches for NoMoClearance, the 'Garbage' sample from 'Callippo cola' and 'Tragic Error', gunshots from Beverly Hills Cop for GarbiTch... etc. 'GarbiTch' in particular was an instant live hit.
In January 1996, the first vinyl EP was released under the name Eboman:Sampling madnesS pt.1 (European release september 1996). This record included the number 'Donuts with Buddah'. This number was a big success. Also internationally. Thanks to this success, the number of performances grew explosively.
The same year, I also composed a SmadS interview with Chris Cunningham for the VPRO broadcaster. In the summer, I bought a new Apple computer, with which I could edit video more efficiently. Thanks to this computer (in combination with Samplecell and a Miro DC-20 card), I was back to a great all-in-one-studio setup. Now I could really let myself loose on audiovisual samples... in colour!
Erm, well, not really really... video editing software was still in its infancy back in 1996. Also, computers were pretty slow for video editing applications (and the hard disks were too small). Video sampling therefore involved: a lot of manual work. Every edit had to be done by hand, as the software didn’t have good copy-paste or automated functions. To produce the tracks for the 'Hardcore Sample madnesS' project, I didn’t use any audio samplers and sequencers, but just video editing software. This means the rhythms are more 'spiky', but the number of different samples in the compositions is much greater, as the size of the computer memory is less important when you are working with a video-editor.
In 1996 and 1997, I won all kinds of awards, including a Silver Harp, the BV Pop Prijs, the NPS Culture Award and various dance awards, and from then on I received invitations to play live all over the world. In 1997, the Eboman Sample madbandD consisted of: Eboman (AV sampling), Olaf Jansen (scratch), Jan Bart Meijers (guitar), Mascha Rutten (camera) and Peter Kardolus (saxophone). Between 1995 and 1999, I performed some 200 times with this audiovisual Sample madbandD concept.
The second Eboman vinyl EP 'Bounce to disS' – was also released around this time. The exceptional drawings on the album covers are by Mascha Rutten.
In the summer of 1997, I produced my first Sample madnesS feature film: Fort Ebo Gold. This film had its première at the Lowlands-festival and was rounded off by a Sample madLey. The principal qualities of this film are:
- the complete, 40-minute composition consisted solely of samples from a Western film, without the addition of any more sounds
- the composition had a narrative
- stereo videobeatZz/patterns
- the composition was spread across two video screens facing one another (plus specially developed rotating suspended screens), creating a video environment (with the audience in the middle of the gunfights and dialogues). The software for synchronising the computers was written for me by Gideon Kiers and Keez Duyves.
- I filled the two intermissions with live 'video scratching' (scrubbing Miro DC20 movies)
- samples were made live using a video camera, and then mixed by Gideon during the Sample madLey using my video output
- production process from hell: each video edit was done manually(!) without any decent copy-paste or automated function
And all of this in a sweaty tent, with 7,000 people bursting out of the seams.
I also worked on a leader for Villa Achterwerk (concept, video editing, music), which was then used for more than seven years.
1998–1999: mature Sample madnesS
Thanks to Fort Ebo Gold and all the experiments of the previous years, in 1998 I produced a number of compositions I am still very pleased with to this day: GottoGotto, FlopPy disko, dropPin' E-bombZz, Garbitch 98 and Trap to skiLL you. Every one a live hit. Unfortunately, none of these compositions have ever been released, owing to sample clearance issues.
From 1998, the development of audiovisual effects played an important role in my work: having fun painting with image and sound. This made producing tracks considerably more labour intensive, however. Principally because the visual part and the audio part of a sample had to be processed using different (often not-so-user-friendly) programs and computers at this time were still not powerful enough to perform these processes quickly. Thanks to Maurice van Brummelen’s help with these investigations, I was able to experiment a great deal with the use of audiovisual effects between 1998 and 2001.
As video editing was a very demanding, labour-intensive (mouse-intensive) process, at the end of 1998 I started looking for other ways to carry out my complex audiovisual sample edits. The program 'X-pose' provided an interesting alternative. This was still not a particularly handy program in itself, but it did give me the opportunity to trigger and render real-time samples. This lead to the 'FreestyLe video riddimZz' tracks.
The experiments of 1998 led in 1999 to the second Sample madnesS feature film: d DriVer must be a MAdMaN. This is still one of my favourite compositions. The principal qualities of this film are:
- video sampling, audio sampling, all mashed up together
- narrative constructed from more than 100 films
- audiovisual effect (AVFX) playground
- multi-layer videobeatZz/patterns
- development of skrtZz technology
- live video scratch battles with Moreezz.
- still a production process from hell: most of the video edits were still done by hand, some parts could (fortunately) by edited more easily thanks to X-pose.
For me, the major development of this year was the invention of the 'skrtZz technology'. Thanks to this technology, I was able to produce complete video skrtZz solos. The 'TunneLZz' scene from 'd Driver must be a MAdMaN' was my first fully fledged skrtZz composition. Many others followed.
The immediate impetus for the development of the skrtZz technology was another project from 1999: the 'Chaos Funk' project. For this project, Moreezz and I chopped up hundreds of samples into small pieces, in order to make my production process more intuitive and organic. The Chaos Funk compositions are fun, spontaneously jammed (and therefore chaotic) tracks. This production process was very mouse-intensive, but I was used to this after all the video editing experiments. The same technology was applied in the 'Ebo beatZz n BreakZz' project.
In 1999, I started performing as a DVJ. According to this concept, I use laptops to play audiovisual Sample madnesS remixes of pop cliché tracks, underground dance tracks and own work, all mixed up together. In this way, I am able to use the stylistic devices of the pop industry (which I couldn’t afford) to create my own compositions. With this project, I was also trying to develop an instrument with which to break down the dominant position of the icons of pop culture in the media. The ideal was to use this as a way of democratising the popular (mass) media.
2000–2001: Real-time Sample madnesS
Since 2000, I have been focussing more on 'real-time' control of digital images and sound. 'Containment' is the first video sample composition I created totally live, interactively and through improvisation. Performed with Gideon Kiers and the ASKO ensemble. The interesting thing about this composition is the use of the orchestra. This orchestra was told to play all kinds of fragments of scores (samples), triggered by the output from Gideon and me. In this way, Gideon and I guided not only our digital video sampler, but also an analogue sampler: the orchestra. The second, completely live, interactive composition was a live [ge]skrtZzt[e] report on Naut Humons 'Recombinant' project.
These experiments led in September 2000 to the development of the skrtZz Int_R_faCe (aka SenS I). This live performance instrument was developed in cooperation with Chris Heijens (Yens&Yens) and my father in order to increase my freedom as a performer on stage. Home-developed sensors on both arms, on my hands (using my father’s wedding gloves!) and buttons on the floor allow two laptops to be controlled. This means I can use body movements to skrtZz and trigger images and audio samples – ideal. But still at an experimental stage: the sensors consisted of door hinges with electronics soldered on to them; the interface therefore needed frequent oiling! The electronics that converted the sensor data into midi was also developed by me (together with Chris Heijens), and therefore vulnerable. One handy feature was that these electronics (including audiomixer!) were incorporated into a travel bag, so I could easily take my whole live set (skrtZz int_R_face and laptops) with me as hand baggage when going abroad. The sample control software used for this system was 'Image/ine' by Steim. The G3 laptops used to run this software had a hard time of it: the era of real-time video sample control had not yet really dawned. Nevertheless, these performances were successful, and I found the audiovisual effect skrtZz solos during these performances particularly interesting. I performed about 50 times with the skrtZz int_R_faCe in the period 2000-2002.
This technology went on to be developed into SenS II (2004), SenS III (2005/2006) and SenS IV (2007).
Another project in 2000, from which I derived a great deal of enjoyment, was 'Violent entertainment: gaBBa2000''. This project came about thanks in part to the release of Final Cut Pro, which finally allowed for decent video editing (i.e. with a good copy-paste function and therefore: end of production process from hell!). This also made it easier to create extreme video edit sequences. With the Violent Entertainment tracks, I investigate how the violence in popular media can be magnified to confrontational proportions (without adding extra violence). The intention was to produce 100 short films in this way and carry out an 'internet attack' with these, but unfortunately it didn’t work out. The production process was still too inefficient and labour/mouse-intensive, and furthermore in 2000 the internet was not yet a suitable distribution channel for video.
From 2000, I also became involved in a number of projects initiated by others, i.e. I no longer focused exclusively on Eboman projects. For example, I produced a video clip for Dutch band Doe Maar, remixed old Doe Maar work and performed with this 17 times during the Doe Maar 'Klaar' concerts in AHOY, provided services to Dutchtone for SaiL 2000, to the NEA (extreme sports awards) and Dutch band Bløf.
Inspired by the success of the skrtZz int_R_faCe, from 2001 I started investigating ways of expanding my role as a performer. Thanks to the skrtZz int_R_faCe, I was no longer ‘tied’ to my equipment on stage, but I could move around freely on the stage, improvise and make direct contact with the audience. One of the first projects that taught me a great deal about how to adopt an interesting role as a performer was 'Troost' by theatre group Suver Nuver. For this project, I worked on virtual actors and on videos to accompany these, which were then integrated into the performance. The experiments with acting and form during the rehearsals were particularly interesting and enlightening.
Another interesting platform for experimentation with the combination of new media and live performance was the series of guest lessons I gave at the Maastricht Drama Academy (TAM) in 2001 and 2002. I probably learned more while giving these lessons than the students who followed them.
2001–2002: 3D and on-line Sample madnesS
A new element within my audiovisual work since 2001 is the use of visual 3D effects.
In 2001 and 2002, I upgraded the DVJ concept to version 2.0. The aim remained unchanged (see DVJ 1.0), but the production process became more ingenious through the use of image and sound sequences played in live. Using the skrtZz int_R_faCe, I played these audiovisual sequences in in real time and then modified them using the video edit.
During the period 1997 – 2001, I also produced a number of remixes for Japanese pop artists.
In 2002, I extended the scope of my research on interactive image and sound into internet applications. In the first six months of 2002, I worked, together with my work experience students, on the skrtZz cube (used for the Eboman website 2002); this is an interactive remix of Garbitch, a teaser game for Trap to skiLL you, Linkwood and the Grand Theft Audio DVJ game. All of these projects finally fell prey to over-enthusiasm and the limits of the internet in 2002.
2002 also saw the construction of the new Eboman Sample madnesS studio in Amsterdam.
2002–2004: Sample madnesS software and hardware pt.1
During the second half of 2002, I started work on the development of audiovisual sampling software. The reason behind this was simple: decent video sampling software just didn’t exist. The production process for the creation of my compositions was hopeless, and there seemed to be little prospect of improvement. The software I used up to 2002 absolutely did not fulfil my requirements as an audiovisual sample producer and generally speaking caused more frustration than fun. What’s more, I got RSI.
Since then, I have produced my compositions principally using software I have developed myself. From 2003 through 2006, I have made much less use of the instruments – the software – I had used up until then, and with which I had gained a great deal of experience, such as After Effects and Final Cut Pro. The advantage of this approach was that I was now better able to concentrate on the power of my own software and was able to develop a new way of working. A disadvantage was that the nature of my compositions became rougher and simpler; I more or less had to start over.
Thanks to Aart Muis, who came to me on a work experience placement as a software programmer in the summer of 2002, I have been able to design and elaborate all kinds of real-time video sampling software concepts. The first successful designs were the de skrtZz-pen, the DVJ-mixer and the Frame Drummer Pro
This software was also used to develop the DVJ 3.0 set, among others. A major difference between the DVJ 3.0 project and the previous DVJ projects was the simplicity of composition. With this project, I returned to a simpler working method: a single pop video clip forms the basis of each DVJ 3.0 track. My added value as a composer within the DVJ 3.0 project consists exclusively of the re-ordering and repeating of the visual and audio material in the timeline. Or painting with time, like I had done with the cassette mixes in 1985-1987. Hardly any music is added to the DVJ 3.0 compositions (although the bass drums are beefed up). Hardly any use is made of (3D) effects and there is even hardly any stacking of image and sounds. The relationship between the image and the sound is always left intact: when you hear a sound, you see the accompanying video and vice versa. It was a great challenge to produce fat dance tracks and prove my worth as a sample composer in spite of these restrictions. Concentrating so closely on these basic principles of sampling focuses the emphasis on a number of essential questions evoked by my work, such as: 'how do you judge the added value of the sampList?' and 'what is the relationship of the rights of the sample composer to the rights of the producer of the source material?'.
Together with Aart, in 2002 and 2003 I converted a number of game controllers into audiovisual sampler interfaces and we developed a skrtZz-skateboard, a trigger microphone and an audiovisual drum kit. These instruments allowed us to perform as an audiovisual sample band: Int_R_faCe band. Very, very good fun.
The Gedoe of Gedaan project is the second project in which the development of a sensor suit was central. Within this project, we tried to capture all of the results from the interface experiments over the years in a single audiovisual sampling system (SenS II), and everything I had learned about new forms of theatrical performance in a show. The outcome was not 100% successful. Finally, the tour planned for 2004 was cancelled. I was however able, during the production work on this project, to develop a number of new concepts. These were:
- joint audiovisual sample compositions, performed completely live and partially improvised, by three different players
- an improved SenSor interface, which registers body movements more reliably (although not yet ideally) and sends these to the computer via a wireless connection
- other players (than me) – experienced dancers) operating SenS II
- use of movements of the whole body to modify audiovisual samples
- live sampling and instant composing using composition assistance and automation, thanks to AV analysis
- live video sampling in a theatrical, narrative context
- real-time controllable audiovisual effects (AVFX)
- real-time controllable videobeatZz
- real-time controllable (basic) skrtZz
2004–2005: automated Sample madnesS
The 'AGT' concept: composition assistance and automation technology, whereby the computer generates tracks itself from audiovisual fragments on the basis of a number of parameters, which can be influenced by the user, was developed for 'Gedoe of Gedaan'. Thanks to this technology, the composer can respond quickly to current events, even in real time, without running the risk of RSI.
The tracks for the project 'RSI: automated SmadS' were produced using this 'AGT' technology. This project was a result partly of my frustration about the RSI I have been struggling with since 2002 (particularly in 2003 and 2004). This project gave rise to new questions about the assessment of the added value of the sample composer or sampList. Another interesting aspect is how, thanks to this project, the phenomena 'creativity', 'originality' and 'artistic product' have been called into question.
A number of 'DVJ3.0' tracks were also generated (in part) by the computer.
Use was also made of the AGT automation technology for parts of the LLib LLik tracks, in 2004. The majority of this project was composed by hand, however, using Frame Drummer Pro. As with 'DVJ 3.0' and 'RSI: automated SmadS', with this project I returned to the basic principles of sampling. For the 'LLib LLik' tracks, I used only the film Kill Bill Volume one – no music was added (bass drums were beefed up), hardly any effects were used, and the relationship between image and sound is always left intact. This Spartan working method meant that, in this project too, the emphasis was on the questions: how can you assess the added value of the sampList and what is the relationship of the rights of the sample composer to those of the producer of the source material? Quentin Tarantino 'borrowed' a great deal from Asian cinema (in particular from Lady Snowblood by Toshiya Fujita) for the production of his film, but has never been called to account for this. As a sample artist, I would (probably) be presented with a hefty ‘bill’ if I were to offer my LLib LLik compositions (in which I 'borrow' a lot from Kill Bill vol. 1) for sale.
At the end of 2004, I gave a live sample composition workshop using the SenS II technology, under the title: Group Composition. Together with the audience, we 'programmed' a sample composition live by defining a number of tasks on a time line for three players (2 audiovisual sampler (SenS II) players and a cameraman (a ‘sample maker’)) and then played the composition by having the three players walk over the 'task course' or 'the time line of the composition'. This led to chaos... but an interesting chaos!
2005–2006: Sample madnesS software and hardware pt.2
Together with the Huis a/d Werf theatre organisation, we developed the 'Gedoe of Gedaan' project further, into a production I am very happy with: Verknipt (Cut Up). For this, the SenS II software and hardware was completely rebuilt and expanded. Thanks to 'Verknipt', I was able to realise the following new concepts:
- a complex video sample system that works! (SenS III)
- a good SenSor interface, which reliably registers body movements and sends these to the computer by wireless link
- real-time, 3D audiovisual effects (3DAVFX)
- good body-controlled video skrtZz
- live interaction between two SenS players, who together improvise the performance of a video sample composition
- live composition with video samples recorded live
- live singing myself (...)
- real-time controllable videobeatZz
- partly improvised, 100% live audiovisual sample compositions (!)
The SenS III technology was used in 2006 for the performance Gurumatic by theatre group d'Electrique. This was an extremely educational experience. Not only was it very interesting to see how Ko van den Bosch, Ola Mafalaani and the other members of the team produced an innovative theatrical play, but this was also the first project implemented by SmadSteck. In this project too, we were able to further develop a number of new concepts:
- interaction between the theatrical player and the digital player
- live sampling in combination with live acting and text
- an actor who communicates using samples
- no video, whereby all visual value is derived from the movement and the presence of the player in the play
With the SenS III technology, we created a number of special performances for organisations including Warchild, 20 jaar PopPrijs, de Postbank, Johnny Walker, Museumnacht, VAD festival, Science en Technology Summit 2006, Games in Concert and Luxor, for which I produced all manner of new compositions.
2007-2009: SenS IV: Playing with the audience
While working on the Verknipt project, I met Mattijs Kneppers, Timo Rozendal, Bas van der Graaff and later Nenad Popov. In 2007 and 2008, in cooperation with these talented technicians, I further developed the SenS III technology into SenS IV: a powerful, reliable, highly advanced video sampler that is still (2011) the most advanced video sampler in the world. The ability to record video fragments live, cut them up immediately and modify and mix the images and sounds live and in 3D makes SenS IV totally unique.
The first project on which I used this technology was the ¡Viva la Creaçion! project (for internet provider XS4ALL). For this 'WikiVideo' project, I produced eight compositions using the internet, together with the general public, in September 2007. The public was invited to upload videos in JumpCut (a kind of YouTube), allowing me to use these videos for my compositions. In the morning, I would download the videos uploaded for me during the past 24 hours, and in the evening I published my composition. Although these compositions were produced in just one day, I was able to use them for a successful live performance at the film festival in Milan. I found it extremely liberating to be able to compose so quickly with video samples (and even with 3D audiovisual effects!). In June 2008, I was awarded a Webby Award for this project.
I realized a similar project for the IDFA documentary film festival in Amsterdam in 2007: the Doc vs. Doc project. For this project, together with a number of different documentary makers, I created five mash-ups from ten different documentaries over a period of five days. A different mash-up every day.
The first live performance using SenS IV was at Giel Beelen’s FreakNacht (Dutch radioshow) in December 2007. The composition I performed on this occasion live (with the SenSorSuit) was made that day using video fragments I had recorded there. This was a milestone: thanks to the power of SenS IV, I was able to produce a cool audiovisual track in one day and then immediately perform it live! I call these videos – made super fast – ‘Disposable Videos’. This may sound negative, but I don’t mean it like that: this way of working makes it possible to improvise during the composition process, and by so doing to respond directly to responses from the audience, other players or current affairs. The Chaos Funk, Gabba 2000, DVJ 3.0, LLib LLik and Automated SmadS projects are examples of previous 'Disposable Video' projects.
Following the visit to Giel Beelen, I focused again on the realization of my live performances. We expanded the opportunities for recording video fragments and immediately transforming them into a new composition, live on stage. We had successfully experimented with this during the Verknipt tour in 2005 we then expanded the concept further for the i-Tour with the Ricciotti Ensemble in March 2008.
This concept proved very successful, and resulted in a huge number of assignments through 2008, 2009 and 2010. In total, we have realized more than 60 advanced projects in just two years. For example: the introduction of the iPhone G3, the launch of the Sony PS3 game 'Litte Big Planet', the presentation of the Dutch Beeld en geluid Awards, Achmea Pling Award, and the Effie Awards, commercials for Fortis, Nike, and Friesche Vlag, the introduction of a new product for Heineken, an interactive installation for pop venue Metropool, hosting the Celluloid Remix project, a tour of universities for the Ministry of VROM, performances at branding events for Nokia, Ray-Ban, and Caixa, the opening act at various festivals and projects, audiovisuals for a fashion show by 55DSL and for a conference by Telefonica and PICNIC. Special compositions were produced for all of these projects. Which was a lot of work.
In 2007, I started publishing my old work on YouTube, but as tracking down all the old material was too much of a distraction from the new projects – and the number of views was disappointing – I stopped doing this in 2008.
2009-2011: Senna, WikiVideo and HyperVideo
In 2009 and 2010, we developed the SenS software further to create a video sampling instrument for children. I call this 'wikivideo instrument' Senna. Senna allows children – individually or in groups – to use fragments from YouTube videos to create audiovisual collages. Our aim is to develop an instrument that enables children to make use of the enormous quantities of sound and vision directed at them from the TV and internet in their own way, and play with this. Senna was developed for children aged 8 and older. Using Senna, children can download YouTube videos and then cut a section out of the video and save it in the Senna video sample database. These samples can then be used to make a collage built up of four layers: a video beat, a video melody, a video bass line and a video storyline. These four layers can be individually manipulated and mixed audiovisually in 3D. A total of 8 collages per child can be saved, allowing the children to give their own live performances. During this presentation, they can swap the eight collages around and manipulate and mix the different layers live in 3D. In fact, they can do everything I do with SenS! As Senna offers a large number of advanced options, we have filled Senna with smart technology to help the children make their video collages. We have also developed a special 3D interface, which naturally leads the children through the various functions and concepts within Senna. This means that even very young children can use Senna, on their own.
Senna was a tiring, but rewarding project. During the production of Senna and the realization of all the other projects in 2009, I felt an increasing need to just make tracks for myself again, without having to cater for a particular target group or client. In addition, working on all those 'Disposable Video' compositions had given me a desire to work on compositions I could spend a longer time playing with and tweaking. This is how I came up with the WikiVideo concept. In this project, I produce compositions in cooperation with the general public. Not only is this fun, it is also necessary: it is amazing for a video sample artist that there is now an unlimited supply of videos out there on the internet – but the quantity of videos is so great, and their diversity so huge and ever-changing, it is not realistic to expect any single individual (amateur or professional) to independently create an overview of all these fragments and the links between them. To produce work with relevant content, I am forced to spend a great deal of time researching material and different subjects. However, this is not where my ambitions lie. I also believe there are already too many irrelevant opinions being expressed by people not qualified to give these, both on TV and on the internet. I prefer to act as a moderator, catalyst, source of inspiration or even initiator of a group process in which video collages are made using facts recorded on video, rather than (usually irrelevant) opinions. This project is a follow up of the ¡Viva la Creaçion! project.
The website www.wikivideo.info is central to the WikiVideo project. This website allows everyone to add fragments from YouTube videos to the WikiVideo database. Anyone can download a YouTube video to the WikiVideo website, cut a segment lasting no more than 30 seconds from the video, add it to a WikiVideo subject and sign it. The WikiVideo subjects will be determined by the WikiVideo Facebook group. Everyone can post subjects on the wall of this group’s Facebook page. The subjects with the most likes will become official WikiVideo subjects. At www.wikivideo.info, it will be possible to follow my working process 24-hours-a-day through a live video stream from a camera pointing at my workplace. This stream also shows how the video samples enter my studio from the site. I will constantly be publishing the WikiVideos I have made on the various subjects. These are never finished, but will continue to develop as long as the subject is relevant and new video fragments are added to the WikiVideo database. It is also possible on the WikiVideo site to see the video samples separately from my compositions, so people can use this as a depositary of interesting video fragments on interesting subjects.
We developed a special video player for the publication of these WikiVideos: the HyperVideo player. A HyperVideo is a video in which you can click on all the different elements in the video collage. Clicking on these elements (in this case, the video samples and the graphics) refers the user on to other places on the internet. Clicking on a video sample automatically opens the original YouTube video from which the sample was taken. Graphics in a WikiVideo can refer to all kinds of different things (links), for example texts in Wikipedia, other WikiVideos, play lists, websites, etc. This principle has been used for text on the internet for a long time (it is called ‘hypertext’): for example, the blue words in Wikipedia that refer to other articles in Wikipedia. This is the first time the same has been done for video.
The WikiVideo website was launched at the same time as the updated Eboman website. They can be found at www.wikivideo.info and www.eboman.info.
Eboman Projectography
A complete overview of all of the projects produced by Eboman can be found in Eboman’s Projectography. On this page, you can also see, project-by-project, the compositions Eboman has published on the internet.
