X-Ray of the Virgin of Guadalupe

Way back in September, Charlie initially wrote about TAP, giving our readers an early look at the software.  The application is designed to be extremely flexible, meaning that we will be reusing TAP for future exhibitions both inside the museum and conceivably outside.    Although the IMA attempted a multimedia guide back in 2005 for the American galleries (does anyone remember this?) – this will be the first time we’ve attempted this type of visitor-focused experience for an exhibition. And to think, the entire software development and authoring, content production and implementation was done entirely in-house (check out the video below for a closer look at TAP).

When it comes to new media production, a lot of footage and content goes unused in the final product.  In the case of TAP – we shot and recorded hours and hours of media for the tour.  Once it’s all edited and fine tuned, it boils down to about a 90 minute experience.  What happens to the hours of unused material? This brings me to Easter Eggs.  We wanted to provide some surprises in this tour and make use of content we ordinarily wouldn’t use.  In some ways, Easter Eggs are similar to a cameo by Alfred Hitchcock.  They are little surprises or experiences that were created to augment the real or planned experience.  In the technology sense, they are intentional, additional pieces of content that are hidden, hard to find – but the in the end, result in a funny or unexpected discovery.  What will you find?

The hidden location!

You won’t find Alfred Hitchcock on TAP – especially since he once said “Always make the audience suffer as much as possible” - but you will be able to locate secret 3-digit codes that will lead to you new stories.  How do you find these Easter Eggs?  Well, you can surf around HERE or come to exhibition and investigate.  You might find something – are you up for the challenge?

I’ve never been a big fan of MTV.  Let’s face it, it hasn’t been “Music Television” in over a decade.

However, according to the LA Times, MTV is launching a ‘new media’ series, $5 Cover, on multiple platforms (from silver screen to small screen to, er, iPod screen) that will “meld reality TV and indie cinema.” Even though the phrase ‘reality TV’ makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit, at least they’re trying, right?

$5 Cover promises to capture the flavor of the local Memphis music scene with real musicians playing themselves, orchestrated by filmmaker Craig Brewer, writer-director of “Hustle & Flow.” Check out the trailer for $5 Cover here (Oh, did I mention there’s roller derby?)

Image from fivedollarcover.com

The LA Times goes on to say…

The show, [which launched May 1]  at midnight on MTV’s cable channel and on its website, fivedollarcover.com, is a fascinating experiment in new media storytelling, combining the unabashed narcissism of reality TV with the raw, rough edges of indie cinema. Until now, Web series have largely been drawn to comedy and thriller storytelling genres.

Image from blog.fivedollarcover.com

MTV seems to be revamping the rest of their programming too, and it’s starting to look, well, a lot like one of my all-time favorite channels, CurrentTV (and it looks like they’ve noticed.) According to The New York Times, in an effort to reach its youthful audience in these times of economic crisis (read: desperate attempt to boost ratings), MTV is taking steps to add more relevant programming:

Meet MTV for the era of Obama. After years of celebrating wealth, celebrity and the vapid excesses of youth, MTV is trying to gloss its escapist entertainment with a veneer of positive social messages.

Less socialites. More substance. We’ll see if it’s enough to make me ‘want my MTV’ again.

Developed for IMA's American Galleries in 2005

Rewind a few years.  Does anyone remember the American Gallery handheld project – ArtXplore – that the IMA piloted in 2005?  It was a short-lived project that helped (indirectly)shape much of the current technology strategies at IMA.  It was a difficult project, with some victories, lessons learned and a big part of the technology, evolutionary process at our museum.  Since 2005, we have re-focused our efforts to create digital content that visitors in any location can access. Although we do offer audio tours at the Lilly House, a cell phone tour for the Gardens and Grounds – our primary strategy has to increase the reputation of IMA globally, and share our stories about art with a much larger online audience.  It’s an approach I support, but with the opening of the Art and Nature Park next year, should we try another attempt with some sort of handheld device?  Perhaps.
Information on From Audiotours to iPhones Workshop, case studies, speaker bios, flickr images, you name it, can be found HERE.  It is an amazing basket of information, applicable to anyone interested in the ways museums operate.  The conference represented some of the most innovation and brightest minds working in museums today – excluding myself of course.

You really should visit this wiki!

The workshop featured tales of success, failure and the in between.  It highlighted the brilliant tours created with Antenna Audio/Discovery Communications at Tate Modern and SFMoMA.  It showcased the many devices possible – custom devices, iPod’s, iPhones, PSP’s, Nintendo DS and more.  It delved into the ways information is sent to a device – GPS, infrared, WAP, RFID and OTHER options.  It showed what the biggest and smallest museums are capable of creating, innovating and overcoming.  And it brought out the personalities of these museums – a paleontologist experimenting with different approaches to the visitor experience, a one-person department from the San Jose Museum of Art, and many of the up and coming museums that will soon be influencing and leading the arena of museum technology.

I was honored to be at the Tate Modern, sit on one of the panel discussions, rub elbows with insightful and brilliant colleagues, but most importantly, eager and motivated to create something new at the IMA.

You’ll have to wait and see.

It took 3 flights, about 19 hours of flying time and 6 hours of airport mulling to make it here.  How does someone that works in new media stay occupied, engaged and sane on a trip like this?  The glamour of economy class, cheap wine and tasteless food can only go so far.  I’m talking about other options – but with a new media twist.  So here goes –

Think about the next big thing.  Think about nothing.  Or, think about Flickr.  I always opt for the window seat.  It allows uninterrupted moments of thought and a great view.  I love clouds and the landscape below, so in between naps, reading or thinking of the next IMA project, I take photos, lots of them.  With that in mind, check out one of my favorite flickr groups, From the Airplane Window.  You might even see some of my snaps and you’ll think about flying differently the next time you take a flight.  And speaking of flickr, have you checked out IMA’s latest set of images?  You should, because they’re kind of cool.

I love planes and am happy to discuss my favorites or least favorites.  But hands down, the only plane for me is the Boeing 747.  It’s a beautiful piece of design – massive but elegant, stylish and timeless.  Which of course leads me to mention IMA’s blog – specifically our first guest blogger, Patrick Smith, who submitted a superb post on the 747, Pan Am, the Concorde, and the Jetliner as Art.  So – if you’re stuck in an airport with your laptop and looking for something to do (other than check work e-mail), read his post, then impress the person sitting next to you on your next flight, with your new knowledge of aircraft design.

If you’re not the chatty type, recline your seat, turn on your iPod and watch or listen to Indianapolis Museum of Art content.  Yes, you better believe it.  The IMA has its own iTunes page where you can check out some of our latest audio and video content.  And unlike airline food/drinks, our stuff is free, educational, engaging and sometimes funny.  Anyone remember the I love the A.D.’s webisode from the Roman Art from the Louvre exhibition?  It’s on our iTunes page.  Just click, here (make sure you have iTunes installed on your machine).

The NES practically raised me as a kid, so I still hold a special place in my heart for video games.  Recently, I’ve given more and more thought to the role that new handheld devices can assist our visitors in a more meaningful experience.  For instance, when our Art and Nature Park opens next year, should we provide visitors with handhelds such as iPhones, PSP’s or PDA’s?  I don’t know the answer to that…yet, but staff at the IMA are already thinking about the next innovative visitor experience.  Flying 35,000 in the air, I messed around with the Sony PSP as a possible device.  I watched our latest video with Jim Irsay and of course, played some video games – Lego Star Wars II being my favorite (who doesn’t love R2D2?).  It’s unlikely the IMA will partner with Rockstar Games to create an Art Museum Curator game, but we might just create content that will live on your PSP, iPhone/iTouch, or the next popular device.  We’re crafty that way.

It’s now 8:30am Monday morning (8:30pm Sunday night in Indy) and I’m off to some conference sessions.  I would love to hear your thoughts on how to use technology when traveling.  I’m sure I missed something.

Those who know me at all know that I am a Mac sympathizer and will take every opportunity to shamelessly plug Apple products. (And use as many as I can get my hands on.) So it is not surprising that I would have iTunes U at the top of my favorites list. But there is another reason to love iTunes right now….IMA is on it! We launched an iTunes U page on January 28^th allowing anyone with an iPod (or iPhone) to download free IMA videos and audio tours. In addition to finding our digital stuff on YouTube and imamuseum.org, now you can also find it where you already play, in the iTunes store. Search for “Indianapolis Museum of Art” and take your pick of free art videos! (Did you know it is good karma to share this newfound knowledge with friends? Who wouldn’t want to score some free downloads?) BTW, it is definitely bad karma to think to yourself, “Nobody wants free art videos.”

Reading my last blog post will expose my relatively new love of Facebook. The only Web 2.0 thing I love more than Facebook is the super fantastic app ArtShare. Developed by the talented crew at the Brooklyn Museum, it is an easy-to-use tool that allows you to share art you dig with anyone who visits your Facebook page. Just install the app, select art you like and watch it cycle through a loop as you poke strangers, dish out your daily zombie bites and digitally scribble inside jokes onto friends’ walls.

To make it even more awesome, I spent a morning last week uploading a sampling of IMA-owned works of art so that soon all of my peeps (and hopefully people I don’t know) will start choosing some of our stuff. I will also mention that any artist can upload work to share with friends too. (The only thing I like to promote more than Apple stuff is the talent of underappreciated artists.) There are many practical reasons why artists and museums should love ArtShare. I am, of course, referring to things like marketing, networking, mission statements, etc. But, none of these describe the reason I love it. I simply love art and ArtShare lets me indulge that interest and share it with others.

So, I hope you will investigate these on-line opportunities and find that you like them too. Otherwise there would have been little point to your reading this humble post.