Three Ways Through the Square

This is a Multi Channel Video Sculpture.

Showcase First

Prototype

In class, my group and I experimented with fitting a single video across three different display sizes. This helped us get a basic understanding of how mapping works across multiple screens.

I see this mainly as an exploration of screen-based media, but it doesn’t fully tap into the potential of multi-channel setups. I started thinking: What if each screen wasn’t just a display but a “possibility” in itself? Based on this idea, I began expanding my approach.

Inspiration

• The audience sits at the center, able to see all three timelines simultaneously.
• This viewing experience disrupts linear time. They’ll instinctively compare, shift focus, and cross-reference between the three screens.
• The three channels might create overlapping sounds and visual conflicts, forcing the audience’s attention to constantly drift between different images.
• Despite their differences, all three paths ultimately converge at the same destination—the archway.

Asset Preparation

Filming

A snowy day at Washington Square Park.

I wandered slowly, capturing different angles and paths, but ultimately settled on three loops around the Tisch Fountain, that:

• Each loop lasts exactly one minute.
• The same street performers and tourists appear in all three versions.

Editing (LUTs & Grainy feeling)

I added some preset adjustments to create a film-like handheld camera effect.

But I didn’t want it to feel too polished, because I want the audience to feel like they’re wandering through Washington Square Park alongside three versions of me.

Setting up

The three screens surround the audience, fully immersing them in three parallel timelines, requiring them to turn their heads to see the full picture. This setup enhances the sense of presence, but it does demand more physical space.

Since I used a wide-angle camera, the footage appears flat, but when seated in the center, there’s a strong feeling of being enveloped.

At first, I simply placed the screens left, center, and right, but then I realized—
If the three sides align perfectly to form a seamless panoramic landscape, that would be next-level.

So the final layout is something like this (I didn’t take a screenshot, but you get the idea):

Final Effect

Something to improve

• The center footage is too shaky. (I have to jump to cross the fountain)

• How should the three separate audio tracks blend?

  • Should they merge into one ambient soundscape?
  • Should they be split into left-right spatial channels?
  • Or should each screen have its own dedicated speaker, keeping the soundscapes distinct?