Eyes to the Floor

1. Background - Field: This work contributes to the fields of sound design, theatre and performance making, examining and questioning the role of sound design in a performance context. Context: The artist has been investigating the use of sound in performance over the last decade as part of larger body of work integrating of new media technologies and interactivity into theatrical performances. In traditional theatre practice the sound design remains static over a season, the artist's methodology allows the opportunity to reinvent their design for each performance in response to the performers on stage and the audience. Question: What effect can a responsive sound design have both on the performers, the performance itself and the audience's experience of the performance ? 2. Contribution: The sound designer generated a continuous soundtrack for each performance of Eyes to the Floor by Alana Valentine. The soundtrack consisted of original compositions, field recordings, manipulated loops and samples alongside commercially available music, performed live using digital technologies. The sound designer responded to the performers and audience, by altering the tempo, tone, volume, intensity, melody of the soundtrack to complement the action. This methodology allows the designer to create the work alongside the performers, responding and interacting with them. 3. Research significance: The significance of this work is in its innovative utilization of contemporary technologies to allow a original soundtrack to be created for each performance. The work was performed both in Hay and Griffith and seen by over 1000 people.