Help Needed – Multi-Screen Interactive Video Installation for Final Year Design Project

I’m writing this message in this forum as part of my final year project at design school. And I need your help—let me explain what I’m trying to do! :slight_smile:

I’d like to create a physical space with several televisions or screens, where I plan to display photos and videos.

1 – First, I would like to play a “clip” on a main screen, and then have the video switch from one screen to another. Other videos could also follow this same behavior. The transitions would not be random—I want to decide the exact position and timing for each video during my first “scene.”

2 – Then, at the end of the clip, I’d like all the videos to be played again on the screens, but this time randomly and silently. I’d also like to be able to press a button on my keyboard—or maybe some kind of remote—so that all the videos shuffle again randomly, changing both position and playback speed. The idea is to create a looping “landscape” within the space, made up of the photos and videos I’ve created.

2bis – On one of the screens, I’d like to display a live feed from a camera connected to my computer.

3 – By pressing another button, I’d like to return to step 1.

I have NEVER used this software before, and I’m not even sure it’s the right one. I have very little experience with node-based systems, apart from Blender (which doesn’t seem that similar, from what I can tell).

I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, so if any kind souls would be willing to send me tutorials relevant to my project—or even just some explanations—that would be amazing.

Thank you so much for reading! :heart:

\Welcome!

Your project sounds a little similar to one I helped a friend with a while back.

Two things first off:

  1. Yes TouchDesigner is a very flexible toolset for media designers who are looking to make interactive experiences.
  2. You are absolutely correct in your assessment that, despite both systems having nodes, the nodes don’t really work the same way in blender and TD. That said, in both cases the fundamental paradigm is about orchestrating the way that information flows through a system.

While I can sort of follow the general idea of your project I’m having a little bit of a hard time properly parsing out the nitty gritty. It would be helpful if you:

  • generated drawings showing the general arrangement of display surfaces
  • created a flow-chart showing the different behaviors that you see your installation exhibiting and how it responds to the different types of input

This is a very neophyte-friendly community. If you can provide us with a slightly more clear vision, there are many people here who would be happy to help.

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