Pantomation

Related records

• Pantomation Chronology

  Construction of the Pantomation system began in November 1976 at Electronic Body Arts, Albany.

• Pantograph Tools

  Tom DeWitt's Pantomation (illustrated by Vibeke Sorensen) describes the Electronic Pantograph, a television-camera-and-computer system that tracks keyed points and records position-versus-time; by December 1976 the authors had developed a machine that could load hand-drawn waveforms and produced a pantomation videotape (Dec 31, 1976) used in the pantomime Outta Space. Phil Edelstein documents the Key Positioner hardware—two 8-bit counters, latches and strobe logic—implemented for a PDP‑8/L and requiring H/V drive, a 3.58 MHz chroma signal and DACs. Projects involved Electronic Body Arts, the Air Farce Mime Troupe, the Electronic Music Studio at SUNYA and WMHT TV; funding included a New York State Council on the Arts grant and a NEA conference demonstration on March 10 in Buffalo, NY.

• The Development of a Video Art Facility by Electronic Body Arts, Inc Tools

  Phil Edelstein and Tom DeWitt conceived the Pantograph in 1975; they developed a television-camera-to-minicomputer score reader and held residencies at the WNET TV Laboratory with EBA dancers in Studio 46. NYSCA/WMHT funding in 1975–77 provided equipment support that led EBA to begin building the Pantomation system in November 1976; the Pantograph was publicly demonstrated on September 14, 1977 at the University at Albany Performing Arts Center. After WMHT withdrew programs in July 1977 RPI students provided WQPI space; in April 1978 DeWitt received $12,000 from the Guggenheim and $6,000 from the NEA and EBA completed a commissioned tape for exhibition on April 28.

• Electronic Body Arts: Descriptions (1978, 1979, 1995) Groups

  Electronic Body Arts, Inc. (EBA) of Albany, N.Y., chartered in 1973, designed, built and maintained the Pantomation video studio and developed the computer-controlled Pantograph with George Kindler, Phil Edelstein and Tom DeWitt; work used a minicomputer/PDP-8, an EAB VideoLab, a Rutt/Etra synthesizer, Hearn Videolab, Serge synthesizer and related video/computer hardware. Funding and institutional support involved NYSCA, WMHT/WHMT allocations, NEA and a Guggenheim grant to DeWitt (April 1978); public demonstrations and residencies occurred at WNET Studio 46 and the University at Albany Performing Arts Center (14 September 1977), and workshops were offered at WRPI. Tom DeWitt also recorded associations with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, SUNY Albany, Dutchess County Community College and Hillary Harris, noting collaborations on vector-to-raster and motion-control technologies.

• New York State Council on the Arts Proposal: General Operating and Discussion of Imaging System. 1975 Bibliography

  etcnysca7576operating_2638.pdf

• Artisanal Prefigurations of the Digital: Animating Realities, Collage Effects, and Theories of Image Manipulation Bibliography

  Artisanal Prefigurations of the Digital: Animating Realities, Collage Effects, and Theories of Image Manipulation