The TKB project: Creative technologies for performance composition, analysis and documentation

Abstract

This paper describes the TKB project (A Transmedia Knowledge-Base for the performing arts), an international research project running in Portugal since 2009 at the New University of Lisbon. While focusing on the development of a digital note-book for video annotation in real-time, designated as Creation-Tool we will describe two original software applications developed in the framework of this project: a video annotator designed as a digital note-book for real time composition processes; and an archival platform towards an open and collaborative Knowledge-Base for the documentation of performing arts. We will also explain the collaboration process between choreographers, linguists and software programmers during the iterative design and test phases of the annotation-tool. By trying to converge methodologies from Cognitive Linguistics, New Media and performance studies, thus attempting to achieve a rich interdisciplinary dialogue, we show how video annotation practices, using both verbal language, and touch-pen drawings or customizable marks over the videos, contribute significantly to analytical processes of performing arts creations and to their documentation and transmission. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.