VRinMotion investigates how characteristics of analogue stop-motion animation and data sets of motion-
capturing can be adapted as expanded animation in the current art discourse. Through experimental
combinations with virtual reality, the project creates new tools and workflows in order to explore their artistic
potential.
Traditionally, stop motion is an animation technique in which static elements are captured by single frames,
creating the illusion of movement during the projection. M otion-capture is a tracking technique used to record
motion in order to be applied to any selected object or character. Both cinematic techniques were either
established at, or even before, the beginning of film history and have always combined artistic spheres such as
photography, fine arts, performance and theatre. Virtual reality is either described as an immersive mental
experience, as a three-dimensional display or and innovative interaction device.
VRinMotion explores the possibilities of different analogue stop-motion techniques (cut-out, object animation and
pixilation), combines it with data sets of motion capture, and implements it within virtual reality set-ups. It creates
hybrid artistic tools and workflows that will initiate ideas for animation artists in virtual reality environments and
systematically explores possibilities to connect artistic performances of creators directly to the experience of
spectators during the act of creation. The project expands artistic stop-motion and motion-capturing concepts in
the fields of virtual reality, expanded cinema and animation, media arts and performance. Furthermore, it
contextualizes the artistic virtual and hybrid experiences with philosophical, theoretical and analytical concepts,
models and methods of animation studies.
VRinMotion is hosted by the Institute Creative\M edia/Technologies (IC\M /T) at the St. Poelten University of
Applied Sciences (UAS) in collaboration with Vienna-based artist studio lichterloh. Within the project four
experiments called ExperiMotions are set up and artistic workshops are developed together with internationally
established animation artists, national and international collaborators and students. The project employs all three
qualities from Henk Borgdorffs (2006) definition of arts-based research and is moving simultaneously through the
theoretical Research on the Arts, the technical Research for the Arts and the practical Research in the Arts
approach. Therefore, all ExperiMotions will result in artistic outcome, hybrid instruments and theoretical
contextualization and will be discussed with experts in public, aiming to connect Austrian artists and researchers
with the global research community. To embed VRinMotion in a broad academic, artistic and public discussion,
the project also includes an online presentation, an accompanying documentation, and the final exhibition and
symposium inMotion Forum.