What is Isadora

Isadora is a software program designed to allow interactive, real-time manipulation of digital media, including pre-recorded video, live video, sound, standard MIDI files and more. You create an Isadora program by linking together modules (called actors in Isadora parlance), each of which perform a specific function on the media. You make these programs interactive by linking actors to another type of module, called a watcher, which looks for information from the outside world (i.e. MIDI messages, mouse and keyboard actions, messages send over a Local Area Network). The results are presented via the computer’s video displays, speakers, or MIDI interfaces.

The design of Isadora is the result of over a dozen years of experience of creating interactive works with my dance theater company Troika Ranch (http://www.troikaranch.org), as well as my experience teaching numerous workshops on integrating digital media into live performance. It reflects my own desire for a flexible, powerful and reliable tool with which to make my own pieces, and to create a friendly working environment for those who do not have extensive computer experience.

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of Isadora is that a new file is a blank slate – it won’t do anything for you until you begin to bring actors into the program and link them together. For those just beginning, this can be a bit daunting. So, we have supplied a complete set of tutorials that lead you through the process of creating several Isadora programs. In addition, you will find several example files included with the application. Looking at these may be the best place to start, as it will give you a sense of what you can do with Isadora and how to begin using it. On the other hand, those who have more experience with media manipulation software may want to head directly for the Quick Start section. It gives the essential information required to start using the program.

It is worth mentioning here that help is always available. Control clicking (on MacOS) or the right clicking (on Windows) on an Isadora module will display a pop-up menu. Choose “Actor Help…” to display help information for that module. To see help for an input or output, control or right click the name or value of an input or output and choose “Actor Input Help…” or “Actor Output Help…” as appropriate.

Enjoy,

Mark Coniglio