Infotainment

Pragyan, the annual techno-management festival of NIT Trichy consists mainly of lectures and technical events and competitions. In the midst of these happenings, the Infotainment section of Pragyan stands out because it is technical but doesn t expect audience to think technically and it can be a lecture but in a more entertaining form. It is the time to relax after some thought provoking lectures, or loads of competitions wrecking your brain to its limits . The shows put up by the Infotainment team are a refreshing change from the usual Pragyan platter. Infotainment provides an excellent mixture of relaxation and entertainment plus very interesting information focused on fascinating genres of technology. The following is the list of shows Team Infotainment has conducted successfully during the previous editions of P !"#!N. PRAGYAN '08 obotics $isplay% This fascinating show was conducted by $r. Prahlad &adakkepat from National 'niversity of (ingapore. This included display of award winning, world famous robots, including a humanoid, a biomorph and a soccer robot. This showcase was a real crowd puller. &irtual reality% This show provided the technical knowledge behind the stunning technology showcased in the movies like )atrix etc. This event not only displayed the in depth information about &irtual reality but also gave hands on experience for the same. The !nimations shown were excellent which stood up to its name. ! technology which was always *ust heard about as an obscure term was showcased for the very first time in our college. +$ movie% This event showcased a +$ movie, with proper settings and +$ glasses. This was the first time a +$ movie was screened in our college. Pragyan '09 ,and (hadowgraphy% (hadowgraphy or ombromanie is the art of performing a story or show using images made by hand shadows. It can be called -cinema in silhouette-- a uni.ue art form which is a combination of hands and fingers on a blank screen telling you a million stories. It was an ama/ing evolution of the docile, practical, mundane shadow into a creative component of fiction and documentation. 0ike any other art form, innovation is the bu//word. This event saw the masters !mar (en and (abyasachi (en display their rare talent in the 1arn ,all to produce a world of light and shade, presenting images and stories in a narrative structure, using cinematic techni.ues like long shot, mid shot, close up, panning and even slow motion with *ust bare hands and holding the audience completely mesmeri/ed. The imaginations of the gathering were captured in the shadowy depths of hand shadowgraphy.

Techno magic show% 2ne of the ma*or ,ighlights of Pragyan 3445 was the Technomagic (how. 6using technology with magic is something intensely demarcating, and only 7hristopher 8ames who came all the way from 7anada answered our call for a heart-throbbing unification of the two. 7hristopher 8ames albeit a street magician, is a professional. ,is impromptu illusions performed all over campus left students baffled, thirsting for more. )oreover his precognition and levitation skills which were staged on the last day stupefied the science crowd or probably even realigned their ideology of how things work. 0aser show% 0ight !mplification by (timulated 9mission of adiation : that;s 0!(9 . 0asting !ttempt for (cience to 9xperience enaissance : that;s infotainment at Pragyan45.0aserTech India showcased an excellent 0aser light show in our barn hall with iridescent laser beams, igniting our thought, augmenting our cogni/ance, relishing our soul and reviving our spirits.

Pragyan '10 !ir (how% This show saw Infotainment going on the highest level possible-to the skies< The air show captured the imagination of the spell bound audience with their perfectly executed manoeuvres and superbly co-ordinated stunts. The show was conducted by the pioneers in 7 flying, the otor (ports and ,obby 7lub, which is based in 7hennai. The event received an enthralling response from the audience who were thoroughly entertained. (and !nimation% !mar (en displayed an ama/ing show on sand art. The .uick, smooth and assured movement of the sand against the illuminated background, added to the extraordinary narration and the lifting music had the audience spellbound, wishing that the story would never end. )r. !mar (en is one of the top entertainers in the country. This techni.ue being uni.ue, the enthusiasm obtained from the audience was unmatchable. =ee Institute of 7reative !rts >=I7!?% Indias first full-fledged 7lassical and $igital !nimation Training !cademy showcased their technical expertise, in various fields such as &isual 9ffects, 3$ and +$ 7haracter !nimation, "aming $evelopment, PreProduction, Post-Production and !nimation Tools. This show not only introduced the audience to the world of animation, but also had them gaping in admiration at the technological achievements. Pragyan 11 This time again we aim to make Infotainment bigger and better, displaying the latest and cutting edge technologies being developed across the world. The shows will be more entertaining and informative than ever before.

Shows under Consideration: 1ubble (how% This is an ama/ing event which showcases mind blowing bubble tricks. This involves an interactive session with the bubble world in the presence of da//ling laser lights, spectacular lighting effects and *aw dropping masterpieces of bubble artistry. This show involves showcasing of bubble masterpieces like creating multiple concentric bubbles, forming bubble link chain, creation of bubble chambers and even enclosing a person inside a bubble. &arious arts will be performed by the usage of only brittle bubbles. )r. 7asey 7arle is a world renowned 1ubble artist and has been performing across the world. ,e is based in New #ork. 0ight "raffiti% This event showcases the use of moving lights in various media combined with photographic and high end videography to capture the movement created with lights. This event involves usage of costumes with lights where the artist performs in sync with the multimedia group using the technology of video feedback. They create light painting on large screen creating an absolutely astounding experience. This involves never seen before technology of light painting coupled with differing shutter speeds and video feedback technology. Patrick ochon is a Theremin (how% The Theremin is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without contact from the player. The controlling section usually consists of two metal antennae which sense the position of the player@s hands and control oscillators for fre.uency with one hand, and amplitude with the other, so it can be played without being touched. The electric signals from the Theremin are amplified and sent to a loudspeaker. The Theremin uses the heterodyne principle to generate an audio signal. 9asy to learn but notoriously difficult to master, Theremin performance presents two challenges% reliable control of the instrument@s pitch with no guidance >no keys, valves, frets, or finger-board positions?, and minimi/ing undesired portamento that is inherent in the instrument@s continuously-variable-pitch design. 'sing rapid and exact hand movements, however, highly skilled players can reduce undesired portamento and glissando to a level enabling them to play individual notes and even achieve staccato effects. (mall and rapid movements of the hands can create tremolo or vibrato effects. This being never seen before and unimaginable feat, a showcase of this instrument would be true fest for audiences of all inclinations. 0ydia Aavina is a ussian theremin player, and is currently the leading performing musician on the instrument. 6iona 1rice is a sidewoman>'A? with the alternative rock band Placebo.! very famous Theremin artist.,er $iscography B The (eparate >344C?

B The $ark 7omes 6rom The 0ight >34D4? (hueh-li 2ng is an !ustralian born composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. P9 62 )9 of the theremin, synthesi/er techni.ues, voice, tin-whistle.6irst thereminist to have performed at the $allas )useum of !rt. 7arolina 9yck is a "erman musician specialising in playing the Theremin.,er performances around the world have helped to promote the unusual device. Pyrotechnic cum 0aser (how% This show will provide an eclectic mixture of spectacular laser lights combined with pyrotechnic display and served with excellent musical background. These shows can be artistically tailored to our re.uirements and by the interest of the audience. This provides a vibrant display of hi technology devices producing da//ling lights and sounds, a true feast for all the senses. (uch shows are not only entertaining but also has a wider outreach, with lasers going off in all directions and booming music, this event can be a true extravagan/a. Juggling Shows,Laser Dance and LED Performance: 1reathtaking acts of choreographed colour performed by the inventors of Pixe !Poi technical *uggling, dance E ob*ect manipulation fused with cutting-edge technology.

6lux% ! highly technical *uggling double-act. 'ltra-bright clubs, lasers and Pixel-Poi perfectly synchronised with a dramatic soundtrack. Aaleidoscope% ! strongly choreographed combination of dance, laser manipulation and Pixel-Poi. Three performers, set to moving classical-fusion music.

Fonderland% (uper-sparkly festive Pixel-Poi and 0aser-dance act. Pixel-Poi 0ogo point of show. eveal% 7ustom programming using patented technology at high-

These are done by a group 6eeding Te 6ish based in 'A.

"low shows% These shows can mesmeri/e the crowd by combining light,colourmovement and sound creating various patterns or shapes of ligt in air. ! group called 7arnival of $ivine Imaginaion based in !ustralia has been performing this show worldwide. (pray Painting%7olours can be directly sprayed on paper or sprayed on a li.uid and then putting a paper on top of it .)any arstists across the world perform this art. Ice (how% This show involves spraying ice to make different structures. )any more ideas will come up as our team continues to search for shows being conducted in various parts of the world and the reviews these shows get.