After sifting through the dusty memory banks of my hard drives, ive put together a neat little portfolio of most of my work during college to date (animations and interactive interfaces/ Flash websites on the way!) So if your interested in all the different projects ive worked on over the lasy few years, why not take a peek and scroll through this little collection.
Quick link here:
http://eamonncahill.com/portfolio/
Or click on the ‘Portfolio’ tab on the menu above.
Enjoy!:)
As part of the Current Issues in Creative Media module in 4th year, I was required to form a group and create an artifact (video, website, animation, etc) which fell under one of the headings/ topics provided in class. Myself, Conor Moore, James Butterly and Fionn Larkin formed a group under the agreed topic of ‘Outside The Box’. After a few brainstorming sessions and some research into the meaning and general ideas behind the term, we decided to apply the term to a popular theme we found online during research: Fun Theory.
Fun Theory
This is basically the idea of adding a new/ fun/ out-of-the-norm element to an everyday action or mundane process, which without, would usually go unnoticed. Using this, we asked ourselves: By introducing creativity to a public space, is it possible to alter peoples behavior for the better?
A great example of fun theory in action is an initiative carried out by Volkswagen where certain public service elements were given a ‘fun’ make over. Here are some example videos:
Piano stairs – TheFunTheory.com – Rolighetsteorin.se:
The world’s deepest bin – Thefuntheory.com – Rolighetsteorin.se:
For the project, we set up 2 experiments:
Bean Bag Front Row:
Playing on the idea that students tend to avoid sitting in the front row of a class room, we set up a row of comfy, colourful bean bag chairs at the front of a class and recorded the results of students coming into the room and choosing where to sit (the bean bag chairs or the ordinary back rows). This experiment came with mixed results: all bean bag chairs were used but only after a little encouragement, and only by those who knew who we were (friends/classmates). A moderate success.
Basketball Bin:
In the nearby food & drink area where students usually sit down with a cup of tea/coffee and a snack between classes, we noticed how some students fail to dispose of their waste when leaving the area and instead leave them on the tables. In order to encourage the use of the provided bins, we set up a little basketball net over one of the surrounding rubbish bins and recorded the results of students using the same bin. The rise in the number of students using the bin after the basketball net was added was quite surprising.
We had a third experiment organized: ‘Chalk Path’. Essentially this was to be a series of drawn out paths or routes on the pathways outside leading to building, which would attempt to see if people would deviate from their walking route if faced with a division in the path in front (Eg: Male/ Female path or Happy/ Sad path). These paths would be drawn out in chalk with possible traffic cones and other items signaling individuals where to walk. Due to a sudden spout of bad weather however, we had to abandon this experiment. Another time perhaps…
For more information on this project, check out the project blog ‘Creativity in Public’ at this link:
http://creativityinpublic.wordpress.com/
Or you can find the link in this sites ‘Other Blogs’ tab.
Just a wee update to say that the official music video for Daragh Slacke’s song ‘Mr.Snooze’ (available on his album ‘Songs in the Key of Slacke’) is now available to view in higher quality on Vimeo. Enjoy!:
Feel free to comment on the video or if you wana ask any questions about it, here or on the Vimeo channel.
Slan!:)
Ok, found this one curtsy of the great Patrick Clarke (DkIT CMM 4th yr 2010-11). Great new site for a 2-piece indie games developer with an eye-catching name, however the name bares no resemblance to the games they make …so click away! The games they currently make are mostly retro games such as ‘Super Mario Bros.’ and ‘Tetris’, given a rehash and shake-up with new game elements or mechanics, creating totally new and exciting games with that old-school retro feel.
Did i mention theyre free to download?
For example, an as-yet unreleased game in the works is ‘MariO’: Basically take ‘Super Mario Bros.’ and introduce the portal gun from the hugely popular ‘Portal’ game and you get something supremely interesting…
P.S.: Theres also a nice, intentionally-simplistic music sequencer for free here called ‘Rimshot’. Its quick and handy, plus free!
Link to site:
Today was the second masterclass of the new semester with a guest lecture by Irish radio presenter, former television presenter, filmaker and photographer Donal Dineen. Having worked on the tv series ‘No Disco’ on Network 2, and currently presenting The Small Hours (formerly ‘Here Comes The Night’) on Today FM, he gave us an interesting insight into the inner workings of the Irish radio and television industries, as well as an insight into how he came to be where he is now and advice to others on how to succeed in the media industry.
Link to Donal’s blog:
http://www.todayfm.com/Shows/Weekdays/Donal-Dineen/Blog.aspx
An great in-depth lecture where Donal shared with us his early days in music magazine Dropout, his time on RTE’s flagship music programme ‘No Disco’ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Disco, his inspiration for simplistic visuals in the form of a Palace Brothers music video, his professional inspiration in the form of RTE presenters Eamon Dunphy and John Kelly, his love of Super 8 film and its dying existence as a film format, his time at Radio Ireland, his struggle in front of the camera as a television presenter, his love and passion for radio presenting and music, and an interesting interview with Lou Reed resulting in friendship.
Altogether an enthralling talk and some sound advice for those of us considering a future in the media industry.
As part of his guest lecture, Donal treated us to two works of his. The first of which being an interview with artists Liam O’Maonlaí and Niwel Tsumbu during his late night show The Small Hours in December 2010:
And the second being a experimental music video he worked on for artist Niwel Tsumbu. An example of how good visuals can be created using basic tools at hand and with limited time:
Thanks to our course head Caroline O’Sullivan for organizing another guest lecture and Donal Dineen for coming to talk to us! 
Our tutor for User Theories class Kieran Nolan organized a surprise tour of the exciting but rarely seen research lab in the Carrolls building called ‘The Cave’. This is an amazing research area cordoned off from the rest of the carrolls building and concealed behind a tall wall, so as such no of us in the class exactly knew what went on behind these walls and could only speculate what we would see on the tour.
In the Cave there was a very hi-tech setup consisting of 3 corner projectors behind 3 wall-screens, projecting content onto the rear of the screens and a 4th projector above the installation projecting down onto the floor. These projectors were capable of projecting hi-def full 3D content, which required the user to wear special 3D glasses equipped with motion-tracking attachments, allowing the motion tracking cameras of the installation to track the users movements and alter the projections accordingly. An accompanying remote controller (similar to an Xbox controller but with motion tracking attachments) allowed the user to navigate through the 3D environment without having to move (its very easy to get immersed in the experience and walk into one of the walls!). As well as this there were 4 extremely powerful computers (once i heard 16Gigabyte RAM i was blown away) connected together along with another home-spec pc, running the whole show. A serious amount of technology to get your head around in one visit.
Google street view on 3 screens!
Sorry for the poor quality of pictures. Yea so this one was a demonstration of how this technology along with webGL software running off a web browser can be used to display webGL-enabled programs such as Google Earth and Street View, to display content across 3 screens, and a 4th projection also possible on the floor (not demonstrated here). It wasn’t in 3D but it did look cool seeing your local street represented in 3 8-foot high projections!
Also as you can see, the computer windows and icons were projected also so it was fun having the sensation of standing inside an operating system (even it was Windows XP!).
Kieran getting the environment explained
Some of the lads try out the 3D house
Still enjoying the 3D enviroment
These 3 images were of the current project within the cave. A 3D representation of 1 of 18 local purpose-built house’s for the elderly, built to serve the studies of this research project. Each physical house is equipped with extensive motion-sensor technology (in agreement with the house’s occupants), which sends data back to the installation in the cave, giving the researchers a layout of how the occupants use the house, how regularly they use particular spaces and basically they’re living patterns within these houses. This dat can then go towards providing the researchers with an idea of what areas could be improved or adapted in order to enhance the occupants lifestyle and well-being.
For this demonstration however, we were each given 3D glasses and controller, and allowed to explore one of the 3D houses in the installation. It was amazing, i kept finding myself reaching out to grab a chair or the T.V.!
Exploring the forest enviroment
Very dark picture, sorry! Basically, this was another 3D environment of a small forest and wood-cutting spot. A charming little place which i was reluctant to leave 
A great experience, which has inspired me and given me some new ideas for the final year project. The lads who work there were great for giving us such a in-depth tour of the installation and explaining how it all works (they could of told me it was magic pixies and i might just of believed them!) but also for giving us further links to look at if we want to look into the technology even more. For example heres two:
Google Liquid Galaxy:
http://www.google.com/earth/explore/showcase/liquidgalaxy.html
and Chrome Experiments:
http://www.chromeexperiments.com/webgl
A great tour of a facility i now know exists right next door. And thanks to Kieran Nolan for bringing us all to see it!:)
As my time spent playing Minecraft is not only for pure virtual mining and construction enjoyment (its so much fun! …and addictive), but also to further my study of Virtual Ethnography as part of my current coursework in DkIT, i thought it would be a good idea to put together a short questionnaire to put up on the Minecraft forum and hopefully get some good solid data from the online community i now feel a part of. Seeing as im only a recent member of roughly 3 weeks contribution to the community i thought it best to keep this relatively short and sweet with about 9 short questions.
Heres my post on the forum:
“Hi guys!
I’m currently doing a Virtual Ethnography assignment as part of college work and I thought it would be great to do it on the Minecraft Forum seeing as I use it a lot already. Virtual Ethnography is the study of people interacting in an online community.
So basically, I’m looking at how us members on the Minecraft forum communicate compared to offline members. If you could, please answer the following questions and I will be forever in your debt (I have diamonds!).
Even if you only answer a few questions it will seriously help me out with my studies and if you think there is anything else I should know please feel free to tell me.
Thanks guys!
-ShuckMan101 (Virtual miner)”
I have been relatively active on the forum since joining so hopefully this post wont be seen as some sort of spam or marketing ploy, but a fellow Minecraftian in need. Just posted so no replies yet. Will update if/when i do get them!:)
Got myself another wee job last friday night, helping out with filming an awesome charity concert event in aid of SOSAD (Save Our Sons And Daughters), held in Crowne Plaza, Dundalk. Acts included rapper Natural B, bands 2Minutes2Midnight and The Curtain Thieves, The Setanta Choir, and solo singer Rochelle Lazaro. Amazing line-up of music and entertainment with proceeds going to a good cause.
I have two pictures here but i have to admit they are of bad quality, taken on a phone and not a good camera. However i may upload some stills from live footage along with a link to video footage when all is edited. Until then heres a taster:
Live band
Introduction video
Also, just to say that Fionn Larkin did a great job looking after the sound and helping me out operating the camera.
And a great performance by Rochelle Lazaro, a diva in the making with an amazing voice: Watch this space!:)
