Matt Romein

Zoom has become one of the primary modes of gathering, communicating, and interacting with many of the people in our lives. This simple but robust tool has replaced the complexity found in typical day to day modes of engagement with tiny portals locked in a grid. Everyone is burnt out, everyone is tired of it, and everyone dreads the next Zoom meeting in their calendar. This class is all about bringing a sense of joy, fun, and experimentation to a platform that has lost much of its novelty. Over 7 weeks we will engage in a series of prompts and experiments to reimagine what kind of experiences we can have on Zoom, culminating in a collection of group performances and events open to invited guests. We will use tools such as OBS, ZoomOSC, Virtual Cameras, Virtual Audio, and more to learn how we can control and manipulate the core functions of Zoom. While these tools will go a long way in crafting these experiences, the class is also about sharing ideas and finessing our existing tools and skill sets to collectively experiment with what is possible and what is engaging.