June 7th 2021.
Well-intentioned hearing inventors have been trying for years to create devices that help Deaf folks translate American Sign Language to written and/or spoken English. The devices, which look like gloves decked out with technical wires and sensors, are cumbersome. Because they are not invented with Deaf input, they are also mostly ineffective. CymaSpace imagines what it would be like to turn the tables and have Deaf people create a device for hearing folks to translate their speech to sign language in this comedy sketch: “Mouth Language Device.”
This pioneering short video brings to bear all the technical video skills we have been up-skilling our team and developing over the last two years at the CymaSpace studio. For the first time ever, a film shoot was able to occur in Virtual Reality and incorporate Sign Language with the ASL performer streaming live from Washington D.C to Portland Oregon where the Director guided them through the shots. An estimated 500 volunteer hours went into this project including scriptwriting, casting costumes and filming. Our green screen studio patches physical performers into seamless virtual worlds. 3D backgrounds for “Mouth Language Device” were created in Unreal Engine, post production compositing in Aximmetry, and editing in Premiere. Our technical software, camera and lighting resources produce a virtual production unequaled by any Deaf-led media studio.
Thanks to our sponsors for making this film possible; Open Signal, Aximmetry, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Collings Foundation and Oregon Community Foundation.
Please contact Myles de Bastion () for any queries or if you would like to present our short film at your event.
The performance will feature our Cymatic LED racks. These weatherized, self-contained, modular LED curtain racks are designed for plug-and-play operation with no external lighting controller hardware or computer/software required. Our LED Racks are the most economical option for adding a dazzling Cymatic light display to your event and since they contain an embedded microprocessor and internal microphone, can be set-up without the need for a lighting or sound engineer. These racks are available for you to rent. The link is down below.
Kimberly Jack and Michelle Crane are two Deaf Portlanders who share a love of the diverse music and concert scene in Portland, Oregon. They planned to see a concert in October 2016 with their friend Helen Ebey, so Michelle asked the manager at Doug Fir Lounge to provide a sign language interpreter. To their dismay, Doug Fir Lounge told Michelle’s group that they couldn’t afford interpreters and that having them would be “distracting” for concert-goers. Many venues and bands are not aware of the need to provide equal access to music. They don’t know about resources to interpreting services, or stipulations related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that may apply to them. The promoter for the band “Stone In Love” also declined the request for an interpreter.
