Against the unlikely backdrop of top horror film festival MOTELx, Lisbon will host a beautiful spectrum of DIY workshops, audiovisual experimentation, video art, and synth building from across Portugal and Europe this week.
MOTELX AV LAB offers workshops and demos on everything from “homemade instruments to making your own zombie scream generator of video glitches. ” While most of the events are free, sign up and pay for materials to make some exclusive gear (at discounted prices).
The event is open to all – anyone with an interest in noise, experimentation, Dada, glitch, horror, sound, art, or generally making trouble. I’m particularly excited to get to meet some of the Portuguese participants – did someone say video synthesis?
Here’s what’s on:
Error Instruments and legend Paul Tas (NL) have an exclusive “horror atmosphere generator” based on the BLIND NOISE! circuit. (see original, above) There’s also a “Cloudbusting Organic Sci-fi & Horror Sound Effect Lab” where you build a full instrument.
Freedom Enterprise (PT) and Pedro da Silva are building a special two-channel mixer just for this event, Viddy Rot Mixer. Like, we are literally DIYing a glitchy video mixer to mix together horror films. I’m just hugely in love with this one – check out the action on their site and as they breadboard for this event specifically:
Like, we are literally DIYing a glitchy video mixer to mix together horror films.
CubuSynth is an up-and-coming modular maker from the south of Portugal. If you’ve got a modular system you want to expand, don’t miss founder/designer Ruben Sponar building a quad LFO (4VCLFO) and Dual Vintage VCA. Their whole line looks fantastic – Germany, you’re on notice; Portugal is here!
Modor Music is doing a free workshop with designer Marcel Belman, talking about sound design and their cult instruments. Pure fire.
Erica Synths is onboard, too, but not doing what you’d expect – they’re also jumping into analog video and video art with a free two-hour workshop with Rita Toscano, showing all the basics of analog video and video modular.
Liquid Sky Artistcollective, hosts of the event, have a free showcase “engineering the sounds of horror and Sci-Fi” with modular – including, of course, their wonderful D-vices.
Ableton Live beginners, don’t miss a free workshop by Rutger Baks, who “will demonstrate how to create deep, warm, and captivating ambient sounds, atmospheres, and spooky sound effects using the built-in sound generators in “Ableton Live.”
… oh, and I’m teaching a workshop on Unreal Engine and audio / audiovisual setups to get you started with some templates for that environment. Free software, free workshop, free free. Download Unreal before you join – and this is a teaser for a longer worksh
Synth lovers, not too late to buy a bus / train / last-minute flight and stock up on some one-of-a-kind creations: buy tickets.
Details:
Stick around Saturday night, as I’ll join Irakli, DJ T.A.G., Dr. Walker, and most importantly, Rita Toscano and Sebastian Kökow live-remixing horror films for a techno night at Village Underground:
MOTELX Warm-Up party @ Village Underground Lisbon
Hope to see you, Lisbon! (And sorry, Chicago, love you but a) no ocean, b) no horror.)