TOO LATE OR ON TIME
For the Main Mission, the assignment was to create an audiovisual installation based on a single WordPress image. The photograph A Place to Die by Oliver Farshi was the image we selected and became the starting point for further conceptual development.This project was created in collaboration with Bram and Majdi. From the chosen image, we expanded the initial idea into an audiovisual experience, using projection, sound, and spatial elements to shape the installation. The focus was on translating the atmosphere and emotional impact of the photograph into a spatial environment.
The intention was to create an immersive experience in which the audience could step into the world suggested by the image and momentarily exist within its sense of time, stillness, and inevitability.
Maker:
Chenoa de Boer (audio,technical setup and part of the visuals)
Bram de Lange (filming and editing)
Majdi Chouni (acting and background)
Concept of TOO LATE OR ON TIME
The concept of this project centers around the thin line between life and death, and the loneliness that can exist within shared spaces. Inspired by the photograph A Place to Die by Oliver Farshi, we explored how different lives can unfold simultaneously, separated by walls, floors, and emotional distance.
The installation presents a dollhouse as a symbolic structure, representing a building where multiple lives exist above and below one another. Through the use of the Pepper’s Ghost technique, holographic figures appear inside the rooms. These figures portray individuals living parallel lives: one surrounded by warmth, family, and connection, while another exists in isolation, unseen and unheard. Time passes through the alternation of day and night, reinforcing the inevitability of life moving forward.
The viewer becomes a silent witness to these lives. By wearing headphones, they are immersed in contrasting soundscapes: social interaction and footsteps from surrounding rooms, opposed to the quiet emptiness of the lonely figure. As the experience unfolds, both characters reach the end of their lives. One passes peacefully, comforted by others, while the other fades away in solitude.
The installation concludes by confronting the viewer with a sense of guilt and reflection. It emphasizes how loneliness can remain invisible, even when people are physically close, and how life and death can exist side by side. Through sound, projection, and spatial storytelling, the work creates an intimate experience where the audience is invited to reflect on presence, absence, and the fragility of human connection.
OFFICIAL SET UP
TESTING SETUP WITH PROJECTOR
TESTING SET UP WITH SCREEN IN BOX
TECHNOLOGY AND FILMING BEHIND THE SCENES
Ableton work file
Touchdesigner work file
EXHIBITION CONSTRUCTION BUILD UP IN OUR ROOM
TOTAL VIDEO INSIDE THE HOUSE
The proces and technical approach
At the start of the project, we focused on developing the core concept together. Along with Bram and Majdi, we spent a long time shaping the narrative and deciding how we wanted to communicate the themes of life, death, and loneliness. This conceptual phase was essential before moving into any technical execution.
During this stage, we also conducted creative research to shape our approach to time, space, and structure. One major inspiration was Bill Viola’s Catherine’s Room (2001). Viola’s slow pacing and layered visual structure helped us think about representing cycles of life and the passage of time without explicit explanation. His work encouraged us to focus on atmosphere and emotional rhythm rather than direct storytelling. We were also inspired by Welcome to the Gaybourhood XR, an interactive XR installation housed within a dollhouse-like structure. This work influenced our decision to use a small physical house as a spatial frame, combining real objects with digital layers to create a layered, immersive environment.
A major part of the development process involved experimenting with the Pepper’s Ghost technique. Bram and I explored this technique step by step, starting with small-scale tests using a phone and a simple box. From there, we gradually scaled up to a larger setup inside a box using a flat reflective surface and an iPad and proejctor. Through this iterative process, we refined the illusion until it worked convincingly within the dollhouse structure.
We filmed the scenes together, with Majdi and Bram acting as the characters. During filming, I guided the visual direction by determining which shots were needed and how they would translate into the installation. Afterward, Bram edited the footage, aged Majdi’s character, and removed the green screen to seamlessly integrate the visuals into the environment. Majdi also designed and created the background behind the dollhouse, which helped frame the installation and strengthen the overall atmosphere.
My main focus was on audio and technical integration. I created the complete audio design in Ableton Live, composing ambient layers and sound effects that supported the emotional tone of the installation. Early on, we discussed whether to include the character’s inner thoughts as spoken audio, but ultimately decided to leave this out and let the visuals and surrounding sounds carry the narrative. Afterward, I was applying effects that made it feel as if sounds originated from different floors, allowing the separate spaces to merge into one cohesive whole.
In addition, I developed the interactive and technical systems in TouchDesigner. A button connected via a Makey Makey was used to start the installation, while the lighting was controlled through an Arduino using Firmata. The lights were programmed to turn on and off based on the timeline, reinforcing the sense of time passing within the installation.
Once the visuals were finalized, I combined and synchronized the audio and video, carefully testing and adjusting everything to ensure it fit precisely within the physical constraints of the dollhouse. Together, we assembled the full installation, hanging fabrics, positioning objects, and setting up all technical components on site.
REFLECTION
During the final phase of the project, we carefully reflected on the feedback we received and used it as a guiding principle for further refinement. A key takeaway was the importance of not making the installation too explicit and instead embracing a show, don’t tell approach. Based on this feedback, we decided to remove the inner thoughts of the character and allow the visuals, sound, and spatial context to communicate the narrative more subtly.
In response to feedback on the audio, I refined the sound design in Ableton Live by adding more variation, panning, and spatial effects. These adjustments helped clarify the different floors within the dollhouse and strengthened the emotional contrast between the spaces, making the environment feel more cohesive and immersive.
Although these changes already improved the installation significantly, there are still areas for growth. With more time, I would continue to develop the spatial audio further and explore additional layers of subtle interaction. Also maybe a little bit of placement of the projection in the house could have been improved. Feedback also encouraged us to keep focusing on atmosphere rather than explanation, a principle that will continue to influence my approach in future projects.
Overall, this project taught us the value of listening closely to feedback and trusting the audience to interpret the work themselves. By simplifying the narrative and refining audiovisual details, the installation became more powerful, allowing the viewer to emotionally engage rather than being guided by explicit storytelling.
END RESULTS
VIDEO WHAT IS PROJECTED INSIDE THE HOUSE
BACKGROUND SHORTEND VERSION
AUDIO SOUNDSCAPE DESIGN