What Does Coding Have to do With Art?

“Why should everyone learn how to code?” Steve Jobs once asked. “Because it teaches you how to think.”

As part of the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), online education start-up General Assembly is putting on an event dedicated to turning thinkers into doers by teaching basic programming skills.

At Code in the Cinema – a mass-learning event in the Comedy Theatre – you’ll get some tips and tricks from creative coders.

It includes a 30-minute interactive, live-coding demonstration that will teach basic coding skills. This is followed by a panel discussion on the future of technology and three creative-coding performances, including live-coding music from Brisbane’s Andrew Sorensen. He starts with coding the beat itself and using live programming to manipulate pitch and additional elements on top.

Partner of General Assembly Garry Williams describes it as watching someone “code an orchestra”.

There will also be a screening of the trailer for Werner Herzog’s documentary Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World about the way in which the internet has changed, and is changing, the world.

It’s okay if you don’t have much coding experience says Williams. “You can get an understanding if you've never coded a line in your life. But it'll also show, once you develop a bit of your knowledge in coding, how from there you can learn how to create these interactive applications, or use coding to do all types of cool things online.”

“It's for everyone from 15 years old through to people well past 50.”

And what does coding have to do with cinema, art and music – or anything creative?

“We want to showcase how the creative industries can utilise tech to enhance what they’re creating, or how they can find new avenues to collaborate with people.”

Code in the Cinema is this Friday August 12 from 12pm at the Comedy Theatre, 240 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. For information and booking go to miff.com.au.