Naked people in a dark room - what does it mean?
polycounter lvl 18
This is a freelance art installation project I've been working on for some time.
The installation involves a large cylindrical structure with 6 screens on the outside. Viewers stand on the outside and wear polarized glasses so they see the images on the screens in 3D. The images below are projected in real time onto the screens to give the impression that you can really see into the virtual space. These characters walk around inside the room performing various strange actions such as examining each other or beating themselves. Also, the viewers have a flashlight on a pedestal which they can aim to illuminate the virtual scene.
I'm not going to explain what it means, or what the story is. I'd like to hear your impressions.
What do you think of when you see this? Does it evoke any emotional response?
[edit - putting in the latest video here...]
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0VoCfyLmWw[/ame]
Tech stuff - it's rendered with the XNA engine, the characters are 12k polygon models with a standard biped and 1024 textures. It's lit with 6 realtime volumetric spotlight cones. The animation is motion captured.
The installation involves a large cylindrical structure with 6 screens on the outside. Viewers stand on the outside and wear polarized glasses so they see the images on the screens in 3D. The images below are projected in real time onto the screens to give the impression that you can really see into the virtual space. These characters walk around inside the room performing various strange actions such as examining each other or beating themselves. Also, the viewers have a flashlight on a pedestal which they can aim to illuminate the virtual scene.
I'm not going to explain what it means, or what the story is. I'd like to hear your impressions.
What do you think of when you see this? Does it evoke any emotional response?
[edit - putting in the latest video here...]
[ame]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0VoCfyLmWw[/ame]Tech stuff - it's rendered with the XNA engine, the characters are 12k polygon models with a standard biped and 1024 textures. It's lit with 6 realtime volumetric spotlight cones. The animation is motion captured.
Replies
If I think about nude I think about different skin tones and those look all the same with a boring shader. What about SSS (subsurface scattering), what about different ages, races, health conditions, sex (like man or woman),...
and as for the emotional response; honestly not much because like I said its rough and not polished at all no matter what direction you go with it. Improve the shader, vary skin tones and perhaps some of the models as they are not standing out either.
but maybe you should drop a few lines of what it actually is about more in detail until I write to much criticism here (because that's what I see always at first)
The only emotional response is "ugh" when I realise that the tech behind the installation sounds very cool, but the first thing done with it is this grey, depressing looking thing.
It's looking interesting. I suspect the still shots really aren't doing the entire piece any justice at all - the unusual lighting conditions are making it difficult to get a real inkling of the what the characters look like. I don't suppose you could get a video going, Conor?
You might want to give a little info on the client. It'll likely get you some better persepctive in the critiques.
My main problem with it is the way you have handled colour. Its pure white lighting and it makes the people look grey. Torch light is usually quite warm.
Colours are one of the strongest way to cr4eate an emotional response.
Also can we get some shots of the individual models with wireframes?
))
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and here's a couple of the characters showing 2 different texture treatments. The deformation you can see on the 'internal bodies' varies with time and location so that they seem to ripple as they move.
Thanks for all the great feedback everyone. I'll hold off on comments and responses until I hear your reactions to this video.
Would be neat if they would respond to the flashlights somehow. Maybe have some walk towards it or follow the spotlight and some run away from it and hide in the shadows. Possibly other results like fading away or retaining a glow after being charged up. It'd make it a much more interactive exhibit rather than just being able to move the light, and probably force more behavioural introspection on the viewer as they obviously make the occupants happy or scared/uncomfortable by their actions.
Since this is an installation, I would say, why not use real people instead of cg. It would actually be cheaper, and easier, and of course look 100% real. Despite that, what you have so far works great in my opinion, and I hope the project is successful.
What do you have for audio in the installation?
I also hope your title of it isnt "naked people in a black room," you could really shock and surprise the viewers by avoiding anything human.
The video shows off much better what's going on (and the concept) than just an image, got me thinking of 'decay' in the sense of how inner identity can 'rot', so the 'broken' models works well. Nice piece. Make sure you video peoples reactions to this installation - obviously with the applicable "may be recorded for training purposes" warning
It's looking very cold and dead at the moment, which in itself is somthing but i kinda feel like it's missing some visual interest... some bounce light and ambient light maybe, some nicer rendering and SSS would be cool to see as well as colour ... just something to make it pop a bit more. It is kinda interesting looking at the different actions the people go through in there.
Anyways, i imagine it'd be totally different seeing it in person again.
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It will be on show at the Digital Volcano festival in Le Havre in France until the end of June, and after that we're hoping it will tour other festivals around the world. You can read more about it at http://unmakeablelove.org