Saturday 16th November
11.40am–12.30pm

Flash Talks

Displace Studio propose to discuss their new practice-based research project Replica which is a mixed-reality (MR) dance-theatre project. Displace Studio has recently begun research to develop, test & evaluate a 5-10 minute performance combining the physical & the digital, prompting audiences to consider key human issues around presence, ownership of their body/image, and representation in digital spaces in a world of growing digitisation.

Replica combines live performance, augmented reality (AR), volumetric capture and binaural sound. Choreographically, Replica explores doubling, mirroring and merging bodies. Exploring virtual and ‘real’ touch and proximity to audience participants. The performance will explore notions of the digital double (Dixon, 2007), by combining virtual world digital doubles (shot using a 10-camera volumetric capture rig) with real-world physical performers, asking key questions including:

• What is lost of you in a digital capture?
• How can the real and the virtual work together?
• How do you feel when you encounter a virtual person?
• What is an authentic experience of someone?
• Is there a place for realistic replicas?
• Do we present ourselves differently in digital spaces?

For this presentation, we will share early footage and discuss our initial testing and experimentation focusing on key concepts underpinning the work and the development of a distinctive methodology. Our approach comprises a design-led process of prototyping, experimentation, and user testing, mixing technological investigation, choreographic practices and conceptual concerns. We will reflect upon our initial approaches for capturing and working with a live dancer, who must contend with performing live with an invisible digital double, and the processes of synchronicity that we are developing.

Shapeshifter is a location-based, mixed-reality experience in which a live actor performs as a 3D animated character within a virtual environment to an audience wearing VR headsets, all sharing the same physical and virtual space.

Non-binary actor Maggie Bain portrays Puca, a mischievous, shapeshifting creature from folklore. Puca is the bridge between humanity and the wild, leading the audience on a playful exploration designed to promote curiosity, reverence and understanding of the natural world and our place within it. The piece explores the notion of ‘Biological Exuberance’: that nature is weirder and more magnificent than we generally appreciate, and diversity, including sexual diversity, is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. The experience gently encourages the audience to reflect on their own notions of gender and identity and their assumptions about what is ‘natural’.

As a shapeshifting nature sprite, the avatar of Puca presents several interesting and novel design features and technical challenges. Puca’s body can seamlessly morph between different animal shapes in real-time, while continuously animated by the live motion-capture actor. These forms include non-human morphology, such as extra limbs and expressive features.

In this presentation, the Shapeshifter team will discuss the design and development of the avatar, the technical implementation of the mocap pipeline and avatar transformations, and the creative vision for the production. Some points we will cover include:

• Drawing design inspiration from the natural world and ancient artifacts, guided by the principles of biophilic design
• Iterative design of a non-binary avatar in collaboration with the actor
• Enhancing the expressiveness of real-time performance capture through performance techniques and avatar design
• Enabling an avatar to morph seamlessly between forms under real-time control
• Narrative design for co-located mixed-reality performance
• Outstanding challenges and future research

This talk will be presented by Ruth Mariner and David Gochfeld

Introducing an experimental VR experience produced in collaboration with the UKRI’s MyWorld Creative R&D Programme exploring a format of hybridised recorded and real-time performance.