Copyright

Stephen Gilbert

Summary

To establish a state-of-the-art teaching and learning resource that will employ a unique blend of techniques and practices borrowed from the digital arts, cinematography and traditional theatre to fashion an environment that nurtures a commitment to, and an enthusiasm for learning.

Description

The essential function of this fusion of ideas is the creation of a virtual classroom, a new kind of educational interface or point of connection between the raw lesson content and the students being taught.

The installation’s core technology is a large-format 3D projection system that illuminates a specially manufactured ceiling-to-floor screen which, when viewed through 3D glasses, generates the illusion of three-dimensional space, a technique commonly used in IMAX movie theatres.

This bespoke translucent screen, 12m high x 8m wide, is the system’s principal feature, it acts as a canvas upon which all the visual elements are combined and forms a portal, or a 2D window into a 3D world.

The Alchemy Project uses the perception of spatial depth to create a virtual learning space, an environment of simulated scenic locations, computer animation, streams of data and dynamic audio systems, working in concert to produce a unique educational setting.

A distinctive characteristic of the Alchemy Project is its ability to seemingly unite the teacher with the virtual image, so that they appear to merge with and occupy the three-dimensional space and interact with the images projected onto the screen, thereby placing them at the centre of a highly engaging, thoroughly compelling audio-visual experience.

How it might be used

The Alchemy Project takes the form of a large-scale multimedia delivery system created and housed within a conventional theatrical setting, with a seated auditorium and stage area playing host to a sophisticated amalgam of contemporary audio-visual information delivery platforms.

This multi-media facility is capable of creating the illusion of three-dimensional space on a considerable scale, producing scenic environments of profound realism. The 3D projection system generates large-scale scenic environments and then overlays, or superimposes stereoscopic computer animation which introduces moving elements into the static scene, bringing the content alive to the audience.

What makes this medium of communication so intensely captivating is the sheer scale and deeply convincing nature of its virtual imagery. It is created using 3D modelling and animation software or stereoscopic digital photography and can be fashioned to simulate or conjure up any three-dimensional environment or scenic location, real or imagined.

It is a feature of the system’s bespoke design that makes it possible for an individual standing behind the screen to appear, from the point of view of the audience, to inhabit and move within these virtual worlds and alternative realities which can be cross-faded from one scenic location to another as in an edited film.

Contact

Stephen Gilbert

gilbertsbj@sky.com