CORPORATE UNCONSCIOUS AND THE VIDEOWALK FORMAT
1.1 Background and Context
1.2 Research Question
1.3 Objectives and Scope
1.4 Structure of the Thesis
2. Corporate Unconscious 2.1 Credits
2.2 Description
2.3 Video Documentation
2.4 Synopsis
2.5 Full Text
3. Theoretical framework 3.1 Videowalk: Exploring the Format
3.1.1. Walking as a type of art.3.1.2 Audiowalks
3.1.3 The emergence of Videowalk
3.1.4 Choosing the format3.2 Site-Specific Art and Spatial Narratives
3.3 Engaging Audiences in a Constructed Reality
3.3.1 Illusion and Engagement: The Rubber Hand Effect in Theater
3.3.2 We should invent reality before filming it
3.3.3 Simul Entertainment GmbH3.4 Meta-Score
4. Creative process 4.1 Concept Development
4.1.1 Synchronicity and simultaneity.
4.1.2 Corporate Language as a Narrative Tool4.2 Space research
4.3 Development of visual, auditory and performative identity
4.3.1 Corporate Identity
4.3.2 Art Direction and Stage Design
4.3.3 Performativity
4.3.4 Costumes
4.3.5 Music composition
4.3.6 Cinematography4.4 Dramaturgy and Script Development
4.4.1 Narrative Layers
4.4.2 Storytelling
4.4.3 Dramaturgical arc
4.4.4 Space Score and Timing4.5 Videowalk Production phases
4.5.1 Creation of Fake Historical Footage
4.5.2 Videowalk Filming
4.5.3 3D Modeling and Scanning of the Space
4.5.4 VFX Development and 3D Animated Scenes
4.5.5 Documentary Development4.6 Performance and Participation4.6.1 Installations & self-reflective moments
4.6.2 Leveled performances
4.6.3 Fake participants and recursive participation
4.6.4 Easter eggs4.7 Multimedia Techniques
4.7.1 LiDAR Scanning and As-build modeling
4.7.2 On-site shading and texturing
4.7.3 Character and animations
4.7.4 Camera tracking and VFX compositing
4.7.5 Virtual production and "inverse virtual production"
4.7.6 Video Game development
4.7.7 Spatial audio
4.7.8 AI text models
4.7.9 iOS playback app
5. Conclusion
6. Acknowledgments
7. References
The creation and animation of characters, specifically the "Simul workers," played a crucial role in enhancing the narrative and immersive experience. To achieve this, we started with the design phase, where costumes were initially conceptualized by designer Hannah Ruth Trusch. These designs were not just for the physical actors but were also intended to be replicated in the digital environment for consistency in storytelling.
The transition from concept to digital was facilitated using Marvelous Designer, a software renowned for its ability to create realistic 3D clothing. Marvelous Designer allowed us to simulate the fabrics' physics, ensuring that the digital costumes behaved in a lifelike manner, mirroring the movements and flow seen in real-world garments. This detail was crucial in maintaining the illusion of reality within the digital space, especially when these characters interacted within the 3D modeled environment. For embodying these characters digitally, we utilized Unreal Engine's Metahumans framework. Metahumans provided a high-fidelity human base, allowing for detailed customization to match our character designs closely. This ensured that our digital "Simul workers" maintained a consistent and believable appearance, contributing significantly to the narrative's believability.
The animation of these characters was a blend of sourced and custom-created movements. A significant portion of the animations was sourced from Mixamo, an Adobe-owned library offering a wide range of motion-capture animations. These animations provided a solid foundation, which we then adapted to fit our narrative needs. However, specific actions and movements required for the story were not available in pre-made libraries. For these, I created custom animations frame by frame, a time-consuming process that, while lacking the precision of motion capture, added unique elements to the character movements, enhancing the story's authenticity.
Due to time constraints and budgetary considerations, we could not utilize motion tracking for all character movements, which would have offered a more seamless and natural animation flow. This limitation was noted as an area for potential improvement in future iterations of the work. Despite this, the combination of Mixamo's animations and custom tweaks provided a sufficient range of movement to bring the digital "Simul workers" to life within the Unreal Engine environment.