Character design
Empathize, Define, Ideate
Similarly to the story and narrative of the play, the involved characters and their personalities were also subject to change and defining them was more up to the dramaturgs of the theatre. However, I still found it valuable to show my vision on the involved characters and how could their personalities be shaped.
The process began with an exploration of character archetypes that could effectively engage the audience and complement the current narrative of the play. By drawing inspiration from theatrical traditions and contemporary storytelling media (games, movies, animations, etc.), I identified archetypes that could evolve dynamically based on audience input and the actors' improvisational skills.
Afterwards, we further developed the characters by creating a narrative background, a distinctive appearance and a nuanced personality. With these character profiles in place, the theatre's dramaturg can leverage the different elements for the purpose of developing the relationship and dynamic between the characters, creating a script and role for the actors that would play those character or just use them as an example of some possible characters for the play.
Heart rate and wearables
Empathize, Define, Ideate
When it came to the interactivity of the theatre play, a discussion point represented the possible integration of a heartbeat sensor through a wearable device (e.g Fitbit). The purpose would be that such a sensor could add a unique and immersive dimension to the performance.
I started out by looking for other interactive installations or types of media that have heart sensor integrated within their design. For the most, I distinguished two main types of applications:
1.Video games
In this case the heart rate was used to determine different game states, increase the difficulty, modify the score, etc.
Different tools can be given to the players to allow to control their heart rate
Affect the heart rate by causing different emotions
2.Art installations
The heart rate was "visualized" in different way and used to create an art piece
Limited actions on the user's side
The installation is essentially powered my the user's heart rate, there's no other independent component
Based on the research that I did, I tried to think of some ideas on how can a heart rate sensor be used within our interactive theatre play:
Emotional impact
By using the heart rate sensor from a wearable bracelet, we can gauge the audience's emotional state in real-time. For instance, during intense or suspenseful moments, the sensor can detect increased heart rate, triggering corresponding changes in lighting, sound effects or the pace of the performance to heighten the overall emotional impact.
Character interaction
The characters in the play can respond to the collective heart rate of the audience, creating a dynamic relationship between the performers and the viewers. For example, the AI prosecutor can acknowledge when the audience has an increased heart rate and make certain remarks about it.
Audience participation
Audience members wear heart rate sensor and use their real-time data to influence the outcome of certain moment. This can provide a level of agency to the audience, making them active participants in shaping the direction of the play.
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