Hidden Newcastle - failed inventors and body dredgers

Failed inventors and body dredgersJohn Coburn, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums

@j0hncoburnwww.hiddennewcastle.org

App uncovering strange andforgotten stories of people who lived and worked in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Stories were created as videos. 1st person audio, supported by photography, maps, paintings, extracts from archive newspapers and texts.

Created by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums in partnership with Newcastle Libraries.Ideonic were commissioned to build it.

John WilsonCommissioned by Newcastle council to dredge bodies from the River Tyne.

Ellen Woodman 11 years oldImprisoned in Newcastle Gaol

William Martin Inventor and eccentricHated every great scientist and philosopher in historyFalsely claimed to designed the High Level Bridge

Version 1 of the app 13 first person storiesPreviously “uncommemorated” people who lived or worked in Newcastle

Version 1 of the app13 city centre locations linked to story 7 stories “locked” 6 stories “unlocked”

Intended outcomes

Improve access to and improve quality of experience with collections

It’s not about sharing collections or objects It’s about sharing compelling storiesObjects provide raw source material for the story

Story criteria Failure Macabre Eccentricity The unexplainedVisually strong, cinematic imagesStrange events at familiar locations 1st person Strong narrative

Learning outcomes

Stir public imaginationCreate spark of empathy Compel exploration

“What if we made ‘wonderment’ our key performance indicator?” Seb Chan www.freshandnew.org

“Explanation is the killer of wonderment”. Pete Higgin, Punchdrunk

Cost and build

£6,900iOS version

£4,500Android version

87MBStreamed video vs. in-built

23 days build time iOS 15 days Android

1,942 downloads in 9 weeks (iOS)

Android version launches imminently

Average duration on app 13 mins 44 secs

UK city with most numberof downloads…Newcastle

London

Doncaster

Compelling exploration?

3.4% stories watched “on location”

1.6% app users fromNewcastle watched stories on location (!)

5% app users from outsideNewcastle watched stories on location

What’s next?

Android launch

New content, new partners

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, people, but we’re all doomed

New content, new partners

www.HiddenNewcastle.org @j0hncoburnjohn.coburn@twmuseums.org.uk

http://www.digitallearningnetwork.net	787
http://digitallearningnetwork.net	234
http://translate.googleusercontent.com	1

Hidden Newcastle - failed inventors and body dredgers

by Museums Computer Group on Jul 17, 2012

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

3 Embeds 1,022

Statistics

Hidden Newcastle - failed inventors and body dredgers Presentation Transcript