Digital Storytelling & Interactive Art by Blast Theory
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This document provides information about the digital art collective Blast Theory and one of their interactive art projects called Rider Spoke. Blast Theory was formed in 1991 in Brighton, UK and is led by Matt Adams, Ju Row Farr and Nick Tandavanitj. They have collaborated with the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham since 1997. Rider Spoke is an interactive artwork where cyclists use a tablet mounted on their handlebars to record and listen to audio messages as they ride through the city at night, with the messages hidden in locations defined by WiFi networks. The project aims to create a mix of private confession and radio broadcast by having participants record answers to questions alone at night while cycling.
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Digital Storytelling & Interactive Art by Blast Theory
- 1. Blast Theory Matt Adams Digital Storytelling 21st June 2012 www.blasttheory.co.uk @blasttheory
- 2. Blast Theory A group of artists based in Brighton, UK led by Matt Adams, Ju Row Farr and Nick Tandavanitj Formed in 1991 Collaborating with the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of Nottingham since 1997
- 4. You are making User Centred Design
- 5. What is the context?
- 6. Ivy4Evr An interactive SMS drama Commissioned by Channel 4 Education To engage teenagers on issues of sex and drugs
- 7. Why use SMS? • The ultimate native platform for teenagers • Intimate: it mingles with your existing friends • One to one • Quick: fits teenage lifestyles • Short : good for interaction design • Persistent • Quasi anonymous
- 8. Ivy4Evr Written by the fantastic Tony White The episode starts on a Sunday with Ivy on a train. Her sister – Lilsis – has posted a photo of a used condom on Facebook and tagged Ivy and her ex- boyfriend Degs. Ashamed, Ivy goes to stay with her mate Adz for a few days. As she settles down on Adz’s sofa Ivy admits that her period is late.
- 9. Think about it as dialogue
- 10. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Caitlin 513
- 11. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Sorry to be nosy. Your lucky. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff like this though, can you? Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Caitlin 513
- 12. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Sorry to be nosy. Your lucky. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff like this though, can you? Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Its okay. Well i could, but i don’t think i could? Cx Caitlin 513
- 13. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Sorry to be nosy. Your lucky. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff like this though, can you? Really?!? Your lucky then. Always thought I would of told Lilsis about something like this. Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Its okay. Well i could, but i don’t think i could? Cx Caitlin 513
- 14. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Sorry to be nosy. Your lucky. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff like this though, can you? Really?!? Your lucky then. Always thought I would of told Lilsis about something like this. Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Its okay. Well i could, but i don’t think i could? Cx Yeahh...but i’d be scared to how they would react. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions in life, bad or good. Cx Caitlin 513
- 15. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Sorry to be nosy. Your lucky. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff like this though, can you? Really?!? Your lucky then. Always thought I would of told Lilsis about something like this. Don’t really trust her now. Adz said IF I am do I know who the father would be? Q.Whats he take me for??? Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Its okay. Well i could, but i don’t think i could? Cx Yeahh...but i’d be scared to how they would react. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions in life, bad or good. Cx Caitlin 513
- 16. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Sorry to be nosy. Your lucky. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff like this though, can you? Really?!? Your lucky then. Always thought I would of told Lilsis about something like this. Don’t really trust her now. Adz said IF I am do I know who the father would be? Q.Whats he take me for??? Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Its okay. Well i could, but i don’t think i could? Cx Yeahh...but i’d be scared to how they would react. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions in life, bad or good. Cx Maybe he’s just worried for you.? People say things that they think sounds good, or supportive but the intent comes out wrong? When they’re worried. Cx Caitlin 513
- 17. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Sorry to be nosy. Your lucky. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff like this though, can you? Really?!? Your lucky then. Always thought I would of told Lilsis about something like this. Don’t really trust her now. Adz said IF I am do I know who the father would be? Q.Whats he take me for??? He’s looking out for me I know. Sorry if I’m being boring. For some reason I feel like I can talk to you about it... Do you mind? Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Its okay. Well i could, but i don’t think i could? Cx Yeahh...but i’d be scared to how they would react. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions in life, bad or good. Cx Maybe he’s just worried for you.? People say things that they think sounds good, or supportive but the intent comes out wrong? When they’re worried. Cx Caitlin 513
- 18. Hey C, **personal question** Q. know someone who missed their period? Sorry to be nosy. Your lucky. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff like this though, can you? Really?!? Your lucky then. Always thought I would of told Lilsis about something like this. Don’t really trust her now. Adz said IF I am do I know who the father would be? Q.Whats he take me for??? He’s looking out for me I know. Sorry if I’m being boring. For some reason I feel like I can talk to you about it... Do you mind? Ivy Erm, no idont think i have......but i’ve seen stuff on the television about it. Not the same i know, Cx Its okay. Well i could, but i don’t think i could? Cx Yeahh...but i’d be scared to how they would react. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions in life, bad or good. Cx Maybe he’s just worried for you.? People say things that they think sounds good, or supportive but the intent comes out wrong? When they’re worried. Cx Caitlin 513
- 19. A character written by Tony White A 17 year old temporarily crashing on a friend’s sofa Authored in advance All responses automated Ivy Sending text messages in real time 13 year old participant in Ivy4Evr Caitlin 513
- 20. Ladders
- 21. What is your Call To Action?
- 22. Who is the protagonist?
- 23. A Machine To See With
- 24. A Machine To See With Commissioned by 01 San Jose, Sundance Film Festival and Banff Center as a piece of ‘Locative Cinema’. Participants walk through the city towards a bank robbery guided by an automated system of voice calls.
- 27. It’s not all about the story
- 28. Rider Spoke Cyclists use a handheld computer and ride for an hour through the city at night. They listen to Ju’s voice and the music of Blanket as they ride. They record answers to questions and listen to those of others. Each recording is ‘hidden’ in a unique place defined by the WiFi network. The interface combines Mexican votive painting, heraldry and sailor tattoos.
- 30. How does it work? Rider Spoke uses an internet tablet mounted to your bike’s handlebars An interface allows users to play and record audio. In the background the device repeatedly scans for any visible WiFi access points while cyclists are riding Each time it sees a new combination of WiFi access points it logs a new hiding place identified by a WiFi fingerprint. Answers recorded by cyclists are saved at the WiFi fingerprint they have chosen as their hiding place
- 31. Testimony Rider Spoke removes us as authors to a large degree. It places the participants as authors as well as audience. The work is a mix between private confession and radio broadcast. It makes strong use of cycling, alone, at night to set a context, a tone, an emotional register for talking about yourself.
- 32. Participant trajectory Canonical trajectory Canonical and participant trajectories represent an author’s ideal journey and a participant’s actual journey respectively Canonicalvs Participant trajectories
- 34. Technology is a limited tool
- 35. The system is semantic The system is ideological
- 36. What are your ethics?
- 37. We are only just beginning . . .
- 38. Philippa has a question . . .
- 39. Trolley Dilemma A trolley is running out of control down a track. In its path are five people. You can flip a switch, which will lead the trolley down a different track to safety. Unfortunately, there is a single person tied to that track. Should you flip the switch?
- 40. Trolley Dilemma Devised by philosopher Philippa Foot in the 1960s to elucidate moral decision making. Further developed into multiple versions e.g. pushing the fat man. Recent research shows that we make moral decisions in a more homogenous way than previously thought.
- 41. Trolley Dilemma As an artist I increasingly think of myself as setting trolley dilemmas. I am creating a meaningful context in which the participant can explore their moral and ethical boundaries.
Editor's Notes
- Who knows any Blast Theory projects? Which ones?Ask questions as we goStories are parables/metaphors: they simplify and encodeBlast Theory’s work is focused on how events and dialogues might offer alternatives to stories
- I’m not a story teller: there is more to interactive experiences than storiesThese are highly subjective, highly biased perspectivesPick and choose what is applicable to you
- Pubic need to be taught how to engage with itTestingIteratingWireframingSetting boundsProviding helpProviding orchestration (explained later)
- Who are your audience? Locals or incomers? Gamers or story loversHipster alert!What is the platform? What are the affordances of the medium?Duration, scheduling: how long? Continuous? Time of year?Location vs context…leading in to Ivy4Evr
- 44 drafts
- The laws of conversation:Two or more interlocutorsSome shared grammarSocial contract is in playRules can be bent or twisted with the consent of both parties
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- NB: this is hardly a story; there’s very little narrative progression. It has all the redundancy and informality of a conversation.
- 121 msgs in total; 43 of which are story.Balance btw leading conversations and having open conversations Balance btw stories and ladders: ladders have to be about relationships and non-time specific but stories are tightly structured, focused on events and make no account of the participant
- What is the threshold that people must cross to join?This is the most exciting partThis is the hardest partDO NOT START WITH “PEOPLE ARRIVE AT THE WEBSITE AND . . . “This is not just marketing – although it is part of it – it is also the essence of your appeal
- INTRO TO A Machine To See WithAMTSW plays with this line: you are in charge, your decision making is the engine of the work, and yet you are doing what you are toldIvy vs A Machine To See With: in Ivy a fictional character is the protagonist, in AMTSW it is the participant
- How will participants take your world and mess with it? This is always a good thing: people need to care enough about what you’ve made to begin thisYou are extending the interaction by giving agency to othersThe van drivers at SundanceStructure of I’d Hide YouThe Singapore serial killers in DOTFThe location scouts in CYSMN
- This work is touching, immersive, highly personal, very popular, accessible: IT HAS NO STORYIn some works: how do participants navigate, explore, get guided
- Btw real and fictional,performer and audience,artist and audienceEG A Machine To See With plays with your uncertainty about who is part of thisIn I’d Hide You, the game advertises its porosityEG RS has the public as co-authors, AND they perform for each otherThis acknowledges and makes use of a given of interactive experience design: the boundaries *are* porous
- Do not get wedded to technical wowiness or magic fixesIvy looks for a word and acts on the word. All the skill is in Tony’s writing
- You are creating structures for people to inhabitYou cannot make them meaning free or value freeNoughts and crosses is inherently combative and gladiatorial, where you go I cannot, the goal is for one of us to win, it is a zero sum gameSim City sets a tax rate: above 5 or 6% and residents start to flee your cityCall Of Duty invites you to see the world through the eyes of special forces soldiersGameification is about nudging behaviour through rewards and has a social and political agenda
- Sometimes, putting people at riskSometimes, confusing the boundary btw real and fictionSometimes, confusing boundary btw participants and non-participantsThus: you must decide where you stand on these questions: what is safe, what is appropriate, what is legal
- Sometimes, putting people at riskSometimes, confusing the boundary btw real and fictionSometimes, confusing boundary btw participants and non-participantsThus: you must decide where you stand on these questions: what is safe, what is appropriate, what is legal
- Kwame Antony Appiah’s book Experiments in Ethics considers in detail the practical application of moral challenges in the real world. Given our decision to structure Ulrike and Eamon Compliant with an interview as its climax we felt that there was an opportunity to challenge each participant with some of the implications of these questions. For example, should we actively kill someone in order to save five others? The transcripts of the trial at Stammheim of the Red Arny Faction leaders in which they relentlessly argued that their murder of dozens in West Germany should be weighed against the murder of tens of thousands in Vietnam show that this is not just a moral question. At one level their struggle – and that of the IRA prisoners on hunger strike fighting for political status – is one of jurisprudence: what are the norms and bounds of fairness and justice? A range of variations and developments of the original trolley dilemma deepen the understanding that it offers us. And large scale questionnaires have been conducted to sample the public’s response to these challenges. They demonstrate that moral clarity is hard to maintain and that moral decisions can shift in important ways based on small changes of circumstance.
- Kwame Antony Appiah’s book Experiments in Ethics considers in detail the practical application of moral challenges in the real world. For example, should we actively kill someone in order to save five others? The transcripts of the trial at Stammheim of the Red Arny Faction leaders in which they relentlessly argued that their murder of dozens in West Germany should be weighed against the murder of tens of thousands in Vietnam show that this is not just a moral question. At one level their struggle – and that of the IRA prisoners on hunger strike fighting for political status – is one of jurisprudence: what are the norms and bounds of fairness and justice? A range of variations and developments of the original trolley dilemma deepen the understanding that it offers us. And large scale questionnaires have been conducted to sample the public’s response to these challenges. They demonstrate that moral clarity is hard to maintain and that moral decisions can shift in important ways based on small changes of circumstance.
- Kwame Antony Appiah’s book Experiments in Ethics considers in detail the practical application of moral challenges in the real world. Given our decision to structure Ulrike and Eamon Compliant with an interview as its climax we felt that there was an opportunity to challenge each participant with some of the implications of these questions. For example, should we actively kill someone in order to save five others? The transcripts of the trial at Stammheim of the Red Arny Faction leaders in which they relentlessly argued that their murder of dozens in West Germany should be weighed against the murder of tens of thousands in Vietnam show that this is not just a moral question. At one level their struggle – and that of the IRA prisoners on hunger strike fighting for political status – is one of jurisprudence: what are the norms and bounds of fairness and justice? A range of variations and developments of the original trolley dilemma deepen the understanding that it offers us. And large scale questionnaires have been conducted to sample the public’s response to these challenges. They demonstrate that moral clarity is hard to maintain and that moral decisions can shift in important ways based on small changes of circumstance.