CREATURES and monsters are coming to life this Easter.<\/p>\n
As part of the Hidden Creatures Gallery, children will be able to create their own characters and watch them animated in augmented reality at Hargreaves Mall.<\/p>\n
Artistic director of Arena Theatre Company Christian Leavesley said the gallery is the perfect combination of technology and children\u2019s imagination.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt entails young people taking photographs of things they often have a memory with, or they have some experience of something that means something to them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we turn that idea, through photoshop and character animator, into a creature that then they can animate through what is essentially motion capture animation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like a cross between a magic trick and a movie, like CGI in a film.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Leavesley said the gallery is all about children expressing their creativity in a fun, unique way.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we mostly get in a really beautiful way is the kids telling us their experiences and their imaginative life associated with a particular place, say a tree or a statue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Arena Theatre Co. premiered an interactive virtual reality performance in March, called Heart VR, which took participants inside a virtual heart and asked them to reflect on themes of self and identity.<\/p>\n
Mr Leavesley said while the technology is everchanging and growing, imagination and creativity is the main focus.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe technology will often give you a gateway to play, to curiosity, that allows people to join you in a place and then really experience those ideas without too much expectation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Hidden Creatures, you get to experience the thoughts and perspectives of a child without asking them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe augmented reality gives them a platform to do it and it means that they also feel very excited to do it. It breaks down a lot of barriers.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CREATURES and monsters are coming to life this Easter. As part of the Hidden Creatures Gallery, children will be able to create their own characters and watch them animated in augmented reality at Hargreaves Mall. Artistic director of Arena Theatre Company Christian Leavesley said the gallery is the perfect combination of technology and children\u2019s imagination. […]<\/p>\n