March 20, 2020 5:30 pm
I had originally travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon to attend a meeting at the Shakespeare’s trust around the corner from the Royal Shakespeare company.
I spent the morning with my colleague Alex Foster looking around Shakespeare’s birthplace as we had a tour of the museum and meeting about their future digital roadmap. It was the day before theatres were closed so the buildings and streets were very empty. Which gave me the opportunity to see shakespeares birthplace as pretty much a blank canvas.
Alex Foster walked off and asked questions about things he was interested in then I walked outside and found a couple doing some Shakespearean acting in middle of the courtyard. I watched and filmed intently as they recited bits of Shakespeare to a crowd of about 5 people including me. I must say they were very good and it got me thinking about performances, VR and volumetric capture compared to rigged photogrammetry models.
These actors have to do this every day, same performance, different crowds. I understand there is an element to theatre that works because of the live nature of the act but VR is pretty much there for capturing live performances now.
This made me think about the RSC around the corner so after the meeting I walked round and booked onto a behind the scenes tour of the theatre at 1pm
I didn’t know it at the time but this was to be the last behind the scenes tour before lock down and I don’t know if they will be opening this feature up again. So looking back this was a great privilege and I’ll have to apologise for taking a few photos as it was an amazing place to visit! And I’m hoping some of this article might help to bring some sort of normal back to theatre life.
I had never been inside the RSC so I didn’t know what to expect. We got to see the old theatre and t he new one and both were in the process of getting ready for the next performance which we were told was in a few weeks (after this all shows were cancelled because of COVID19
Just checked online and the RSC looks like the COVID crisis has hit them hard as they are asking for donations and below the youth board members have been advising on how to handle things. This is good it looks like they are already thinking about alternatives
https://www.rsc.org.uk/news/new-youth-board-members-advise-on-our-response-to-covid-19
On the website they are also asking for donations as I expect they have bene hit really hard financially through this pandemic and as the lock down is eased I think the theatre industry is gong to have the same social distancing problems that the airlines are having now as they have built their models around lots of people in a small space. Airlines have a bigger problem as people need to get from A to B but for theatre I think it can be different. Even if the theatres went back to normal and all seats were available would you want to sit there for 2 hours with a mask on?
I wonder if they are thinking about full photorealistic volumetric recorded alternatives to traditional plays? These could still utilise the amazing RSC space and show off all the acoustics and unique seating options for guests as well as allowing every guest the ability to go back stage, or be on stage with the actors!
As the tour progressed it got me thinking even more it was like the stage was built for a volumetric capture because it has seating all around it.
As the tour progressed it got me thinking even more it was like the stage was built for a volumetric capture because it has seating all around it.
Option 1 – laser scan the whole theatre, stage and seats LEICA RTC360
This is an example of laser data detail and this can be captured this would take about a day on site at RSC.
Option 2 – Photogrammetry scan the stage and seats
This gives us the detail in the textures of all the surfaces like the example below. This can then be made ready to show inside of VR for a virtual tour.
Option 3 – go to any number of volumetric capture facilities in the UK and capture a 2 person exchange photorealistic volumetric (man and lady doing a 1 minute Shakespearian scene)
Volumetric capture in VR example below from 4dviews, The volumetric data can then me added onto the Virtual Stage.
Option 4 – play the scene and allow the viewer to sit on any of the seats to watch the short scene (This is the ‘on the head demo’ that everyone needs to understand the concept of photorealistic VR)
This would then build the basis of the business model of how this could be scaled up for bigger experiences larger performances and eventually having a virtual version of the Shakespeare company online in a virtual stratford upon avon.
You could then go one step further and scan any other environments and have the play transported to that environment rather than having to recreate the stage backdrop for every scene
For example you could have a scene around any local monument like below at Piers Gaveston monument.
You could also have mocap on every person in a play , run the whole play capture the data from everyone’s mocaps and build the scene that way from photogrammetry models combined with mocap of each character
Once this new workflow was set up the RSC could turn into a virtual production house, creating amazing plays and sets and characters like they have been doing but now it all gets captured for ever and can be viewed for ever by anyone in any location from any seating position
If you would like a more information on this subject or a VR demo for your organisation please send an email to us and we can get in touch.
info@rivr.uk
paul.mallinson@rivr.uk
