Aurora: A Modern Myth: (Live at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin)

Henry Melki; Alec Parkin; Brian Coyle; Mike O'Callaghan; Emma  Jordan; Una  Nic Eoin; Dominic  Montague; Ciaran Bagnall; Mary Tumelty; Katie  Richardson; Rosie McClelland; Paula O'Reilly; Codie Morrison; Joseph Catney; Declan Paxton; Scott Meekin; Ronan McManus; Meghan  Tyler; Conor O'Donnell; Thomas Finnegan; Maria  Connolly

Aurora: A Modern Myth: (Live at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin)

Henry Melki (Artist)
, Alec Parkin (Designer)
, Brian Coyle (Designer)
, Mike O'Callaghan (Designer)
, Emma Jordan (Creator)
, Una Nic Eoin (Producer)
, Dominic Montague
, Ciaran Bagnall (Designer)
, Mary Tumelty (Designer)
, Katie Richardson (Composer)
, Rosie McClelland (Designer)
, Paula O'Reilly (Artist)
, Codie Morrison (Curator)
, Joseph Catney (Designer)
, Declan Paxton (Curator)
, Scott Meekin (Designer)
, Ronan McManus (Producer)
, Meghan Tyler (Performer)
, Conor O'Donnell (Performer)
, Thomas Finnegan (Performer)

Maria Connolly (Performer)

PrimeCut Productions

Research output: Non-textual form › Performance

Abstract

This live performance from 5th until 8th Feb 2025, at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin, is the result of the research and development activities that were achieved through the XRNetwork+ research grant. The performance demonstrates the integration of virtual production techniques that are tailored for live theatre performance. The virtual pipeline was implemented and embedded through the presentation of two main digital characters that were controlled in real-time and projected alongside the live performers. The characters are a talking badger, that was controlled with Facial Motion Capture and an Xbox controller, and an ethereal tree, that was projected on a prop and the stage. The tree's features (including colour, animation, and Visual effects) were rendered and controlled in real-time.

The pipeline R&D that were demonstrated through the performances include:

- the development of the Tree and root model and its shaders that drove the real-time rendered animations.
- the blueprint that allows the real-time control of the tree animations
- the badger model, Rig, Shape Keys that drove the facial and body puppetry via facial motion capture and the Xbox Controller
- the blueprints that allows the switch between real-time mocap, digital puppetry performances, and the triggerable animations for the badger
- the Sky cycle blueprint that allows the switch between day, night and aurora animation cycles.

The Ulster University research team also defined the specialist skillsets that are required for the performances. This lead to the establishment of two job roles that were taken by a Games Design student and an Animation Graduate. The successful Ulster University students, who joined PrimeCut Productions, further developed the assets listed above to meet the needs of the spaces booked for the performances and took charge in controlling the character and the tree during the performances.

Original language	English
Publication status	Unpublished - 5 Feb 2025

Bibliographical note

XR Network+ Virtual Production in the Digital Economy provides funding and support to researchers working in virtual production technologies.

Funding

This production is supported by XR Network+, using funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). XR Network+ is based at the University of York and is a collaboration between partners based at Cardiff University, Ulster University, University of the Arts London, Edinburgh University and the University of York. The project is a five-year EPSRC funded project (Grant Ref: EP/W020602/1).

Keywords

XRNetwork+
Theatre
Live Performance
Virtual Production
Games Design
Animation
Digital Characters
Digital Puppetry
Unreal Engine
Real-time Rendering
Visual Effects
VFX
Performance

Cite this

Melki, H., Parkin, A., Coyle, B., O'Callaghan, M., Jordan, E., Nic Eoin, U., Montague, D., Bagnall, C., Tumelty, M., Richardson, K., McClelland, R., O'Reilly, P., Morrison, C., Catney, J., Paxton, D., Meekin, S., McManus, R., Tyler, M., O'Donnell, C., ... Connolly, M. (2025). Aurora: A Modern Myth: (Live at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin). Unpublished. Performance

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title = "Aurora: A Modern Myth: (Live at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin)",

abstract = "This live performance from 5th until 8th Feb 2025, at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin, is the result of the research and development activities that were achieved through the XRNetwork+ research grant. The performance demonstrates the integration of virtual production techniques that are tailored for live theatre performance. The virtual pipeline was implemented and embedded through the presentation of two main digital characters that were controlled in real-time and projected alongside the live performers. The characters are a talking badger, that was controlled with Facial Motion Capture and an Xbox controller, and an ethereal tree, that was projected on a prop and the stage. The tree's features (including colour, animation, and Visual effects) were rendered and controlled in real-time. The pipeline R\&D that were demonstrated through the performances include: - the development of the Tree and root model and its shaders that drove the real-time rendered animations. - the blueprint that allows the real-time control of the tree animations - the badger model, Rig, Shape Keys that drove the facial and body puppetry via facial motion capture and the Xbox Controller - the blueprints that allows the switch between real-time mocap, digital puppetry performances, and the triggerable animations for the badger - the Sky cycle blueprint that allows the switch between day, night and aurora animation cycles. The Ulster University research team also defined the specialist skillsets that are required for the performances. This lead to the establishment of two job roles that were taken by a Games Design student and an Animation Graduate. The successful Ulster University students, who joined PrimeCut Productions, further developed the assets listed above to meet the needs of the spaces booked for the performances and took charge in controlling the character and the tree during the performances. ",

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Melki, H , Parkin, A , Coyle, B , O'Callaghan, M, Jordan, E, Nic Eoin, U, Montague, D, Bagnall, C, Tumelty, M, Richardson, K, McClelland, R, O'Reilly, P, Morrison, C, Catney, J, Paxton, D, Meekin, S, McManus, R, Tyler, M, O'Donnell, C, Finnegan, T & Connolly, M, Aurora: A Modern Myth: (Live at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin), 2025, Performance.

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AB - This live performance from 5th until 8th Feb 2025, at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin, is the result of the research and development activities that were achieved through the XRNetwork+ research grant. The performance demonstrates the integration of virtual production techniques that are tailored for live theatre performance. The virtual pipeline was implemented and embedded through the presentation of two main digital characters that were controlled in real-time and projected alongside the live performers. The characters are a talking badger, that was controlled with Facial Motion Capture and an Xbox controller, and an ethereal tree, that was projected on a prop and the stage. The tree's features (including colour, animation, and Visual effects) were rendered and controlled in real-time. The pipeline R&D that were demonstrated through the performances include: - the development of the Tree and root model and its shaders that drove the real-time rendered animations. - the blueprint that allows the real-time control of the tree animations - the badger model, Rig, Shape Keys that drove the facial and body puppetry via facial motion capture and the Xbox Controller - the blueprints that allows the switch between real-time mocap, digital puppetry performances, and the triggerable animations for the badger - the Sky cycle blueprint that allows the switch between day, night and aurora animation cycles. The Ulster University research team also defined the specialist skillsets that are required for the performances. This lead to the establishment of two job roles that were taken by a Games Design student and an Animation Graduate. The successful Ulster University students, who joined PrimeCut Productions, further developed the assets listed above to meet the needs of the spaces booked for the performances and took charge in controlling the character and the tree during the performances.

KW - XRNetwork+

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KW - Live Performance

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KW - Games Design

KW - Animation

KW - Digital Characters

KW - Digital Puppetry

KW - Unreal Engine

KW - Real-time Rendering

KW - Visual Effects

KW - VFX

KW - Performance

UR - https://projectartscentre.ie/events/aurora-a-modern-myth-by-dominic-montague/

M3 - Performance

ER -

Aurora: A Modern Myth: (Live at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Other files and links

Fingerprint

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Cite this

Aurora: A Modern Myth: (Live at the Projects Art Centre, No.39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Activities

Research output

Press/Media

Projects

Cite this