It’s been over two years since iMyth performed it’s last presentation of “The Courier,” and I have not scene a location based theme world experience like it since, until now. The folks at Madison Wells Media have created a location-based, Mixed Reality amazing interpretation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol called Chained. I have not been able to participate in Chained myself. Unless MWM Media decides to come to Orlando to give a few performances I don’ think I’l be able to partake. None the less. I understand exactly what they are doing. I found out about the experience through the Verge Article, “Chained mixes virtual reality and live actors to tell a dark Christmas tale.”
Created by Justin Denton, Chained seems to be doing everything correct. The experience takes place on a motion capture stage complete with props and set pieces. Actors and actress from immersive theatre done Motion Capture suites and become interactors in the 20-minute-ish. experience. I have to use the term “around 20 minutes” since each performance is an improvisation and every experience is unique, co-authored with each participant. “Combining a scripted show with on-the-fly moments of improvisation and customization allows the story to remain fixed, while still ensuring each participant’s individual experience will be unique. That approach also extends to the show’s pacing and structure. Rather than having the entire piece run on a timed loop, some individual scenes and transitions are triggered by an on-site stage manager, while others are activated by the way the participant handles certain props. When meeting the Spirit of Christmas Present, for example, I was handed an apple; placing that item on a table in the room triggered the next beat in the scene.”
Within the experience, bony arms and hands reach out and touch the participant, pulling them into the experience, amplifying their presence. “Chained demonstrates how live performers can allow virtual experiences to become more personalized than they would if an audience member was just watching an automated digital character moving along programmed rails. The actors can change their performance, cadence, and approach based on participants’ behavior.”
“Chained” is seen as a prototype event, very much like “The Courier.” The experience, which is to be expected, did have its flaws, “As with any production that’s experimenting and pushing boundaries, some moments that work better than others. At one point, I’m pretty sure I nearly stepped on Bates as he tried to secretly crawl away during a scene transition. At other points, it appeared a character was looking down at my chest rather than meeting my eyes.” As the iMyth experience demonstrated that these early immersive experiences do have their mistakes. However, having live interactors does an amazing job anchoring the participant’s presence in spite of the goofs and less than perfect executed sequences.
The one key factor that “Chained” has that “Courier” didn’t is multiple performances with multiple participants. Running the experience through with hundreds of willing participants really helps iron the wrinkles of a new concept, “When you run lots and lots of audience members through, you really learn a lot, and we’ll make it better and more seamless and more comfortable for people throughout the process.”
I’m very excited for Chained and I hope it creates a strong media buzz. The more positive attention it bring the more likely iMyth will be able to create more immersive theme world experiences!
Update: 12/12/18
I just found this CNET web article about Chained.
From the web article it is a bit difficult to tell just what the journalist’s perspective of the entire experience is. She does seem impressed however with the feeling of presence and Being There when she knows it is not real.