Production
Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!
A Night at Gatsby’s single table production set makes it ideal for recording on a volumetric capture stage for viewing with augmented reality glasses. The Guest point of view is a seated eye line of four feet from the floor facing the actors at the circular table, and this POV is kept for all five scenes.
Below, the upper image shows a volumetric capture stage with a circular array of cameras and microphones to record holographic-like video of the actors performing at and around the table. The resulting video may be downloaded, positioned and interacted-with on an open floor space using AR glasses, smartphones or tablets.
The diameter of the stage’s capture area is large enough to accommodate a circular 4-seat table and sufficient open floor space for limited actor movement. All dramatic action is kept within the capture area, and no more than four actors (out of the eleven-member cast) appear on set simultaneously. When walking to or from the table in any direction, the actors will materialize when entering the capture area and will disappear when exiting it.
Beyond the capture area, the middle image shows the unseen but heard virtual spaces (orchestra and bar) and virtual objects (window, bookcase, wall photos, telephone, scrapbook) that the actors look toward and comment on.
The lower image shows how the video would appear to a seated Guest wearing AR glasses. The Guest shares the table and interacts with actors sitting just a few feet away, creating a heightened sense of intimacy and participation in Gatsby’s story.
Guest Interactivity
While the A Night at Gatsby’s Guest is a non-speaking partygoer, there are many opportunities for agency to inspect various actor-offered digital objects that both enhance the dramatic experience and provide additional backstory in a cinematic “Show, don’t Tell” fashion. The video’s immersive visual and aural cues function as virtual haptics, leading the Guest’s brain into imagining them as “real” experiences and creating memories around them.
Using the hand-tracking capability of their AR glasses, Guests will select and inspect or read six digital objects — receipt, book, medal, photo, letter, and telegram — presented to them in scenes 1, 2, 4, and 5 as summarized below. Tracked by the glasses’ camera or neural wristband, the Guest’s hand will move toward the object and select it with a two-finger pinching or similar motion. When selected, the object will increase in size sufficient for reading its limited text. Another two-finger motion will return the object to its original size and presenting actor.
Scene 1 (7 p.m.): The actors direct some remarks about Gatsby's shady past to the Guest. When presented by Lucille, the Guest may read her store receipt. When presented by Owl Eyes, the Guest may inspect the book with uncut pages.
Scene 2 (8 p.m.): The Conductor taps and points his baton directly at the Guest and says: “This song is for you” before the orchestra plays the fox trot “Whispering.” When wearing AR glasses, the Guest may see their hand give the Conductor a thumbs-up or another acknowledgement. When presented by Gatsby, the Guest may inspect his war medal and Oxford University photo.
Scene 3 (10 p.m.): A Waiter walks up to the Guest with a tray of hors d'oeuvres and asks: “Excuse me! Care for an appetizer?” When wearing AR glasses, the Guest may see their hand reach out for an appetizer.
Scene 4 (12 a.m.): The Girl in Yellow walks up to the Guest with an extended hand and asks: “Hello! May I have this dance?” When wearing AR glasses, the Guest may see their hand reach out for the dancer’s hand. Throughout this confrontational dramatic scene, the actors direct some remarks to the Guest. When presented by Tom, the Guest may read his private eye letter about Gatsby.
Scene 5 (4 a.m.): When presented by Gatsby, the Guest may read his telegram to Daisy.
Spatial Audio
Spatial audio will enhance the production’s party atmosphere beyond the physical limitations of the single patio table.
Spatial audio is a powerful way to more fully immerse Guests and direct attention to speech and action outside their immediate view via sound. With spatial audio, the entire spherical sound field is audible and responds to changes in the Guest’s head rotation, creating a realistic aural experience. Spatial audio expands Guest awareness of surrounding party music, sounds, and activities beyond the narrow field of view of the table set. Spatial audio is heard through the AR glasses open-ear speakers — no special hardware or multi-channel devices are required.
Spatial audio not only serves to enhance the immersion but is also effective in alerting the Guest to dramatic moments within the presentation. The conductor’s tapping baton in scene 2, the waiter’s “Excuse me?” in scene 3 and the Girl in Yellow’s “Hello?” in scene 4 all alert the Guest to these characters’ subsequent entry and comments.
Haptic Devices
Haptic technology adds the sense of touch to visual and aural interfaces by applying forces, vibrations, or motions. These technologies can be used to interact with virtual objects in the production and incorporate tactile sensors that measure forces exerted by the Guest.
Future finger- or wrist-mounted haptic devices will provide the Guest's hands with sensations of texture, force, motion, resistance, and vibration during interaction with computer-generated and real-world characters and objects. Wirelessly paired to a smartphone, the haptic devices, and headset/glasses will enable the Guest to touch and manipulate the many digital objects presented throughout the production.
A more interesting haptic test could occur in scene 4 when the Girl in Yellow asks to dance with her hand extended to the Guest. The Guest would see and feel one device-equipped hand in the AR glasses hold the flapper’s hand and, when standing up, extend the other device-equipped hand around the flapper and touch her back. To the spatial audio music of the foxtrot “Jimmy (I love but you)” the Guest would have the visual, aural and tactile experience of dancing at Gatsby’s party!
