Augmented Reality arrives to Skipton

Kettu Studios has had a busy 2 weeks with colleagues from Canada, Rocket 5 Studios.

Even if this all sounds quite technical it's been an interesting journey of technical tests to try to build a bridge between traditional Stop Motion Animation and digital animation and the latest technology of AUGMENTED REALITY! & It has been FUN! :)

We have learned about new software of Photogrammetry (Agisoft) and game developing (Unity) along with new protocols of file and project sharing with Slack, GitLab, Sourcetree and Xcode, added animating and poly and mesh cleaning with Maya.

All our phones are soon capable to augment reality through the screens and share information in a new and exciting way.

Augmented Reality technique refers to visual digital content that is present in a physical world. This Augmented Reality project is based on her story of “Dogs’ Dales”, an animated TV series in making based on locations in Skipton, Dales and Craven area and real people in it. With a twist that everyone is portrayed as a dog.

Along with the informative presentations in June and July to students and general public in Skipton Academy, Craven College and Skipton Library, Virpi and her collaborators have created a phone app that places one of the animated dog character, Mark, by the canal tow path.

By downloading the app at the beginning of October, at Skipton International Puppet Festival time, you can find and interact with the character in Augmented Reality.

Virpi says: “The aim of my project is to shine a new and exciting light on our historical home county through a story that is based on this reality. Hopefully this will invigorate interest in this area, as well as inform people about the new digital industries and it’s possibilities.

Personally it has been very inspirational to learn about Skipton and Craven ever since I moved here; the history and the people, in the present day too. This project is my homage to the exceptional beauty of this area and the great personalities among us. It really seemed like everyone had a dog. It was like the dogs owned the Dales. Hence the project name: Dogs’ Dales.”

This project was part of development grant from Great Place: Lakes and Dales,that is one of the 16 pilot projects in England funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England. The main purpose of the programme is to understand the reasons for fewer 16 to 34 year olds than the national average living and working in the area and seek to address them, using arts, heritage and culture as the catalyst for economic, social and environmental change.

To find out more go to:

www.dogsdales.com

www.rocket5studios.com

https://www.lakesanddales.org