Following the success of ‘Picnic on the Screen’ presented at the Glastonbury Festival 2009 Charlotte Gould and Paul Sermon have been invited to develop a new version of this interactive public video installation exhibited at University of Nottingham, China for the Digital Resources for humanities and Arts 2011 in Ningbo from the 4/9/2011 to 7/9/2011 linking with the Lowry, MediaCityUk.
Utilising the latest blue screen and HD videoconferencing technology the installation brought public participants together within a shared telepresent urban picnic scene. Merging live camera views of remote audiences together and placing them within a simulated arcadia environment, together with computer animated elements that were triggered and controlled by the audience through a unique motion tracking interface integrated within the installation.
When a member of the audience discovers their image on screen they immediately enter the telepresent space, watching a live image of them selves sitting on a picnic blanket next to another person. They soon start to explore the space and understand they are now in complete physical control of a telepresent body that can interact with another person in an illustrated enchanted arcadian scene, complete with animated characters that respond to their movement and actions.
This site-specific work allowed the public to engage and interact while simply passing through or relaxing having lunch. This playful environment merges two public spaces together, creating a third otherworldly space on screen where people can interact with others across the globe on a virtual picnic blanket, allowing the audience to explore alternative networked spaces.