"Paintings Alive" Interactive Film for Children

Research & Development: Victoria Wetzel and Dr Polina Zioga.

Aims
The aim of this project is to investigate the use of interactive video technologies and factors that can lead into the design of engaging and user-friendly museum experiences for children. It focuses on the creation of hybrid experiences for young visitors, in which the interaction between physical and digital elements can transform and enrich their experience of the exhibits, and increase visitor numbers and interactions on- and off-site. To achieve this, a museum was chosen as a case study and a survey was conducted that led to the production of Paintings Alive, an interactive film for children, based on the museum’s art gallery, and accessible on the visitors’ mobile devices. The project further explores the museum spaces that can benefit more from interactive videos and films; their preferable length; and the most engaging production types, presentation and delivery formats.

Methods
Audience Engagement, HTML, Human-Computer Interaction, Interactive Media, Interactive Narrative, Interactive Storytelling, Interactive Filmmaking, Museum Design.

©2021 Victoria Wetzel, Polina Zioga and Interactive Filmmaking Lab.

The video has been created as part of the ‘Interactive Film and Media Conference 2022’, 8-10 June 2022,
Ryerson University, The University of Texas at Dallas, Leeds Trinity University, and University of Beyrouth
(journals.library.ryerson.ca/index.php/InteractiveFilmMedia/article/view/1572).

Duration: 11’50’’
Image: 16:9 widescreen
Format: H.264
Genre: video essay
Country of Production: Scotland, UK
Year of Production: 2022
Written by: Victoria Wetzel and Polina Zioga.
Video created by: Polina Zioga and Victoria Wetzel.
Music: Shimmer by Airtone Copyright ©2022 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Available: dig.ccmixter.org/files/airtone/64622.
Spacedust by Airtone Copyright ©2022 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. Available: dig.ccmixter.org/files/airtone/64741.
Copyright © 2022 Victoria Wetzel, Polina Zioga and Interactive Filmmaking Lab.

Publications and Outputs
- Wetzel, V., and Zioga, P. (2022) Paintings Alive: An Interactive Film for Young Museum Visitors. Interactive Film and Media Journal, 2(4): 95-105. doi: 10.32920/ifmj.v2i4.1669.
- Wetzel, V., and Zioga, P. (2022) Paintings Alive: Interactive Films and Video Installations for Young Museum Visitors. Interactive Film and Media, 2(2). doi: 10.32920/ifmj.v2i2.1572.
– Paintings Alive (2020) Directed by Victoria Wetzel [Interactive Film]. UK: Victoria Wetzel.
– Wetzel, V. (2020) Video Technology in Museums Primarily Aimed at Young Visitors. BSc (Hons) Dissertation, Staffordshire University.

Paintings Alive hosted on Eko (dir. Victoria Wetzel, 2020).

Paintings Alive – the short interactive film for children
Paintings Alive (dir. Victoria Wetzel, 2020) is an HTML-based short interactive film for children, featuring paintings exhibited in The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. The viewers/users follow Éloïse, the character of a portrait, moving across the gallery, while they decide which painting they want to visit next. During the navigation, they discover the different characters portrayed, their lives and relationships.

Contributors
Victoria Wetzel: Producer | Director | Editor | Interaction Designer
Ben Riley: Scriptwriter
Sean Keegan: Cinematographer.
Josephine Bakewell: Sound Mixer.
Martina Majcen: Production Assistant.
Dr Polina Zioga: Research Supervisor.

Cast
JD Kelly (as Jamie).
Esther Slater (as Éloïse).
Sherrone C (as Lucille).
George Scott (as Derek).
Ernest Vernon (as Barber).
Serguté Warner-Bowen (as Hélenè).
Georgia Jasper (as Dolly).