Hi there. I have felt somewhat confused about my thesis these past couple of weeks. I came in to the Show-a-Thing Show with a clear direction but not much to show for it (except for the jankiest of all janky prototypes). With each presentation, I got more and more frustrated by my project. The more I explained it, the less confident I felt about achieving my goal.

I came in with the commitment creating an intimate experience of getting to know someone through objects. As I presented, a disillusionment presented itself. I’m profiling a fictional character with fantastical, time-traveling abilities. But I also want to maintain the earnestness and sincerity of getting to know someone’s deepest objects and memories. To me, the fictional elements and my intentions are at a crossroads. I don’t think there is any way to get around this. I’m not F. Scott Fitzgerald who can craft a character that universally everyone can connect with. I’m not an expert visual-audio storyteller who can create an elaborate canvas that allows someone to latch onto my character. These concerns were (and still are) effecting my productivity and direction.

I’m getting bogged down in the details of what I hope my guest will walk away with. I also had one of my inspiration projects in the back of my head; I wanted to recreate this. As Matt Romein, told me after pitching my thesis: “the nature of making things is not linear. Nothing is precious. Everything is an idea.”

It’s okay to if your project may not meet your imagined result. All you can do is an experiment and go with your gut. So I will do that.

I have taken all the advice I have received over the past couple of weeks and have developed a new direction.

New Direction:

The story: 

This probably won’t make sense to anyone reading this but it helps me.

  • After Finley, caught on to his ability to deliver packages through time, he’s begun to take advantage of his power, delivering packages of his choosing to manipulate his desired outcome. He now has total control over when he can deliver packages. He collects a variety of objects that he owns and attempts to deliver them to people in his past hoping that would change his current situation in the present.
  • He doesn’t quite understand the extent of his responsibility. He doesn’t realize that one delivered packaged, or misdelivery can rupture the space-time continuum.
  • Along with packages that he needs to deliver for work, his delivery van is full of objects that represent him. They both capture positive and dark moments in his life.
  • Finley is about to unknowingly change his life. He doesn’t realize that one of the objects in the van that he plans on delivering through time will rupture the space-time continuum.
  • You (my guest) have stumbled upon a suspicious vacant delivery van. While Finley is delivering packages through time, you scavenge the van looking for clues on who Finley is. As you search, you learn about the imminent danger, Finley’s hidden secrets, scarring memories, and so on. You learn that you have to take the one object that Finley plans on delivering, which will rupture the space-time continuum.

My Notes:

  • I will play in the fantasticalness of my character and create a story-driven by imagination and fun. Run with the fiction.
    • Hopefully, the intimacy of learning about someone will emerge on its own.
  • Everything in my installation NEEDS to be diegetic. 
  • The installation will take place in a vacant van, the van that Finley drives for work (I will create a mock van trunk in my room)
  • The installation consists of guests wandering through the trunk scanning items- some are packages that Finley plans on delivering, some are Finley’s personal items.
  • All delivery drivers have a rabbit device. Essentially, it will be a smartphone disguised as a package scanner. This is the key to unlock interactivity for my guests in the experience. Finley left his rabbit behind while he is off in another time period delivering packages. The device will activate the projections and audio. 
  • The scannable objects will have embedded NFC tags that will be able to be picked up by the “rabbit”
  • I will be projecting either with the physical objects or onto objects
  • Hidden projectors will be placed throughout the drunk of the van
  • Hidden speakers will be inside of the van that will play the audio