DEFENCE OF DARWIN
EXPERIENCE
Commemorating the Bombing of Darwin
For the past twelve months, The Pod Multimedia, in partnership with Convergence Design, has been involved in the production of the Northern Territory’s Defense of Darwin Experience. The Pod recently completed this massive undertaking, with the exhibit and purpose-built complex opening to the public on the 19th of February, 2012, in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the bombing. In accordance with Convergence Design’s concept plan and brief, The Pod produced the entire range of multimedia and interactive content displayed in the Defence of Darwin Experience.
The Experience differs greatly from a typical museum. Offering a multi-sensory cinematic experience, inspired by the events of 19 February 1942 as its showpiece, the entire museum is predicated on oral histories. This unique vantage point is ingrained in all of The Experience’s multimedia, from touch and gesture based interactive displays to the motion-sensor based 12-minute Bombing of Darwin Experience spectacle.
MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION
Interactive Museum Content
The Pod produced seventeen distinct multimedia displays for The Defence of Darwin Experience. Each display’s presentation and functionality was dependent on the amount and type of information which needed to be conveyed. A practical, shrewd approach, combined with the The Pod’s technological nous, meant each display, whether based in Flash, HTML and Java or animation, provided ease of use and accessibility for the visitor.
BOMBING OF DARWIN EXPERIENCE
Ultra Widescreen Theatre Experience
A spectacle of 3D animation, 5.1 surround sound and extreme widescreen and multiple projection, The Bombing Of Darwin Experience utilises all the latest in cinematic technology to achieve a moving representation of the events that took place in Darwin on the 19th of February, 1942. Using only photographs taken during the period, combined with transcripts of first-hand accounts of the day, The Experience transports visitors back to the day, with every detail as true to historical accounts as possible.
watch
IMMERSIVE TABLE EXPERIENCE
The Character Table
This interactive display is best described as a truly unique story-telling device, allowing visitors to discover 28 different stories of people who were in Darwin on the 19th of February, 1942. Each story is an acted recital of the the actual persons firsthand account, with real photos accompanying each soundtrack.
Imagine a square table, 2m x 2m, with 4 touch screens on each corner. In the centre of the table is a projected map of Darwin that, when a character button is pushed, reveals their location at the time of the bombing. Allowing up to four users at a time, the map also shows the location of important military installations used in Darwin during WWII.
watch the table in action
STORY SHARE PROJECT
Recording Everyone’s History
Simply a digital recording booth equipped with a camera and microphone, Story Share allows visitors to share their own stories and accounts of Darwin during WWII. A concept in touch with the ethos of the entire exhibit, absolutely anybody is welcome to share their thoughts, contributing to an ever expanding collection of unique histories.
An intelligent and sophisticated content managment system was designed to allow museum operators to easily update and share the stories that are recorded, to keep the exhibit current.
Fully monitored remotely
Due to the complexities of the technology involved in running The Bombing of Darwin Experience theatre, The Pod, in conjunction with DRM Audio Visual, wrote it’s own show control software. From a technical perspective, running The Experience meant synchronising the operations of multiple projectors, iglass, specialised lighting, as well as a number of mechanical features such as electronic doors and moving lights. (These needed to be functional twenty times a day, seven days a week, without fail). We also had to control all the display and object lighting within the theatre. We wrote our own show control system because we felt existing software options were far too cumbersome and slow for our purposes. By devising a custom show control system, we not only sped up the installation process, but also ensured that the running of the show could all be controlled and monitored remotely from our office in Melbourne. Through this software, we are able to continuously monitor the show, detecting any technology failures, as well as other maintenance issues.
ONLINE CONTENT & THE MOBILE EXPERIENCE
Web & Mobile Production
The Defence of Darwin Experience is truly a museum of the twenty first century, embracing a raft of digital technologies to help ensure visitors gain the most from their visit. A free downloadable smart phone application allows the visitors experience to transcend the physical boundaries of the museum, featuring a self-guided tour of nine significant military sites around the greater Darwin area, as well as further video and picture content. The Pod was also responsible for producing the website for The Defence of Darwin Experience, which provides visitors with general information about the museum.
http://www.defenceofdarwin.nt.gov.au/
