MEET OUR THEA AWARD RECIPIENT FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION OF INDUSTRY SIGNIFICANCE
Beaudry Interactive - DIVA CONTROL SUITE OF TOOLS FOR PERFORMERS Los Angeles, California, USA Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement - Technological Innovation of Industry Significance Overview The Diva system consists of a suite of tools, hardware and software solutions which allows a performer or puppeteer to control and interact with the environment in the scene in real-time. These can be anything from a puppet, lights, media elements, scenic elements, etc. Performers have been able to use this to exercise control through gestures, or through poses depending on what the story requires or what the controlled item requires. For example the tools were used by dancers in Transit Space by Diavolo Dance Theater. Recently, the new pose-based control took interaction to a new level, allowing the Big Bird puppeteers at Sea World San Diego to select voice choices while performing the character with live audiences. The system is aware of proximity to land elements to automatically propose appropriate choices to the performer. These appear in a control display inside the costume. This new show brought the character to life like never before, connecting more realistically with children and adults alike. What sets this attraction apart? Unprecedented control - Over more than 16 years as Beaudry Interactive, David Beaudry and his team have developed a unique set of technologies, including self-made hardware and software, that derives information from movement, gestures, proximity, physical actions, group behavior, and location to integrate into any story or performance. This interactive control system allows performers to connect with objects or media around them and grant them unprecedented control over the life of the entire scene. For example, a gesture will trigger lighting of audio in perfect sync, or complex gestures and switches in a glove can initiate character behaviors. The same system can grant control to the audience to enable play and interaction. Inspired by and inspiring our industry - This is a great story: the storytellers of our industry wished for a way to experiment with performers having control, and an inventive person responded with innovation - then the technology inspired new shows, which in turn called for more technological invention. What started as a tool to control audio elements, became used for much more, and these tools are now perfectly integrated in multiple shows - and accessible to everyone.
