This project was a collaboration with DJ Neff (DD), Racheal McDonald (VD), Jeff Crouse (TD), and I. Fabrication by SCPS Unlimited.
Blending technology, storytelling, and the rich cultural heritage of New Orleans, the Kinetic Storytelling AI Video Experience invited residents and visitors to share their personal connections to the city in a groundbreaking way. By leveraging AI-driven projections and real-time analysis, this immersive installation captured the heart of New Orleans’ 300-year legacy, creating personalized, shareable moments that celebrated the city’s stories while pushing the boundaries of interactive design.
We built two booths, one which lives in the WWII museum, and the larger container travels to different NOLA events to collect stories.
To celebrate New Orleans’ 300th anniversary, the goal was to design two state-of-the-art story booths that invited residents and visitors to share their most memorable experiences in the city.
The project aimed to:
1. Capture Personal Stories: Create a space where users could record 45-second stories about New Orleans.
2. Enhance with AI Technology: Use IBM Watson to analyze each story for keywords and tone, dynamically projecting visuals and footage that aligned with the narrative.
3. Share Stories Widely: Provide guests with a multi-layered video they could keep and share on their social networks.
Logistical Challenges:
• Designing booths to balance guest capacity and quality.
• Overcoming logistical constraints, including automation, airport regulations, size restrictions, and installation limits.
Build two unique booths:
1. A permanent installation at New Orleans’ WWII Museum at launch would be showcase at airport.
2. A mobile unit designed to travel to festivals and events throughout the city.
We conducted a workshop with stakeholders to align user and business goals, identifying key challenges for different stages of the guest experience:
1. Entry: Managing guest flow and educating visitors about the experience.
2. Pre-Flight: Personalizing the storytelling experience and ensuring automation worked seamlessly.
3. Core Experience: Balancing automation, education, and timing for smooth execution.
To create an ideal experience, we mapped out a golden path documenting the actions and decisions of guests, staff, and the supporting technology. Key stages included:
1. Registration Zone: Guests sign up and receive an overview of the experience.
2. Exploration Zones: Guests engage with interactive exhibits while waiting their turn.
3. Pre-Flight: Guests personalize their experience and prepare for storytelling.
4. Core Experience: Storytelling begins, with real-time AI-driven projections enhancing the narrative.
5. Post-Experience: Guests review and consent to share their footage.
Budget constraints made it impractical to staff three event ambassadors at each booth. The solution required designing an automated registration and cue system that allowed guests to sign up, start the experience, and exit independently.
Key Automation Features:
• Self-registration at the entrance.
• A self-start mechanism for storytelling.
• Automated footage review and consent process.
The final installation was an AI-powered storytelling experience housed in a custom-fabricated shipping container inspired by New Orleans’ identity as a major port city.
Inside the booth:
• Recording: Guests shared 45-second stories, captured by high-quality video equipment.
• AI Analysis: IBM Watson analyzed keywords and tone to generate personalized projections on and behind the storyteller.
• Sharing: The raw video was automatically edited and uploaded to the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) website, where guests could download and share their stories.
The Kinetic Storytelling booths demonstrated the potential of AI-driven interactive experiences to celebrate a city’s heritage in a modern, engaging way. The project balanced creative innovation with logistical constraints, resulting in an immersive platform that connected people to the rich history of New Orleans while pushing the boundaries of storytelling.