This is a repost of an article originally found here, published with the authors permission.
In June this year, Creative Producing for Digital Platforms (CPDP) students had the opportunity to take part in a two-day ‘Photogrammetry and VR Bootcamp’, designed and led by Philo van Kemenade. It involved a visit to the National Gallery, and an opportunity to scan artworks with a view to creating their first simple 3D models in Sketchfab. The results were exciting and has led all the students to want to explore more deeply the potential for producing more complex VR experiences.
The aim with the bootcamp is to get students to understand the basic principles of photogrammetry, learn how to plan and carry out a photo shoot, then process and manipulate the resulting photos in order produce simple 3D models and a basic 360-degree VR experience. During the bootcamp, students become familiar with industry standard software such as Agisoft, Sketchfab and Unity. As well as developing their thoughts about how to produce VR, students acquire practical skills for putting together effective demos and prototypes.
The field trip to the National Gallery was very inspiring, with all the students managing to photograph and model at least one artwork – and they even start to build models of whole rooms. The bootcamp has also led to valuable conversations between students and National Gallery digital staff and curators about how these technologies and methods might have longer term impact on arts institutions in terms of curation, interpretation and audience engagement.
Not only did students build their first ever 360 immersive experience (in just 48 hours!), they also used the Bootcamp to explore creative and production issues related to the manipulation of digital objects in virtual environments in general – considering issues such as perspective, scale, colour, texture, context, authenticity, relative positions in time and space, mixed media etc.
We need to thank the National Gallery hugely for their support for the VR Bootcamp, and we hope students next year can benefit from a similar experience.
More details about the Creative Producing for Digital Platforms course can be found here or check out the video below to hear what students thought of the workshop:
If you want to learn #3Dscanning & build immersive #VR experiences, look no further than our Creative Producing for Digital Platforms Diploma – check out our latest video featuring a workshop with @nationalgallery – apply by Sept 27 https://t.co/vH3xXrBoRw pic.twitter.com/dGUu0PdBiB
— National Film and Television School (@NFTSFilmTV) August 15, 2018
About the author
Tim Wright
Interactive Media Producer & Digital Writer. Course Leader, Creative Producing for Digital Platforms, NFTS
