D. CENTRE was a small-group interactive live experience that explored the nature of rebellion and radicalization. I co-created this experience with Ellie DiBerardino as part of our San Francisco creative agency, Some Evil Studio.
The experience began by splitting its 20-person group into parallel paths. A single participant — the self-identified most “rebellious” of the group — was singled out for a solo journey, whilst the remaining people in the group were invited to explore rebellion through a series of artistic and self-expressive moments (including decorating tiny potato avatars of themselves).
DUTY OF CARE
D. CENTRE explored several potentially triggering subjects, especially for the solo participant. As we designed this experience, it was incredibly important that all audience members felt safe and cared for. This included...
• Mental health and safety practitioners on site
• Public opt-in and private confirmation for the solo experience, including verbal confirmation of the participant’s comfort with any specific elements that might be triggering or traumatic
• Opt-out for any participant at any point during the experience
• Full CCTV monitoring of all participants by show staff
• Post-show decompression options for solo participant
Both the solo participant and group were told that their mission was to defeat “Babyface,” an evil force present in the larger world — represented in the experience by the Babyface facsimile (BFF). But while the larger rebel group was encouraged to conquer this foe through art, persuasion, and self-expression, the solo rebel was challenged with a series of tests that provoked and confronted their sense of self. They were repeatedly asked to choose between complying with instruction by taking direct action — or defy commands to preserve their self-identity.
The rebel’s choices (or lack thereof) can directly affect the group and their work, but the group never has full context to understand the rebel’s journey, instead witnessing fragments through CCTV and unkind interpretation from the group’s instructors. After two very different experiences, the radicalized rebel and group reunite for a final explosive showdown with the Babyface facsimile — and each other.
I led overall direction, narrative, and technical direction for the piece, and led interaction design for the the solo experience. I also co-wrote and directed the pre-recorded video and audio segments. D. CENTRE was a technically challenging show, with multiple live and pre-recorded video and audio feeds, dynamic lighting, live puppeteering of the BFF, and a fog machine. I led live direction during the experience, as well as puppeteering the BFF for both the solo and group experiences.