Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience—Inside the Writer’s Mind

Practice Area

Client

Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX)

Industry

  1. Embedded in the reproduction of a writer’s studio—the study—the typewriter experience uses projected videos precisely mapped to a real desk, typewriter and book.

  2. Visitors sit at the desk and immerse themselves in the stories of 3 homegrown Mississippi writers. Paired with sound design, the typewriter’s keyboard is highlighted as words projected on paper

  3. An attract screen introduces each of the three writers whose stories will be explored.

  4. Summary of each author appears on printed page before he/she begins talking. Visitor immediately introduced to them, and foreshadow key themes in story that will unfold.

  5. A clip of Richard Wright is heard, describing education inequality, which was critical to address, matched with items that inspired him. (image: visitor at projection mapped desk)

  6. Each vignette is crafted in completely distinct animation styles. The visual style of Wright’s animation, seen here, is based on the paintings of Jacob Lawrence; John Grisham’s mimic courtroom drawing.

  7. Eudora Welty’s real work environment projected while she talks about her neighbors as sources of inspiration. Her trusted journal appears, w/ observations she would scribble down for short stories.

  8. Audio narration of Eudora Welty’s short story, “The Key,” plays + animations seamlessly illustrate written portrait of a deaf couple, sitting waiting for train while dream of destination.

Project Vision

The MAX was created to showcase Mississippi’s arts and entertainment legacy, honor their creative legends and inspire tomorrow’s artists. The overall museum design is based on the celebration of the artistic process, as opposed to its finished product.

“Inside the Writers’ Mind” introduces museum visitors to the works of three of Mississippi’s most notable authors. The storytelling strategy hinges on letting the authors and their work speak for themselves. Authors tend to be invisible behind their work, and in a museum setting it is challenging to bring visitors into the story without having them read a novel.

To meet these challenges, the design team brought the authors’ words to life in a hybrid of film and theater. It was a truly integrated design effort—bringing together the content teams to research historical events, acquire images, audio recordings and period furnishings, who were working alongside the media team to prototype, develop and user test the experience, both in tandem with the exhibition and graphic design teams adding context to the experience.

Each vignette is a thoughtful pairing of a writer discussing his or her inspiration and an excerpt that embodies it. This interactive offers a magical look into the storyteller’s mind—almost as if you’re inside their imagination at the moment of creation. Visitors hear authors discuss their work and process in their own words, and then hear an excerpt of their writing read aloud as projections bring the typewriter to life and show the story spilling across the writer’s canvas of expression: the desk. The typewriter experience is embedded in the reproduction of a writer’s studio—the study—using projected videos precisely mapped to a real desk, typewriter and book.

Richard Wright’s 1940s desk cleverly appears in black and white, and his pipe smoke swirls as he’s speaking; John Grisham’s law desk fills with crumpled paper as his coffee cup empties and fills. One of the only existing clips of Richard Wright speaking plays as if on the projected radio. As he describes inequity in the education of white and black children, period-looking textbooks and school books appear on the table in addition to novels that inspired him.

Eudora Welty’s real work environment is projected on the table while she talks about her neighbors as sources of inspiration. Her trusted journal appears, featuring observations she would scribble down and use later to write her short stories. Audio narration of Eudora Welty’s short story, “The Key,” plays and animations seamlessly illustrate her written portrait of a deaf couple. They sit and wait for their train while dreaming of their destination. Passersby, whispering rude comments, can be seen in silhouette around them.

The emotional resonance of the piece evolved and grew out of selecting the author excerpts and the works to be included; it brought out just how passionate writing and the written word can be, and that writing is a way to capture, confront, and celebrate what it means to be human (to paraphrase Eudora Welty!)

 

Project Details
This piece is a perfect example of integrated digital content within an experience. Serving to enhance and transport the viewer into the narrative in a very sensorial and intimate way.
Juror 1
This is a beautiful theatrical projection mapping piece and an inviting immersive experience of looking over the writers’ shoulder as they are talking and typing. What a beautiful way of telling a story!
Juror 2
Thoughtful and well-integrated, this experience will surely immerse visitors into the world of these writers.
Juror 3
Design Team

Cybelle Jones (chief creative lead); Ariel Efron (creative director); Julie Flechoux (visual and experience lead); Sarah Brockett (concept and content development); Miri Rosen (research and content support); Staci Hou (digital production); Juan Patino (visual designer); Jonathan Cohen (technical director); Tiffany Wiley, Josh Sennett (exhibition design integration)

Project Area

58,000 sq ft

Fabricators

Roland, Woolworth and Associates (AV consultant), Colin Hess (graphics and motion design), Paul Rosenthal (script writer)