Research Grant for "Machinima Storyteller"
Two Positions Available
Application Deadline: 15/5/2012
Contact: rui.prada@ist.utl.pt
Description
Machinima Storyteller is a bilateral project between GAIPS, INESC-ID Lisbon (http://gaips.inesc-id.pt/) and BeActive (http://www.beactivemedia.com/) that aims at the development of tools to support the creation of Machinima (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machinima) with the Unity3D (http://unity3d.com/) game engine.
The project will go beyond Machinima by allowing characters to be played by virtual actors (implemented as autonomous agents) and by allowing users to play the story through one of the characters as an interactive storytelling game.
The platform to be developed will include tasks for different roles in film/game making. It will allow:
— a "Scriptwriter" to create the script for the characters
— an "Art director" to setup scenarios and characters wardrobe
— a "Director" to direct the characters, work on the camera and lightning
— a "Game designer" to add gameplay elements to the story (e.g. turn the film into an adventure game)
Figure 1 summarizes the concept and architecture of the platform. It includes: an Asset Manager to organize the art assets that represent the props and characters, an Editor that enables the user to define and configure scenes based on a script, a Player that allow the user to see the performance and manage the camera to record a video and a Game Creator to allow the user to add gameplay element to the story. The script and final video editing will be produced in external tools (e.g. Final Draft and Premiere).
Figure 1 – Machinima Storyteller Concept and Architecure.
The grant holder will be involved in the development of one (or more) of the following tasks:
— Develop autonomous agents that play as virtual actors and follow a script with concurrent/simultaneous/ordered actions.
— Add the ability to the virtual actors to improvise while there is no action scripted and, also, to react to the other actors' improvisation actions.
— Add the ability to the virtual actors to understand the suggestions/orders of a director (human) and adapt their performance accordingly.
— Develop the Asset Manager tool
— Develop the Machinima Editor tool
— Develop the Machinima Player tool
— Develop the Game Creator tool
There is an opportunity to define a PhD proposal based on the work developed in this project.
The activity will be supervised by Professor Rui Prada project leading Researcher at INESC-ID.
The grant holder will be integrated at INESC-ID in the Intelligent Agents and Synthetic Characters Group (GAIPS).
Salary
Two Research Grants - Bolsa de Investigação para Mestre (BI-M) - are now available for the duration of 12 months renewed in the end if both parties agree. The salary will be 980€ / month tax free with the addition of accident insurance and social security contributions according to the FCT "Regulations for Advanced Training and Qualification of Human Resources" and INESC-ID Lisbon grant regulations.
Requirements
Candidates are expected to have an MSc degree in computer science, electrical engineering or related area, with experience in one (or more) of the following areas:
- Programing with Unity3D
- Developing Autonomous Agents
- Interactive Storytelling
- User Centred-Design
- Game Design
Application
Applications must be sent to Rui Prada (rui.prada@ist.utl.pt) and include a detailed CV, a brief statement about research interests and motivation to join the project.
The selection of candidates will be based on academic record, interest for multidisciplinary areas of research related to the project and possible publications and experience in the area of intelligent agents and interactive applications' design. English language level will also be considered as criteria.
The applications' deadline is 15/05/2012.
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