Jacki Morie
morie@ict.usc.edu

Jacki Morie has worked in both animation and visual effects entertainment (Disney, Rhythm & Hues Studios) as well as with developing virtual environments in government-sponsored research laboratories. The proposed 'Memory Stairs Project' is an artistic virtual environment installation embodying the tools and techniques she plans to develop to create extremely compelling virtual worlds.

D. W. Griffith, a film pioneer, was among the first to take 'the movie' from a peculiar invention to a means of expression in its own right. He invented the close up, the dissolve, and the concepts of scenes and edits. We have no equivalent to the scene in virtual reality; what is a close up in an environment where the audience can move around of their own volition?

The main question to be answered is 'Does virtual reality have a unique language?' It is a medium that inherently presents numerous challenges, beyond the obvious technological ones. Can we formulate creative and artistic techniques that will allow more expression and compelling experiences in this new media? How do we deal with additional sensory inputs such as smell and touch? How do we deal with non-linearity and the freedom of choice inherent to a visitor to such worlds? Where does the concept of the story fit? How can we provide intense emotional experiences that will be felt and remembered? The 'Memory Stairs Project' aims to begin to answer these key questions by informing the vocabulary and grammar in development.