Glimpse of Future Past: Real-time simulation

Glimpse of Future Past is a simulation that explores the affordances and limitations of cinematic CGI content generation in real-time by displaying two types of cinematic experiences constructed with the same building blocks – one created by human agents (artists), and the other conceived by an algorithmic agent. The cinematic experience is set in a 3D environment, which is populated with highly photorealistic elements of a wild forest. In both cases the forest is explored through a continuous camera shot. However, in the cinematic experience produced by the algorithmic agent, the camera behavior is randomly modified in real-time, based on the algorithm’s decision. As a user continues her exploration of the environment, some elements are dynamically transformed or removed. Collisions with certain elements of the forest are causing the camera shot to switch to another one. Ultimately, there is very little chance that a particular cinematic exploratory journey can be ever constructed, and thus, seen again. Simultaneously, the other screen is showing an animated cinematic exploration of a carefully crafted forest, designed by artists at Unity Technologies.