Simonstown: An AI-facilitated Interactive Story of Love, Life, and Pandemic

Abstract

We present an interactive story named Simonstown that demonstrates the love and life of ordinary people in the fictional setting of a fatal pandemic. Technically, the artwork integrates different Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in the whole production pipeline, including concept formation, creation, and presentation stages; artistically, this interactive film explores the relationship between human and environment in the contemporary context, especially infused with advanced technologies in daily life. The project serves as a demonstration and case study of AI-facilitated interactive storytelling, including better control with AI and how they integrate with live image projects, as well as using the stand-alone camera for real-time synchronization. Our results highlight the significant contribution of AI in visualizing intricate story branching, translation, and adaptation, presenting AI visualization as a distinct, specialized, and well-suited tool for interactive filmmaking.