Getting Animated about the 2016 Election

So the first week of November, I flew to Las Vegas, Nevada to help 100 Proof encourage people to vote in the upcoming election!

The concept is quite interesting in how it hopes to engage discussion, and hopefully educate, people in regards to the two candidates. Using motion capture technology, folk's voices and movements are translated to a live animated character of their choosing. The end product is something like an animated talk show.

The creator, Jon Wank, hopes the format will allow people to talk freely about their political beliefs in the pseudo anonymity of their animated character. The discussions can cover a range of topics, where beliefs are argued and supported with facts. Those who do not have facts to support their beliefs will be called out for their beliefs in, hopefully, a humorous cartoon fashion.

Overall, the setups at UNLV and Container Park were great tests for the proof of concept. Those we talked to found the medium fun and a unique way to delve into the maelstrom of political discussions. I'm hoping Jon will continue to explore the technology and keep developing it in ways to educate people on the facts and not the spin.