October 29th, 2021 - For Immediate Release
SEATTLE START-UP POPINS DEBUTS FREE AR CHARACTERS
Augmented Reality adds new depth to storytelling
4 new individual characters from Lightfield City — Sister Judith Byrne, Diane Lynn, Savannah and Melody Waltz — just in time for Halloween
Popins AR provides a rich canvas for artists, fans, and collectors
Podcasts, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic, fan creation/fanworks, advances in gaming and the Metaverse have all contributed to a renaissance in storytelling rich in creativity, dynamic twists, plot changes, and captivating play. Popins is taking storytelling to another level by making available the first augmented reality characters for the creation of a variety of mixed reality experiences.
Today, Popins introduces four original characters expressing themselves through dance. These characters will develop and evolve in real time, taking input from the community and their environment. Each AR video is free and requires nothing but a connected smart device.
Our characters are citizens of Lightfield City, alive in a universe that exists in parallel to our own. Lightfielders walk among us, discovered and seen via smart device by clicking on a URL or QR code with no headwear, app, or download required.
These Popins characters are available to be cast and featured in photos and videos created by fans, artists, and collectors. This is a new level of play — people of all ages can place the hologram in any room, use a finger on the screen to turn them around, pinch to resize, tap to reposition them, and view and photograph or record them from any angle in any environment. People are encouraged to produce their own vignettes building off character back stories and can add original or licensed music to customize performances further. Films and photos can include family and friends, pets, or even cameos. Using subtitles, creators can build graphic short stories or a new form of comic strip — the possibilities are endless and are all easily shared via social media.
Please join us in welcoming the first travelling citizens of Lightfield City and follow their adventures on social media at @popinsdotio
Sister Judith Byrne
“Creature of Habit”
Judith Byrne is a creature of habit. She wakes up early each morning and dons her black and white attire, makes a proper cup of coffee, and says a soft prayer for the unlucky souls who may cross her path that day. Deep undercover and loving it, Sister Judith has been hunting down demons for years: with regular access to holy water and plenty of sleeve to hide tricks up, she’s a formidable force against evil. That’s not to say this demon slayer doesn’t house some darkness herself - Judith frequently gets the job done, but she may also have a little too much fun with her cover. When she isn’t working, Judith enjoys hot Pilates and contributing to her local PTA.
Strengths: Being faithful, cleaning stains from white fabric, well-timed quips
Weaknesses: Easily distracted, caffeine addiction, quips are kind of corny
Likes: Rulers, high stakes, worship, Starbucks
Dislikes: Liars, Atheists, demons that don’t know when to quit
Melody Waltz
“The Ballerina”
Melody has spent most of her life going in circles. 25 years ago, she was nothing but a ballet dancer in the music box of a young girl. For reasons Melody cannot understand, the girl grew up, and Melody was left in silence. Now, by the will of a wish or a whim, she’s woken up fully human, albeit still in her original dress and only now becoming freshly introduced to the world outside her box. She’s determined to find the woman who had originally shown her what it’s like to have a friend so long ago; with your help, she might discover more of them along the way.
Strengths: Friendly, cheerful outlook, ballet, robust memory
Weaknesses: Shy, poor grasp of traffic lights, gullible
Likes: Jewelry, ¾ time, bedazzling, burgers
Dislikes: Heavy metal, pants, cup rides at theme parks
Savannah
“The Lioness”
Savannah has been the center of attention for most of her life, but not in the way she desires. As a lioness in a travelling circus, she drew crowds with her sharpened mind (and claws), frequently only subdued by the prick of a sedative when on the cusp of outwitting her captors. The frustration of it all built to a low roar, and in an act of violent rage, she broke free from her cage and enacted some serious carnie carnage. They had it coming, she thought, and upon seeking shelter in an empty theatre realized where she’d really like to shine—on the stage. With strong enough desire, citizens of Lightfield City can occasionally find their deepest wishes made manifest—and so Savannah rose the next morning on two legs, and has been working ever since to score a role in a stage play. Next stop: Mew York, Mew York.
Strengths: Mauling, interpretive dance, zero moral compass
Weaknesses: Short temper, always hungry, zero moral compass
Likes: Meat, performing, getting her mane done, open bars, Pride
Dislikes: Cages, whips, elephants, managers, darts, mani/pedis
Diane Lynn
“Dancing Queen”
On January 20th, 2021, Diane Lynn called a strange phone number and inexplicably became trapped in the 70s. Now she spends her days desperately trying to hide that she’s not from the time she lives in, while also trying to figure out how to get her phone working again to return to her husband and kids in the present day. But under the hypnotic lights of a dance floor and the spell of a disco track, sometimes she wonders… does she really want to go back?
Strengths: Ignoring cognitive dissonance, scoping out men she finds attractive in the 70s but would hate in the present day, subtly trying to figure out if someone is her grandpa
Weaknesses: Lost without modern internet and technology, desperate for approval, guilty about her husband probably dying alone in the future now that she’s gone
Likes: Dancing to avoid thinking about the world going on without her, craft beer, sunglasses, her kids
Dislikes: Lemon squares, gelatin desserts, 70s inconveniences, bad facial hair
About Popins
Popins take entertainment to the next level by capturing real people in a studio from all angles with over 50 cameras and using proprietary streaming for delivery. The result is sometimes called a “hologram”; A three-dimensional AR video accessed via smart devices. With Popins, you can watch augmented reality, record what your phone sees, and even join in to create your own personal mix that you can share on your socials. Check out the How To Popin section of the Popins.io website for more information.
Recording in volumetric video is unique and is only possible in a handful of studios around the world. Here’s a link from the Popins artist who released the first music video you can own in June 2021, where Alec describes the oddity of performing live in a green room surrounded by dozens of cameras.
Popins is powered by Omnivor, the world leader in volumetric video streaming and an early T-Mobile Open Innovation Lab partner. Streaming enables users around the world to enjoy full songs or even full concerts as Popins, all without the necessity of downloading an app. No one else in the world has this capability.
Popins pair extraordinary artists with dynamic modern technology to create value for artists, fans, and collectors. With Popins, all the world is your stage.
Inquiries: info@popins.io Website: https://popins.io IG: @popinsdotio Twitter: @popinsdotio