Abstract
This paper explores the intersection of emerging technology and the arts through a multidisciplinary VR grant project titled Planting the SEEDS of Character Growth. Developed in collaboration with educators and technologists, this initiative leverages virtual reality and digital character creation to support character education in core curricula. Using Reallusion’s Character Creator 4, the project develops immersive, narrative-driven experiences in which students engage with lifelike, emotionally expressive avatars to explore social-emotional learning concepts. By combining game engine technology with cinematic storytelling and performance-based animation, the project reimagines how we teach empathy, ethics, and self-reflection in the digital age. This discussion shares our process of integrating Character Creator 4 into VR pipelines, the collaborative efforts between artists, coders, and educators, and the challenges of designing interactive experiences that are pedagogically sound and technologically innovative. Ultimately, the project reflects on how new media tools are transforming the arts and education—not just in how content is delivered, but in how character and community are cultivated.
Presenters
Lauren CarrAssociate Professor, BFA Animation & VFX, Montclair State University, New Jersey, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
New Media, Technology and the Arts
KEYWORDS
VR, AI, Motion Capture, Gaming, Animation, Modeling
