This week we explored ND displays in Unreal Engine and discussed how similar technologies are used in large-scale digital billboards and public advertising displays. I found the session particularly interesting because it demonstrated how real-time graphics can be used outside of traditional film and animation contexts. The lecture began with a guided exercise where we followed Serra’s instructions to create a basic display setup and understand the underlying workflow.
Once everyone had completed the initial exercise, we were given the freedom to experiment with our own designs, animations and visual styles. This was my favourite part of the session as it encouraged exploration rather than simply following a tutorial. Being able to modify the display and test different animations helped me understand the system much more quickly than if I had only recreated the example.
I also used part of the session to discuss our project with my group members. By this stage, we were beginning to narrow down our ideas and were particularly interested in themes surrounding AI and data extraction. One concept we discussed was using prediction algorithms to analyse everyday human movement and behaviour, exploring how seemingly ordinary actions can become data that is collected, interpreted and used to predict future outcomes. Although the project was still in its early stages, the conversation helped us identify a direction that connected our interests in emerging technology, real-time media and experimental storytelling.