Three’s Theatre Company & Instil Software
Context
Three’s Theatre Company make immersive experiences and are further developing their work with technology to ensure they are more audience led, experimental and high quality.
Instil develop mission-critical software products for some of the world's best known brands and provide training to engineering teams on the latest languages, frameworks and thinking.
Challenge
UnSmart Home was designed to get young people interested in coding, in a non traditional way, a way that focuses more on problem solving fun and creativity rather than the classic sitting at a computer. When Three’s pitched the concept to Instil they were instantly interested as it meets so many of the company’s and the sector's key aims and objectives.
“Without the support and belief that Instil had in us from that first phone call, we would not have gotten this far. Being able to bring the UnSmart Home to life was so much fun and a big learning curve, taking our work at Three’s to the next level. We have big ambitions for what is next for the UnSmart Home and are really grateful to Instil and Arts and Business NI for making this happen!”
Three’s Theatre
Solution
Instil and Three’s Theatre Company worked together to create The UnSmart Home, an escape room styled game for children to experience coding in a positive and fun environment. UnSmart Home is an ultra-modern production, aimed at younger audiences impacting their education through an unforgettable, engaging and immersive experience that shows coding is exciting, innovative and creative. Together Three’s and Instil designed the puzzles, and Instil supported the coding to ensure the game would run technically. Three’s took charge of the creative aspects from storytelling to set design and build. This was a project which combined the strengths of each partner to deliver an initiative which exceeded the capability of either of them working individually.
Results
With several puzzles that needed to be solved, the game encouraged problem solving, teamwork and a little bit of programming to reset the smart home and push the big red button! Children, families, youth groups and adults loved the experience.
Since completing this pilot with Instil and Three’s, the project has gained momentum and received additional funding with the goal of building a version that can tour schools and ensure an even further reach to meet the sector’s aims and objectives of getting more young people interested in technology.
“Working with Anna and Three’s Theatre Company has been such a pleasure. Anna had a vision to change young people’s relationship with technology and software through problem solving and creating an immersive, engaging experience, and wow did she deliver on that vision! I do hope this is just the beginning. Pulling this together has not been easy and I can only take my hat off to Anna’s energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.”
Instil