Live narrators emerge from museum exhibits to talk to visitors through the magic of Augmented Reality.
narratAR is not just another audio tour – real docents, curators, artists, historians, archeologists, or historical figures greet visitors at designated place throughout the facility to explain the artifacts, interpret the artwork, and tell behind-the-scenes stories about the displays.
By using our narratAR app on their own phones, or on devices provided to those who don’t bring their own, visitors engage with characters and personalities that bring your museum to life.
How does it work?
Each narration “scene” is activated by a unique target image on display near or as part of your display, a short title and text putting the narrator into context, and a specially filmed video that allows your your narrator or character to “pop out” of the display on your visitor’s devices.
Packages
WORKSHOP 3D is offering access to our narratAR app through a number of different package configurations to make it easy to get it up and running in your museum.
App Presence Only:
Our app provides the technology and the interface to bring your narration videos to life on your visitors’ phones. You provide “target” images and film the videos according to our app’s specifications, edit, process, and export them using our provided Adobe Premier export settings presets. You can also provide text to appear on the screen while your narrator is speaking. You submit your content via our dashboard, and we hook the targets up with the videos and texts, then add your museum to our menu of supported museums in the app. Your visitors download the app, select your museum, and are ready to meet your narrators.
This option requires the most work on your end, but is the most cost-effective from the app side. If your team has the technical capabilities to film and process the videos, this may be the best package for you. You can even rent or purchase the custom green screen required for video production from us.
This is a subscription package with an annual fee of $1,000, plus a $500 per-instance fee to integrate each narration target, video, and text into the app. Includes hosting of your content on our servers, access to our dashboard for updating your content, ongoing compatibility with all app updates, and technical support for your content management process See below for additional options.
Assisted Production:
You create the targets, film the videos, and provide the text information, then upload it all to our dashboard and we take it from there. We work with your raw video to do the editing, sizing, and other video production work, and integrate it all into the app. Your visitors down the app, select your museum, and are ready to meet your narrators.
This option may be the best for you if your team has the capability to film the videos, but does not have the technical skills to do the production work. With appropriate attention to getting it properly set up, the video can even be shot on a smart phone.
Basic annual subscription of $1,000 per year as above, plus an additional per-instance $1,000 fee to produce and integrate each target, video, and text into the app. See below for additional options.
Full Production:
We do it all. We just need your narration scripts (we can provide an editor, if necessary), target images (we can do the graphic design if you just have ideas), and short titles and texts (again, we can edit), and we do the rest. Minimal effort, maximum result. We will source the narrators and/or actors, shoot the videos, edit, produce, and prepare for distribution, integrate targets, videos, and texts, and add your museum to our app.
This option is the best if you do not have any video capabilities or don’t want to add that task to your busy staff’s responsibilities.
Production fees vary according to the length and style of your narration (e.g., does it require costumed actors?), but start at $1,500 for each basic narration video, in addition to your monthly $1000 annual app presence subscription.
Initial Cost: Examples
| Services | Package A | Package B | Package C |
| 5 videos Branding Hosting/Presence TOTAL |
2,500 1,500 1,000 5,000 |
5,000 1,500 1,000 7,500 |
7,500 1,500 1,000 10,000 |
| 10 videos Branding Hosting/Presence TOTAL |
5,000 1,500 1,000 7,500 |
10,000 1,500 1,000 12,500 |
15,000 1,500 1,000 17,500 |
Additional Options
WORKSHOP 3D has a number of additional options to make your narratAR implementation successful, depending on the package you choose, and your specific goals or requirements.
Branded Visual Appearance in App
Once a user has selected your museum from the menu, the interface can change to include your logo, colors, or other elements of your graphic identity from your supplied digital files. $1,500 one-time fee.
Private Label App
We can customize the interface even further to feature your branding exclusively, with no menu for other museums, and publish your app in the iOS and Google PLAY app stores under your own name. Opens up the possibility for even more customization and other app features, both Augmented Reality and other, such as museum maps, schedules, information about upcoming exhibits, and more.
Pricing varies depending on the level of customization, but starts at an additional fee of $2,500.
Augmented Objects/Artifacts/Displays
We can add three dimensional objects into your “scenes” to further activate the experience. Your narrators can interact with and/or talk about these added elements.
Pricing varies depending on the nature and complexity of the object, the degree of animation, if any, and the level of interaction with the narrator. We would be glad to give you a quote based on your concepts.
Video Setup Equipment Purchase or Rental
Filming your narration videos requires a specially constructed green screen with a cut-out window where your narrators/actors appear. Even lighting is required across your green screen as well. Depending on your environment, you may need an additional backdrop behind your actors.
| 8′ x 8′ Green Screen (purchase) | $600 |
| 8′ x 8′ Green Screen (monthly rental, 1 month min) | $150 |
| 8′ x 8′ Backdrop (purchase) | $200 |
| 8′ x 8′ Backdrop (monthly rental, 1 month min) | $50 |
| Lighting Setup – 3 softboxes w/stands (purchase) | $300 |
| Lighting Setup – 3 softboxes w/stands (monthly rental, 1 month min) | $75 |
| prices do not include shipping to your location. |
Custom Package or Application
If none of these packages or options seems just right, we will be glad to work with you to develop a custom package that alters or extends the specifications above, or to develop an entirely new Augmented Reality application that meets your museum’s needs.
Related Apps
If your primary interest is the display of 3D objects that enhance your displays, see our ARtifact app. For other ideas, see what we have done for other clients at our Projects page.