SM Science Discovery Center -
Our First
Permanent Installation
October 2007 in Manila, Philippines, a US-based theme park development company opened a new family entertainment center at the Mall of Asia, and one of the star attractions was Mister T, an interactive animated fish developed by CHOPS & Assoc.
Mister T - Denizen of the World's First Virtual Reef
Schoolchildren of Manila and the surrounding area have a new friend at the Mall of Asia on the edge of central Manila. They can speak with him, learn from him and take him home with them, in the form of a plush toy. His name is "Mister T" and he is a digital version of a local triggerfish that inhabits the real reefs in the ocean around the Philippines.
The Virtual Reef is one of a dozen or more science exhibits in the new facility recently constructed and opened by Leisure Entertainment Consultancy for the SM Holding, owners of the Mall of Asia. Under the guidance of Jim Levesque, LEC created the Virtual Reef with cement stones and video projections of underwater photography shot in the region by Brown Sugar, a well-known underwater videography company there.
The visitors to the reef enter through one door and near the end of the exhibit, they encounter Mister T. Philippine actors trained to use the Digital Puppeteer system can see them from inside their hidden control booth, and can interact with them for the purpose of answering questions and talking about peoples' responsibility for reef conversation and awareness of the fragile nature of the oceans. In the background behind Mister T, sea turtles and whale sharks swim by, without giving him a notice, while smaller fish swarm the colorful coral looking for food.
Jesch trained the Philippine actors for about three days, working with them on their presentations as well as how to use the controls of the eyes and animation. He also assisted in the final installation of the AV technology and placement of the spy cameras. The design for Mister T came from the desk of Steve Gray and the model and animation was built by Tom Knight of IW43D. Technical supervision was provided by Artistry Entertainment of Burbank, CA.
The creation of Mister T and the installation has an unusual return on investment, one that was recently discovered by Disney World's Epcot Center attraction - "Turtle Talk with Crush." Disney has demonstrated that the sales of character-based plush toys will offset the initial costs of the the system and installation. SM Holding is following their lead by offering its own plush toy of Mister T.
Additionally, the Science Center is benefiting from free publicity in the form of videos placed on YouTube by the parents and families of visitors to the Virtual Reef. Currently, about a dozen videos can be found and they are pulling views from all around the world.
You can see some of these videos for yourself to get a real impression of what is happening at the Virtual Reef, where the actors are speaking both English and various dialects of Philippino to the guests.
For more information about using this technology, please contact Gary Jesch at this number - 888-766-6677 - or email us via the Contact Response form here.
Schoolchildren of Manila and the surrounding area 
Jesch trained the Philippine actors for about three days, working with them on their presentations as well as how to use the controls of the eyes and animation. He also assisted in the final installation of the AV technology and placement of the spy cameras. The design for Mister T came from the desk of Steve Gray and the model and animation was built by Tom Knight of IW43D. Technical supervision was provided by Artistry Entertainment of Burbank, CA.
The creation of Mister T and the installation has an unusual return on investment, one that was recently discovered by Disney World's Epcot Center attraction - "Turtle Talk with Crush." Disney has demonstrated that the sales of character-based plush toys will offset the initial costs of the the system and installation. SM Holding is following their lead by offering its own plush toy of Mister T.