I am a game designer and storyteller working in Orlando, Florida. Over the past several years I have worked on a variety of games and interactive experiences that invite people to leap bodily inside the narrative. Check out my portfolio to see examples of alternative reality games (ARGs), interactive events, and exhibit design.

If you’d like to do something different for your next party, marketing campaign, or company event – send me an email danasmott@gmail.com to talk about it. I’m always available for freelance design work, and I would love to discuss your special event.

Stained Glass Heads	Carnival Cart	Abandoned Cabin
Cellar	Crab Man

Paintings/ Collages

In the Skies

Broken Bird

Widow's Lament

Photography

Flamingo

Majestic Bell

Memoryscape was a research project developed at the Media Convergence Lab at UCF. We wanted to see how fully a theatrical set with embedded media could communicate an interactive story. The set included hidden projection surfaces, hypersonic sound, embedded speakers, and a lighting system. If we had continued with the project, a live actor would have controlled the media devices in real time, in order to create unique, interactive ghost stories for each participant.

Erogo

I created a short interactive fiction during my undergraduate studies at UCF. Erogo was a fantasy story created with Photoshop collages and Flash. This was my first project in Flash and I taught myself how to use the program in order to create simple interactions.

Coffin Project

For my human computer interaction class, I created plans for an interactive art exhibit. In the Coffin Project, I planned to build a coffin sized box with a rear projection screen lid and embedded speakers. The participant would lie down in the coffin, and wear a device that monitors breathing.

Undergraduate Thesis

“Developing Participant Investment within Digital Interactive Stories”, 2005. University of Central Florida.

Aritcles

Stapleton, Christopher and Dana Mott; “Making Memories: Linear versus Interactive Storytelling Collaboration in Mixed Reality Space,” ISMAAR 2006.

Interactive Performance Conference

I am available as an event designer for conferences, parties, professional meetings, weddings, and more.

Most of the stories I have worked on are single or 2-player adventures where the participants play starring roles. They take place primarily through live scenes, with some online interaction. Unlike many other ARGs, there are few or no puzzles to solve, and the player changes the story by their direct interaction with the other characters.

My most recent ARG, Evelyn Offscreen, was a slight departure from this format. We designed the game to handle dozens of live participants, and potentially hundreds online.

Evelyn Offscreen

Director A beloved B-movie actress dies amid rumors that she had nearly discovered the secret to immortality. If her fans manage to bring her back to life – can they live with the consequences? read more >>

Framed

Director of Virtual Worlds, co-writer A retired art thief is called back in for one final mission. Will she salvage her reputation and save her crew, or will they all go to jail for a crime they didn’t commit? read more >>

The Voice

Art Director An intrepid reporter fights to ensure that every voice is heard in a 2-person ARG experience produced for the 2006 Florida Film Festival. read more >>

The Game

Art Director An attorney stumbles into a spy-intrigue adventure, in which he must infiltrate a secret organization to rescue his girlfriend. read more >>