Canberra’s Museum of Australian Democracy (formerly Old Parliament House) was home to Australia’s Federal Parliament from 1927 to 1988.  The Old Parliament House is now a nationally listed heritage building.

As part of a major redevelopment, the Museum of Australian Democracy [MoAD] was created to interpret the history of Australian democracy as enacted from this building. Magian Media Studio was selected to create and install two audio-visual exhibits; one in the heritage Cabinet Room and another for Year 9 and10 Students in a purpose-built space.

‘The Decision 360°' Decision Theatre
The Museum wanted an experience to engage Year 9 and 10 students that was stimulating for a tech-savvy youthful audience, whilst reinforcing Civics curriculum messages. Magian provided the concept for a theatre in a ‘black box’.  Students enter a space surrounded by videos projected onto all four walls using 14 projectors and telling a stories taken from the history of political life in Australia. Each time a program shows it is a 24 minute part of an hour long scheduled school visit to MoAD.

Magian provided research for historical footage and images and liaised with footage libraries and archives all over Australia to procure the best media to tell the stories of ‘Conscription’, ‘Immigration’ and ‘Environment’ in Australian since Federation. Magian worked with MoAD staff to write the scripts. The graphics, software and video editing for all 14 video streams was carried out in Magian’s studio,  The software allows students to make decisions using an allocated iPod Touch during each of the three facilitated programs.

Scope of multimedia services Magian provided:

• project planning
• design development-Decision 360° theatre
• content design, research and development
• graphic design and production
• image and footage research and procurement
• editing video for 14 streams of video
• design for facilitator iPod Touch control module
• design for student iPod Touch decisions module
• technical infrastructure & integrated system design
• technical and hardware specification
• software design and development
• system commissioning
• remote post-installation system support

Media program types produced by Magian:

• updateable facilitated theatre programs
• audio and soundscape production
• video programs for 3xmulti-screen video programs
• presentation and automated theatre system
• a wireless handheld system controlled by staff
• a wireless handheld system controlled by student visitors

Magian MMaPS database Content Management System [DAMS] allows updateability of the program content and supports the content management of programs.

The Magian DiAC System is used to manage and control multi-channel soundscapes and the complex presentation system which supports facilitator and student control and interactivity and site management.