Boston, MA, Dec. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StoryFile Inc. announced the debut of a long-term installation of its AI-powered conversational video technology at the Boch Center’s Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame (FARHOF) in Boston. The interactive display is part of Life in Six Strings, a new exhibit featuring two dozen distinctive guitars from philanthropist Ernie Boch Jr.’s personal collection. The exhibit includes electric and acoustic instruments, each with a notable history and impact on music making across multiple decades and myriad genres.
With the help of the artificial intelligence platform, a hologram of Ernie Boch, Jr. will personally share each guitar’s unique story. A virtual Ernie will answer guests’ questions about himself, the significance of the guitars in the annals of music and the relevance each holds as part of his extensive collection. The installation was created in partnership with Museum Collective and is the world’s first AI hologram in a hall of fame.
Boch appears in the exhibit space and visitors can ask him questions about his life, business, love of music and stories behind his historic collection of guitars. StoryFile’s AI-technology enables him to respond, creating a realistic, engaging and memorable experience.
“The guitar is one of the most important instruments in any genre of music,” said Joe Spaulding, President and CEO of the Boch Center. “Each of these extraordinary guitars gives us insights into renowned artists, the music they played and the style in which they played it. Having Ernie in hologram form, enables us to bring to life each guitar’s storied history in a very personal and compelling way. “
“This technology is crucial to engaging our visitors – young and old,” added Ernie Boch Jr.. “The opportunities to converse with iconic legends of all genres of music are limitless, and we look forward to utilizing this technology often so that we can memorialize stories and lessons from the most influential musicians of our time as a gift to many future generations of music lovers.”
The Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame is an education initiative of the Boch Center. These genres of music have historically provided an outlet for individuals of all races, classes and locations to express their joys and sorrows. Through exhibits, lectures, concerts, and more, Boston’s new cultural destination educates people of all ages about the important influence of these genres on all music today.
“What’s been exciting about working with the Boch Center and the Museum Collective has been finding ways to marry their commitment to create exhibits that bring to life the stories behind their unique collections and cutting edge display and conversational AI technologies,” said Ari Palitz, Chief Creative Officer of StoryFile, Inc. “Ernie is a master storyteller and having the ability to talk to him through the AI and hear his passion and relationship to the guitars, draws you in and creates a new kind of connection for the visitor – one that is both inspirational and memorable.’
StoryFile has worked with a number of museums and cultural institutions including the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, the Maltz Museum in Cleveland, the Walmart Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, and the Tribeca Film Festival. The company also created Conversa, the first and only enterprise SaaS solution that provides tools to produce video, create AI conversational interactions, and publish the content anywhere on the web. Conversa is being honored at the CES 2023 Innovation Awards and is already in use by many Fortune 500 companies – including global leaders in retail, medical devices and enterprise software – for training, learning, company history, and human resources departments.
For Boch Center media and press inquiries please reach out to Matthew Pacific, Director of Digital & Brand Marketing at mpacific@bochcenter.org
Attached photo by Ron Pownall
About StoryFile®:
StoryFile is making artificial intelligence more human. As the award-winning inventor of conversational video, the company was founded in 2017 in Los Angeles. Now the patent-protected technology it developed powers both the Conversa platform and a consumer version for home use, StoryFile Life. Conversational video allows users of all kinds to make deeper human connections whether it be for family history, commerce, customer service, education, or any collective human knowledge that needs to be shared. Conversa is the only SaaS solution that allows anyone to create and publish their own interactive conversational video content, and create the FAQ, the leave-behind, the chatbot, the explainer video, and more. With videos that talk back, StoryFile is revolutionizing the storytelling and communication industries. To learn more, visit StoryFile.com.
About the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame:
In 2019, the Boch Center expanded its educational programming and launched the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame (FARHOF) which celebrates the lifeblood of America’s musical and cultural heritage. Folk music provides an outlet for individuals of all races and backgrounds to express their highest joys and deepest sorrows. FARHOF is dedicated to honoring history, while also nurturing the next generation of Folk, Americana, and Roots musicians. By learning from the past, the Boch Center and FARHOF hope to influence meaningful conversations today. Housed in the Wang Theatre, FARHOF celebrates Folk, Americana and Roots music through displays, memorabilia, artifacts, events, lectures, exhibits and concerts. More info at folkamericanarootshalloffame.org.
About the Boch Center:
The Boch Center is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic Wang and Shubert Theatres. As New England’s largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy, opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more. Located in Boston’s historic Theater District, the Boch Center also offers a diverse mix of educational, cultural and community outreach initiatives, including the City Spotlights Leadership Program and the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame; collaborates with artists and local nonprofit arts organizations; preserves historic venues; and acts as a champion for Greater Boston’s arts and cultural community. Learn more at bochcenter.org.
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