Color of Life
Producer | Editor
California Academy of Sciences
Visualization Studio
Color of Life Exhibit 2015
Format: Interactive Media Architecture | Physical Computing & Video Database Arrays | Non-Traditional Flat-Screen Deployments
Project Overview: Color of Life is a highly interactive, multisensory exhibition exploring how organisms utilize color to survive, reproduce, and communicate. Serving as the Producer and Lead Editor for the exhibition's extensive media footprint, Cheryl spearheaded the asset curation, cross-departmental development, and post-production workflows required to embed digital media seamlessly into custom-built physical displays. Balancing high-volume content coordination with cutting-edge experiential design, she managed two parallel tracks: a signature physical computing asset array and a comprehensive suite of gallery-wide video inserts.
Color Visualizer: Outside
Color Visualizer: Inside
Pigments in Plants
Gallery Attract Screen
Color of Camouflage
Chromatophores
Science Today: Gallery Refresh
The Color Visualizer
Format: Circular Multi-Screen Vertical Array | Dynamic User-Triggered Physical Computing Matrix
The signature interactive centerpiece of the exhibition, The Color Visualizer utilizes a circular array of vertical video screens mapped to an interactive, physical string installation. When a visitor plucks a specific colored string, the vibration triggers a matching, real-time video asset detailing how nature utilizes that chromatic spectrum.
Database Architecture & Curation: Directly managed a dedicated media researcher to source, vet, and catalog an extensive database of over 100 high-fidelity scientific video assets categorized by precise color wavelengths.
Physical Computing Integration: Overseeing the project from the 25% phase onward, collaborated tightly with Exhibits Design and Engineering teams to ensure the asset playback engine mapped perfectly to the custom hardware triggers.
Creative Direction & Pipeline Management: Supervised specialized artistic pipelines across the studio division, directly managing the milestone tracking and delivery for custom vector animation assets tracking ecological salmon runs.
Gallery Video Inserts
Format: Embedded Multi-Screen Flat-Panel Installations | Cross-Institutional Asset Sourcing
A comprehensive suite of flat-screen media arrays integrated into the physical exhibition walls, designed to deliver targeted scientific narratives directly within specific educational displays.
High-Volume Post-Production: Personally executed the technical edits, color grading, and acoustic level-balancing for a massive suite of flat-screen media assets embedded throughout the gallery space.
Cross-Functional Optimization: Collaborated directly with content developers and field engineers to custom-format and encode video deliverables, ensuring seamless integration with the physical architectural layout.
Scientific Curation & Asset Procurement: Orchestrated comprehensive archival and licensing searches across internal Academy research divisions, active global field expeditions, and premium external cinematic libraries to secure rare, broadcast-grade biological footage.