The Future of Storytelling: A Mixed Reality

Tuesday 19th November
11:00 – 17:30

Is immersive technology a game changer for the creative, media and digital sectors? What will it mean for future story forms, business models and audiences? How can we innovate and thrive in the new landscape?

At StoryFutures we believe that the stories of tomorrow will reach audiences in new ways, fuelled by virtual and augmented reality, personalisation, smart devices and artificial intelligence. 

The sector is in its early stages – but the opportunities it can untap are unprecedented. 

Join us for a day of learning, discussion and exploration of next generation storytelling:

• Hear from pioneering practitioners working on cutting edge immersive projects
• Get expert input on your ideas and questions on next generation storytelling
• Meet potential collaborators, partners and funders
• Find out about innovation funding and support available at StoryFutures

StoryFutures’ mission is to fuel innovation and growth in immersive through exciting collaborations, funding and support. We bring together leading organisations, academic experts and innovative businesses in the Gateway Cluster to the west of London to work on new ideas and prototypes.

Whether you’re starting your immersive journey or are an experienced practitioner, this event will offer new ideas, connections and opportunities. 

Doctor Who: The Edge of Time by Maze Theory

Common Ground by award-winner Darren Emerson

The National Gallery’s Virtual Veronese by Focal Point.

How to Make The Virtual, A Reality. Will Saunders, award-winning producer and Chief Creative Officer at the National Centre for Immersive Storytelling and StoryFutures.

The Journey to Doctor Who and Peaky Blinders in VR. Russ Harding, Executive Producer/Creative Director, Maze Theory & Claire Boissiere, games producer/writer, BAFTA Committee, VC The BGI/NVM.

VR and the Power of Story. Victoria Mapplebeck, Bafta award winning writer, artist and director.

Immersive Animation: From Site-Specific Installation to VR. Birgitta Hosea, award-winning artist, curator, Reader in Moving Image, University of Creative Arts

StoryFutures Can Help You Innovate 

 

James Bennett, Director of StoryFutures and Professor of Television and Digital Culture at Royal Holloway, University of London 

R&D On Demand and How to Get Involved

Kristina Glushkova, Business Impact lead at StoryFutures & Mark Lycett, Business Models Lead at StoryFutures and Professor of Information Management at Royal Holloway, University of London

Next generation business models and funding opportunities

Mark Lycett, Professor, School of Management @ Royal Holloway & Ian Ferris, Innovation by Design Principal, Brunel University

Techniques, technologies and skills for immersive storytelling

Rob Morgan, Senior Technologist at StoryFutures and Founder, Trajectory Theatre. Birgitta Hosea, Artist, curator and former theatre designer working in site-specific and expanded animation, Reader in Moving Image at University for the Creative Arts 

Emerging story forms and creative environments 

Rebecca McCutcheon, theatre director, researcher and lecturer in site-specific and immersive theatre performance. Jack Lowe, Visiting Lecturer in Digital Storytelling and PhD researcher at Royal Holloway

Understanding next generation audiences

Dr Laryssa Whittaker, audience researcher, StoryFutures. Elisa Raffaella Ferrè, researcher and senior lecturer, Psychology at Royal holloway

11:00 – Immersive Demos

Experience pioneering VR productions: Doctor Who: The Edge of Time by Maze Theory, Common Ground by award-winner Darren Emerson, and The National Gallery’s Virtual Veronese by Focal Point.

11.30 – How to Make The Virtual, A Reality

Will Saunders, award-winning producer and Chief Creative Officer at the National Centre for Immersive Storytelling and StoryFutures

Will has worked at the forefront of creative innovation in the UK for over twenty years, producing and writing on shows such as Flight of the Conchords, So Graham Norton and Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day. He was an architect of the BBC’s Digital transformation, pioneering moves into podcasting, launching the BBC’s home for new forms of storytelling taster, and running digital development and production for the UK’s leading media company BBC Studios. Will currently leads on Creative Industries work for StoryFutures and advises organisations including Coventry City of Culture, The Canada Media Fund & The Open University on creative development and innovation. 

Will’s talk will consider what immersive technologies offer the Creative Sector, how best to get involved during the immersive pre-market economy phase we still inhabit, and why we need great stories and great storytellers now more than ever before.

12:00 – The Journey to Doctor Who and Peaky Blinders in VR

Russ Harding, Executive Producer/Creative Director, Maze Theory & Claire Boissiere, games producer/writer, BAFTA Committee, VC The BGI/NVM.

Maze Theory are a restless team of digital creatives seeking out new ideas to push the latest VR capabilities drawing on experience in animation, games, development, film production and storytelling.

Their new cinematic, feature-length Doctor Who VR game, entitled Doctor Who: The Edge of Time is due for release this autumn. It will transport fans into a globally-beloved world of aliens, mystery and wonder, letting them embark on a brand-new and fully-interactive adventure. The latest project, a Peaky Blinders VR game is due to launch in 2020 and will allow players to interact with characters from the hit series. 

Russ and Claire will discuss their journey in combining technology, games and storytelling to make engaging immersive experiences. How did their previous experience translate into VR production? What are the challenges in building immersive stories – and how is this different from television, animation or games? They will cover how to balance the original story, characters, and gameplay, and how this impacts the writers and creative teams?

12:30 – VR and the Power of Story

Victoria Mapplebeck, Bafta award winning writer, artist and director.

Victoria has been experimenting with the frontiers of documentary and creative technology for the last two decades, receiving a BAFTA in 2019 for her documentary Missed Call. The talk will reflect on Victoria’s experience in using VR alongside traditional film and the creative possibilities this combination offers for storytelling. It focuses on The Waiting Room, the VR project that explores each step of her journey from diagnosis of breast cancer to recovery, challenging the cultural myths and language of chronic illness.

Engaging with questions such as, what did VR enable that was not possible in traditional film? How are storytelling techniques different in an interactive production? How does one balance interaction and storytelling, audio and video, first person and witness perspectives? What skill-sets and collaborations were key to making the project? Find out first-hand about the processes of creating for VR. 

13:00 Immersive Animation: From Site-Specific Installation to VR

Birgitta Hosea, award-winning artist, curator, Reader in Moving Image, University of Creative Arts

Drawing from over twenty years of making animated spatial experiences, this talk will explore a number of different strategies used by artists to immerse the viewer in both physical and VR spaces. Birgitta is an artist, curator and former theatre designer working internationally in site-specific and expanded animation. Prior to joining the UCA, she was Head of Animation at the Royal College of Art, Course Director of MA Character Animation and Research Leader in Performance at Central Saint Martins

13:30 Lunch and immersive demos

14:00 StoryFutures Can Help You Innovate 

James Bennett, Director of StoryFutures and Professor of Television and Digital Culture at Royal Holloway, University of London 

James is the Director at StoryFutures, an innovation partnership that brings together creative and digital businesses in our region with major industry players such as BBC Studios, Sony, PACT, and world leading researchers at Royal Holloway, Brunel and University of Creative Arts.  

James will outline how StoryFutures can help businesses innovate, through access to collaborations, expertise, financial support and business advice to companies based in the Gateway Cluster area (to the West of London). He will also discuss opportunities for traditional screen industries at StoryFutures Academy: the National Centre for Immersive Storytelling through its co-productions, development funds and training labs.  

14:30  R&D On Demand and How to Get Involved

Kristina Glushkova, Business Impact lead at StoryFutures & Mark Lycett, Business Models Lead at StoryFutures and Professor of Information Management at Royal Holloway, University of London

Our R&D On Demand programme offers creative companies based in the Gateway Cluster access to leading expertise and up to £3,000 in grant support to tackle storytelling innovation challenges. We help businesses develop their commercial strategies, experiment with story form, test prototypes with audiences and much more. Find out what’s on offer and how you can get involved! 

14:45 The Experts: Audiences, Story Forms, Business Models and Technologies Find out about latest trends and expertise available at StoryFutures.   

Next generation business models and funding opportunities

Mark Lycett, Professor, School of Management @ Royal Holloway. Ian Ferris, Innovation by Design Principal, Brunel University

Techniques, technologies and skills for immersive storytelling

Rob Morgan, Senior Technologist at StoryFutures and Founder, Trajectory Theatre. Birgitta Hosea, Artist, curator and former theatre designer working in site-specific and expanded animation, Reader in Moving Image at University for the Creative Arts 

Emerging story forms and creative environments 

Rebecca McCutcheon, theatre director, researcher and lecturer in site-specific and immersive theatre performance. Jack Lowe, Visiting Lecturer in Digital Storytelling and PhD researcher at Royal Holloway

Understanding next generation audiences

Dr Laryssa Whittaker, audience researcher, StoryFutures. Elisa Raffaella Ferrè, researcher and senior lecturer, Psychology at Royal holloway

Challenges and Solutions: Ideas and Support Session

Bring an idea, question or challenge in relation to any of these headings and get advice and ideas from our experts and other creative and digital practitioners. This is a unique opportunity to get expert input, network and meet other innovators working in the region.

15:15 Break and finding a group 

15:30 Challenges and solutions: ideas & support session

A unique opportunity to get expert input, and connect with peers and business support bodies working in the region.

Bring an idea, question or challenge in relation and get advice and ideas from our experts and other creative and digital practitioners. 

16:30 Drinks and canapes

Immersive demos continue 

17:30 Ends