event / Pitch

Studentin steht mit einer VR-Brille und Controllern vor einer farbigen Wand
© Heiko Specht

MA Digital Narratives – Final Presentation

Project Presentations & Showcase

Information

Join us and experience an inspiring showcase of projects for VR, AR, 360° video, games and interactive comics. All projects include an academic-research component.

»MA Digital Narratives« – Final Presentation

11 July 2024 | 3 pm CEST | open ended
ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln
Auditorium | Schanzenstraße 28 | 51063 Cologne
Registration required (see below)

Keynote Speaker: Rebecca Rouse, PhD
Associate Professor in Media Arts, Aesthetics, and Narration in the Division of Game Development at the University of Skövde, Sweden

Programme

3:00 pm | Welcome and Introduction
Keynote speech: »Generous Realities: Creating Future Culture in Community« – Rebecca Rouse, PhD, Associate Professor in Media Arts, Aesthetics, and Narration at the University of Skövde, Sweden.
Rebecca Rouse focuses her research on investigating new forms of storytelling with new technologies such as immersive and responsive systems for theatrical performance, interactive installation, movable books, and games.

3:30 pm | Project Presentations

»Zamia« – Gwamaka Mwabuka
An animated underwater VR experience that immerses users in the memories of the Swahili coast, exploring the historical significance of ancient trade in the region through a blend of historical narratives and animated storytelling.

»Calls from Home« – Pavel Sitnikov
A virtual 360° documentary film that follows two music students in Cologne brought together by the harsh realities of war –a flutist from Russia and a percussionist from Ukraine– and how they forge a close friendship while communicating with their relatives who remain in their conflict-ridden homelands.

»Frame of Mind« – Media Haqshenas
A short 360° VR film that revolves around a woman sharing her memories with an unseen voice, while images of her fragmented memories fill the space around her, revealing that she lives in a care home for people with dementia.

»Beyond the Noise« – Samar Nahas and Stefania Matache
An interactive multi-sensory installation exploring the narratives of feminine beauty and the freedom of aging.

»Resist« – Zubair Ashraf
Resist is an episodic mini game designed to raise awareness about the ongoing labour movement within Amazon.com Inc. It simulates challenges faced by the warehouse workers, highlighting the importance of unionization.

»Unvisible« – Pratima Pal
Animated VR Experience  –  On a subway train through fragmented memories, a homeless graffiti artist narrates the story of how he lost his mind after a chance encounter with a beautiful amnesiac violinist.

»Mandi« – Daniel Bangura
A digital graphic novel embedded on a dedicated website with responsive design, that tells the story of Kevin Kamara–a courageous young man who valiantly rescued 40 lives during the 2017 flooding in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

»The Room of Resonance« – Laurien Michiels
A poetic AR fable that questions biases and media consumption behaviour by interacting with the "echo chambers" of 3 animals, their belongings and their life stories.

5:00 pm (open ended) | Showcase
All presented projects are exhibited and can be experienced first-hand.

There will be snacks and drinks!
If you would like to attend the event, please register here.

The Digital Narratives team, including Prof. Lena Thiele, Prof. Dr. Frédéric Dubois, Head of studies Jimena Aguilar and Study assistant Valérie Lang, would be delighted to see you at the ifs for this event in person.

Any Questions? We will be happy to help!