What will digital narratives, interactive stories and immersive worlds of the future look like? Nine media professionals from four continents - including film producers, media artists, journalists and narrative, XR and sound designers - spent two years extensively exploring these questions in the Master's programme »Digital Narratives«" at the ifs International Film School Cologne. Together they have researched and developed innovative narrative forms in digital media.

On 11 July from 3 pm, the graduates of the fourth year of the "Digital Narratives" master's programme will present their final projects - including VR & AR experiences, 360° films, both documentary and fictional, a graphic novel, a game and an interactive media installation. The master projects also cover a wide range of content: From the effects of climate change in Sierra Leone, the labour movement at online mail order companies, the connection between prejudice and media consumption, female images of beauty in connection with ageing, to friendship across wars, depictions of dementia or empathy building. All Master's projects are on display and can be experienced after the presentation.

Information on the final projects and their creators can be found at www.filmschule.de from 11 July. The final presentation will kick off with the keynote »Generous Realities: Creating Future Culture in Community« by Dr Rebecca Rouse, Associate Professor of Media Art, Aesthetics and Narration at the University of Skövde, Sweden. Her research focuses on innovative forms of storytelling with immersive and responsive technologies.

The international master's programme Digital Narratives focuses on critical examination and experimentation with narrative and production techniques for digital media. Over the course of four semesters, dedicated media professionals engage in theory and practice with creative processes in dramaturgy and design using a research-creation approach. They learn creative development and agile production methods for digital productions in order to conceptualise, design and manage innovative and immersive narrative projects for digital platforms and formats - such as AR and VR experiences, web series, apps, interactive graphic novels, AI-supported applications, location-based media or installations. The aim is to interrogate the possibilities and limits of digital technologies in dealing with current social issues. The next iteration of the programme will start in the winter semester 2024/25.

Created on 10.07.2024