Modern Audience Conference
We are excited to share our fantastic experience at the Modern Audience Conference, a captivating event focused on interactive storytelling.
The conference featured several award-winning experts who shared their valuable insights and the latest trends in engaging audiences.
Actor Neil Bell discussed his approach to acting in interactive stories, highlighting the importance of maintaining authenticity in every character to truly connect with the audience.
Judith Aniston, founding director of i-Doc (interactive documentary), emphasized the need to embrace human complexity and the importance of discovering new narratives suitable for the future, rather than being constrained by outdated, rigid storylines.
The conference also included engaging discussions about writing for games. Game designer Chella Ramaman eloquently described writing for games as both a beautiful and challenging process due to the lack of control over a gamer’s experience.
We learned the significance of immersing the audience in a game interactively and enabling them to resonate with human emotions, as demonstrated in her work “Before I forget.”
Alexander Kelly’s talk beautifully highlighted the importance of drawing inspiration from shared stories and interaction.
His founding of the “Inspiration Exchange” serves as a reminder of the immense power of collaboration and exchange in crafting innovative and inspiring experiences.
Following Alexander was Nick Taandavanitj, a co-founder of Blast Theory, an artist group that combines interactive media, digital broadcasting, and live performance.
At the Modern Audience Conference, Nick stressed the significance of placing the audience as the protagonist in interactive experiences.
He emphasized the need for the audience to feel empowered and in control, which leads to greater engagement and connection with the content.
Blast Theory has created experiences worldwide that address social and political themes. Nick’s talk served as a reminder of the power of innovative formats and the importance of centering the audience in the experience.
We were inspired by his dedication to exploring new storytelling methods and audience engagement.
Lastly, Sam Barlow shared his insights as an award-winning game designer recognized for his innovative approach to interactive storytelling.
His notable works include “Her Story”, “Telling Lies”, and “Immortality”. Sam believes that modern games should incorporate three key elements: challenge, expression, and exploration. These themes, he argues, have been fundamental to human nature since our earliest days as hunter-gatherers.
We extend our gratitude to the Modern Audience Conference for a remarkable experience, and we eagerly anticipate the future of interactive storytelling!
