As part of this year’s Vivid Ideas festival, we hosted Imagining an Interactive Brand.
From Jonathan Nolan’s Westworld toPokemon GO, the perils and wonders of technological innovation are on constant display throughout popular culture. What makes this content appealing is not so much the technology itself, but rather the way it can be used to enrich the way we tell stories.
While storytelling has been around for centuries, interactive narratives are only now coming to the forefront. Chatbots are edging closer to artificial intelligence. Interactive installations are inspiring multi-sensory experiences. Augmented reality is giving us the power to enhance our physical world. Virtual reality is allowing us to immerse ourselves in worlds other than our own. If storytelling really was invented to educate, incite and influence, then perhaps interactivity is our greatest ally in this ever-evolving technological landscape.
The event brought together the collected brainpower of Clare Cahill, the marketing mind behind Adobe’s Creative Cloud, social innovator Allan Soutaris from SecondMuse, S1T2’s chief technical expert Naimul Khaled, as well as artist, technologist and director of Mod Productions Michela Ledwidge.
Joined by some of Australia’s most creative minds, we explored how to tell the kinds of interactive stories that captivate audiences. Looking through and even beyond the medium, together we discovered how a combination of interactivity and technology can be used to create intimate, human connections.
When: 2pm – 4pm, Thursday 15 June 2017
Where: Vivid Ideas Exchange – Level 6, Terrace Entrance (Circular Quay West Side), Museum of Contemporary Art of Australia
Meet the speakers:
Clare Cahill, Senior Marketing Manager at Adobe Creative Cloud Asia Pacific
A graphic designer and seasoned marketer who’s been with Adobe since 2006, Clare is passionate about how creativity can help change the shape of business. According to Clare, her job is the best in the world because she gets to spend every day working with Adobe’s amazingly creative customers. She’s always thinking about how creativity can escape beyond the studio walls and challenge our thinking.
Allan Soutaris, VR/AR Project Manager at SecondMuse
With extensive experience managing digital projects and campaigns in both the private and not-for-profit sectors, Allan specialises in capturing attention through engaging online journeys in a media-saturated world. Currently heading up the LAUNCH Legends project, Allan is exploring how interactive narratives can help promote traditional and healthy food choices in the Indo-Pacific region. He is also a Beatles fanatic.
Naimul Khaled, Chief Technical Officer at S1T2
With a background in software engineering, Naimul works to conceptualise, create and implement complex digital solutions with us here at S1T2. His passion for cutting-edge technology has lead him to innovate in web and experiential technologies, merging web applications, augmented and virtual reality, and the ‘Internet of Things’. A champion of open source ideology, Naimul’s goal is to remain at the forefront of emerging technologies.
Michela Ledwidge, Artist/Technologist/Director at Mod Productions
After setting up the first website in NSW in 1993, Michela has worked around the globe as an artist, technologist and entrepreneur. Co-founder of Studio Mod, her work explores the space spanning film/TV, video games, and AR/MR/VR. With experience as both a creative and technical director, Michela is passionate about telling stories in interesting ways through immersive, interactive experiences.
