A day-long interactive exploration into the possibilities of story to entertain, inform connect, and engage. This year’s event will focus on immersive storytelling and is intended to be hands-on; space is limited.
StoriesLab is a project of StoriesLead and is co-presented by the Center for Media & Social Impact.
REGISTER for StoriesLab.
About StoriesLab
Ancient storytellers captured narrative in paintings on cave walls or sustained them through the oral tradition. But modern technology has significantly enhanced the way in which our stories are told, collected, shared, and measured.
We want to highlight the advancements that the digital and technological landscape has brought to the art of storytelling, while also recognizing the importance of strong narrative.
Enter StoriesLab. A day-long interactive exploration into the possibilities of story to entertain, inform connect, and engage. This year’s event will focus on immersive storytelling and is intended to be hands-on; space is limited.
StoriesLab is a project of StoriesLead and is co-presented by the Center for Media & Social Impact.
REGISTER for StoriesLab
THE WORKSHOPS + PRESENTATIONS
Kickoff: The Possibilities
Presented by Felicia Pride
An opening session that explores the possibilities for immersive projects by showcasing what’s being created in the field.
Presentation: Anatomy of a Project – Unknown Spring
Presented by Jake Price
Unknown Spring represents an evolution of independent nonfiction storytelling. Built entirely from the ground up by a team of two, the project became an immersive html5 website featuring photographs, audio recordings, full-motion video, and Price’s written descriptions of his work and impressions as he spent many months — and many return trips — with the people around the fishing village of Yuriage. The result isn’t just a record of the physical damage done by the tsunami, instead, Unknown Spring is both a chronicle of and testament to the Japanese people’s resilience and humanity in the face of unspeakable odds.
Presentation: Diving In: Is Immersive Storytelling Right For Your Project?
Presented by Glenn McClanan
Immersive storytelling is the hot topic in the world of content creation. But what is it exactly, and is it right for your project? In this presentation, we will review the key questions to ask yourself when considering this approach, and the fundamental decisions you will need to make to develop an immersive story project.
Workshop: Creating the Immersive Media Project
Facilitated by Mike Knowlton
There are a ton of amazing immersive media projects being created these days. But rarely do people discuss the process for how these types of projects actually get made. The form is still so new that it can feel like a bit of a mystery. This workshop will answer questions like: What are the key steps in conceiving and creating immersive media projects? What are the phases and what activities happen in each of them? What tools do you use in each phase? What are the types of team members you need and how do you find them? We’ll finish the workshop with a hands-on paper prototyping exercise where we put what we’ve discussed to use.
Workshop: The Audience is Your Co-Producer
Facilitated by Rachel Falcone
User-generated, crowdsourced, participatory, collaborative: there are many names for how producers are working alongside their audiences to tell 21st century stories. Transmedia producer and co-director of an award-winning participatory documentary about Hurricane Sandy, Rachel Falcone, will share the ins and outs of opening up the production process to collaboration. She’ll offer lessons from her own work and tools for participants to imagine how this genre of storytelling might fit into their work.
THE SPEAKERS
Felicia Pride, founder of StoriesLead
Felicia Pride is a writer, producer, and strategist with more than ten years experience working in media. She’s the head of interactive studio pride collaborative, where she works on innovative film and media projects, including acclaimed documentary Slavery by Another Name; transmedia project Land of Opportunity; recently released documentary Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth; and Sundance award-winning film Middle of Nowhere. Pride is the director of StoriesLead, a training ground for storytelling and the co-organizer of StoryCode DC, a community for transmedia storytellers. She’s also the founder of The Create Daily, a startup that matches media makers with career-advancing opportunities. Currently, a media fellow at the Center for Media & Social Impact at American University, Pride has riffed on narrative, media, and storytelling at universities, institutions, and events around the country, including SXSW, TEDx, diy days, and Confab.
Glenn McClanan, Creator, The Wyr Deception
Glenn McClanan is the creator of The Wyr Deception immersive storyworld, an ecosystem of websites using videos, motion comics, and short stories to present a revolutionary take on werewolves. After graduating from the NYU Graduate Film program, he headed up video initiatives at leading online publishers such as Edmunds.com and About.com/NewYork Times, and also worked as an independent film producer. He is currently the Creative Director of Rio Create LLC in New York, which produces and consults on new media and immersive content.
Jake Price, Creator, Unknown Spring
Jake Price has worked as a free-lance producer for the BBC for over 15 years producing multi- media pieces for BBC In Pictures. His multimedia and photography appears in The New Yorker, The New York Times, TIME, The Daily Beast, NPR, Rolling Stone, Orion Magazine, Newsweek, Le Monde II and others throughout the world. In March 2011 Jake Price journeyed to Tohoku, Japan to document the devastation left in the wake of the Pacific tsunami, resulting in his immersive web doc Unknown Spring which was awarded the World Press Photo Multimedia Awards.
Mike Knowlton, Cofounder of StoryCode & Murmur
A digital veteran of 20 years, Mike is a recognized leader in the global Transmedia community and is the Co-Founder of the non-profit, immersive storytelling community StoryCode. His work at StoryCode has created a vibrant cross-discipline community of innovative creators. Mike’s background spans design, programming, advertising, sales/fund-raising, production, and filmmaking. As a Creative Technologist he founded and led a number of technology companies including user-interface design firm Nascent State, digital agency BASIK,open-source Flash technology Frontal and Murmur. His work has received numerous awards (One Club Pencils, W3 recognitions, and Webbys) and is widely published. He speaks regularly at leading cross-media conferences including AD:Tech, the Power to the Pixel Market, Storytelling 1.X and StoryWorld.
Rachel Falcone, Executive Producer of Sandy Storyline
Rachel Falcone is a multimedia producer and storytelling strategist. She is Co-Founder and Executive Producer of the transmedia storytelling project Sandy Storyline, winner of the 2013 Bombay Sapphire Award for Transmedia at the Tribeca Film Festival. For the last 6 years she has produced first person stories about the housing crisis with her multimedia project Housing is a Human Right. Her independent radio documentaries and multimedia have been broadcast internationally, and shared through interactive installations everywhere from laundromats to vacant storefronts to shipping containers. Rachel traveled across the United States with the Peabody award-winning national oral history project StoryCorps and has worked as a producer with EarSay, Inc., None On Record and Incite Pictures. Rachel currently teaches and consults on transmedia storytelling and impact campaigns for nonprofit organizations and media projects.
The Attendees
Although aimed at media makers and content creators, StoriesLab attracts those interested in story innovation. Last year, we hosted: activists, nonprofit professionals, communication professionals, writers, filmmakers, technologists, storytellers, strategists, engagement specialists, educators, journalists, artists, administrators, funders and you.
The FAQs
Will I be fed?
Why of course! Continental breakfast and lunch will be served.
How can I partner with this wonderful event?
Well, we’re glad you asked as we’re always interested in connecting with great partners. Just contact Jessica Fenney at [email protected] and let’s talk possibilities!
What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?
The Brookland metro station is wonderfully across the street. Street parking as well as a paid, public parking garage is available.
Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?
Contact Jessica Fenney at [email protected].
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
No!
Is my registration/ticket transferrable?
Yes. Please contact Jessica Fenney at [email protected] if you need to transfer your registration.
What is the refund policy?
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept refunds at this time, but your registration is transferrable. See above.
REGISTER for StoriesLab
Additional Partners
