Avatars, Assets, & Access
In this summer issue we explore world of avatars, spanning thought pieces, artist features and interviews and their implications for immersive nonfiction storytelling projects. This quarterly issue marks the start of Julie Fukunaga’s tenure as Managing Editor, taking the mantle from Abby Sun (thank you Abby for everything!), and joining the editorial collective that helps run things behind the scenes. Read Julie’s introduction to the issue which includes links to all the pieces. Welcome Julie!
Also new on Immerse:
Deniz Tortum examines how we visually commmunicate climate change in What Climate Will Exist?
Dan Schindel interviews Joshua Glick and Nora Stone on documentary platform politics in the Netflix Era in The Future of Streaming Documentary and looks at “experiencing” as a new dimension of modern gaming in Vicarious Gaming
Jessica Fiala on Eyeo’s 10th and final convening, Field Notes: “The Discord is Forever”
Srushti Kamat interviews Todd Bryant and Rashin Fahandej in our new Virtual Production Bulletin, co-produced with Co-Creation Studio.
What we’re reading and watching
Kevin Roose on the golden age of progress in artificial intelligence. Pair this with Sharon Goldman’s DALL-E dilemma and this interview with Midjourney founder David Holz.
NEW INC’s Salome Asega on imagining future technologies and everyday design.
Critical Coding Cookbook, a collection of alternative histories, narratives, and approaches to computation.
Immerse editorial board member Julia Scott-Stevenson on “Virtual reality, autonomous weapons and the future of war: military tech startup Anduril comes to Australia.”
The Design of Virtual and Augmented Realities - a handy gitbook from Alexandria Heston.
Matthew Ball on the, yes you guessed it, the metaverse. Read alongside Katherine Cross who thinks it’s not too late to build joyful communities and save the metaverse.
Why is it so hard for TV shows to imagine life or even drama in a post-revolution world?
Projects we’re eyeballing
On The Morning you Wake (To the End of the World) available now on the Quest Store.
Summer Island is a debut comic by Campfire Creative Director Steve Coulson featuring artwork generated entirely by Artificial Intelligence.
Paper Birds: Part I & II available now on the Quest Store.
Coming up
Festivals, courses, and events
Unfinished Live: technology, art, ideas, impact, NYC and virtual, September 21-24.
UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK is a celebration of creativity, taking place across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and online from March to November 2022.
Gray Area Festival, hybrid format, September 29-October 2.
Responsible Design Technology Intensive from Gray Area. Course starts October 16 on Zoom.
Open Metaverse Intensive from Gray Area. Course starts November 15 on Zoom.
Web Summit, Lisbon November 1-4.
AdventureX 2022 convention dedicated to narrative-driven gaming, London, November 5-6.
Submission deadlines
Sundance Film Festival New Frontier deadline is September 9.
SXSW XR Experience deadline is October 18.
Immerse is an initiative of MIT Open DocLab and Dot Connector Studio, and receives funding from Just Films | Ford Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation. The Gotham Film & Media Institute is our fiscal sponsor. Learn more here. We are committed to exploring and showcasing emerging nonfiction projects that push the boundaries of media and tackle issues of social justice — and rely on friends like you to sustain ourselves and grow. Join us by making a gift today.
Publisher: Jessica Clark (Dot Connector Studio)
Managing Editor: Julie Fukunaga
Editorial Collective: Sarah Wolozin (MIT Open DocLab), Ingrid Kopp (Electric South), Kat Cizek (MIT Open DocLab)
Big thank you and much gratitude to our editorial board for all your support and advice over the years as we wrap up this cohort:
Zeina Abi Assy, Mark Atkin, Ruthie Doyle, Caspar Sonnen, Julia Scott-Stevenson, Amelia Winger-Bearskin