Media Sandbox Publication
October 26, 2009
Posted by victoria in: Innovation | Add a comment
I've spent a good deal of time this summer putting together a publication that showcases the results of two years of the Media Sandbox scheme. I've worked with some really great people on it - so thanks to Steve Wright who produced the articles; Toby Farrow who produced the photography; writer and commentator Bill Thompson who provided a short contextual essay; and of course to all the participants from the two years of the scheme who have been brilliant to work with.
I'd especially like to thank John Durrant from BDH, who really kindly re-worked one of the images from the Happytowns project for the front cover.
Thanks also go to this year’s panel of Industry Advisors for their valuable contributions; and to our funders – South West Screen, SWRDA & Watershed - for their continued support.
The publication can be viewed online through the Yudu publishing platform, (hard copies available on request).
We hope you enjoy it.
Pervasive Games and Playful Experiences: succesful panel at SXSW interactive
October 19, 2009
Posted by Clare in: Events | Innovation | Bristol | pervasive | Add a commentOne of the panels that I submitted (in conjunction with people from last year's Arts Council funded SXSW delegation) is now officially programmed for South by South West Interactive 2010:
Pervasive Games and Playful Experiences: Rendering the Real World - The most photorealistic, networked environment you can play in is real life”. Mobile internet, pervasive gaming and sensor-enriched public spaces enable new possibilities in game-play, distributed story-telling and immersive events. Building on previous SXSW events,
leading practitioners will explore the ethics, design challenges and business potential of this new form.
I submitted the idea over the summer and it went to community vote, the SXSW Advisory Boards and SXSW staff before making it through to the first batch of events to be programmed this year.
Now to confirm panelists, which will be really tricky as there are so many brilliant people from all over that would make a valuable contribution…
Attending C&binet - what can it possibly achieve?
October 13, 2009
Posted by Clare in: Events | Watershed | Innovation | Technology | Add a commentIn a couple of weeks time I am attending C&binet (The Creativity and Business International Network), a three day conference bringing together creative businesses and leaders from around the globe.
C&binet was created by the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of Creative Britain's 26 commitments to bring the creative industries into the mainstream of the UK economy. The event's themes include access to finance, new business models, developing talent and securing creative rights. I am participating in a digital economy fringe panel led by Simon Evans of Creative Clusters and was asked by Alastair Findlay of the C&binet team to put together some thoughts for the conference blog on what I hope it will achieve:
What can C&binet achieve?
Producing a purposeful international dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of the creative economy is no small undertaking given the diverse set of interests, disciplines, business models and organisational cultures at play. What then are my hopes for C&binet? It is this very diversity (in attendee and theme) which plays into the concerns of Watershed, a ‘cross art form’ media centre established in Bristol in 1982:
As we know, the creative industries are going through a period of rapid change. As technologies converge and platforms proliferate, finding time and space to develop content, applications and services which capture imagination and deliver value has become even more tricky.
Across our artistic programme, through investment and support schemes like Media Sandbox and in The Pervasive Media Studio (an open innovation research space), Watershed seeks to develop meaningful opportunities for future, emerging and established talent. By joining up creative businesses, artists, researchers, technology firms and (critically) an engaged population of early adopters, we are able to link knowledge, explore new markets and produce innovative ideas, products and processes. But this space is high-risk and there is both challenge and opportunity in responding to demand with an open approach. A need for new thinking is required:
Public service content for instance is being redefined by the inexorable spread of digital connectivity. Digital Britain says 'Public service content in Digital Britain now comes from a much wider range of sources than in the analogue age’. Like Tate, the Royal Opera House and RSC, Watershed’s creative content now reaches a wider public online than through our physical building.
The combination of digital disruption and the UK’s global advantage in high-quality arts and broadcast provision provides huge opportunity: to engage more widely, to explore the pervasive power of 'prosumer' creative energy and to pioneer new forms of economic, cultural and social value. But significant culture shifts will need to occur to enable meaningful, equitable models of collaboration in this space.
For the UK the policy challenge is how we resource risk in a public funding climate that defaults to tangible known and measurable outcomes in conventional economy terms.
To push the boundaries of new technologies, engage the broadest pool of talent and stay internationally competitive we must involve a diverse range of producers and users from across the value chain, understanding that current mechanisms of support and development will be challenged to their core.
My hope is that C&binet will inform and sustain a genuine and meaningful commitment (from those working in the creative economy as well as from policy makers) to cross-sectoral collaboration which responds to this fast moving world with open, engaged ways of thinking and working.
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If you want to get involved, C&binet will be streamed live. You’ll be able to comment on the sessions during the live streaming and feed in to the debate. You can also submit your comments and questions in advance and follow the ongoing debate through the blog and via the c&binet twitter feed.
Play is a marvellous thing.
October 12, 2009
Posted by victoria in: Innovation | Add a commentThis may seem like an indiscriminate plug, but I promise it is relevant in beginning this short thought. I’m chairing a Game Pit at the May You Live In Interesting Times Festival of Creative Technology in Cardiff next week, (so if you’re in town, do come along). Anyone who knows me will know that I don’t like to go into these things unprepared, so I’ve spent a bit of time really thinking about pervasive play.
Play is fun, and fun is a marvellous thing. Whether you’re shy, confident, loud, quiet, young, old – everyone loves it. Pervasive games ask ordinary people to follow instructions that often challenge them to take a more adventurous attitude towards public spaces – so what effect does this have on their social interactions? Are they empowered to act against social constraints? Does this open opportunities?
I don’t usually push what’s essentially corporate advertising, but during my research I stumbled upon thefuntheory.com (a Volkswagon initiative) and I really enjoyed browsing the videos. Here’s a series of projects that demonstrate what can happen when play creeps into the everyday. Play can have a huge effect on social interactions. When taking part in a game, the following of a simple rule set frees people from the constraints of their everyday behaviours. They’re encouraged and ‘allowed’ to behave differently. So when it comes to addressing societal issues such as obesity or even climate change, play can become a powerful tool in helping to change behaviour, and in turn, change attitude.
More games for everyone please.
Media Sandbox Showcase & Publication Launch
October 2, 2009
Posted by victoria in: Innovation | Add a comment
Tuesday 20th October 2009 | 16:00hrs | Cinema 1 | Watershed, Bristol.
The creative media industries are going through a period of rapid change. The uncertain economic environment has made it harder to find the time and space to dedicate to nurturing new ideas. more…
