Expanded Cinema (Stanford freshman course)
2019 COURSE INFORMATION
- Course Dates: September 3-20, 2019
- Arrive on Campus: September 2, 2019
- Housing Information
- Dining Information
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this exploratory workshop, students will use VR tools such as 360 video and surround sound design to create immersive experiences for viewers. The conceptual framework of experimental cinema and documentary film serve to inform students' work. Over the course of two weeks, students will work in teams to create a series of short immersive pieces, using traditional tools (DSLRs and sound recorders) as well as 360 cameras, culminating in a 2-3 minute 360 video, with a keen emphasis on experimentation, pushing toward a new artistic language in this still-emerging form of VR "storytelling"/ Immersive cinema. The course is time intensive: requiring some nights and both weekends dedicated to production and editing, including several production field trips off-campus.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ART AND ART HISTORY
Jamie Meltzer's feature documentary films have been broadcast nationally on PBS and have screened at numerous film festivals worldwide. He teaches and is the Program Director of the M.F.A. Program in Documentary Film at Stanford University. His current documentary project, True Conviction, broadcast on PBS in April 2018. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was awarded a Special Jury Mention in the Best Documentary Category, the film is a co-production of ITVS and the recipient of a Sundance Institute grant and a MacArthur grant. Previous films include: Informant (2012), about a revolutionary activist turned FBI informant, Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story (Independent Lens, 2003), about the shadowy world of song-poems, Welcome to Nollywood (PBS Broadcast, 2007), an investigation into the wildly successful Nigerian movie industry, and La Caminata (2009), a short film about a small town in Mexico that runs a simulated border crossing as a tourist attraction.
‘Mind-blowing’: Virtual reality PTSD treatment central to launch of consortium
Heroes in Mind, Advocacy & Research Consortium (HiMARC) is made up of those who want “to serve the men and women in uniform who have served us and continue to serve us daily,” Bob Haennel, dean of the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, said in a Wednesday news release.
See the full story here: https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/mind-blowing-virtual-reality-ptsd-treatment-central-to-launch-of-consortium
A Crucial Step for Averting AI Disasters
Tech companies working on artificial intelligence find that a diverse staff can help avoid biased algorithms that cause public embarrassments
At one point, Rana el Kaliouby, Affectiva CEO and co-founder says, women working in the company’s Cairo office asked, “Are there any people in here who look like us?” Engineers quickly added images of Muslim women wearing hijabs.
“You need diversity in the data, and more important, in the team that’s designing the algorithm,” Dr. el Kaliouby says. “If you’re a 30-year-old white guy who’s programming this algorithm, you might not think about, ‘Oh, does this data set include a woman wearing a hijab?’ ”
Beyond racial and gender diversity, Microsoft recruits employees with diverse creative and artistic skills to help write conversational language for its Cortana virtual assistant and Personality Chat, an AI program that handles small talk for bots developed by others. Team members have included a playwright, a poet, a comic-book author, a philosophy major, a songwriter, a screenwriter, an essayist and a novelist, whose professional skills equip them to write upbeat language for the bots and anticipate diverse users’ reactions, says Deborah Harrison, a senior manager and team leader. They also teach the bots to avoid, say, misusing ethnic slang or making sexualized remarks.
See the full story here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-crucial-step-for-avoiding-ai-disasters-11550069865
Sony Launches Branded Premium Large Format Theater System
The Sony Digital Cinema offing includes Sony laser projection with support for 4K and high dynamic range images, Dolby Atmos sound and reclining seats. If purchased, the projection and sound systems represent an investment upward of $1 million, though Sony declined to comment on the business arrangement with the theaters.
The first location, slated to open in the spring with a 70-foot screen, will be Galaxy Theatres' Las Vegas Boulevard Mall venue. Sony is targeting theater-owners confab CinemaCon (April 1-4) for its grand opening.
While Sony Digital Cinema will launch with the company's high-end laser projectors, it also has been developing a theatrical system that would replace the cinema screen with an LED screen. Reposo told THRit's "possible" that Sony could later move to offering the LED screen as part of this new PLF system, saying the company believes LED cinema could have "'significant impact" on the business. (Sony won't be showing the LED screen at CinemaCon, where it will instead highlight the new PLF system. A week after CinemaCon, a 32-foot Sony LED screen will be exhibited at the NAB Show, also in Las Vegas.)
See the full story here: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/sony-launches-branded-premium-large-format-theater-system-1186263
Oculus Returns To E3 2019 With ‘The Latest From Studios’
[PhilNote - with the death of VRLA, this E3 could be important for immersive media in LA.]
The show runs from June 11th – 13th.
Asgard’s Wrath likely isn’t the only thing Oculus will have to talk about at E3, though. Current upcoming Studios titles include Insomniac’s Stormland, Ready at Dawn’s Lone Echo II and Respawn’s Rift-exclusive shooter. Not to mention that, by E3, we expect Oculus to have launched its Quest standalone headset. That’s sure to bring about a raft of new VR titles to talk about too.
2019 is an interesting year for E3 in general. It’ll be the third year in a row that the show will be open to the public. More importantly, though, we know Sony has no plans to attend this year’s show. With no PSVR announcements at E3, it could be Oculus’ show to lose on the VR front. But what do HTC and/or Valve have in-store?
DEAL 2019 in Dubai to unleash robots, drones, virtual reality concepts aimed at African markets
“Today, there is a massive behavioral change in African millennials. They are changing their spending patterns, from markets to malls, where they can eat, socialize and get entertained at Family Entertainment Centers (FEC)s apart from shopping. With this change in behaviour they also need engaging and immersive experience to support their entertainment appetite. This has given rise to new gaming concepts such as VR and now they are further engaged by Robots who can serve them food and beverages,” stated Sharif Rahman, CEO of International Expo Consults (IEC).
“The African stakeholders who visit DEAL can also visit the VR Parks in UAE to know the potential and also to know how they are growing their revenues. The facility can remain the same, however, the software and the games need to be upgraded and changed which is not as expensive as changing the whole interiors of the facility. In Dubai, there are many options for VR based rides in Hub Zero, Virtual Worlds, Magic Planet among others, an exclusive VR Park in Dubai Mall has also changed the face of entertainment in the city,” concluded Mr. Rahman.
See the full story here; http://www.africanews.com/2019/02/13/deal-2019-in-dubai-to-unleash-robots-drones-virtual-reality-concepts-aimed-at-african-markets/
Top 4 Tips for Creating OOH Augmented Reality Experiences
OOH Augmented Reality: Through the Ages
In terms of OOH Augmented Reality events, it all began in 2009 with Hand from Above. This was followed by Lynx Angel Ambush, the first large-format branded AR execution to run OOH. It was pioneering for its time and won widespread industry approval as well as being applauded by the public. Shortly after saw Disney Parks ‘Memories’ pushing the boundaries with live-action characters augmented into Times Square, and multiple participants taking part simultaneously.
The hard work of introducing the technology to the masses has been done. The appetite from both brands and consumers alike is there. Now the challenge is to continue to innovate whilst delivering quality events that resonate with the audience. It’s an exciting place to work, and I for one can’t wait to continue pushing the boundaries of AR in all its variations across the DOOH landscape.
See the full story here: https://www.digitalsignageconnection.com/top-4-tips-for-creating-ooh-augmented-reality-experiences