Programme 2004

The training project sagas Writing Interactive Fiction offers in 2004 the following courses: All courses will be held in English.

Participants have to apply for each workshop separately.

In order to open the application forms you may want to download either Microsoft Word 97/2000 Viewer or Adobe Acrobat Reader:

Developing Narrative Games Workshop

Ernest Adams

6.2. – 12.2.2004, ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany
confirmed guest speaker: Ragnar Tornquist

Workshop outline

In this intensive five-day workshop, the participants will work both alone and in teams to develop a design treatment for a narrative game.

They will begin by studying the fundamental principles of computer game design, and then go on to explore the relationship between interactivity and narrative.There will be a few lectures, but most of the activities will be fullyhands-on, involving brainstorming, discussion, and presentations from theparticipants to the group. By the end of the workshop each team will haveaddressed a number of critical design issues, including genre, platform, target audience, user interface, the player's role, temporal structure,narrative structure, character and backstory creation, perspective, tool set, and media usage.

Interactive Digital Moviemaking Workshop

Christopher Hales

20.2. – 27.2.2004, HFF, Munich

This practical workshop deals with the design and production of desktop interactive non-linear narratives using "live-action" video footage.

All the different aspects of creating interactive movies will be explored, although the emphasis will be  on the visual metaphors for interaction rather than written scriptwriting: participants will be asked to think laterally about their definition of narrative when issues of interactivity are concerned.

Actual desktop production techniques will be demonstrated, but the course will concentrate on innovative and aesthetic issues rather than detailed technical complexities of delivery platform and software.

A lecture-based strand of this workshop presents ways in which moving images have been, and could be, made interactive – investigating structure, interface and metaphor, and the importance of content.

There will also be some discussion of the relevance of newly developing 'convergence' areas of interactive digital TV and set-top boxes.

The practical strand shows how actual products could be piloted on a low-budget desktop system. Video cameras are provided for participants to generate their own video footage as a response to the techniques learnt, and the digital production cycle from video acquisition to multimedia authoring (Director) will be demonstrated.

Within the short span of the course each participant (or small group) should be able to produce a modest piece of interactive digital video for presentation on the final day and to take home with them from the workshop.

Interactive Scripting Workshop

Greg Roach

Guest Speakers: Martin Ericsson, Jason Kingsley, Michael Lew,: Julian Oliver

July 23 – 29 2004, HFF, Munich

Workshop outline

In this intensive workshop the relationship between storytelling, visual media techniques and interactivity
will be explored in depth, participants will learn to apply
their knowledge of filmmaking in this new arena by developing their own
interactive ideas, which are then processed in a group scripting phase.
Participants will develop in teams short treatments for an interactive film, story,
or narrative game which is then discussed.

Future TV Workshop

Raimo Lang

Guest Speakers: Bruno Felix, Submarine, NL
Jeff Zie, PlayJam, UK,

30.9. – 6.10.2004, HFF, Munich

Preliminary Timetable

In this creative workshop participants will develop fiction concepts for ITV in teams.
The workshop will be accompanied by introductory lectures on different types of programming for iTV as well as iTV technologies.

            The main aim is to explore the potential for interactive, participatory TV programming based on storytelling.

Creative Lab Concepting Mobile Multi-User Applications

Moderator: Frank Boyd, UK

26.11. - 2.12.2004, Oulu, Finland

Peer-to-peer creative cross disciplinary lab on concepting interactive narrative applications for mobile devices.
Attendees will form teams of three to five members and develop during this intense 5-day think tank
concepts for a mobile narrative application considering challenges, limitations and advantages of the choice of technology.
Emphasis should be on pervasive, location based and/or community creating interactivity.
In this lab the attendees - all experienced professionals themselves - will serve as experts as well.

Requirements for particpation:
At least two years experience in developing mobile or multi-user applications.
Good English language knowledge .

To apply for this lab please send an email to sagas@sagas.de
with your cv stating your professional experience and skills as well as a special interest topic you would like to explore at the lab.

In co-operation with POEM, m-cult and the Oulu Polytechnic

Programme 2003 | Programme 2002 | Programme 2001 | Programme 2000 | 
Programme 1999 | Programme 1998 | Programme 1997