Immersive storytelling involves two simultaneous stories: the one told by the creator, and the one experienced by the audience as they journey through the storyworld. This session will explore that concept, and share a wealth of examples showing exactly what digital storytelling is and what it can be. We will hear from Kev Curran, from Inspired Youth, Lucy Hammond, from Pilot Theatre and Creative Consultant Tim Powell.

Here we will discuss how experiential digital storytelling can be used to educate , tell personal stories and inform. Speakers Dinah Lammiman, Professor of Immersive Factual Storytelling from UCL, Sarah Coward, Founder Director from In the Room, and Creative Consultant Tim Powell will explore current experiential storytelling examples and how these might shape us in the future.

Storytelling can change opinions and provoke action–both for good and for ill, depending on the storyteller and their motivations. Illustrating this dichotomy will be Chris Walker from Bright White Ltd, Simon Wilkinson and Myra Appennah from Bright Black, and Kev Curran from Inspired Youth. They will discuss the psychology of immersion, the virtual realities we experience everyday, and the best techniques and tools to ensure that your storytelling is both powerful and responsible.

In this session we will examine how digital storytelling can be used to persuade an audience, in terms of social, climate and behavioral change. We will hear from Chris Walker, Director at Bright White Ltd; and Director of Northern Fortress FIlms, Louisa Rose-Mackleston. Our panel will discuss the power of digital storytelling, and how by challenging perceptions it can inspire action to shape the world.

This session will explore how real life is increasingly affected by artificial experiences, and how that impacts our sense of reality. Speakers Dr Damien Tomaselli from University of Johannesburg, Dr Jenna Ng from University of York and Chris Walker, Director of Bright White Ltd will explain how continued developments in the fields of AI and XR are used to shape our perspectives, and share practical examples.

What role should truth play in storytelling? Bethan Vincent from Open Velocity, Cherie Federico from Aesthetica and Sherin Mathew from AI-Tech UK will lead this discussion, considering ethical issues such as deep fakes, the interaction between AI and human personality, and intellectual privacy. Examples will include selections from Big Dada, an experimental visual narrative comprised of six deep fake new media works featuring AI synthesised personas; our panel will also discuss the danger of making predictions with tools that often rely on biased information.

Part of the narrator's role is to present a perspective that shapes how the audience understands and interprets the story being told. But how do different approaches to narration affect audience understanding? In this session, Anna Bramwell-Dicks will discuss Destigmatising Disability in Future Stories - where she is exploring how different approaches to narration (or lack thereof) can influence an audience's understanding of disability, and the potential for increased stigma if these stories are not told appropriately. Lucy is discussing some of her interactive VR projects 'Traitors' and 'Monoliths' and how the role of the Narrator was different in each.

What level of unseen curation exists in a non-narrated digital story, and how much is needed? Wayne Sables, creative director and projection artist from the Wayne Sables Project, Bethany Watrous of Experience Heritage and Professor Dominic Powlesland will discuss the art of creating digital stories without narration. Topics will include immersive reconstructions, using digital to better understand and capture the story. How to effectively use visual and audio elements to convey story, and how to accurately preserve the story for the future.

What is non-linear storytelling, and how does it redefine the relationship between story and audience? Speakers Ludovica Fales from UCL, Joly Back and Anna Gallon from Four Wheel Drive Theatre and Founder Director Sarah Coward from In the Room will discuss how digital media are now embracing a stronger focus on non-linearity, and will share their experiences with us.

In this session we will learn how transmedia and interactive storytelling are used in theatre, video games, and more. We will hear from Nina Roussakoff, founder of Lovewish Games, Simon Wilkinson and Myra Appennah from Bright Black, and Dr Ben Kirman from University of York. Topics will include narrative choice design, insights for creating meaningful interactive storytelling experiences, and game design in theatre. They will also examine why video games have become the dominant cultural medium

In this session we will learn what exciting new digital storytelling tools are now available in the video, audio, VR and AR space, and what creatives are currently deploying in their practice. We will be joined by Bronnie McCarthy from BBC Makerbox and Bethany Watrous from Experience Heritage.

More and more digital storytelling tools are now widely available on most mobile phones, at low or no cost. In this session we will take a look at some in the AR space and beyond! Speakers include Shreyans Jain from Volograms, an award-winning AR app newly on the market and Adam Gill from Vidaveo films.

Samantha Kingston is the co-founder and CEO of Virtual Umbrella, a marketing consultancy that specialises in immersive technology. In 2022 Samantha premiered her 360 film Anonymous at Raindance Film Festival, and shared her story on the TEDx stage. She is also a community champion for Alcohol Change UK, an organisation that raises awareness about the dangers of alcohol. Her presentation talks about how she used VR as a creative vehicle to support her through her grief and to share her experiences with others.

Due to its intimate nature, XR experiences can provoke a powerful sense of empathy in the audience. We will consider how technology & digital storytelling can be used to build it. Speakers include Simon Benson from Talent for Tech, Richard England from Reflex Arc and Josh Naylor from HTC Vive.

Interactive storytelling refers to stories whose development can be influenced by explicit choices made by the viewers. While interactivity can provide rich opportunities for storytellers, it also poses considerable challenges with respect to narrative experience, production costs and audience agency. Discussing both via practical examples will be Sam Mateosian, Director of Driftspace VR, Creative Consultant Tim Powell and Prof Marian Ursu from University of York.

Virtual Production is a fledgling but growing field that facilitates discussion on how to develop content creation. This new technique has real possibilities for commercial, corporate and public work, offering a significant impact on costs, creativity, and potential projects. Explaining how those developments are advanced, along with the advantages and disadvantages of Virtual Production, will be Robin Cramp from Production Park and Tom Sefton from Pollen Studio.

The world is becoming an increasing overlay of composite information designed to inform and enhance perspectives. Speakers Shreyans Jain from Vologram will look at it's applications commercial and marketing areas, Bethany Watrous from Experience Heritage will explore how AR and overlays might be used to bring history to life in a non-intrusive way. Warren Fearn will look at AR in the context of Science Education and Damien Tonmaselli will explore AR in the context of another dimension to comics and graphic stories.

Trans Media Digital Storytelling uses multiple platforms for the audience to interact with. Such techniques range from adapting existing digital content, to engineering the experience from the ground up. Dr Damien Tomaselli from University of Johannesburg, Simon Wilkinson and Myra Appennah from Bright Black will share examples, including motion comics and films.

Historically the lack of resources has posed serious challenges to the creative process. Fortunately, the evolving nature of digital storytelling means more tools are becoming available to those previously excluded by cost and accessibility, thus empowering them to create. Ben Porter from York Creatives and Wayne Sables from the Wayne Sables Project will discuss ways to produce compelling digital stories with no budget, not only with the help of digital tools but also by using your creativity, network, and existing resources. By the end of this session you will have discovered cost-effective techniques that will help bring your vision to life without breaking the bank.

In this session Chris Filip, Founder Director of Game Anglia and International Development Fund Manager for BFI , Sherin Mathew from AI Tech UK, and Rob Morgan from Playlines will discuss the future of digital storytelling. Topics will include AR in storytelling, differing levels of immersion, and engagement through digital technologies, developing AI responsibly, creating multiple media streams in storytelling e.g. podcast, game, film, TV and VR rather than just one, and finally the power of communities.