Immersion Nation Podcast

Imagine if human touch were a felony. What would that world look like? Ben Cox of Trailblazer Productions is exploring this question in his productions of TOUCH & TOUCH: INCARNATION. Ben joins the Immersion Nation Podcast for an adventure through dystopian futures, cultural change, and the presently evolving idea of human connection. 

Ben has used this dystopian backdrop to raise the question, ‘what does it mean to be human?’. In TOUCH, you are placed into the midst of a rebellious group, fighting the regulation of touch. They use the tagline- “We are electric”. While metaphorically appropriate this mantra also has the obvious layer of scientific legitimacy. 

Now, more than ever, the questions of our common humanity deserve attention. This conversation frames the idea that immersive experience is becoming an incredible tool for the exploration of these questions. 

Full show notes at Immersion Nation: here

 Any who have truly lost themselves in an immersive experience have glimpsed the potential of immersion as a whole. Caroline Murphy -co-founder of Incantrix production- discusses this potential, and the cause behind the air of wonder and openness that often follows audiences out the doors, after an immersive production. 

Caroline seems to have a particular propensity for looking at immersive design as both an engineering problem and a piece of social art at the same time. This ability has manifested in their productions of The Carnivale, Crown Me, and extends to inspire audiences of both immersive enthusiasts and the immersive unaware.

Full show notes with selected links mentioned in the show and chapter markers can be found here: https://www.immersionnation.com/incantrixproductionspodcast/

Windy City Playhouse has so much coming up, we pulled this clip out of the conversation in Episode 13 to try out a new format. 

If you have not heard Ep. 13, you can check that out here:

And, of course, you can DM Immersion Nation on Instagram if you have any thoughts, questions, comments, or just want to say hi. 

Amy Rubenstein is in many ways the metaphorical tip of the spear within the burgeoning world of immersive theater in Chicago. As the artistic director of Windy City Playhouse, Amy explains the path to  creating a bracingly lifelike visage of 1960’s Georgia in their recent show, Southern Gothic. 

If immersive theater can be thought of as practical magic, the show Southern Gothic, can be thought of -explicitly- as a time machine. Of an initial expected run of about 3 months, Southern Gothic was extended to more than a year of performances; marking a turning point for the immersive landscape of Chicago.

 In this show we talk about world building, the experience of an immersive actor, and why voyeurism and emotional intimacy are not always oppositional concepts.

Make it immersive:

James Cameron’s Avatar: [19:22]

Show Notes:

Favorite Fictional World [2:20]
What is Southern Gothic? [3:03]
What is an artistic director? [6:23]
The only long run & site specific immersive theater in Chicago? [10:14]
What was the most fun in doing this first Sandbox show? [11:41]
The experience of the actor [13:35]
Detail & the infinite learning curve [15:59]
Make it immersive: Avatar [19:22]
Actors as the Avatar: The gift of new shoes [22:40]
No pressure audience [24:10]
Those who don’t love traditional theater [25:55]
Intense moments in 1960’s Georgia & takeaway [27:23]
Watching one show 5+ times [30:47]
Historical fiction & emotional realism [31:39]
The Value of play [36:13]
Where to find Windy City Playhouse [38:57]

Selected links: 

Windy City Playhouse

-Instagram

-Facebook 

-Twitter

Southern Gothic

The Recommendation

     Any One Thing, can be thought of as similar to the futuristic Netflix series, ‘Black Mirror’ (excluding episode 1, for any who stopped there). Subtracting a heavy portion of darkness, ‘Any One Thing’ (or A1T) explores the edge of what could be possible with technology, today, or in the very near future. 

      A1T, Co-founder, Justin Fyles joins Immersion Nation to discuss everything from data privacy to the relationship between mortality and digital legacy; The topic of their upcoming show. We touch on ‘Recollection’, their previous immersive theater work, along with some broader strokes around the business of immersive entertainment as a whole. 

Make it immersive:
Redwall [21:13]

Selected links:
Any One Thing:
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Shortage, East London
Banksy
Redwall Series
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Black Mirror
Sleep No More
Secret Cinema
The origin of thespian

More on this episode

Show Notes:

Why the train: [3:29]

Fictional world: [4:05]

What is Any One Thing?: [5:15]

Using data in immersive experience: [8:00]

The last show: Recollection: [9:27]

How your data gets processed: [10:26]

The Upcoming show: mortality and digital legacy [11:45]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind & owning your personal memories [13:07]

Designing the new show. Very site specific [14:40] 

The immersive business model: sustainable and fair [17:28]

On Punchdrunk and Sleep No More: [18:36]

Make it immersive: Redwall [21:13]

Breaking reality gently [23:55]

Extending the immersive world [27:00]

The value of play: [29:25] 

Coming from the tech world + Origins [31:28]

New work vs. Adapted work [38:36]

The trick with the word ‘Immersive’ [42:08]

Where is Any One Thing [44:30]

More On Immersive entertainment at Immersion Nation

It’s rare that you find an actor in an escape room. It’s even more rare to discover that the actor doesn’t detract from you an experience, but helps create it. Cameron and Haley, are masters of this very thing. Madame Daphne guides you through a seance in attempt to contact the ghost of Harry Houdini.

While many escape rooms worship at the altar of the clock, Strange Bird laughs in the face of convention; stopping the clock entirely to ensure that the story has your complete and undivided attention. Strange Bird’s loyalty lies with the hero’s journey.

In the Episode: We discuss what makes an escape room shine, how immersion gives you a space to practice your emotions, and how Immersive entertainment opens the door to creativity to any with an idea, and a drive to create. Truly, the frame in which we view the world of entertainment is changing. The way in which we interact with one another could be shifted and reshaped, as we learn how to see each other and the world around us with new eyes. 

Make it immersive:
Star Trek: The Next Generation [22:19]

Selected links: 

Strange Bird Immersive
Immersology
The Man From Beyond
Klingon culture?
Myst
Walter the Falcon!
They have a trailer?

Strange Bird on:
-Twitter
-Instagram
-Facebook 

Show Notes:

Introduction & context [1:19]

Favorite fictional world [2:20]

An inspiring and beautiful game [5:13]

When escape rooms shine[7:49]

What is strange bird? [9:29]

Why is Strange Bird so unique? [11:09]
Avoiding distractions and building story [13:28]

Directing the attention of an audience [15:18]

Escape Room VS. Storyline [17:19]

What is the ‘Why’ behind ‘The Man From Beyond’? [18:19]

How Strange bird creates immersion [22:10]

Make it immersive [22:19]

Setting the stage [31:15]

The coopers on the value of Play [34:05]

Why you should be dancing around a fire [40:35]

Where did the name “Strange Bird” come from? [42:20]

Where’s walter?? [46:19]

Explaining immersion [48:55]

Strange Bird’s here and now [51:23]

“I’m absolutely convinced that the best way to learn is through play”

Fable Studios has created a piece of Immersive storytelling that is pushing the boundaries of both technology and immersion as a creative medium; Wolves In the walls. A Virtual Reality story based on the book, Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaimen and Dave McKean. In this experience you are cast as the imaginary best friend of Lucy, a little girl who has become convinced that there are indeed wolves in her walls. 

It is hard to exaggerate the level of nuance and multidisciplinary expertise that has been deployed in the creation of this world. Wolves in the wall has sampled wisdom from gaming, film, behavioral psychology, and of course, Immersive theater; consulting with the master creatives at Third Rail Projects. 

Our guest, Pete Billington, is the Co-founder of Fable studios, a masterful storyteller, and a rare variety of systems thinker. He pulls from the well of his personal experience having worked on a wide range of projects including Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, The Matrix: Reloaded, and The Polar Express to inform the creation of Fable Studios. 

Make it immersive:

Dungeons and Dragons [28:20]

Selected links: 

Fable Studios

Wolves in the walls

Virtual Beings summit
Pete Talks at MIT

Oculus Story Studio

Then She Fell

The Uncanny/ Inconsistent Valley

AI for human behavior 

Reading an audience

Nordic Larping Traditions

Altered Carbon

“The future has arrived- It’s just not...”

Transhumanism Video

Show Notes:

Guest introduction [1:18]

Favorite fictional world [2:54]

Pete’s favorite character class and why [4:01]

What is the major dramatic question? / What is wolves in the walls? [4:55]

VR as a medium [8:00]

Immersive Theater as a bridge for Fable [10:30]

Keeping an audience on the ‘Golden Path: principles for directing attention [13:05]

Uncanny valley vs. Inconsistent valley [16:21]

The edges of technology: Creating with constraints [19:59]

How has pete’s personal communication changed? [23:20]

Deprogramming the storyteller brain [24:15]

Make it immersive [28:20]

Understanding your audience [29:20]

Teaching an AI to read you [30:55]

Trying on personalities [34:37]

The Value of Play & the future of VR [36:16]

Characters as an interface [38:54]

Why it’s easy to ignore Alexa & Siri [40:16]

The future is here, just not easily distributed [41:19]

Co-founder, Edward Saatchi, The provocateur [43:14]

Memory is the difference & Upload yourself to th

Palace games has been deemed the best escape room in the country. Based in the immersive tech capital, San Francisco they push to blur the lines between reality and fiction in their brilliantly engineered rooms. Adding to the environment, they are actually built into the San Fran palace of fine arts. 

We are joined by Allie Jorde, Operations Director, and Elizabeth ‘ElizaBot’ Sonder, Production manager and design engineer. We chat about what escape rooms give those who participate and why engineers make great escape room designers. Finally, we get a taste of the elements inside Palace Games’ 4th room, which is set to open later in 2019

Make it immersive:

Allie: Jumanji

Elizabeth: Philip K dickieon / blade runner

Selected links: 

Palace games

New Jumanji vs. Old Jumanji
Philip K Dickieon

Do androids dream of electric sheep?

Still life with woodpecker (correction: tom robbins)

Palace of fine arts

Pan Pacific international exposition

Edison Room 

The Hero’s Journey

The void and magic

Wolves in the walls

Escape room communities

Room escape artists 

Show Notes:

Introductions [1:38]

Fictional worlds for livin in [2:12]

Why is Palace games special? [5:05]

The why behind palace games [8:23]

Inspiring makers & getting girls and women into science [9:00]

Immersive jobs are the best! [10:27]

Value of play [12:00]

Picking locks in strangers houses [13:59]

Challenge your thinking and kids in escape rooms [15:23]

Make it immersive!! [16:42]

The building process & the 4th room [17:19]

Inspiration for the new room [18:35]

Blade Runner world [22:00]

Jumanji [25:02]

Escape room lingo: funnel [26:36]
Explaining Palace games to newbies [33:34]

Excited for VR in escape rooms [37:00]

Escape to play, play to escape [40:30]

Context for experience [41:52]

Opening the new room [45:40] 

For 7 years Artistic Directors  Genevieve Gearhart, Julianne Just, and Matthew Bamberg-Johnson of the Speakeasy society have shown LA’s immersive community the evolution of an artform. With more experience than most working in the LA area, they have a unique understanding of the word ‘play’ and why it’s so important to their work.

The Speakeasy Society is responsible for works like:
The Kansas Collection: A 10 part epic exploring the world of OZ
The Johnny Cycle: a series about lost youth and the horrors of war- based on Dalton Trumbo’s ‘Johnny Got His Gun’.
And Under the Bigtop: A series on time travel and the mystery of a 1928 circus -in collaboration with Two Bit Circus

For any in the LA area: as of 7/5/19, they are currently working to remount the Johnny Cycle and are looking for folks interested in living through a glimpse of that world. 

Make it immersive:

The Magicians [15:00]

Selected links: 

Speakeasy society
Johnny cycle: Vidya
Kansas collection
The magicians
Dragon Lance
Forgotten realms
Edith Wharton: age of innocence
Immersive Design Summit
Agousto Boal
Invisible theater
No Proscenium
Indiecade festival
GOAT test
Knotts Berry Farm: Ghost Town Alive
Hollywood fringe festival
The Pod
Meow Wolf
Johnny got his gun
Dalton Trumbo
Two Bit Circus
Under the Big Top

Show Notes:

Introductions & Favorite worlds? [1:55]

What kind of experience are you trying to give your audience? [7:57]

Setting the stage & onboarding [12:56]

Value of play:

-Genevieve Gearhart [17:28]

-Matthew Bamberg-Johnson [19:23]

-Julianne Just [21:40]

Art and personal reflection [24:25]

Veterans healing through immersion [25:05]

Make it immersive: The magicians [28:10]

Starting with the test & a secret entrance [30:25]

No two experiences alike [33:35]

Rationing resources with a group [38:50]

What do you tell the uninitiated about immersion [40:30]

You have importance, you are seen.. [40:50]

Should you surprise a friend with immersion? [43:40]

Immersion on the horizon: Thoughts on star wars, VR, and collaboration [45:50]

LA Immersive Supergroup [51:11]

GET IMMERSED: A billboard [54:20]
What Speakeasy has on the horizon [59:42]

A collaboration with Two Bit Circus: ‘Under the Big Top’ [1:03:18]

The means, team, and times of Speakeasy Society [1:05:27]

Description:
An immersive experience based on memory and scent. Christoff Visscher has learned how to harness the link between nostalgia and our sense of smell to create emotionally resonant stories, worlds, and perspective. Through Cantrip Candles and Tales By Candlelight, he is exploring the way a candle can represent a place, rather than just a thing. 

Perspective is invaluable but tricky to gain and attain. In this episode we talk about Immersion as a way of having perspective on tap, and the difference between escapism and play. In Christoff’s words “I look at escapism is running away, and I look at immersing as running towards...” Let’s unpack that a bit. 

Make it immersive:
Harry Potter

Selected Links:

• Tales By Candlelight 
• Cantrip Candles
• Types of candles
• Scent and memory
• Harry potter: Wizards unite
• Great hall candles
• Playback improv
• The Guest and the Host
• Galaxy’s edge
• Stonemoss chapple
• Rainforest cafe
• Black holes

Show Notes:

• Making candles [1:58]
• Scent and memory [5:05]
• What is tales by candlelight? [7:10]
• The why behind Christoff [8:42]
• Escapism vs. Play (the value of play [11:20]
• Favorite fictional world [13:20]
• Make it immersive  [15:00]
• Perspective shift and self understanding [20:23]
• What does Christoff tell the uninitiated about immersive experience? [23:24]
• The balance of curiosity [27:00]
• Another perspective on Galaxy’s edge [27:58]
• Christof’s favorite candle [30:45]
• Identity anchor and reaction videos [32:37]
• The impact of immersive experience [34:40]
• ‘What do we want people to feel?’ [36:50]
• What we don’t know, (+bad neuroscience) [40:50]
• ‘A price must be paid’ + Applied empathy [42:50]
• Why tales by candlelight is slowing down [47:40]
• Finding burnout [49:20]