Frankfurt StoryDrive 2014: Participatory culture; aliens; and storytelling as a basic human need Frankfurt, 11 October 2014 – Passion, credibility, authenticity and composure are all things that underpin a good story, even in the digitised world. This understanding provided a common thread for the programme of the fifth all-media conference Frankfurt StoryDrive, which this year took the theme of “Heroes”. Or to express it in the words of Peter Gornstein, the manager of Crytek, “Storytelling is a basic human need, irrespective of technology.” On 10 October, some 20 experts from seven countries presented their visions of the future of the media industries to a specialist international audience. They shared exclusive insights into their own projects and crossmedial productions. In his keynote speech for StoryDrive, the Swedish cyber philosopher, Alexander Bard (photo), talked with energy and passion about the social consequences of the Internet, and he warned of the need for a paradigm shift and far-reaching cultural changes. He called for an end to individualism and the start of a participatory culture. “From now on, for everything of importance, what will matter will be interactivity, co-creation and cooperation. Above all, that will entail a cultural and not a technological transformation.” US author Reif Larsen, who spoke about the successful filming of his bestselling novel “The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet”, believes that the combination of technological development and global networking is taking us back to the origins of storytelling – to the recounting of tales around the campfire. Only now, many more people can take part around the “campfire” of the Internet. Also speaking in Frankfurt was Lynda Obst, one of Hollywood’s most successful woman producers. She spoke strikingly and entertainingly about how the current studio politics are threatening to make a nightmare out of the former Tinseltown. For her, the heroes are the directors and producers who choose not to make easily marketed films for a quick buck, but instead produce high quality genre films. “A good story must get me thinking; it should touch my heart and hit me squarely in the stomach,” said the successful producer Hendrik Widman, of Matador Films. His business partner and screenwriter, Lars Lundström, believes that the global success of their Swedish sci-fi series “Real Humans” derives, among other things, from the fact that, rather than the protagonists, it is the overarching values of humaneness and tolerance that assume the heroic roles. In the words of Britta Friedrich, Director of Events and Programmes at the Frankfurt Book Fair: “The film, publishing and games industries are completely different from one another. At the moment, they are being compelled to converge through the use of new devices and new technologies, and because of the impacts of our new patterns of media consumption. The element which links then all together is the story. At StoryDrive, we provide a platform that encourages the separate industries to emerge from their niches, while promoting exchanges across the different media. In this way, StoryDrive is laying a foundation for the future of storytelling.” Quotations about the conference Lynda Obst, producer, USA “StoryDrive is a wonderful experience for me. I’m getting to meet people from different areas of the media, for instance from gaming. I find this inspiring because that’s just what I need. We usually live in our separate bubbles, from which we’re always trying to escape – and that’s exactly what StoryDrive achieves.” Henrik Widman, producer, Matador, Sweden “I especially like the interactive conference format, which enables you to talk, not only with the speakers, but also with the audience.” Diana Feuerbach, author, Germany “Alexander Bard, in particular, was a much-needed shot in the arm. His historical-philosophical observations about the Internet were truly fascinating. They really made me think.” Ulrich Kränkler, managing director of Scala Z GmbH, Germany “The StoryDrive approach of bringing games and books together is incredibly important, and it certainly should continue. Because today, the boundaries between the different media are becoming blurred.” Linda Aronson, screenwriter and consultant, UK “The future of storytelling is non-linear. These are wonderful times for storytellers.” David Steel (USA) “Over the course of the week I visited many of the events in the Business Club. This conference here is unbelievably refreshing, and it provides a big entertainment factor. In particular, I thought the choice of speakers was really special.” Patrick Müller, Docmine, Switzerland “We were actually invited here as aliens for the pitching event ‘Hug the Alien’. And we were surprised to meet so many other aliens like us in the audience. I found it fabulous here for networking, and I was able to talk to other participants in real terms about new joint projects.” Ken Beard, games developer, USA “The team for our fan game Knight Rider is spread around the whole world, and we only work together on the Internet. The presentation at StoryDrive was the first time we’ve ever taken our project into the real world. That was exciting.” Felicia Lin and Victor Scott Rodriguez, authors, USA “The standard of the speakers was really unique. All of them were genuine experts in their fields. We were highly impressed with Linda Aronson.” About the Frankfurt Book Fair Business Club The Business Club offers entrepreneurs, publishers, start-ups, pioneers, experts and visionaries the ideal setting for their business at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The programme includes presentations, workshops and masterclasses given by leading figures, as well as the three conferences: the Rights Directors Meeting, CONTEC and StoryDrive. Other components include personal consultations, topical guided tours of the Book Fair and speed-dating events. Access to the Business Cub, which is located in Hall 4.0 at the exhibition site, is only possible for holders of a Business Club ticket. About the Frankfurt Book Fair The Frankfurt Book Fair is the international publishing industry’s biggest trade fair – with 7,300 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, around 275,000 visitors, over 3,700 events and around 9,300 accredited journalists in attendance. It also gathers key players from other media, including the film and games industries. Since 1976, the Book Fair has featured an annual Guest of Honour country, which showcases its book market, literature and culture to attendees in a variety of ways. The Frankfurt Book Fair organises the participation of German publishers at around 20 international book fairs and hosts trade events throughout the year in major international markets. With its Business Club, the Frankfurt Book Fair offers essential services and an ideal setting for the activities of publishers, entrepreneurs, pioneers, experts and visionaries. The CONTEC and STORYDRIVE conferences have both become established meeting places for the industry. The Frankfurt Book Fair is a subsidiary of the German Publishers & Booksellers Association.
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:26:51 +0000
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