Xbox's Lee to open Cross-Media Forum

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Power to the Pixel’s 7th Cross-Media Forum to also include a new David Cronenberg project inspired by Videodrome and a multimedia travelogue from Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys.

Power to the Pixel has unveiled the line up for its 7th Cross-Media Forum in London, which runs Oct 15-18 in association with the BFI London Film Festival.

Strands at this year’s edition include the Conference (Oct 15), the Pixel Market (Oct 16-17) and the Think Tank (Oct 18).

This year’s keynote speaker is Elan Lee, chief design officer at Xbox Entertainment Studios one of the leading creators of the ‘Alternate Reality Game’ genre producing I Love Bees, Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero and The Dark Knight: Why so Serious?.

His speech is titled ‘My Mother Has No Idea What I Do For A Living - our story-telling journey through Cross-Media, Second Screens, and Interactive Narratives’ and will include “some of the best and worst ideas that have gotten us here, and why the world (and my mother) struggles to keep up.”

Liz Rosenthal, CEO and founder of Power to the Pixel described Lee as “a true pioneer” and added: “I am delighted that he will set the scene for this year’s Cross-Media Forum and the new and exciting projects which will be launched and brought to commissioners and funders during the event.”

Gruff Rhys / Cronenberg

As the closing event of the The Cross-Media Forum conference day, Super Furry Animals musician Gruff Rhys will perform American Interiors, a multimedia psychedelic travelogue that incorporates a film, music, book, live performance and interactive project.

Also featured at the forum will be a new collaboration between cult filmmaker David Cronenberg and Reboot Stories co-founder Lance Weiler. The project, called Body, Mind, Change, takes audiences through a world inspired by the film Videodrome but re-imagined for the 21st century and brought to life across three platforms - online, mobile, and the real world.

Weiler will also run a lab in collaboration with the BFI London Film Festival Education Programme during the Cross-Media Forum for 5-7 year-olds combining storytelling and technology.

Circa 1948

In addition, Canadian filmmaker Stan Douglas will present Circa 1948, a 3D augmented reality app that captures the stories and architecture of post-war Canada.

The app was created with Loc Dao, head of digital content and strategy for the National Film Board of Canada., whose NFB Digital Studio created and produced titles such as Bear 71, Gods Lake, Waterlife, Welcome to Pinepoint and The Test Tube.

Clare Stewart, festival director of the BFI London Film Festival, said: “We are thrilled this year to be expanding on our partnership to co-present a public event featuring acclaimed artist Stan Douglas who will present an exclusive preview of the soon to be launched 3D augmented reality app and immersive storyworld Circa 1948.”

Speakers at this year’s Power to the Pixel also include…