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Storytelling with Code by Michael Rau How can you tell a story using only email, a laser printer, voicemail? Last year I created an immersive experience for one audience member in a standard office cubicle. The piece used a rails app and some other custom software and no live actors to tell a story about office culture. This talk focuses on the techniques of digital storytelling, my process of developing the story as I wrote the code, and the strategies I used to create an emotional connection with a user. If you are interested in the intersection between stories, software, game design and narrative design, this talk is for you! Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/JvLm/
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In his talk "Storytelling with Code," Michael Rau explores the intersection of technology and narrative, focusing on how to create emotional engagement through an immersive storytelling experience using digital tools. Rau, a theater and opera director, shares insights from a project he developed, named 'Temping', which reimagines office culture through a unique format that employs emails, voicemails, and printed materials to convey a story without live actors. Key points discussed include: - **Storytelling and Coding**: Rau emphasizes the importance of storytelling in digital formats, explaining that many fail to grasp the nuances of creating a compelling narrative within new mediums even though storytelling is a trending concept in marketing. - **Background in Theater**: Rau leverages his experience in theater to shape narratives, expressing that crafting emotions through positioning and design can enhance the audience's experience. He challenges traditional views of theater by exploring storytelling without physical actors. - **Project Development**: The project 'Temping' focused on the peculiarities of office communication, creating an immersive experience where the audience member worked within a cubicle environment with no live interaction. Instead, the narrative unfolded through digital communication tools typically found in workplace settings. - **Character Creation**: Rau discusses the development of characters through email exchanges, employing a writer to craft distinct personalities and relationships, aiding the participant's understanding of the narrative dynamics. - **Narrative Dynamics**: A significant realization was the impact of participant actions on the storyline, particularly through mundane tasks executed in Microsoft Excel, which created an emotional response as they encountered themes of mortality and existential reflection. - **Lessons Learned**: Rau concludes with key takeaways about storytelling in digital contexts, emphasizing the importance of a clear narrative arc, effective character development through available mediums, and allowing audience agency and interpretation in non-linear storytelling. The project exemplifies how digital storytelling can evoke profound emotional connections, even leading to participants experiencing tears during the interaction. Rau's reflections on this process highlight the challenges and joys of crafting an intimate, singular experience within a technological framework, ultimately striving to enhance understanding of mortality and empathy through this innovative art form.
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