I conceive, design, and run events aimed at developing practitioners and their communities of practice. I approach my events as designed live experiences for transformation.
TELEMATIC STUDIO (Australia, April-July, 2019)
This studio is in partnership with CEMENTA Inc (Alex Wisser) and my own company Universe Creation 101. It is a remote studio experiment developing collaborative methods with available technologies, to connect artists across distances both regional and urban. Over 12 weeks, we connect fortnightly (6-8 sessions) with a small curated group of artists across Australia and internationally online. we used a co-collaborative approach, where creatives developed their own projects and came together for experimental parallel ideation, talking circles, process demonstrations, artist feedback sessions, reflections, group meditations, guest artist talks on process, and playing. The purpose of this project is to develop skills that participants can integrate into their practice and extend into future projects and working relationships.
- Some indicative survey results:
“Just a big THANKS and all the love. It was a brilliant experience. Thank you.”
“Telematic studio was a fantastic opportunity to connect and share with other artists by utilising technology. The connections, skills and resources will be valuable for me into the future. I highly recommend the Telematic Studio to artists looking to expand their networks.”
“If you’re looking to delve into your craft and reflect on your process as an artist, the Telematic Studio is for you. You’ll meet with artists from rich and diverse approaches to their work, who also share an open mind and a willingness to experiment, create and evolve. Telematic Studio helped me to believe in myself and my journey, encouraging me to grow and nurture my artistic muscle.”
“Telematic Studios introduced me to new platforms for on-line communication, presentation and project sharing. It has created excited possibilities for artistic collaboration beyond geographic boundaries, introduced me to the work and methodologies of new artists, and enhanced my own project development.”
“I had a great time, and I learnt a lot. The studio is a great way to get exposed to diverse artists and a pool of knowledge/ expertise which are always not easy to find.”
“An experiment in online community, artistic vulnerability, collaboration and exchange. Fortnightly tasks encouraged playful approaches to project development. The network of posts and comments created flexible spaces to meet each other more deeply, share ideas and inspiration, and test new methods in our practice.”
EXTENDED EXPERIENCES LAB (Brisbane, July, 2018, Oct, 2018; Norway, March, 2019)
The Extended Experiences Lab is a workshop and commissioned immersive events around films. In partnership with the West End Film Festival, proudly sponsored by the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland, and Universe Creation 101, and venue partner Griffith Film School. Creatives applied to participated in the Lab, and there were also commissioned creative teams to extend a selection of finalists at the festival. Those teams created a pre- or post-experience around a film.
- Read the Reflection/Post-Mortem of the first Extended Experiences Lab
- sqhub (Screen Queensland events) commissioned me to run the lab again in October, 2018
- The Norwegian Film School has commissioned me to run the lab for their Masters students, in March, Lillehammer, Norway, 2019
- Some indicative feedback:
“Thanks for a really informative and inspiring two days, and thanks for the book. This isn’t just lip service – it was one of the best delivered screen industries labs/workshops I’ve been to.”
“The Extended Experience Lab was a way of clarifying the variety of ways we can extend our audience’s experience of a film or art installation. I felt as though I went from a fuzzy understanding to a clear laser like appreciation of all the potential ways I can market and focus my audience and the audiences of other creatives.”
“The workbook is a fantastic resource, the presenter Christy is very knowledgeable, and you’re bound to meet kindred spirits during the course.”
“A well-crafted and excellent experience! Incredibly valuable insights into the process of extending experiences.”
“The Extended Experience Lab was a way of clarifying the variety of ways we can extend our audience’s experience of a film or art installation. I felt as though I went from a fuzzy understanding to a clear laser like appreciation of all the potential ways I can market and focus my audience and the audiences of other creatives.”
“It was an inspiring couple of days and yes, I found the framework I was looking for!”
CRAFTING INTANGIBLES (Brisbane, International, 2017)
Crafting Intangibles is an online international and local event exploring interactive narrative design, held on June 10th-11th, 2017. The event is sponsored by Screen Queensland, and features some of the most accomplished and inspiring creatives who will help clarify and stretch our understanding of narrative design. Speakers included Brie Code (Child of Light, Assassin’s Creed, Company of Heroes), Peter Dunne (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Melrose Place, JAG), Brian Upton (Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon), Chris Avellone (Planescape: Torment, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Fallout 2 and New Vegas), Cara Ellison (embed with Games, Dishonored 2, Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2, Dreams), and many more.
- Read the rationale for running the narrative design event
- Read the Reflection/Post-Mortem of the event
- Some indicative survey results:
“Thanks again for putting together such a superb program.”
“Extremely valuable. A melting pot for the future of narrative design. A useful transdisciplinary exercise for other professionals.”
“The speakers broached interesting topics in ways I hadn’t considered them and were really thought provoking, opening questions and contemplation on these ideas.”
FORWARD SLASH STORY (USA, 2014; COSTA RICA, 2015, 2016; Indonesia 2017; Kenya 2018)
A 4 day retreat for creatives working in the fringes. This event is co-founded with Lance Weiler, Reboot Stories (USA). Our labs attract applications from all over the world and include participants from gaming, theatre, documentary, puppetry, and transmedia. The F/S Lab is supported by the Columbia Digital Storytelling Lab, Columbia University, Reboot Stories and Universe Creation 101.
F/S attracted professionals from various industries around the world. participants include Game designers who do work for Ubisoft, Disney, LEGO, IDEO, Microsoft, Walt Disney Imagineering. Futurists and documentary makers who do work for the United Nations. Filmmakers whose work is shown at Cannes and Sundance. TV makers who work with HBO, PBS, MTV, CBS, Nickelodeon, ABC, SBS, FOX. Multiple New York Times-bestselling authors. Journalists who have written for Forbes, Fast Company, Wired, Mashable, and Rolling Stone. Writers who have worked on franchises such as Halo, The Avengers, Splinter Cell, Batman, Watchmen, Magic: The Gathering, Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel. Multiple Emmy and Webby-award winners.
“I recently had the honor and privilege of joining an awesomely impressive group of storytellers in Costa Rica for Forward/Story (“Forward Slash Story”), a residential lab for sharing our work and creative process with like-minded practitioners from across media and genre boundaries. We forged new friendships, built the foundation for future collaborations, and left inspired and transformed. […] Our co-hosts Christy Dena and Lance Weiler, as well as producer Julia Pontecorvo and the local Costa Rican team, crafted an incredible experience for sharing and community building.” —Lee-Sean Huang, Foossa (USA) [LINK]
“You hear about narrative landscapes, story worlds, interactive design, production processes, empathy, impact, robots, anarchy, hero journeys, poetry, augmented reality, emotional beats, social innovation… There is a projector and there are powerpoint slides, but also howler monkeys in the background. Post-it notes and flip-chart paper, but also an infinity pool surrounded by palm trees. Everything makes sense. Nothing is trouble. You take a long walk on a beach that never ends, talk about what you are having to let go.” —Fan Sissoko, Innovation Unit (UK) [LINK]
I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of anything quite as meaningful to me in quite so particular a way as Forward Slash Story. It was an emotional theme park ride for me, like something you’d hear about on a movie poster’s pull quote reviews.” – Trevor Haldenby, The Mission Business (Canada) [LINK]
“I’ve found my crew. We are a crew of story pirates united under a banner of reimagining narrative, and we are out to disrupt, inspire and reinvent the world.” – Rosie Poebright, Splash & Ripple (UK) [LINK]
“One of the most powerful aspects of the event, were these magical moments designed to foster connectivity. Some of these were more structured than others, some more intimate than others. But overall, these moments provided conditions that encouraged a kind of intimate collaboration. Not in the whiteboard sense, but in the quiet, reflective conversation-sense. In the busy pirate-life of pitching and hustling and satisfying clients, it’s going to be important to our creativity to remember this. How can we create magical moments, not only for our clients and in our own projects, but also in the processes of creating these projects?” – Mark Harris, Murmur (USA) [LINK]
“Lastly, Christy and Lance, designed an itinerary that included talks from all the participants spread over the two days. There were design challenges, idea workshops, and exercises that encouraged participants to find deep and profound links to their artistic or scholarly practice. We also explored the obstacles or discoveries we encountered.” – Hank Blumenthal, Georgia Institute of Technology [LINK]
DIGRAA QUEENSLAND (Brisbane, 2016)
International digital games research association conference ‘wayfinding’, co-chaired with Dr Brendan Keogh and Jane (truna) Turner.
- See the Conference Programme
- Read the Conference Proceedings published at Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association
BRASS RAZOO (Brisbane, 2015/…)
Gallery exhibition of game students work from SAE Creative Media Institute, for industry outreach and authentic learning.
WHAT I REALLY DO (Brisbane, 2014-2016)
A public lecture series where I invited game development professionals, and practitioners from film, graphic design, audio, and animation to give talk to students and industry. They are talks aimed to reveal what people really do in their work, and facilitate creatives talking about what they really want to pass on with others.
TRANSMEDIA VICTORIA (Melbourne, 2011)
I was commissioned by the Australia Council for the Arts to organise and curate a special conference and workshop event on transmedia. My brief was to secure all the relevant funding bodies to support it financially (the first time they ever all funded the same event). I brought in transmedia professionals from around the world, and targeted directors, writers, designers, and producers, from film, TV, theatre, gaming, music, literature and digital sectors. I curated the audience as well as the speakers. It was a huge success, along with the follow-up meetup with the Transmedia Victoria IGDA Meetup, 5th April, Melbourne, 2011.
“Around Transmedia Victoria, I was reminded that there are other models out there that game developers could benefit from exploring. This raises some interesting questions – what does reward then look like? What systems do we build to get there? How do we possibly marry the two to get the result we want? And how does that impact where we might sit on the creative-business continuum?” – “Transmedia Victoria and the Global Game Jam” by Paul Callaghan
BARCAMPSYDNEY (Sydney, 2007-8)
Organised the first “barcamps” unconferences for IT professionals and entrepreneurs in Australia. Lead a team of volunteers to arrange, promote and run these successful educational and social events that have since continued. It was co-organised by Russ Weakley, Mick Liubinskas, Jason Yip, Rich Buggy, Ben Hogan, Dylan, and Jan Devos; with on-the-day co-wranglers Jean-Jacques Halans, Craig Sharkie, Marin Ivezic, Radzster, Ajay Ranipeta, Martha Bishay. It was sponsored by Atlassian, Microsoft Australia, Google, Thoughtworks, Linux Australia, Tangler, Yoick, Milkooler, Unwired, and Freshview.
EXTENDED ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCES (Sydney, 2006)
Commissioned by the Australian Film, Television, and Radio School to organise, MC and present at an event designed to educate film and television practitioners about digital and transmedia entertainment. Speakers include international guests Evan Jones of Xenophile Media and Chris Avellone of Obsidian Entertainment. The Marketing Director of Yahoo!7, Cricket Wardein, and Integrated Marketing Director of Yahoo!7, Kristin Carlos, spoke about the Australian leg of the international ARG of the Lost TV series ‘The Lost Experience‘ and interactive drama PSTrixi. Glen Condie of Maverick Marketing and Communications spoke about the experiential campaigns created by his agency and Deb Polson of QUT will shared techniques she used in Scoot. Friday 24th November, 10-4.30pm, Chauvel Theatre, Paddington. Partners include AFTRS; Australian Literature Board, Australia Council for the Arts; Film Australia; and the Game Developers Association of Australia.
