Last weekend’s Future of Storytelling Festival, held in Staten Island’s picturesque Snug Harbor, was a thrilling opportunity to be part of some of the most stimulating, interactive ways stories are being told globally today. Taking place over three days, it showcased so many different ideas used to present a compelling narrative — from the virtual reality of Adult Swim’s ‘Rick and Morty’ to the musings of a lady named Siobhan, who leisurely took a bath outdoors in an exquisite pastoral setting, whilst discussing a recent trauma.
Besides reveling in a never-ending supply of Instagramable moments, attendees were able to listen a wide variety of talks and discussions. These included famous movie director Steven Soderbergh chatting about his interactive project ‘Mosaic’ which he has developed with HBO and stars actor Sharon Stone, as well as hear from the creator of USA Network’s ‘Mr. Robot’, Sam Esmail. A presentation about a ground-breaking collaboration between tech giants Intel, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Andy Serkis‘ company Imaginarium, better known for its work in films and videos, was fascinating and highlighted the incredible possibilities when technology was used in dramatic settings.
Sponsored by Microsoft with a slew of kick-ass partners, including NPR, Spectrum, and PlayStation, this festival was truly unique in that it offered plenty of human interaction as well as a myriad of virtual and augmented reality exhibits. In its sixth year on the lush space of the historical site, its ‘university’ theme may seem a tad Hogwarts but this doesn’t distract from what is inevitably a delightful experience.
