Notes

Challenges and Opportunities

Interactive@---- gave us a look at our rapidly changing world
of digital creativity. Each speaker listed many key challenges and
opportunities that they have encountered in the constantly evolving
world of digital media.

Glen Mulcahy is the innovation lead for RTÉ. Working across all integrated
business divisions of RTE, Irelands National Public Service Broadcaster.
Glen Mulcahy aims to create an environment where Innovation and
experimentation are encouraged and mentored.

" Innovation is not an option,
its an absolute necessity to survive this change."

During his presentation at ---- Film Festival Interaction@----
Glen highlighted the key challenge of how smartphones are disrupting
traditional production technology but also how this is an opportunity
for more people to get involved in the changing world of transmedia.

Traditionally the average person would not be able to afford cameras
and equipment suitable for shooting high quality footage and a mobile
phone wasn't capable of this at the time. The first camera phone wasn't
sold until 2000 in Japan but technology has come a long way since then.
Glen drew attention to how smartphones today can produce 12-megapixel
photos and 4k videos recording moments in resolution that’s four times
higher than HD video. This is disrupting traditional production technology
because people are starting to wonder why they should buy professional
cameras and equipment when you can shoot, edit and upload entire films
using a mobile device alone. A challenge resulting from this is coming up
with new ideas. If everyone can do something then it's not as special. The
advances in technology have provided huge opportunities for aspiring
filmmakers to create something great without needing to have a lot of money.

Glen talked a lot about immersive 360° video and oculus rift. This is the future
of media. Oculus rift is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Whether you’re
stepping into your favorite game or watching an immersive VR movie, you’ll feel
like you’re really there. It's the next-generation virtual reality. This gives people the
opportunity to use 360° cameras to capture amazing things that people can
experience as if they are really there. For most people this is a challenge as 360°
cameras are expensive and hard to use. The prices for the equipment needed to
create 360° content is slowly coming down and will soon be accessible to the public .

Drones were featured a lot in Glen's presentation too. He showed videos of drones
that can carry cameras and record breathtaking images from the sky. Again, these
drones give people the opportunity to capture stunning scenes without needing
something as expensive as a helicopter which most people don't have the money
for. Some of these drones can do what you want with just the click of a button.

Another speaker, Jonathan Gales, from Factory 15 turned his degree in architecture
into an opportunity to create realistic 3D videos and games. The challenge for them
was how to use their backgrounds in architecture, 3d visualisation, engineering, animation
and photography to create something remarkable. They eventually made 3D music videos
and short films featuring astonishing realistic architecture, some of which were shown at
the event. One of the videos shown was a music video by The Bug featuring the songs Function
and Void in a music video made by Factory 15. It is a futuristic video featuring very detailed
architecture falling apart.

All in all Interactive@---- was a very interesting conference that has given us a glimpse of many key challenges and opportunities that await us in the world of the constantly evolving world of digital media.