"VR: Immersive 360 Degree Video Storytelling" are two inter-connected workshops, who will take place from Tuesday to Thursday. Both workshops will begin with the introduction by Dr. Ellen Pearlman (US) and Prof. Rasa Smite (LiepU / LV). They will introduce the fundamental of immersive environments in the context of visual culture, its potential in art and film-making, and what type of content is best for 360 video viewing. The participants will split in two groups – "Immersive Performance" conducted by Marija Ri Shirotsuki and "Site-Specific Immersive Environment" conducted by Paula Vītola and Anna Priedola, to create the immersive artworks and performances on 360 video for the iWeek exhibition.

Marija Ri Shirotsuki "Non-linear editing and narrating in video performance" (1)

Keywords: 360 video, non-linear narrative, performance

In this workshop participants will be offered to work in one team and create a video performance using 360-degree camera.

The process will start with basic acting trainings – actors body and environment research and creating a narrative for the performance. In next steps participants will try to find ways how to structure the narrative, exploring their interplay methods and rehearsing the performance live.

After completing and finalizing narrative structure, team will be offered to film the performance with 360-degree camera and create an interactive video performance, which will be presented at the exhibition.

Ri Shirotsuki is a film and performing arts director, choreographer.

MA degree in Film and TV Direction graduated from St Petersburg University of Cinema and TV in Russia, currently studying for MA in Multimedia Performing Arts at RISEBA University in Riga.

Ri has been leading and participating in short film and performance projects as a director, script writer, choreographer and performer. She is contemporary and experimental dance teacher, acting techniques teacher and choreographer in Justify Dance Studio, as well as freelance filmmaker. In her short films and performances Ri is focused on atmosphere, dramaturgy and deep underlying concepts.

Paula Vītola and Anna Priedola "Site-Specific Immersive Environment" (2)

Keywords: 360 video, immersion, field-trip, site-specific environment, non-linear storytelling

In this workshop the participants will experiment with 360 video shooting for creating site-specific immersive video. On Day 1, the participants will work hands-on with a VR camera and learn the technical elements behind successful VR (frame rates, camera movement, avoiding motion sickness). The participants will go into the fieldtrip seeking for the most interesting sites (in urban, rural, marin, nature, etc. environments) of Liepaja, and to create site-specific narratives. On Day 2 the participants wil continue their site-specific 360-video shooting, and will be introduced to the different tools and software available to begin producing VR content. During the Day 3 they will continue stitch the vidoe together using Adobe Premiere, YouTube Metadata Injector and other software to create their 360-video site-specific immersive environments for the iWeek exhibition.

More on iWeek festival: http://iweek.mplab.lv