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Hosted in partnership with StoryCode, New York’s leading transmedia gathering, StoryForum is a free monthly meeting of artists, designers, writers, filmmakers, advertisers, and storytellers of all stripes. Featuring presentations from industry leaders as well as up-and-coming talents, StoryForum is a place for audiences and artists to interact and get a taste of some of the most exciting immersive media projects in development today.

Past StoryForums:
Coliloquy, Presented by Lisa Rutherford (June 19)
Coliloquy was founded on the belief that digital fiction can push the boundaries of how we think about narrative and storytelling. It publishes books as active applications, rather than static files, allowing authors to build ever-expanding worlds through episodic, serial storytelling and engagement mechanics, like choice and voting, branching story lines, re-reading loops, and personalized content. The result is an incredibly fluid and immersive story-telling experience.

Prior to co-founding Coliloquy, Lisa founded Elodie Partners and served as the President of virtual economy pioneer, Twofish (acquired by Live Gamer), and as a venture capitalist with In-Q-Tel, Vista Ventures, and Palo Alto Venture Partners. She ran her own freelance writing and marketing agency and worked in M&A at Broadview. Outside of Coliloquy, Lisa serves as an advisor to BulletTime Ventures, Boulder Digital Works, and several startups, as well as a mentor for the TechStars program. She was named an AlwaysON Top 25 Women to Watch in Tech. Lisa has an MBA from Stanford University, an MA from the University of Chicago, and a BA from the Penn State University Scholars.

Guidestones, Presented by Jay Ferguson & Sleep No More, Presented by Pete Higgin (May 22)
In a special “double feature,” May's StoryForum will feature presentation from two of the most exciting immersive projects available today: Guidestones and Sleep No More.

Director Jay Ferguson will take the stage to discuss his innovative imerssive project, Guidestones. Guidestones is a 50-episode (total running time: 120 minutes) interactive web series that takes viewers deep inside the mystery of The Georgia Guidestones, an enigmatic monument nestled in a farmer’s field in rural Georgia, and inscribed with directions for rebuilding civilization after the apocalypse.  Guidestones uses elements of transmedia and ARG (alternative reality game) storytelling to take viewers on a thrilling chase that crosses two continents and three countries in search of the truth. Although constructed as a linear story, Guidestones is presented in a new and highly original format designed specifically for online audiences.

Next, Pete Higgin from the innovative site-specific theatrical production company PunchDrunk will present an overview of his company and their award winning production Sleep No More—an immersive theatre installation that takes place in the McKittrick Hotel. Sleep No More won the 2011 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and won PunchDrunk special citations at the 2011 Obie Awards for design and choreography. The show has received positive reviews in numerous publications including The New York Times, New York Magazine, The New York Post, and Time Out New York, as well as a critical essay in The New Yorker and the cover article of the August 2011 Vanity Fair.

Totally Amp'd, Presented by Jay Bennett (April 24)
In a clever hybrid between a web series and an app, Totally Amp'd is a mobile-only series created by Smokebomb Entertainment.  Jay Bennett will talk about creating the first App of its kind for the underserved tween mobile entertainment market.  Telling the story of five talented teenagers who are brought together to become the next big pop group, Totally Amp'd comprises a 10-appisode live-action music comedy series, an original soundtrack, and a suite of interactive activities designed to fully immerse kids in the action.

Smokebomb creates entertainment for every platform. On each project, they look at the story and imagine how that story could play out on your TV, on your laptop, your iPad, even out there in the physical world. The result usually involves some combination of filmed entertainment, an engaging web experience and an experiential marketing hook that draws the audience into the story they’re telling.

Jay Bennett is an award-winning Transmedia creator, producer and writer with a distinct focus on creating engaging stories to attract and retain mainstream audiences.  He has worked for clients such as the BBC, Disney, CTV, Family Channel and UKTV. Recent projects include Creating and Producing Totally Amp’d the world’s first App series for iPad, iTouch and iPhone; Creative Producing the International Emmy Nominated 13-part web series Murdoch Mysteries: The Curse of the Lost Pharaohs for Citytv.

Come Out and Play, Game Design with Greg Trefrey
America 2049, Presented by Breakthrough’s Mallika Dutt & Heidi Boisvert
Game of Thrones, Immersive Experience Presented by Campfire’s Steve Coulson
Red Cloud Rising, Presented by The Fifth Wall’s Gyda Adler