An Open Source Interactive Narrative Workshop

Steve Anderson

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This full-day, hands-on workshop introduces participants to the Korsakow System, an easy-to-learn program for creating sophisticated interactive narratives which does not require an actual database or programming knowledge. Each participant will leave the session with a completed interactive narrative composed of video clips collectively gathered by ISEA participants and San Jose residents using low-res video devices (cell phones, PDAs, digital still cameras, etc.). The resulting projects will thus serve as both an opportunity for interaction between ISEA participants and the San Jose community and an innovative form of interactive documentation of the symposium.

Participants need to bring their own laptop, webcam or other video capture devices.

This workshop is conceived as an example of non-proprietary “open source” media authorship in which both raw materials and finished products are shared in a copyright-free, creative environment. The workshop setting is ideal for establishing a shared database of media elements, which may be uploaded to a communally accessible server during a specified time period prior to the workshop. Finished projects may also be shared among participants and/or uploaded to a web space devoted to output from the workshop.

The workshop will include:

• Brief survey of interactive narratives and sample Korsakow projects
• Overview of interactive strategies and structures
• Downloading and importing media
• Creating a shared “database” of media elements
• Selecting an interface (classic/many-link; three-link)
• Attaching keywords to media elements
• Playtesting and refining the interactive structure
• Ancillary features: subtitle tool, thumbnail editor, VJ tool
• Publishing for the web/CD/DVD

The Korsakow System was developed by Florian Thalhofer at the University of the Arts in Berlin and is available for free downloading for Mac or PC. The Amsterdam-based arts organization, Mediamatic conducts regular, week-long Korsakow workshops in conjunction with various events in the EU. However, to my knowledge, Korsakow workshops have not previously been offered on a formal basis to North American users. Enrollment would be best kept under 20 projects (individual or two-person teams). Each team must supply a Mac or PC laptop equipped for wireless connection. Participants need no special knowledge prior to the workshop, but familiarity with video editing is helpful.

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