Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13, 2022
11 am – 3 pm
Lunch provided; ASL interpretation available
Free or suggested donation
Click here to register

In this two-day intensive for intermediate media students, filmmaker Deniz Tortum will introduce participants to a critical history and practice of virtual reality, from the stereoscope from the 1850s to the Unity / Unreal based systems of today. Participants will leave the workshop with a sense of serious play of what it means and how to engage in VR and 3D image making.

This workshop is intended for artists and technologists who have an intermediate experience with digital tools and skills such as animation, 3D modeling, film editing, among others. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend Tortum’s virtual reality showcase September 1955 that takes place on the evening of Friday, November 11. Lunch will be provided and ASL interpretation is available by request; register by Wednesday, November 9 to request ASL interpretation and indicate any dietary restrictions.

Biography of the artist

Deniz Tortum works in film and immersive media. His work has screened internationally, including at the Venice Film Festival, SxSW, IFFR, IDFA, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Hot Docs, True/False and Dokufest. His latest short Our Ark (2021, co-dir Kathryn Hamilton) has premiered at IDFA 2021 and won Best Short Film award at Istanbul Film Festival. His latest feature film Phases of Matter (2020) premiered at International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2020 and received the Best Documentary awards at Istanbul and Antalya Film Festivals. He has worked as a researcher at the MIT Open Documentary Lab and MIT Transmedia Storytelling Initiative, where his research focused on immersive media. In 2019, he was featured in Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film.

This event is presented in partnership with ASI and the Arts Council for Wyoming County, and made possible with funds from the NYSCA in Partnership with Wave Farm: Immersive Art & Technology Initiative, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Special thank you to Çağrı Hakkı Zaman.

Image: Documentation of an installation of Deniz Tortum, September 1955 (2016). A person wearing virtual reality goggles in a sunny room. They are crouched and their hands are facing out as if they are gently pushing something.