Innovation Incubator Leuphana University Lneburg Germany

Innovation Incubator Leuphana University Lneburg Germany

Who we are

The Moving Image Lab is the heart of the Digital Media Center of the EU Innovation Incubator at Leuphana University Lneburg. It constitutes an experimental research space for innovative concepts and formats in the realm of moving images. Bridging research and application enables the Moving Image Lab to find answers for urgent questions: What will tomorrows media formats look like? How will they be produced? How do they spread and which effects/affects do they produce? The Moving Image Lab contributes to the international academic discourse concerning new moving image formats and distribution strategies, and develops solutions and offerings for the content of tomorrow.

The MOVING IMAGE LAB: A transdisciplinary, explorative and transfer-oriented research project. A spin-off oriented place for innovation in moving image content.

Moving Image Lab

Researching and developing moving images in todays digital culture
Today we are in the middle of a revolution a digital revolution. It dramatically affects all aspects of producing and consuming media, and fundamentally influences social interaction, political participation and economic organization. Especially important in this context is visual culture and moving image content. The internet is blurring the boundaries between the production and reception of moving images. Traditional television seems to be losing importance. At the intersection of TV and Internet the Moving Image Lab sets out to examine, develop and spin-off innovative media formats. The Moving Image Lab works on fictional, semi-fictional, docutainment and merely documentary formats; these may contain transmedia applications, test new user interfaces and elevate the convergence of text, image and sound to a new level. The Moving Image Lab is an experimental space and realizes innovative concepts and formats with regional, national or international partners.

At the same time the Moving Image Lab advances the academic discourse about digital culture and its moving image offsprings. The focus thereby lies on approaches derived from culture and media studies. We ask question such as: What will tomorrows media formats look like? How will they be produced? How do they spread and which effects/affects do they produce? Which new forms of interaction and organisation arise from digital networks? What images, spaces and narratives flourish within interactive digital media consumption? Which consequences result for the formation of community, and creative industries? The Moving Image Lab is the heart of a large-scale Digital Media competence centre being established at the EU Innovation Incubator at Leuphana University Lneburg. We invite you to take time to explore some of the projects of the Moving Image Lab on the pages that follow. And please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Web of Food
LOGLINE Development of a web application with short documentaries and animated clips for children and young people to raise their awareness of balanced nutrition. SYNOPSIS Eating can be both fun and healthy. But many families no longer know how to cook a simple meal with fresh groceries. Various initiatives of governmental or private organizations are currently trying to address this problem. In schools, cooking classes are held. However, such interventions usually only have temporary effects on the eating habits of families. A learning medium that provides young people with the opportunity to constantly deepen their understanding of important facts about the subject of nutrition is lacking so far. The Web of Food is an application that serves children and young people as an attractive source of information. Short documentaries and animation clips from 30 seconds to 3 minutes in length present all aspects of food and nutrition in an age-appropriate and entertaining way. This includes the production of food, its processing, and its use in the kitchen, as well as additional information on e.g. vitamins, minerals, and artificial additives. Here, the Web of Food will not divide the world of food strictly into good and bad, but rather convey a sense for the right amount and balance. A special highlight of the Web of Food is its form of presentation: All videos are connected in an intuitively controllable web. This mode of presentation allows the users to accustom themselves with the issues through play. GENRE/PLATFORMS Education, documentary / Internet, mobile devices PROJECT STAGE The Web of Food is being developed at Leuphana University Lneburg. Currently the content of single videos is being designed and the scripts are being written. Co-operations with co-producers are being negotiated. LANGUAGE German

Blue Ant
LOGLINE Blue Ant is an application-based entertainment format, focusing on a transmedia story world and channeling different media into one container. SYNOPSIS Todays consumers of media are far ahead of what traditional publishing houses, media producers, and content providers have to offer to them. They are using their tablets in a purely demand-oriented way. They flip between segmented offering channels, movies or series, e-books or magazines, information and navigation services, and gaming applications. Information and entertainment are assembled individually, intuitively, and on the basis of mood and requirement. Already, the user acts and consumes in between media while publishers have missed to turn the in between into a marketable and profitable product. Blue Ant is to be such a product, and can be defined on two levels, which adapt, elaborate and link established user patterns: convergent content and gamification. Content convergence all media, formats & genres The aim is to develop an environment, which conveys continuity and consistency in terms of content and form despite the multifaceted content. It is modelled on the inner logic of the so-called story universe that enables authors in the fictional genres to create entire emotional worlds. Within these worlds, separate media contributions of all formats can be integrated. In order to achieve this goal, the container combines various formats, which are originally presented separately (series, documentary, e-books, graphic novels, music, casual games, graphics etc.). The separate contributions are curated and follow a specific, monothematic editorial rulebook. Gamification intuitive, experience- based use Navigating through the individual media experience does not resemble a linear audience flow, but is based on gamification the integration of game mechanics into non-game environments to increase user involvement. Game mechanics entail reward systems, as well as navigation tools and narrative structures, which control how the user can explore the container. Those mechanisms increase session lengths, engagement, and overall commitment to the product. GENRE/PLATFORMS Transmedia Project / Tablets PROJECT STAGE in development LANGUAGE German

explainity
LOGLINE explainity aims to reduce complexity. For this purpose it develops, tests, and puts into practice suitable strategies, measures, and tools. explainity makes the world simply simple. SYNOPSIS The world we live in is becoming more complex by the day. In a matter of minutes, a person can be bombarded with breaking news stories. Anything from the credit rating of the USA has been downgraded to Greece is in danger of bankruptcy or a nuclear power plant in Japan is announcing a meltdown. The news-cycle is continually becoming faster and more complicated leading to the problem that we simply dont understand the news anymore: We become, so to say overnewsed but underinformed. Journalists, entrepreneurs, organizations, and even public authorities face this problem. Because of this phenomenon, where the complexity of products and services is on the increase, the need exists for a more understandable explanation. It is precisely here where explainity comes into operation. Explainity develops suitable measures and strategies, which in turn provide for an easier explanation of the complex. These measures and strategies vary from stop-trick-animation to workshops for employees. The project, therefore, creates a frame of reference for the daily information overload. In short: context for content.

GENRE/PLATFORMS Explanatory films YouTube PROJECT STAGE Based on the generated experience in reducing complexity by storytelling, further measures, strategies and tools, are being developed (e.g. with Playmobil). Currently, explainity is also preparing for its own company to be launched. LANGUAGE German / English

Sport-Apps
SYNOPSIS Sporting events are the most precious commodity in television. Together with broadcasters, sports clubs, leagues, and umbrella associations, we plan to develop a variety of companion and gamification applications linked to individual sports. Throughout this process, we plan to dig deep into the technical aspects of sports broadcasting, so that we can augment the experience for fans and viewers. Examples in development are prediction games, mobile medal tables, second screen live information, and fantasy leagues. To achieve the best possible added value, the project is simultaneously product- and research-oriented and is embedded in general partnerships with European broadcasters, federal institutes of technology, and app-developers. GENRE/PLATFORMS Smartphones, tablets PROJECT STAGE in development LANGUAGE German / English

Turning Point
LOGLINE What if TV and the Internet had existed in 1914? SYNOPSIS Turning Point applies todays media tools and the 21st century culture of expression to an historical event. 28 July, 2014, will see the 100th anniversary of WWI. In Europe in 2014, this event should receive a platform where it unfolds as a puzzle, the mosaic of nations, languages, and cultures that it has always been. The project opens up a new perspective on history to todays audience and provides insights into the workings of present-day media. It offers a space to create an alternate history, to enable an alternative approach on issues of nationalism, imperialism, and the founding days of Europe. As a cross-platform TV and online event, with a sophisticated audience engagement strategy, Turning Point will attract digital natives to enjoy and participate in a new form of history programming to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WWI. It will be an international interpretation of history and of archives. Broadcasters, producers, print publishers, and archives from all European nations are invited to contribute. GENRE/PLATFORMS Documentary / TV, Internet, mobile devices, print PROJECT STAGE Turning Point is being developed in collaboration with zero one film, Berlin. Co-operations with European co-producers are being negotiated (including Austria, Switzerland, France, Poland). We are also negotiating conditions for collaboration with German broadcasters (ARD/ZDF) and publishing houses. LANGUAGE Each participating country produces content in its own language. PARTICIPATING PRODUCER Tobias Bchner zero one film, Berlin.

CREATIVE AND LEADERSHIP TEAM

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Prof. Michael Ballhaus

Michael Ballhaus is one of the most acclaimed Directors of Photo-graphy worldwide. Within 50 years, he was in charge for the shooting of more than 100 feature films. During his career, he always welcomed technical improvements of film production and distribution and employed them creatively in his movies. For his innovative work, he was awarded several international prizes. In addition to making movies, Michael Ballhaus has been teaching at a number of universities for several decades: amongst others, at the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin, the Hamburg Media School and the Berlinale Talentcampus. In Munich, he is head of the camera department of the Hochschule fr Film und Fernsehen. The focus of his visiting professorship at Leuphana University Lneburg is on the research of new technology, formats and applications for digital image content. michael.ballhaus@uni.leuphana.de

Prof. Dr. Timon Beyes

Timon coordinates the overall activities on Digital Media within the Innovation Incubator at Leuphana University Lneburg, where he is associated with the Institute for the Culture and Aesthetics of Digital Media. He has a background in Sociology and Management Studies and has done his doctoral and post-doctoral research at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. His academic focus lies on organization theory with a focus on the non-profit and media sectors as well as the aesthetics and spaces of organizing. He is fascinated by the opportunities of re-arranging what is visible and sayable through new forms and circulation of moving images. timon.beyes@inkubator.leuphana.de

CREATIVE TEAM
The Moving Image Lab is set up as a laboratory that brings together 35 researchers, film and TV authors and producers, designers and web experts. The projects presented here just a selection of our research and development activities are realized by a creative team including:

Marc Riedel
After studying cultural studies and communication and media studies, Marc worked several years at the ZKM | Center for Arts and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany. In subsequent years, he put the focus of his work increasingly on new media. In 2010, he started working at the Leuphana University Lneburg. As part of the Moving Image Lab he is researching and developing new format ideas for the internet.

Arndt Potdevin
Already while studying theater, film and television studies, Arndt was working as a production manager for commercials and music videos. Later, he worked as a freelance producer, production manager and head of production, and was responsible for the development, financing, production, and marketing of numerous documentaries. As part of the Moving Image Lab at Leuphana University Lneburg, he is researching and developing new format ideas for the internet.

Alexander von Lukowitz

Having studied feature film production at the Ludwigsburg Film School, Alexander was awarded the new talent prize for young producers for his 2001 graduation film. He began his career at the Cologne company Action Concept. In 2002, he began working for the Berlin company box! Film, where he was responsible for the development of international scripts and TV feature films. During his time at box!, and in order to build on his competence in the areas of international co-production, co-operation, and networking, he took part in the European training programme EAVE which he successfully completed in September 2003. Subsequently he founded Elephant Filmproduktion GmbH, where he is an acting partner. In 2011 he joined the research team Moving Image Lab at Leuphana University Lneburg.

Andreas Ebert
Andreas is the head of explainity since its launch in 2011. After studying social economics with a focus on media, he graduated with a masters degree in entrepreneurship. During his postgraduate studies Andreas focused on entrepreneurial management, marketing, and law. He was also involved in different projects, supervising them from the beginning on to the launch of their own company. Before working at Leuphana University Lneburg concentrating on explainity, Andreas was managing a non-profit-organisation in South Africa.

Stine Wangler
Stine is working at Leuphana University Lneburg concentrating on explainity since February 2012. In 2008, she graduated with a bachelors degree in film studies and media communication from the University of Glamorgan in Cardiff (UK). In February 2012, she finished her studies at Leuphana University, where she studied cultural studies with an emphasis on film and internet.

Hilko Aikens
Hilko studied economics with a focus on entrepreneurship and creative industries in Oldenburg, Germany, and Vxj, Sweden. In the meantime he completed several internships, one of them at Warner Music Group Germany. After graduation, he participated in working out innovative business plans for digital music distribution. He was one of the first members of the Moving Image Lab and joined the project in 2010.

Jutta Doberstein
Jutta has worked as a projectionist, assistant director, bar tender, stills photographer, gaffer, and camera operator. Stage designer, interpreter, video artist, mother, researcher, curator, and director. She graduated from the London College of Printing in 1991, and is currently working as a developer with zero one film, and is participating in a research project focused on formatting for Internet TV at Leuphana University Lneburg.

The Post-Media Lab

The Post-Media Lab is a project within the Digital Media Center at the Innovation Incubator and organised in collaboration with Mute magazine. The Post-Media Lab offers a space in which to examine, reflect, and operate upon the networked, mediatised society from an unhurried perspective. We seek to slow down the machinic pace of cybertime just enough to allow for a different tempo of thought to engage and encompass it. Through a programme of four bi-annual residency cycles spanning 2012 and 2013, the Lab will provide participants with the practical and intellectual support and resources to build real-world, aesthetic, technical, or theoretical assemblages which operate acutely on the interface between digital networks and social and political life. Research fellowships are structured around the following themes: 1) Connecting People Apart The pronouncements of early internet enthusiasts were laden with the promise of (re) forging community on the digital frontier. But where these 90s pioneers often owned their own infrastructure, todays social media platforms are commercially owned and, by extension, so are the communities which inhabit them. What happens to the quality and location of agency in the matrices of networked media forming around us? 2) The Subsumption of Sociality There has been a subsumption and expropriation of our social, communicative, and collaborative energies through a series of material and informational enclosures. How do we (re)appropriate a means of subsistence, sociality and creativity? What transformations of ownership or exploitation are scripted into the new network structures? 3) The Question of Organisation The model of the self-organising network has reshaped politics and notions of agency for the environment, governance, and activism. But the ideal of the equilibrium of complex systems can be critiqued. What practices of emergent organisation are moving beyond the model of the network? How can we rethink emancipatory activity, subjects, or structures in this climate? 4) Comrade Things and Alien Life Dissolving hierarchies between humans, animals, machines, and objects is a characteristic turn of postmodern philosophy, science and arts. Object-oriented ontologies are shaping research methodologies, computer science, and network cultures. Where the boundaries between life and things are reconfigured, what questions of ontology, method, and aesthetics arise?

THE CURATORS / COORDINATORS

Josephine Berry Slater

Josephine is Editor of Mute and also teaches courses in the Culture Industry and Biopolitics and Aesthetics at Goldsmiths University. She is co-author of No Room to Move: Radical Art and the Regenerate City and co-editor of Proud to Be Flesh: A Mute Magazine Anthology of Cultural Politics After the Net.

Anthony Iles
Anthony is assistant editor of Mute and a writer of criticism, fiction and theory, based in London. Editor of the books, with Mattin, Noise & Capitalism (2009), with Stefan Szczelkun, Agit Disco (2011), and coauthor, with Josephine Berry Slater, No Room to Move: Radical Art and the Regenerate City (2010), and a contributor, with Marina Vishmidt, to the book Communization and its Discontents (2011).

Clemens Apprich
Clemens studied Philosophy, Political Science and History in Vienna and Bordeaux. Since 2008, he has been a PhD-student in Cultural History and Theory at Humboldt University of Berlin. He was a Junior Research Fellow at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Media.Art. Research in Linz and at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. Currently, he is a Research Fellow at the Moving Image Lab.

Oliver Lerone Schultz

Oliver traverses the paths of research, media practice, and activism. After a degree in philosophy on Embodiment and Media Theory, he was a researcher at Freie Universitt Berlin and Academy of Sciences Berlin-Brandenburg, and co-founded the research platform eXpolar. Political engagement focussed around visual culture, with laborB*, globale-Filmfestival and Visions of Labor among others. Currently, he is Research Fellow at the Moving Image Lab.

NOTES

Get in touch...
in Austin: Bjrn Ahrend bjoern.ahrend@inkubator.leuphana.de at Leuphana University Lneburg: Aljoscha Kaplan aljoscha.kaplan@inkubator.leuphana.de Jrg Schulze joerg.schulze@inkubator.leuphana.de Innovation Incubator Moving Image Lab Scharnhorststr. 1 21335 Lneburg Germany phone: +49.4131.677-2205 www.leuphana.de/moving-image-lab

Innovation Incubator Leuphana University Lneburg Germany

www.leuphana.de/moving-image-lab