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International Academic Conference: Storytelling in Times of Technological Changes and Challenges

Keynote Speakers

Simon Mckeown
Simon McKeown
Professor of Art, School of Arts and Creative Industries, Teesside University, Middlesbrough UK

"Preserved and future memories beyond death"

The presentation will visualise how in the future (2050) Big Data will be able to be (mis)used to drive synthetic digital life, affording opportunities to reconstitute reality itself, by bringing memory back to ‘virtual’ life through digital technology and social media activity. McKeown proposes with Preserved Memories, the loss of a loved one will be transformed. Family members will be able to be added to family trees, which could also include celebrities and legends, all of whom will already ‘know’ about the user. Using emotion-sensitive human-computer interaction, artificially intelligent (AI) participants will continue to acquire knowledge long after their death – they will essentially evolve digitally.

Jaroslav Švelch
Jaroslav Švelch
Associate Professor in Game Studies, Head of the Prague Game Production Studies Group, Charles University

"Player vs. Monster: The Making and Breaking of Video Game Monsters"


Based on Švelch’s recent book Player vs. Monster (MIT Press, 2023), the talk will examine the history of video game monsters as well as contemporary examples. While scholars of both myth and horror think of monstrosity as sublime and unspeakable, games often portray monsters as predictable targets of player action. While acknowledging the appeal of such simplistic representations, the talk will also explore how the medium can present more nuanced depictions of monstrosity that are in line with contemporary conceptualizations of otherness.

Speakers & Panellists

Dubey, Divyani (Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, India): Shared Spaces: Exploring the Intersections of Immersive Art, Social Media and Audience Engagement in India

Hilčišin, Maša (Prague City University): Personal Storytelling through AI image generators and Their Impact on Individual Well-being

Hüller, Franco (Prague City University): Storytelling in the Age of Technological Evolution and Algorithmic Influence

Kass, Susanne, (Charles University, Prague City University): A future climate of open endings

Karanja, John Maina (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China): The Deepfake Paradox: Exploring Online Media Discourses in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa

Levstek, Maruša (Royal Holloway, University of London, U.K.): The Keeper of Paintings: Turning the National Gallery into an Immersive Experience to Engage Younger Audiences

Meena, Mahesh Kumar (Central University of Punjab, India): Exploring the role of computer-generated imagery in shaping modern storytelling in Hindi films