Narrative XR Lab Programme
8-week intensive XR programme at Visual Arena exploring immersive storytelling. 25 participants from arts, film, and tech collaborated on prototypes using motion capture, 3D scanning, projection mapping, and spatial audio. Final exhibitions included AR historical photography, VR folklore journeys, and breath-reactive installations.
⚡ Challenges
- •Diverse skill levels
- •Rapid prototype development
- •Interdisciplinary collaboration
✓ Outcomes
- ✓3 public prototypes exhibited
- ✓25 participants trained
- ✓6 ongoing collaborations initiated
📖 Full Details
The Narrative XR Lab was an intensive 8-week programme hosted by Visual Arena that brought together 25 participants from diverse backgrounds—artists, filmmakers, cultural producers, game designers, and technologists—to explore how extended reality technologies can tell stories that traditional media cannot.
The curriculum progressed from foundational XR concepts through hands-on production, culminating in collaborative prototype development. Technical modules covered virtual production workflows in Unreal Engine, motion capture with Azure Kinect, 3D scanning with photogrammetry, projection mapping techniques, and spatial audio design.
Participants experienced state-of-the-art XR installations as case studies, analyzing what makes immersive narratives compelling. Discussions examined the unique properties of XR for storytelling: presence, agency, embodiment, and spatial montage. Cultural perspectives explored how underrepresented narratives might find new expression through immersive formats.
The programme emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration—technical participants provided implementation skills while cultural practitioners contributed narrative vision. Teams formed around shared interests, developing concept pitches that could realistically be produced within programme resources.
Final prototypes demonstrated remarkable range: an AR experience overlaying historical photographs on contemporary Gothenburg streets, a VR journey through traditional Swedish folklore, and an interactive installation responding to participant breath and heartbeat. Each prototype was exhibited publicly during Visual Arena's Open Day.
As a participant and technical contributor, key contributions included building reusable TouchDesigner components for sensor integration, establishing Azure Kinect body tracking workflows, and supporting teams with 3D asset optimization for real-time delivery.
The programme established lasting connections within Gothenburg's XR community and directly led to several subsequent collaborations.
