VIFF 2018 Expands The Frame With Next Stream & Inaugural VIFF Immersed Event

Since 2014, the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) has been exploring and promoting virtual reality (VR) as an emerging medium for cinematic storytelling. As part of the NEXT program stream, VIFF will expand its commitment to immersive storytelling-a rapidly evolving sector made up of VR, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR)-with the inaugural VIFF Immersed conference and public exhibition. This initiative is designed to bring together the creative and technology sectors in order to develop a global destination event that will focus on immersive, entertainment-based storytelling and promote sector growth within BC and across Canada.

"VIFF's mission is to celebrate excellence in screen-based storytelling. And while the technologies of content consumption and creation have changed over time, story remains king. Immersive content, whether displayed inside a head mounted display, on a dome or on a mobile phone or computer, brings innovations in storytelling," said Jacqueline Dupuis, VIFF's Executive Director. "By the numbers, BC is one of the top immersive content ecosystems in the world. Our proximity to the Cascadia region, a hotbed for creative-tech, and our reach down the West Coast into SILICON VALLEY and LA, make for a strong value proposition for creators, producers and tech sector to participate in this opportunity to further the advancement of the medium."

New Realities in Storytelling | September 29

The Reliance Theatre at Emily Carr (520 East 1st Avenue)

New Realities in Storytelling is a high-level conference focused on artistic execution and commercial-market viability; it features talks and demonstrations from leading immersive creators and global industry leaders. Sessions include Volumetric Filmmaking: Immersion & Participation, featuring James George (Depthkit, Scatter); Company Story: iNKStories, featuring Navid Khonsari (iNK Stories); and Cream Productions: Expeditions Into the Uncanny Valley, featuring Andrew MacDonald (Cream VR). Special guests also include Clifford Dawson (Greenlight); Anna Ticktin (Samsung Electronics America); Joel Breton (HTC); Tony Mariani (Digital Domain); and Lauren Selig (producer, Hacksaw Ridge).

BC Immersed presented by Creative BC | September 30

The Centre for Digital Media (685 Great Northern Way)

BC Immersed is a day of workshops for producers, directors, technologists and content commissioners looking to understand the many elements of immersive production, which include image capture, production workflow, live 360 broadcasting and more. The program also includes BC-based VR, AR and MR company presentations and demos of immersive content.

Workshops include Adobe and Immersive Content: Post-Production Workshop, which teaches immersive filmmakers how to use the most comprehensive set of post-production Adobe tools, and Samsung Creators Project, which shows storytellers how to generate content across a variety of channels, available through The Samsung Creators Project.

VIFF Immersed: Exhibition presented by Samsung VR Video |
September 30 - October 2

• &Design (Sibling Rivalry and Curious Octopus)
• Bro Bots (Breaking Fourth)
• The Interpretation of Dreams (Graham Sack and Sensorium)
• Lightcatcher (Occupied VR and RSA VR)
• Sam's Surreal Gems (RSA VR and Hey Wonderful)
• Voyages - Pilot (Kaleidoscope)

Meet The Showrunners presented by Pacific Screenwriting Program | October 3

Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour Street)

A spike in the number of scripted series and available outlets has changed both the nature of television and the way we consume it. At this event, creators, executive producers and showrunners will share their advice on how to get a project picked up, hire a writers' room, work with directors and keep up with social media in the "Peak TV" era. Hosted by Tim Goodman (Chief TV Critic, The Hollywood Reporter), the panel will feature Graham Yost (Sneaky Pete); Amy Berg (Counterpart); Veena Sud (Seven Seconds); Sarah Dodd (Cardinal); Hart Hanson (Bones); Dennis Heaton (The Order); Simon BARRY (Ghost Wars); Michelle Lovretta (Killjoys)and Graeme Manson (Orphan Black).

DGC Masterclass Series presented by the Directors Guild of Canada |
October 1 and October 6

Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour Street) and The Cinematheque (1131 Howe Street)

On October 1 at the Vancity Theatre, the DGC Master Class Series will feature award-winning Canadian director and writer Patricia Rozema, who will discuss her latest feature Mouthpiece, screening at the festival this year. Rozema's other critically acclaimed works include I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, When Night is Falling, Mansfield Park, Into the Forest, Anne with an E, and Mozart in the Jungle.

On October 6 at The Cinematheque, the DGC Master Class Series will feature one of television's most successful and honored directors, Paris Barclay. Barclay has directed over 155 episodes of television; his credits include NYPD Blue, Glee, Scandal, Sons of Anarchy, Empire, ER, The West Wing and The Good Wife. He is a two-time Emmy Award winner, and he has received an additional six Emmy nominations and served two terms as the elected President of the Directors Guild of America.

VIFF AMP presented by Creative BC, the Province of British and FACTOR |
October 3 - 4

• International Sounds Marketplace is an in-depth look at music and motion, focusing on emerging marketplaces, global trends and ways to connect with new music.
• Composure in Composing is an informal music composers' session; artists will discuss their experiences, the tricks of THE TRADE and ways to get ahead in the ever-changing world of composition.
• Everywhere Music will feature speakers from international ad agencies, post-production studios and the local games industry; they will talk about methods of curation and the completion of content projects.
• Is the Future Music Friendly? will feature a panel of music supervisors; they will showcase key scenes from their careers in order to demonstrate the process of synching music in film and television.
• The State of the Art: The Composer Landscape in 2018 will have three selected composers work through the scoring process with a composer's agent, a music supervisor, a studio executive, a network executive and an executive producer.

About Films+

Launched in 2016, the Films+ program features live events, talks, conferences, exhibitions and other immersive experiences that celebrate the best in screen-based storytelling: great achievements, important innovations and the talented creators behind them.

About VIFF | viff.org

Founded in 1982, the Greater Vancouver International Film Festival Society is a charitable not-for-profit arts and cultural organization that operates the internationally acclaimed Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and the year-round programming of the Vancity Theatre at the Vancouver International Film Centre. The Society's mission is to celebrate excellence, promote diversity and foster discovery and innovation in the field of screen-based storytelling. Among the largest film festivals in NORTH AMERICA in terms of screenings and attendance, VIFF presents over 350 films and events, plays host to over 400 industry professionals from around the globe and boasts the largest Canadian film program in the world. For its 37th year, VIFF welcomes the world to Vancouver from September 27 - October 12, 2018.

• Programming Announcements: Released weekly throughout August and September. See previous media releases here.
• Press Conference: September 5, 2018 at the Vancouver International Film Centre (1181 Seymour St)
• Tickets: Passes and ticket packs are available online at noon on August 23, 2018. Single ticket prices range from $13 - $22 and can be purchased online starting at noon on September 6, 2018 and in-person at the Vancity Theatre Box Office starting September 13, 2018. Visit viff.org for more information
• Volunteer Registration: Each year VIFF relies on the hard work of more than 1,000 volunteers to assist in running the festival. Volunteer registration is now open at goviff.org/volunteer.