Immersive media symposium offers glimpse into the future

By Sharon RusSTAFF WRITER Hofstra students heard and saw firsthand what the future of media may hold at the Immersive Media and the Future of Non-fiction Storytelling Symposium on Wed. Oct. 7. Panelists talked about their projects, which centered around exploring diverse non-traditional storytelling methods, and students tried out the latest virtual reality tools. “It speaks a lot about journalism and where multimedia journalism is going. In fact, I’m really envious of you students because when I started at Newsday I came as a writer. That’s all I did,” said the Newsday Deputy Editor of multimedia Robert Cassidy. “Back then you were either a writer, photographer, editor – you were buttonholed. Today, you can do all of that and more.” Cassidy’s project was an interactive documentary titled “A Fighting Chance.” It showcased the ways a story can be told through means of combined writing, documenting and editing online. Each video profile brought up written stories, photographs and video. “It enhanced my understanding of what journalism means. I liked how you could click on everything and that it was so engaging and immersive,” said sophomore journalism major Sarah Hysong. MIT research assistant Deniz Tortum explained the newest virtual reality testing, such as Oculus glass, and students were later given the opportunity to test out the virtual reality tools. “A lot of times people disregard a certain news story because they can’t relate to them on a personal level,” said freshman television and film major Lara Susman. “I think by allowing people to witness events or feel like they are in them with virtual reality, it will let newsmakers reach their audience on a deeper level. I’m excited for the future.” Brian Chirls, a Knight Technology Fellow, talked about ways that interactive documentaries can combine the power of the cinema with the widespread availability of the Web. “I think we’re at a bit of a crossroads,” said Chirls. “While traditional media is often dominated by wealthy men, virtual reality on the web could be an opportunity to have more openness. More people will have voices.” “From a socioeconomic perspective, it’s awesome what these innovators are doing,” said freshman journalism major Jordan Laird. “Virtual Reality could change the way that we get our media.” The symposium was organized by the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication with support from the Hofstra Cultural Center and Computing Services. “This event allowed students to get a sense of the horizon of possibilities in terms of documenting stories,” said symposium co-chair Carol Fletcher.