7scenes was invited to do a lecture and organize a hands-on workshop at the CAMON in Madrid about locative storytelling and the 7scenes platform. CAMON is a brand new centre for culture and new technologies. It offers an interesting program with lectures and workshops to help people to develop their own projects. It was our intention to provide an interactive evening, for both the public in the room and also for attendants of the live-stream who could respond on Twitter. Input, remarks and questions led to lively discussions and Q & A on topics such as connecting stories to a place (Madrid in particular), opportunities to reach an interested audience, future technical possibilities with software and mobile devices, cultural exchange via Gincana gameplay and the meaning and chances of this all for Madrid. The evening concluded with informal talks between lecturers and the public to go deeper into specific topics.
The next day was all about practice. Many workshop participants visited the lecture the evening before. All were ready to kick off with their ideas and jump-start their mobile project from the first minute. After an introduction on the platform, all went out to produce visual content for the scene that they planned to develop close to CAMON. Photos from Madrid landmarks such as the buildings of 'Cuartel General Del Ejercito Del Aire' and the 'Arco de la Victoria' were taken to tell about local history. Self captured audio and video in the 'Van Gogh Cafe' and a betting shop were used to tell about everyday life. The pressure cooker workshop required a quick return to CAMON to prototype with 7scenes and to build the scene. All participants, ranging from students to pensioners, produced texts, uploaded content, directed their scene and published it to be tested. Everybody was excited about 7scenes and the results; a small working scene.
We can look back at a successful and inspiring event! Madrid is a great city to connect your story to! Cultural, economical, historical and social layers make the city what it is, and there are lots of stories to tell. From the history of the Civil War, the 'Matadero', changing from slaughterhouse to cultural hotspot, to experimental scenes inspired by installations in 'La Tabacalera', once a tobacco factory now a squatted centre for music and art.
View the stream of the lecture.
View our pics on Flickr.
