Bringing a Technologist’s Perspective to a Project

5 Questions with Mark Harris

What will you be doing at DIY days?

Discussing what it’s like to work with a technologist on a creative project. I want people to understand that a tech person is not just someone to execute your ideas, but someone who can bring an entirely new perspective to a project. We’ll also touch on some realities, like budgeting for technology on a project and attracting technology people to a project. We’ll also set aside time for people to ask for some specific guidance on projects they might be working on. It’s my hope that enough people bring projects so that the entire time can be spent working through real problems, and helping people understand through example, rather than just us talking.

What’s your background?

Actor -> Filmmaker -> Technology

What emerging technology excites you most?

Probably location-aware stuff. I really like using tech to bring people out from behind their computers into the real world.

What’s your wish for the future?

I really wish we’d keep books. When the apocalypse comes and there’s no electricity to run our gadgets, how will we recover human knowledge?

You can only send one of each into the future (book, film, song or album, technology, experience) in hopes that it will help in a 100 years. What would you send?

Book: The OED
Film: That episode of the Twilight Zone where Burgess Meredith survives the Nuclear Holocaust.
Song: Probably something by Zappa.
Technology: The Internet.
Experience: Laying on the couch with my wife.

WHAT MARK HARRIS WILL BE DOING AT DIY DAYS

Creating work in the 21st Century requires an understanding of storytelling and technology. But for many technology is a bit of a mystery, let alone understanding how it can assist storytelling on an emotional level. New roles are emerging as storytelling spills across screens, devices and out into the real world and back. Creative Technologists have emerged and are helping to lead many projects into the 21st Century. Join two top Creative Technologists working in NYC (Heidi Hysell and Mark Harris) as they pull back the curtain on what it takes to design, build and manage creative solutions using emerging and established technologies.

Mark Harris has written and directed numerous short films. Mark’s short film “Bloody Mary”, was featured on the SyFy channel. Mark’s first feature film, THE LOST CHILDREN was in the 2011 IFP Narrative Lab. He’s also been working in technology for about 12 years. Now Mark is at Broadcastr  where he combines his story-telling and technology skills to create next generation story-telling technology.

LINKS

@MegaMarkHarris
http://www.desperatecomfort.com
http://www.broadcastr.com