MMF MMXXIV

MMF MMXXIV: INNER MIGRATION, OR “WELCOME TO DYSTOPIA”

Andy Hughes crafts a thought-provoking narrative using a montage that juxtaposes in-game footage from Cyberpunk 2077 with historical archive film, illustrating a chilling vision of a dystopian future dominated by corporate powers.

In Andy Hughes’s Inner Migration (2023), a motorcycle races through Night City’s neon-lit streets. Recorded hyper-realistic in-game scenes from Cyberpunk 2077 are juxtaposed with black and white archive film footage — à là Adam Curtis — revealing cooling towers overlaid with early space-age imagery. The dystopian future depicted in CD Projekt Red’s futuristic world offers a vivid portrayal of an urban landscape where powerful corporations not only govern technological advancements but also play a significant role in shaping and exploiting people, places, and the environment.

Hughes’s avatar travels through the landscape, running across a trash mountain and swimming backwards into a sunset. We also see and hear archive material from Out of This World (1964) and To New Horizons (1940), two promotional American domestic films created by General Motors that present future worlds. Exploring this virtual world like a post-modern day flâneur, the artist looks for what the French philosopher Michel Serres described as soft pollution. While we can measure what Serres described as hard pollution —- the poisoning of the Earth — we ignore at our peril the disastrous impact of the soft pollution created by sound and images on our psyche..

(continues)

Works cited 

Andy Hughes, Inner Migration, machinima/digital video, colour, sound, 10’ 00”, England

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MMF MMXXIV: CROWD CONTROL IS AWARDED THE CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Crowd Control Wins the 2024 Milan Machinima Festival Critics Choice Award

Milan, Italy – The Milan Machinima Festival is thrilled to announce that Crowd Control by Jonathan Carroll and Cat Bluemke (SpekWork Studio) has been honored with the 2024 Critics’s Choice Award. This recognition serves not only as a testament to the creativity and skill of Carroll and Bluemke but also highlights the critical role of arts funding — in this case, the Canada Council for the Arts — in nurturing innovative digital explorations.

This groundbreaking Unity 3D project, hereby presented as a game video essay, emerged as a standout in a field of international submissions, captivating jurors and audience alike with its innovative exploration of artificial intelligence and its impact on collective action and historical revolt, particularly within the context of the French Revolutionary mob as depicted in Assassin’s Creed: Unity (2014). This work is part of the duo Assassin’s Creed Art History series, which includes previously self-published game essays Gameworkers and Guildworkers (2020) and Blindspot (2021).

Crowd Control delves into the intersections of crowd simulation technology and the surveillance industry, questioning the role of technology in shaping the possibilities of collective action in both the past and the future. Through its insightful text by Cat Bluemke, compelling design and programming by Jonathan Carroll, and engaging narration by Romanne Walker, the project reflects on the evolution of crowd representations from art history to contemporary video game simulations, redefining the notion of video essay, machinima, and desktop cinema.

The selection of Crowd Control was overseen by an esteemed panel of jurors, including Marco De Mutiis, a digital curator at Fotomuseum Winterthur; Henry Lowood, a curator and scholar at Stanford University; Jenna Ng, a multi-award-winning researcher; and Martin Zeilinger, a senior lecturer in Computational Arts and Technology at Abertay University. Their diverse expertise in digital culture, machinima studies, and the intersection of art and technology played a pivotal role in identifying Crowd Control as a work that embodies the festival’s mission to explore the avant-garde and innovative frontiers of digital storytelling.

The Milan Machinima Festival extends heartfelt congratulations to Jonathan and Cat for their remarkable achievement. The duo presented their work in person on March 14 2024 in the Game Video Essay special program. Crowd Control stands as a compelling examination of how digital and interactive media can not only represent historical and contemporary phenomena but also provoke critical reflection on the destructive force of US-driven techno-capitalism.

For more information about Crowd Control, please visit Spek Studios’ website.

About the Milan Machinima Festival

The Milan Machinima Festival is a leading international event dedicated to exploring the artistic, scholarly, and critical potentials of machinima, a form of filmmaking within real-time, virtual 3D environments. Through its annual presentation of works that challenge traditional narratives and aesthetics, the festival celebrates the innovative convergence of digital gaming, cinema, and video art.

About SpekWork Studio

Cat Bluemke and Jonathan Carroll create art that delves into the themes of work and play, manifesting through video games, performances, and expanded reality experiences. Their collaborative projects, which began in 2013, critically examine how technology mediates both labor and leisure. Operating often under the banners of SpekWork Studio and Tough Guy Mountain, their partnership has produced an intriguing portfolio of work. As SpekWork, they specialize in developing video games, virtual and augmented reality experiences, and mobile applications, intricately exploring the interplay between users, workers, and players. This body of work not only reflects on the technological regulation of daily activities but also invites reflection on the broader implications of digital interaction in modern society.

Work cited

Cat Bluemke, Jonathan Carroll, Crowd Control, digital video, color, sound, 8’ 08”, 2023, Canada.

Narration by Romanne Walker.

Contact: To contact the curators, please click here.

MMF MMXXIV (MARCH 11-17 2024, MILAN, ITALY)

press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV unveils groundbreaking programs for 2024 edition

Milan, Italy - The Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated programs for the 2024 edition, showcasing the best in machinima art from around the world. The festival — which takes place in person at IULM University between March 11 - 15 2024 — will feature four unique programs: Auteur Theory, Game Video Essay, Made in Italy, and Slot Machinima.

Additionally, this year, a concurrent event is FOTOLUDICA, the first Italian conference on in-game photography (March 14-15 2024). Both are free and open to the public.

The Game Video Essay program will present thought-provoking pieces by Cat Bluemke and Jonathan Carroll, Guilhem Causse, Ekiem Barbier, and Quentin L'helgoualc’h, Gina Hara, and Yemen Liu that explore the intersection of gaming and critical analysis. These works delve into the cultural, social, and political implications of video games, offering fresh perspectives on the medium and its impact on society. The program aims to foster a deeper understanding of the potential of video games as a tool for artistic expression and social commentary. The Game Video Essay program will be screened on Thursday March 14, 2024, in the Sala dei 146 (IULM 6).

Made in Italy will celebrate the ingenuity and craft of young Italian machinima artists. This program features three films that showcase unique aesthetics and styles, highlighting the vibrant and thriving Italian machinima art scene. The featured filmmakers, Alberto Calleo, Simone Fiorentino, and Elia "marasma" Strazzacappa, utilize real-time computer graphics engines to craft artworks that challenge traditional notions of cinema and transgress the boundaries between virtual and real-world spaces. Made in Italy will be screened on Friday March 15, 2024, in the Sala dei 146 (IULM 6).

The Auteur Theory program will highlight three exceptional works by leading machinima creators — Jacky Connolly, Lawrence Lek, and Total Refusal — examining the role of the individual artist in shaping the medium. This program celebrates the unique visions and styles of these artists, emphasizing their distinctive contributions to the field of machinima. The Author Theory program will be screened on Friday March 15, 2024 in the Sala dei 146 (IULM 6).

The Contemporary Exhibition Hall will host Slot Machinima, an immersive program featuring eight video installations that will be presented in a loop from March 11-15, 2024, featuring works by renowned artists such as Adonis Archontides, Steven Cottingham, Kara Güt, Thomas Hawranke, Andy Hughes, Carson Lynn, Stephan Panhans and Andrea Winkler, and Bram Ruiter. This special program is designed to immerse viewers in often absurd and deranged virtual environments within the video game imaginary, showcasing the incredible range and depth of avant-garde machinima.

“We are excited to present these groundbreaking programs that showcase the incredible talent and diversity within the machinima avant-garde community,” said festival director Matteo Bittanti. “The Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV aims to push the boundaries of what is possible with this medium and inspire both artists and audiences alike. Through these four distinct programs, we hope to foster a deeper appreciation for the art of machinima and its potential to shape our understanding of the world around us.”

These year’s submission were judged by an international panel of scholars, critics, artists, and curators: Marco De Mutiis, Henry Lowood, Jenna Ng, and Martin Zeilinger.

The poster of the 2024 edition was designed by artist and musician Babak Ahteshamipour. Babak’s vivid new poster design epitomizes the festival’s ethos of propelling machinima into unmapped creative frontiers. Electrifying colors and fantastical shapes blend gaming visuals with mysterious organic shapes, suggesting unexpected artistic dimensions virtual worlds could unlock.

For more information about the Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV and its programs, please visit the official website at https://milanmachinimafestival.org

About Milan Machinima Festival:

The Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV is an annual celebration of the art of machinima, featuring works by established and emerging artists from around the world. The festival aims to promote the creative potential of real-time computer graphics engines and foster a global community of machinima creators and enthusiasts.

Contact:

Artistic director: Matteo Bittanti

Communication Manager: Colleen Flaherty

IULM Eventi: Caterina Angeretti

Directions to IULM University

News:

For updates, follow us on Patreon, Instagram, Twitter/X and the Festival’s website.

Would you like to get involved? Drop us a line!

MMF MMXXIV: AUTEUR THEORY

Image by Dall-E 3

The Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV is thrilled to present the Auteur Theory program, showcasing three exceptional works by leading international artists and filmmakers. Join us for screenings on Friday, March 15, 2024, in the Sala dei 146 at IULM University.

Auteur theory

Friday March 15 2024 , 15:00 - 17:00

Sala dei 146

IULM 6, IULM University

Via Carlo Bo 7, 20143 Milano

curated by Matteo Bittanti

Artists and filmmakers: Jacky Connolly, Adrian Jonas Haim, Michael Stumpf, Robin Klengel (Total Refusal), Lawrence Lek.


The concept of auteur theory, originally developed within the context of film studies, posits that a film reflects the creative vision and personal style of its director, who is considered the primary “author” of the work. As machinima continues to evolve as an art form, this program explores how the elusive concept of authorship can be applied to works created within game engines, where the boundaries between gameplay, filmmaking, and digital art become increasingly blurred.

The three works featured in the Auteur Theory program exemplify the unique ways in which machinima artists and filmmakers assert their creative vision and personal style within the constraints of existing video game environments and game design tools. By repurposing game visuals, mechanics, and narratives, these artists create deeply personal works that challenge our understanding of authorship, creativity, and the nature of video games as a medium for artistic expression.

Kinderfilm, the latest creation by the Austrian collective Total Refusal (represented by Adrian Jonas Haim, Michael Stumpf, and Robin Klengel), unfolds within the digital spaces of Grand Theft Auto V’s San Andreas. The story follows a middle-aged man named Edgar, who drifts aimlessly through Los Santos, confined to his car. Total Refusal uses this familiar setting to explore themes of societal critique and hope, echoing the aesthetics and concerns of unclassifiable filmmakers like Charlie Kaufman and Kristoffer Borgli.

Lawrence Lek’s Theta immerses viewers in the journey of a self-driving police car grappling with an existential crisis within the desolate streets of SimBeijing, an abandoned smart city. As Theta confides in its integrated therapist, a self-help AI named Guanyin, the narrative unveils the grim realities that led to the city's abandonment. This stunning work is a continuation of Lek's Sinofuturist universe, delving into themes of identity, surveillance, and empathy within the technological age.

Jacky Connolly’s Descent into Hell transports viewers into a post-capitalist, dystopian vision of the United States. Crafted through an innovative amalgamation of scenes from Grand Theft Auto V and Connolly’s original animations, the piece diverges from the game’s central narrative to delve into the stark realities of everyday life for its characters. Connolly's work reflects her foray into the digital expanse of GTA V during the 2020 lockdown, prompting reflection on the stark realities of our age of collapse.

In the unique auditorium setting of the Milan Machinima Festival’s Sala dei 146, the Auteur Theory program transcends traditional cinematic experiences, redefining the essence of auteur theory in the age of art after video games. As viewers gather in this communal space, they are not merely spectators but participants in an immersive journey through video game landscapes transformed by the artists’s vision. This collective viewing experience amplifies the impact of each work, where the manipulation of game engines becomes a conduit for exploring the nuanced interactions between technology, society, and individuality.

The featured works delve into critical themes, examining the erosion of human connections, the pervasive influence of technology, and the stark realities shaped by late capitalism, while leveraging the familiar terrains of digital games to craft narratives that challenge and redefine societal norms. The characters within these narratives, marked by isolation and alienation, serve as mirrors reflecting the viewer’s own experiences in the contemporary world. Through a masterful blend of game aesthetics, original animations, and evocative sound design, these works construct immersive environments that invite introspection on the current state of society, the impact of technology on our lives, and the undiminished importance of genuine human connections.

By curating these three distinct and unique works under the umbrella of the Auteur Theory program, the Milan Machinima Festival underscores machinima’s capacity to serve as a powerful medium for creative storytelling, social critique, and the exploration of complex ideas. This program not only showcases the ability of artists to infuse their unique visions and styles into the constraints of commercial game worlds but also celebrates machinima’s evolution as an art form. It highlights the medium’s capability to foster a deeper understanding of the world around us, encouraging viewers to contemplate the intricate dance between reality and digital (re)creation, and pushing the boundaries of what machinima can achieve in conveying socially relevant concerns.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: GINA HARA

The Milan Machinima Festival is excited to unveil Gina Hara’s latest project Machinima Bodies Space Rhythm, as part of our Game Video Essay program. We warmly invite you to an exclusive screening event on March 14, 2024, hosted at IULM University. This presents a rare chance to experience Hara’s groundbreaking work firsthand, with the added privilege of an introduction by the artist herself.

Gina Hara’s Machinima Bodies Space Rhythm is a pioneering episodic series that delves into the realm of machinima filmmaking from the perspectives of women and non-binary creators. This project aims to showcase their distinct voices within the machinima sphere. Situated at the intersection of video games, cinema, and digital art, the series illuminates machinima’s unique, hybrid nature. Hara not only highlights machinima’s artistic potential but also prompts reflection on digital identities and the medium’s role in contemporary art. World premiere.

Gina Hara is a Hungarian-Canadian filmmaker and artist. She holds an MA in Intermedia, an MFA in Film Production and worked with film, video, new media, gaming, and design. Waning (2011), her first fiction film, was nominated for a Best Canadian Short award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Your Place or Minecraft (2016), a machinima web series focusing on game studies, is currently available on YouTube. Hara’s full length documentary Geek Girls (2017) explores the notion of subculture from women’s perspective and was screened internationally, including IULM University in 2018 during the Gender Play conference. Her artworks have been exhibited by several institutions including the New Museum in New York, the Budapest Kunsthalle and the City of Montreal.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: MADE IN ITALY

Image: Dall-e 3

The Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV is proud to showcase the 2024 edition of Made in Italy, a curated screening of machinima created by emerging Italian artists. On Friday, March 15, three films will be screened in the Sala dei 146, with introductions by the artists themselves.

Made in Italy

March 15 2024, 14:00 - 15:00

Sala dei 146

IULM 6, IULM University

Via Carlo Bo 7, 20143 Milano

curated by Matteo Bittanti

Artists and filmmakers: Alberto Calleo, Simone Fiorentino, Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa.

The Italian machinima community is a vibrant, eclectic and experimental hub that thrives on collaboration and innovation, pushing the boundaries of creative expression through real-time computer graphics engines. These artists, often hailing from art and film schools, are not only redefining the intersection of virtual and physical realms but also addressing critical contemporary issues such as technological advancements and their societal impact.

Through their work, Italian machinima artists embark on explorations across a spectrum of themes, reflecting the multifaceted nature of modern society and the intricate dance between technology, art, and human experience. Their creations delve into the digital age’s influence on identity and self-expression, provide commentary on social and political dilemmas, blur the lines between reality and fiction, and ponder the implications of relentless technological integration into our lives. Additionally, they celebrate Italy’s rich cultural legacy by weaving traditional elements into digital narratives and experiment with the digital medium’s inherent visual properties, such as glitches and pixelation, to make unique artistic statements.

This year, the festival’s Made in Italy program honors the creativity and craftsmanship of three Italian machinima filmmakers, highlighting their diverse styles and thematic explorations:

Simone Fiorentino’s Hold On for Dear Life captures the essence of human resilience and connection in a war-afflicted city, offering a profound commentary on survival and solidarity amidst chaos.

Alberto Calleo’s The Desert of the Real, utilizing the Unreal Engine, reflects on the simulacrum concept, navigating the evolving dynamics between humans and technology, and the blending of physical and virtual experiences.

Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa’s Uncanny’s Dream presents a haunting reinterpretation of a Fabrizio De André’s song through the digital landscapes of Half-Life 2 and Garry’s Mod, exploring themes of nostalgia, alienation, and the digital footprint on the consciousness of younger generations.

Together, these works exemplify the innovative spirit and rich thematic depth of the Italian machinima scene, spotlighting the unique contributions of young Italian artists to the ongoing discourse on art, technology, and society in the age of video games and artificial intelligence.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: ELIA STRAZZACAPPA

We are excited to share that Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa’s Uncanny’s Dream will be featured in the Made in Italy program at the upcoming Milan Machinima Festival.

Uncanny’s dream is a deliberately glitchy, unhinged reinterpretation of Fabrizio De Andrè’s song Il sogno di Maria. This innovative project breathes new life into the song through the haunting liminal spaces of Half-Life 2, utilizing Garry’s Mod for an immersive experience. This poetic work captures a deep sense of solitude and the existential boundaries familiar to those who have navigated the Source engine’s realms. De André’s lyrics and melody undergo a transformative process, infused with electronic elements and altered vocals, evoking a stark sense of desolation and dehumanization characteristic of synthetic environments. These spaces, simultaneously familiar and alien, embody the project’s exploration of nostalgia and the uncanny, the dominant mood of the 21c. Uncanny’s dream speaks to the early digital explorations of Millennials and Generation Z, invoking a powerful blend of virtual proximity and real alienation, a visceral and intimate experience that has indelibly shaped their cultural and aesthetics perceptions.

Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa is a multifaceted intermedial artist from Italy engaging with a variety of media, including painting, video production, photography, music composition, sculpture, graphic design, 3D modeling, literary work, and tattoo artistry. His work gracefully traverses the boundary between the analog and digital worlds, showcasing a fluid and critical approach to addressing the intricate challenges posed by late-capitalist culture. Strazzacappa is currently enrolled in the New Art Technologies at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan and plays a pivotal role in the dynamic project space @spazioxenia, located in the heart of the city. This collaborative platform acts as a fertile ground for his creative pursuits, with a keen emphasis on painting and the continuous evolution of his personal investigative journey. A distinctive hallmark of Strazzacappa’s artistic philosophy is his exploration of the “anti-product” approach, challenging traditional ideas surrounding the creation and consumption of art, underlining his deep-seated interest in examining and questioning the significance and influence of art within the fabric of modern society.


Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: ALBERTO CALLEO

We are delighted to announce the inclusion of Alberto Calleo’s The Desert of the Real in the Made in Italy program at the forthcoming Milan Machinima Festival.

Created with the Unreal Engine, Alberto Calleo’s The Desert of the Real is an engaging machinima that explores the concept of simulacrum, inspired by French philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s influential book, Simulacra and Simulation (1981). Calleo insightfully navigates Baudrillard’s forward-looking criticism on how reality merges with media, probing the significant effects this fusion has on the very nature of reality. Through the prism of technology, with a specific focus on video game technology, Calleo examines the changing relationship between humans and machines, as well as between the tangible and the virtual realms. He positions video gaming as a crucial form of expression in the realm of contemporary technoculture, highlighting its role in shaping and reflecting our understanding of these complex interactions.

Alberto Calleo works at the intersection of digital media and architectural design, currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Bologna’s Department of Architecture. His research ambitiously spans the convergence of digital media practices and design cultures, with a keen focus on speculative design and forward-thinking through video games and interactive media. Calleo is deeply engaged in the creative applications of 3D modeling, photogrammetry, aero-photogrammetry, and laser scanning. His commitment to advancing the field is evident in his participation in applied research projects alongside various national companies, where he continues to push the boundaries of digital media and design.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: SIMONE FIORENTINO


We are excited to present Simone Fiorentino’s Hold on for Dear Life at the 2024 edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

Featured in the Made in Italy program on March 15, 2024, Hold On for Dear Life by Simone Fiorentino delves into themes of empathy and the innate human ability to connect even under the most challenging conditions. Set within the confines of an unnamed city scarred by conflict, this machinima compellingly illustrates the resilience required to maintain one’s core identity amidst turmoil. The story unfolds around a young man, his loyal dog, and his unique friend Jean-Michel, notable for his absence of a nose, as they endeavor to maintain a semblance of normalcy in their chaotic environment. Fiorentino’s film is dedicated to offering an authentic depiction of life in war-impacted zones, focusing on both the individual and communal adversities encountered by those living there. Through an intimate narration, the filmmaker seeks to bridge the gap between the audience and the stark realities of warfare, shedding light on its profound effects on personal lives and community bonds. The choice of a 4:3 aspect ratio does more than pay homage to classical visual styles; it intentionally magnifies the deeply personal survival tales and the critical support networks that prove indispensable during these trying times.

Created under the supervision and tutorship of Andrea Gatopolous, Ismaël Joffroy Chandoutis, Leonhardt Muellner and Robin Klengel during a residency in Rome in 2023, Simone Fiorentino’s Hold On for Dear Life has received widespread acclaim, evidenced by its recognition and selection at renowned film festivals across the globe. The film was shortlisted for the 62nd Semaine de la Critique at the Festival de Cannes, a testament to its international acclaim. It made its world premiere at the 46th Drama International Short Film Festival in Greece, marking the beginning of its journey through the global film circuit. Hold On for Dear Life met the qualifications for both the Academy Awards and the European Film Awards, with notable screenings at the 39th Interfilm Berlin in Germany and the 39th Videoformes International Festival in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Its Russian premiere took place at the 33rd Message To Men Festival in Saint Petersburg, followed by its German premiere at the 29th Filmfest Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel, Germany, underscoring its resonance in various cultural settings.The film was also an official selection at the 10th Linoleum Animation Festival in Kyiv, Ukraine, further highlighting its broad appeal. Its screening at the Milan Machinima Festival signifies the film’s Italian premiere.

Born in Palermo, Italy in 1995, Simone Fiorentino is a Sicilian screenwriter, film director and music composer. In addition to Hold on for Dear Life, he wrote, directed and composed two additional short films, I saw our future in an orb, 2021, Together, 2018. He also recorded one music album, with the art name silly blu.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: STEFAN PANHANS AND ANDREA WINKLER

We are excited to feature Stefan Panhans and Andrea Winkler’s »If You Tell Me When Your Birthday Is« (Machinima version) at the 2024 edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

Stefan Panhans and Andrea Winkler’s »If You Tell Me When Your Birthday Is« (Machinima version) merges 3D scanning, CGI, avatars, and motion capture with dialogue reflecting AI-driven communication, all set in a vibrantly constructed virtual world. This absurdist mini-drama, divided into three segments, employs real-time graphics to navigate through surreal landscapes - from a BMX course cluttered with office chairs to an otherworldly forest filled with giant pills. The narrative follows two characters wandering fantastical settings, their dialogue laden with misinterpretations and emotional depth, driven by digital patterns and AI mimesis. These avatars, combining 3D models with the actors’ facial scans, move through a series of visually striking, absurd environments that blur the lines between the digital and the physical. Produced during a fellowship at the Academy of Theatre and Digitality in Dortmund, the film critically examines the intricacies of communication with artificial intelligences that saturate modern life. It intentionally highlights the digital-analog conflict and the charming flaws of integrating these realms, rejecting seamless integration for a portrayal filled with comedic and eerie inaccuracies. Through this, »If You Tell Me When Your Birthday Is« (Machinima version) not only entertains but also probes the complexities of our increasingly digital existence.

Stefan Panhans and Andrea Winkler explore contemporary media and its effects on the mind and body through video, photography, installation, and text. Panhans (born in Hattingen, Germany) undertakes a mental archaeology of hyper mediatization and digitalization, examining their influence on the mind and power relations in society. His work also engages with racism, celebrity worship, stereotypes, and diversity. He studied at Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg. Winkler (born in Fällanden, Zurich, Switzerland) examines similar themes through sculpture, video, and installation. She studied at Slade School of Fine Art in London under John Hilliard and Bruce McLean, after completing a degree in Visual Communication at Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg under Wolfgang Tillmans and Gisela Bullacher. Together, the duo create interdisciplinary works that critically investigate contemporary media culture and human-technology interactions through experimental aesthetics. Their collaborations take the form of video, performance, and installation. Their 2016 video, À Rebours. Mod#1.I, was recently featured on VRAL.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: THOMAS HAWRANKE

We are delighted to present Thomas Hawranke’s Play As Animals at the upcoming Milan Machinima Festival in a new format.

Originally coiceived as a two-channel found footage installation exploring the nuanced existence of animals in the virtual realm of Grand Theft Auto V, Play as Animals is presented as a single-channel video within the context of MMF MMXXIV. This work artfully assembles YouTube clips, video sequences, and sound fragments into a compelling visual narrative, highlighting the often-overlooked animal perspectives within a digital world primarily shaped by human stories. Hawranke examines the portrayal of these virtual beings, reflecting on human stereotypes and addressing the game-engineered discrimination they face. By stepping into the roles of these non-human characters, players are invited to view the game’s world through a fresh lens, challenging established norms and inviting a reevaluation of their interaction with the virtual environment. Indirectly, Hawranke asks the viewers: What insights emerge from exploring a trailer park on all fours, or experiencing the quietude of farm life? How does navigating the urban jungle as a pack alter one’s perception of the city? Does a fin's playful breach of water’s surface convey deeper meanings, and can one truly play with mice while sporting paws?

Born in 1977 in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, Thomas Hawranke is a media artist and researcher whose practice investigates the influence of technology on society and the impact of computational logic onto human-animal-machine relationships. In his eclectic interventions, Hawranke operates at the intersection of performance and video art: a central concern of his is bringing to the surface the ideologies that inform everyday life. Hawranke graduated in Media Art at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne and received a PhD from the Bauhaus-University in Weimar, Germany, with a dissertation on the modification of video games, also known as modding, as a method for artistic research. Since 2005, he has been a member of susigames, an independent art label founded in 2003 that investigates alternative gaming’s approaches, and he is the co-founder of the Paidia Institute in Cologne. His works have been presented at several exhibitions and festivals, including the zkm_gameplay in Karlsruhe and the RENCONTRES INTERNATIONALES PARIS/BERLIN. Hawranke lives and works in Cologne, Germany. His recent collaboration with Lasse Sherfigg, Colossal Cave Adventure - The Movie, was featured on VRAL. 

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: ADONIS ARCHONTIDES

We are elated to introduce Adonis Archontides’s Ya gotta wob’ere! Ya gotta wob’ere! (Don't give up! Keep trying!) at the 2024 edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

Ya gotta wob‘ere! Ya gotta wob’ere! (Don’t give up! Keep trying!) (2019) by Adonis Archontides is the third installment of a trilogy developed with/in The Sims 4 between 2018 and 2020, alongside Za woka genava (I think you are hot) (2019) and Sulsul! Plerg Majah Bliff? (Hello! Can I do something else please?) (2018). In all of these works, Archontides crafts challenging scenarios for Non-Player Characters (NPCs), exploring the challenges of our increasingly digital existence. Echoing Angela Washko’s seminal Free Will Mode, this work prompts reflection on control and chaos, agency and surveillance. In her essay titled “When our reflections/avatars die, do they go to heaven?”, Eria Dapola described Adonis’ performance as evocative of a world filled with silent but brutal conflicts, with the artist cast as a non-traditional hero navigating through passive-aggressive violence. The video work highlights the dynamic between the artist and avatar, showcasing a relentless survival effort in a confined, yet transparent space. Additionally, curator Chloe Stavrou suggests that Adonis (Sim) embodies a struggle of futile resistance against the game’s implacable algorithmic logic, culminating in inevitable failure followed by virtual resurrection. What is indisputable is that this repetitive cycle interrogates the concept of autonomy within digital spaces. A Sim running on a treadmill to their demise, compelled to repeat the action over and over, without any meaningful goal or higher purpose, is a poignant metaphor for life in the 21st century.

Adonis Archontides, a multidisciplinary artist with a background in Illustration & Visual Media from the University of the Arts London, creates works that are both satirical and introspective. His art delves into identity formation as a deliberate or unconscious act and explores the blur between fiction, reality, and simulation. His research includes an exploration of his namesake, Adonis, the ancient Greek deity of vegetation and desire, examining how interpretations of myths evolve over time. An enthusiastic gamer, Archontides sees significant artistic value in video games, often incorporating them into his practice. Recently, he has embarked on a collaboration with his own avatar in The Sims 4, weaving together Joseph Campbell’s concept of the hero’s journey and the artist’s career path into an episodic narrative. Archontides is based in Limassol, Cyprus, where he continues to live and work. His work Adonis and the Lockdown Tactics was featured in the 2021 edition of the Milan Machinima Festival. 

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: BRAM RUITER

We are delighted to showcase the remastered, previously unreleased Infinite Skies by Bram Ruiter at the upcoming Milan Machinima Festival.

Infinite Skies, a machinima created by Bram Ruiter and Martin Gerrits during their film school years, explores themes of grief and purgatory. Crafted in the attic of Gerrits’s parents’ home in 2011, this project represents an early, bold foray into complex subjects by the creators, then just 22 years old. Initially viewed by Ruiter as overly edgy, he has since come to recognize its nuanced depth upon revisitation. Echoing the thematic and aesthetic qualities of Ruiter’s later work, Endless Sea, this predecessor inadvertently suggested a trilogy that remained incomplete with the unrealized Unending Earth. This video work marks an early milestone in Ruiter's journey into digital storytelling, setting its narrative against the expansive, generative landscapes of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and drawing inspiration from Philip Solomon’s game video art. Infinite Skies encapsulates a period of raw experimentation and unbridled creativity in Ruiter’s career. Revisited and remastered in 2024, Ruiter’s early work is now being presented for the first time, showcasing his evolving appreciation for the intricate exploration of complex themes.

Bram Ruiter is an experimental filmmaker based in Zwolle, the Netherlands, who creates collage-like cinematic morphologies that examine themes of creation, contradictions, labor, and the unfinished or incomplete. Fascinated by marginal objects and obsolescent procedures, his work incorporates non-traditional materials and broken aesthetics. Ruiter’s films have screened internationally at festivals including the Viennale, Karlovy Vary, Pesaro Film Fest, Fantastic Fest Austin, A.Maze Berlin, and the Netherlands Film Festival. Ruiter also teaches filmmaking at ArtEZ University of the Arts, both at graduate and undergraduate level. His groundbreaking machinima Perpetual Spawning was awarded the Critics’ Choice Award at the 2019 Milan Machinima Festival and his remastered version of Endless Sea was featured in S04 of VRAL.

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MMF MMXXIV: CARSON LYNN

We are thrilled to showcase Carson Lynn’s new, daring work, A bronze anvil falls to the earth. at the forthcoming Milan Machinima Festival.

A bronze anvil falls to the earth. transports the viewer into a chthonic realm, merging gameplay with performance art in the form of machinima. “Chthonic” references the underworld and its associated deities, suggesting themes of depth and concealed forces. This piece artfully combines elements of Greek mythology, Bloodborne’s intricate gameplay, and the concept of queer rage to weave a compelling story of struggle and resilience. It features a solitary avatar in fierce combat with monstrous creatures, metaphorically representing the LGBTQ+ community’s very real-world battles against anti-queer and anti-trans sentiment. The intense combat scenes not only captivate but also explore themes of resistance and defiance against oppression, portraying the avatar’s fight as a broader metaphor for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Lynn effectively conveys a narrative of defiance and unity in the face of changing societal challenges, emphasizing the significance of perseverance and the quest for acceptance

Carson Lynn uses digital landscapes and game spaces to challenge traditional photographic and gaming conventions. Lynn’s diverse artistic toolkit includes analog photography, machinima, infrared scanning, and game hacking. After receiving his MFA from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena in 2020 and earning the ArtCenter Graduate Fellowship, the artist produced Dear Eidolon (2021), showcased on VRAL in 2021 and at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas, in 2023 , His work has gained international recognition, with exhibits at the Hua Naio Animation Festival (China, 2020), Barcú Expo (Bogotá, 2020), and Game Junction at Khodynka Gallery (Moscow, 2021).  Featured in interviews by Killscreen and LACMA Unframed, and a contributor to Heterotopias Magazine, Lynn’s influence extends beyond visual art. Based in Camarillo, California, Lynn continues to explore and redefine the boundaries of digital art and identity.

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MMF MMXXIV: ANDY HUGHES

We are excited to present Andy Hughes’s Inner Migration at the upcoming edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

Inner Migration is an exhilarating ride through Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City, blending game footage with archival films to contrast dystopian futures with past visions of utopia. Hughes transport the viewer into a world under corporate dominance, juxtaposing scenes of environmental and societal neglect with optimistic mid-20th-century American propaganda from Out of This World (1964) and To New Horizons (1940). Inner Migration focuses on Michel Serres’s notion of soft pollution, highlighting the insidious impact of the media on our psyche amidst a backdrop of technological and environmental decay. The film prompts reflection on our expectations for the future against the reality shaped by technological advancement and corporate power. It questions the disparity between historical optimism and the current global situation, suggesting that for some, the dystopian imagery of Night City may already be their reality. Inner Migration encourages a reevaluation of our internal landscapes, confronting the cognitive dissonance between the past’s hopeful promises and today’s challenging circumstances.

Andy Hughes works across photography, painting, sculpture, and digital media, with a focus on littoral zones and plastic waste politics. He studied Fine Art at Cardiff University and received a photography scholarship at the Royal College of Art, London. Hughes was the first Artist in Residence at Tate Gallery St. Ives and collaborates with non-profits like Surfers Against Sewage and the Plastic Pollution Coalition in Los Angeles. In 2013, Hughes contributed to Gyre: The Plastic Ocean, a pioneering project linking science and art to address marine plastic pollution, alongside notable figures like Mark Dion and Carl Safina. This initiative led to a National Geographic film, an exhibition, and a book, supported by entities such as the NOAA and Smithsonian Institution. In 2022, Hughes embarked on a six-month residency at Gapado AiR, South Korea, creating artworks that meld reality with surrealism, addressing themes from the ocean to plastic waste. This residency marked a significant phase in his career, deepening his exploration of environmental concerns through art. His groundbreaking work Plastic Scoop was screened in 2020 at the Milan Machinima Festival

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MMF MMXXIV: KARA GÜT

We are thrilled to announce that Kara Güt’s unclassifiable video work Lurker1, will be screened at the seventh edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

The video begins with a statement: “This is an edited version of the last three nights of twitch user Lurker1’s stream made from recordings sent to me by user creep_by_radiohead in late 2019. Both users have since been deactivated. For the full unedited stream, please contact me”. What follows is a documentation of Lurker1 as he practices the any% speedrun of the game Dark Souls III and talks to the sole chat participant creep_by_radiohead.

Kara Güt is an artist living and working in Ohio, specializing in image-based digital media. Her artistic inquiry delves into the contours of human intimacy as shaped by the digital era, exploring themes of constructed detachment from reality and the intricate power dynamics within virtual spaces. Güt’s work has garnered national and international attention, with notable exhibitions at the Hybrid Box in Hellerau European Centre for the Arts, Dresden; Thomas Erben Gallery, New York; and the Singapore Art Museum. She received an MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art and she boasts affiliations with institutions such as The Institute for Electronic Arts at Alfred University. Güt’s creative endeavors have also been enriched by residencies at SPACES, Pioneer Works Tech Residency and she has been honored as a 2023 Knight Art + Tech Fellow, marking her a point of reference in the sphere of art, online cultures and technology. Her groundbreaking work Hurt/Comfort was screened at the 2023 edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

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MMF MMXXIV: STEVEN COTTINGHAM

We are thrilled to reveal that Steven Cottingham’s latest work, As far as the drone can see, will be showcased in the upcoming edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

With As far as the drone can see, Steven Cottingham navigates the complex terrain of warfare representation in the digital age, specifically through the lens of the military simulation software, ArmA 3, and its exclusion of female figures. Highlighting a critical perspective on the flood of images emerging from contemporary conflict zones, the artist questions the authenticity of such visuals, noting that some are generated from ArmA 3, which despite its realistic military portrayal, omits women entirely. Cottingham’s film intervenes by using open-source modifications to introduce a female journalist character into the game, engaging with a genderfluid guerrilla group. This narrative seeks to challenge the game’s gender biases and explore the potential of digital simulations to represent complex realities of conflict, including gender and power dynamics. The use of a drone symbolizes both an observer’s detachment and an omnipresent witness to these dynamics, suggesting a reflection on how conflict and its representation are inseparably entwined with media.

Steven Cottingham is an artist deeply engaged with the notions of virtual realism and visualization politics. His work critically examines the influence of emerging image technologies - including bodycams, surveillance advertising, military simulation software, and AI in prisons - on social behavior. Through filmworks and video essays likeA Camera Captures Images, A Court Sets Them Free and Postphotorealism, Cottingham explores the circulation of images and their impact on law enforcement and public perception, emphasizing the constructed nature of imagery to uncover the societal and technological processes that create meaning. His practice, which incorporates computer vision, animal crypsis, and documentary methods, invites a reevaluation of life under surveillance. Cottingham’s contributions have been recognized in venues such as Wil Aballe Art Projects, The 8th Floor, and The Polygon Gallery, among others. He co-edited the periodical QOQQOON (2018-2021) and participated in the Whitney Independent Study Program (2021-2022). Based in Vancouver, Canada, his work is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council, highlighting his critical exploration of modern image-making and its societal effects. His monumental work Chain Link was featured on VRAL in 2022.

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MMF MMXXIV: GINA HARA, RESIDENT ARTIST

The Milan Machinima Festival is proud to welcome acclaimed filmmaker Gina Hara as our inaugural Artist-in-Residence.

During her upcoming festival residency in Milan, Ms. Hara will present her latest work, partecipate in the upcoming In-Game Photography conference, while also leading a 1-day workshop for students enrolled in IULM’s Master of Arts in Television, Cinema and New Media, and specifically in the course taught by Matteo Bittanti entitled Video Games, Technology and Art.

Ms. Hara’s current projects build upon her extensive background in the context of game design, digital community and experimental cinema. As Creative Director of Montreal’s Technoculture, Art and Games Research Centre, she spearheads initiatives melding artistic imagination with videogame technology.

As an interdisciplinary artist, Ms. Hara holds an MA in Intermedia and an MFA in Film Production. Her broad experience encompasses film, video, gaming, new media and design. Her 2011 fiction short Waning received a Best Canadian Short nomination at the Toronto International Film Festival. Over the past decade, Ms. Hara has pioneered new frontiers in both filmmaking and creative Minecraft game video productions.

A true visionary in machinima filmmaking, Ms. Hara is the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Critics’ Choice Award for her stunning Sidings of the Afternoon. Unfolding entirely within Minecraft’s blocky realms, the work weaves an artistic dialogue across digital and physical realms, drawing inspiration from the photography and film innovations of legendary Bauhaus figure László Moholy-Nagy. Specifically, Hara explores how the Bauhaus movement’s ideals, creative techniques and uniting of fine art with function still reverberate through contemporary imagination and virtual spaces today. The film’s nonlinear narrative emerges through the lens of Maya Deren’s avant-garde classic Meshes of the Afternoon.

 
 

Her groundbreaking work Valley (2023) was featured in Season 3 of the VRAL. Inspired by the growing prevalence of AI counseling services, Hara developed a custom chatbot named Robin to simulate conversations spanning emotional issues like anxiety, self-doubt and growth. The dialogues touch on quintessentially human questions of purpose, connection and inner peace. Setting these intimate debates within a fantastical blocky gaming realm adds layers of irony and underscores the gulf between AI logical thinking and nuances of human psychology.

 
 

Her earlier film Geek Girls (2017) was screened at IULM in 2019 as part of the university’s Gender Play series events exploring the role of women in gaming culture. This original documentary reveals the overlooked women within fan communities. In fact, although geeky pop culture has gained prominence and visibility, little attention has focused on the many women shaping these worlds.With insight and humor, Hara’s camera follows female gamers, coders and sci-fi fans. She captured their exhilaration and solidarity, but also their frequent exclusion within male-dominated nerd spheres. From professional gamers facing online harassment to women developers battling death threats, Geek Girls spotlights a complex multiplicity of female experiences. Some women find community, some encounter gatekeeping. Most see both. Through intimate interviews, the film unpacks women’s engagement with today’s geek culture. Hara grapples with her own geeky identity on camera, situating herself within the world explored.

 
 

No less remarkable is Hara’s 2015 immersive multimedia installation that transforms the popular game Minecraft into a thought-provoking experiment on the rise and fall of civilizations, MindCraft, created with Pierson Browne and Joachim Desplande.

In its original open-world form, Minecraft offers players endless freedom to create, destroy, and explore fantasy realms limited only by their imagination. Yet in Hara, Browne and Desplande’s hacked version of the game, players face a starkly different scenario. Instead of an infinite sandbox, participants find themselves confined to a small, isolated island in the sky, surrounded on all sides by a vast, empty void. With minimal living space and finite resources, players must band together to survive and build a lasting society on this isolated island, passing hard-won knowledge from one generation to the next. Each person’s gameplay decisions collectively determines whether this microcosm world thrives or perishes over time.

By subverting Minecraft’s utopian promise, MindCraft confronts participants with important questions on sustainability, cooperation, and the delicate balance between creation and destruction. As they build an uncertain future for those who come next, players may gain insight into the enduring question: What legacy do we choose to leave?

 
 

In 2016, Hara directed and produced the award-winning machinima documentary web series Your Place or Minecraft? exploring the intersection of gaming and academia.

This episodic show transports viewers to the richly modded virtual realm known as the “mLab server” on Minecraft, owned by a game research center at Montreal’s Concordia University and inhabited by real-life students and professors from the center itself. As their academic lives and virtual adventures intertwine, the series captures the compelling stories that emerge. The seven episodes follow the players as they navigate collaborative projects, interpersonal conflicts, ambition, joy and frustrations, all within Minecraft’s possibility space.

Part documentary and part social drama, Your Place or Minecraft offers a window into the bonding and clashes that arise when academics build together in a virtual sandbox. The show spotlights not only their creations but also their real-world relationships as revived through the lens of gameplay. With insightful humor and immersive filming, the webseries encapsulates the joys, politics and collaborative challenges of scholarship.

 
 

We eagerly anticipate the insights and inspiration Ms. Hara will contribute as our first Game Artist-in-Residence at the 2024 Milan Machinima Festival.

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MMF MMXXIV: POSTER REVEAL

The eagerly anticipated 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival will take place from March 11th-17th, 2024 at IULM University in Milan, Italy. We will soon announce the full program of events, guests, speakers and workshops. But today we’re happy to reveal the official poster designed by visionary artist Babak Ahteshamipour.

Currently based in Athens, Greece, Babak brings an interdisciplinary background spanning mining engineering, materials science and avant-garde creativity to his boundary-defying practice. Blending technology and culture, his work melds gaming, online subcultures and ecological issues to explore modern identity and coexistence. Babak’s innovative artworks have been showcased internationally at venues like Pompidou Center and New Art City, as well as VRAL in 2023, and 2022. Additionally, is remarkable work In Search of the Banned Dictionaries that contain the Words for the Things You Wish you could Express but You are Unable to With Common Words was screened at the 2022 Milan Machinima Festival.

Babak’s vivid new poster design epitomizes the festival’s ethos of propelling machinima into unmapped creative frontiers. Electrifying colors and fantastical shapes blend gaming visuals with mysterious organic shapes, suggesting unexpected artistic dimensions virtual worlds could unlock.

“We’re thrilled Babak’s singular aesthetic is infusing this year with such daring imaginative energy,” says Matteo Bittanti, the festival’s artistic director. “His free-spirited art truly embodies the boundary-breaking, risk-embracing spirit at the heart of machinima. Babak’s work stretches limits and blows open new horizons for virtual creativity. He is basically saying: machinima is radioactive and we all bask in its glow.”

Amidst the flames and monoliths, this striking poster signals a phoenix-like rebirth for the bold, ever-evolving art form of machinima. The Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV promises to ignite blazing new creative fires across uncharted dimensions.

In his statement, Babak elaborates on the inspirations behind this mythic vision:

“In the heart of an inferno-kissed terrain, where flames dance with the abandon of recklessness, a desperate portal breathes forth the ethereal ghosts of the quantum fabric. In this land, the psyche of non-organic intertwines with the mechanical and gives birth to the grotesque and the gore cosmic energies — a testament to a world teetering on the precipice.

Within of this tapestry of dissonant chaos, anthropocentric echoes navigate the chasm between accelerated technological singularity and the relentless greed-fueled rhythms of consumerism. Alien tendrils coil around the delicate threads of reality and the hues of ecological decay whisper the ode of a turbulent dystopian headbanging, where each brutal riff unfolds a haunting reminder of the consequences woven into the fabric of voracious desires.

A convergence of the surreal and the intimate, an otherworldly mirror, hope stands trial against the toxic mists of gleeful lust and blindfolded technocracy.”

Babak Ahteshamipour is an interdisciplinary artist, writer and musician based in Athens, Greece with a background in mining and materials engineering. His practice is based on the collision of the virtual vs the actual, aimed at correlating topics from cyberspace to ecology and politics to identity, exploring them via gaming, online and pop subcultures with a focus on themes of coexistence and simultaneity. Ahteshamipour’’s work has been presented at festivals, venues, galleries and spaces, museums and institutes such as Centre Pompidou, New Art City, The Wrong, Neo Shibuya TV, University of North Texas, The Networked Imagination Laboratory (McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario), Biquini Wax ESP, Experimental Sound Studio, Milan Machinima Festival, [ANTI]MATERIA, ArtSect Gallery, and Ametric Festival. Ahteshamipour has released music on the independent cassette label Industrial Coast and on the cassette label Jollies. His music has been played on radio stations such as Fade Radio, Radio Raheem, and Radio alHara. He has performed and shared the stage with artists such as HELM, Zoviet France, The Nam Shub of Enki, Gaël Segalen, Sister Overdrive, and Kiriakos Spirou. He has created video clips for artists such as Fire-Toolz, Digifae, and B.MICHAEEL. His work has been featured on magazines such as CTM Festival’s magazine, KIBLIND, und. Athens, Our Culture Magazine and ATTN: Magazine.

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MEET THE JURORS: JENNA NG

Jenna Ng, courtesy of University of York

The seventh edition of the Milan Machinima Festival features an international jury panel comprising four esteemed members, including Jenna Ng.

Jenna Ng is an accomplished multi-award-winning researcher, highly regarded in the fields of digital media and culture. With an impressive educational background, including a PhD from University College London, she has transitioned from a finance lawyer to a trailblazer in academic research. Her work is primarily focused on theoretical, cultural, and critical analyses that intersect digital and visual culture. Her areas of expertise are diverse, encompassing digital media, digital culture, creative technologies, AI and algorithmic culture, interactive storytelling, and interactive media.

Ng's commitment to digital media and culture is evident in her extensive publication record. She is known for her groundbreaking work in digital imaging, screen cultures, and interactive storytelling. Her innovative approach includes practice-based methodologies, leading to unique research outputs such as a second-screen installation for theatre performance, multimedia scholarship, video essays, and online open-access collaborative initiatives. Her latest project, a creative research website on the nature of virtuality, has earned accolades such as the John Culkin Award for Outstanding Praxis in the Field of Media Ecology, the Learning on Screen Special Jury Prize, and the MeCCSA Practice-Based Research of the Year award.

As an esteemed speaker, Ng has delivered over 25 invited talks worldwide, including keynotes and plenaries at major conferences like the Society of Cinema and Media Studies (SCMS) and the British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies (BAFTSS). She has also been a guest speaker at various public events and a juror for the Critics’ Choice Award at the Milan Machinima Festival.

Ng’s first book, Understanding Machinima: Essays on Filmmaking in Virtual Worlds (Bloomsbury, 2013), is a multimedia academic collection exploring the remediation of machinima in various fields. It has been well-received for its insightful exploration of machinima and is considered a foundational text for the emerging field of machinima studies. Her second book, The Post-Screen Through Virtual Reality, Holograms and Light Projections: Where Screen Boundaries Lie (Amsterdam University Press, 2021), delves into new theories of image display and has been awarded Honourable Mention for Best First Monograph by BAFTSS. Ng’s third book, currently in progress, will explore the existential tensions of living in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

In addition to her books, Ng has contributed significantly to academic journals like Cinema Journal, Animation, Games and Culture, and Screening the Past. At the University of York, she serves as the Head of Creative Technologies and has held various significant roles, including founding the Interactive Media BSc programme and establishing the MA Digital Media and Culture programme. Jenna Ng's multifaceted career and contributions to the academic world underscore her status as a leading figure in the study and exploration of digital media and culture.

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