Media Lab Gets $25M for Future Storytelling Center

The MIT Media Lab announced today that it had created the Center for Future Storytelling. The Center is funded through a seven-year, $25-million commitment from Plymouth Rock Studios, a new movie and television studio opening in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 2010. Looking at everything from films to P2P technology, the Center seeks "to transform audiences into active participants in the storytelling process, bridging the real and virtual worlds, and allowing everyone to make their own unique stories with user-generated content on the Web."

It's not clear if that will involve virtual worlds at all, though the Media Lab is certainly a hot spot for virtual world discussion.  Likewise, there's strong media interest in virtual worlds and the related technology, though it's not entirely clear how it could be integrated.

[Update: A Media Lab rep told me that "Yes, research in the virtual worlds space will be part of the Center for Future Storytelling." I'll be following up with them later.]

Major players like Disney and Viacom already use virtual worlds to extend their franchises long past the movie release--or several sequels. Others, like the BBC and the SciFi channel are experimenting with virtual worlds and MMOGs that allow for more interaction with television programs or that evolve alongside them. Another large media company is working with Virtual Italian Parks on virtual world-enabled, user-created movies.

There's definitely opportunity there. It'll be interesting to see if the Media Lab thinks so as well.

The Center will be headeded up by three principle investigators: V. Michael Bove, Jr., who focuses on object-based media and interactive television; LG Associate Professor Cynthia Breazeal, working in the field of personal robots and human-robot interaction; and Associate Professor Ramesh Raskar, who has worked on new imaging, display, and performance-capture technologies.

 “Storytelling is at the very root of what makes us uniquely human,” Frank Moss, Media Lab director, said in a statement. “It is how we share our experiences, learn from our past, and imagine our future. But how we tell our stories depends on another uniquely human characteristic–our ability to invent and harness technology. From the printing press to the Internet, technology has given people new ways to tell their stories, allowing them to reach new levels of creativity and personal fulfillment. The shared vision of the MIT Media Lab and Plymouth Rock Studios allows us to take the next quantum leap in storytelling, empowering ordinary people to connect in extraordinary ways.”

Comments

[Jessica]

I think that Having The MIT media lab with Plymouth Rock Studios, will help the Hollywood East be a better Studio, to keep it going and to Create the best work anyone could make. To Have them help something that isnt just going to create movies for us to all watch, but to also help create thousands of jobs is the best thing that could have to Massachusetts.

[Karly]

The MIT media lab will definetely bring some amazing opportunities to Plymouth Rock Studios with the advanced technology available to keep the studio going on many different levels of success.

[Carrie Reddington]

I am SO excited about this!!!
his will bring many opportunities to Plymouth Rock Studio's, and to M.I.T. as well.

[Katie]

Not only will the MIT media lab be a great help for Plymouth Rock Studios, but the studio will also be a great source of employment, internship or other means of experience for students working in the lab.

[Corey]

A collaboration of great minds from both ends. MIT and Plymouth rock studios are going to really make some interesting stories come to life; very exciting! I can not wait to read more about what this newly assembled team as in store for us.