Digital Storytelling: Art and the New Machine

Digital Storytelling 2010

For our 20th anniversary, we return to Cinemateket with a theme that feels more urgent than ever: Art and the New Machine. The ground is shifting again.

What makes this moment different is not just that the tools are changing; tools have always changed. It is that some of what is changing raises harder questions about what artists are for. At the same time, some of the most compelling work being made right now; from the tactile, handcrafted VFX of Ryan Coogler's Sinners to the player-generated cinematic experiences of ARC Raiders; points in a different direction entirely: back towards the real, the physical, the irreducibly human. That tension is worth exploring together, in the same room.

Across an afternoon of talks and conversations, we'll hear from VFX supervisors, artists, and creative leaders working at the forefront of the field, followed by an evening of drinks, food, and reconnection at Lemongrass. Whether you've been with us since the beginning or are joining for the first time, this is a chance to take stock of how far the craft has come, and where it's heading next.

Join us on 9 October!

Speakers

We're building a programme of artists and creative leaders working at the forefront of visual effects, animation, and interactive media. First confirmed:

Espen Nordahl

Head of VFX, Storm Studios (Oslo)

Academy Award–nominated and Emmy Award–winning, Espen has helped shape some of the most ambitious visual effects work to come out of the Nordic region.

Tahir Tanis

Creative Director, Embark Studios (Stockholm)

Working across concept art, world-building, and the outer edges of visual storytelling, Tahir brings the perspective of games and interactive media to the conversation.

The full programme, including our keynote, will be announced after the summer break.

Digital Storytelling 2011: Photo: Digital Storytelling

What to expect

Talks from the field

An afternoon of talks from Norwegian and international practitioners working at the intersection of film, games, and emerging technology. Sessions cover both the creative work and the harder questions it now raises. Further speakers will be announced in August.

Two anniversary showreels

Two exclusive reels mark the occasion. The first revisits VFX work presented at Digital Storytelling between 2006 and 2015. The second surveys Norwegian VFX from 2016 to 2026, curated by the Norwegian VFX Association. Seen back to back, they make the case for how far the Norwegian VFX industry has come and what great strides it has made and how it has established itself globally.

The closing conversation

The tools keep changing and they always have. "The Artist and the New Machine" takes the long view: what remains constant is the artist; the craft, the judgement, the creative decisions no tool makes for you. A moderated discussion and open audience Q&A to close the day. It is unlikely to be polite or one-sided.

Prize draw

Every paid ticket enters a prize draw for professional software licences. The headline prize is a full annual Houdini FX licence from SideFX. Chaos contribute a V-Ray Premium and a V-Ray Solo annual licence. Prizes are drawn at the evening reception at Lemongrass.

Evening reception at Lemongrass

The seminar continues informally at Lemongrass, the restaurant on the ground floor of Cinemateket. Included with all ticket types. This year the reception is also a 20th anniversary party; finger food, drinks, and if past editions are anything to go by, the best conversations of the day.

Digital Storytelling 2011 Concept Art exhibition. Photo: Oda Bhar

Eleven editions. Eleven years.

Practical information

Date: Friday, October 9, 2026

Time: 13:00–17:00, followed by the evening reception from 17:00–20:00.

Venue: Cinemateket, Tancred cinema, Oslo

The seminar runs through the afternoon at Cinemateket's Tancred cinema in central Oslo. Doors open ahead of the first session — we recommend arriving in good time to collect your badge.

Have more questions? See our FAQ