Digital Storytelling: Art and the New Machine
October 9, 2026 — Cinemateket Oslo
About this edition
Twenty years ago, Digital Storytelling brought together artists, filmmakers, and technologists in Oslo to explore what happens when creative ambition meets new tools.. What began in 2006 as a single seminar at Cinemateket grew into eleven editions over a decade and a community that kept coming back.
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.
Artificial intelligence, real-time technology, and the blurring line between games and film are reshaping how images are made and what is possible on screen. As before, artists are at the edge of something we don't yet fully understand but need to explore together.
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.
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
World Art 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.
Practical information
Date: Friday, October 9, 2026
Time: 13:00–17:00, followed by the evening reception
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.
The after-party
When the talks wrap, we move on to Lemongrass for an evening of drinks, finger food, mingling, and reunions — the kind of conversations that tend to pick up right where they left off, even years later. The reception is included with every ticket.
