DocLab R&D Program
In 2018, IDFA DocLab launched an R&D Progam in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Open Documentary Lab), among other partners, to expand the festival into a living lab for artistic experimentation, research, and development across disciplines.
IDFA DocLab has become a key international platform for new talent, artistic innovation, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Meanwhile, new developments in immersive technology—like virtual reality, as well as AR and AI—have introduced explosive new opportunities. But as new immersive consumer devices are being introduced to the masses, key questions still exist around how to successfully live up to the true potential of immersive media. The R&D Program of DocLab focusses on specific research questions that arise from developments in the field.
Research focus areas and results
- 2023 research focus area Prototyping the Future
- 2022 research results Creating Community in Hybrid Festivals
- 2020 -2021 research results Augmentation as Public Media
- 2019 research results User experiences of immersive media
- 2018 research results AI and Documentary: Defining Our Terms
Podcasts and resources
In addition to developing their research at DocLab, the artists who participate in the program are out there sharing their knowledge abroad. Read and listen to some of the critical discourses taking place in the world of interactive and immersive non-fiction.