The CHAT Festival, held at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, kicked off yesterday with Keynote speaker Robbie Bach, Microsoft’s President of Entertainment & Devices division. Mr. Bach’s presentation addressed “The Future of Entertainment”.
Mr. Bach began his presentation by reminding the audience of how far we have come in the evolution of media and entertainment, specifically focusing on the mode of reception. Something that stuck out was his observations on how the “Big Screen” has gone from solely pertaining to televisions to including computers, cell phones and iPods. With sites such as YouTube and Hulu, the ability to download movies directly to our homes has given our society tools to utilize various forms of technology at our fingertips.
Mr. Bach also mentioned various emerging trends. I paid particular attention to what he had to say about Content Creators. I fancy myself a digital storyteller in some senses, and Mr. Bach really opened my eyes. Art is starting to flow across screens. Whether you are a musician, artist, writer, filmmaker, etc. society’s ideal of art is taking on a new form, specifically in how it is transmitted and received. A new age of “Digital Artists” have emerged who animate, draw, paint and compose in a strictly digital world.
More importantly, the digital age allows us to experience entertainment with others, while not having to share the same physical space. With innovations like online gaming, XBOX Live, webcams, etc. we are able to enjoy current forms of entertainment with our network, regardless of location.
Mr. Bach concluded his talk with the current status and future outlook for Microsoft. Mr. Bach focused on a new user interface trend, recognizing movement not only on a two-dimensional, but a three-dimensional level. In particular, keep an eye out for: the Microsoft Surface and a new endeavor, Project Natal.
To check out the rest of the CHAT Festival program for the week, visit the conference website.
-By Jordan Mendys, RTP Social Media Intern-