The Visual Narratives Laboratory (vnLab), operating since 2019 at the Łódź Film School, is a pioneering initiative in the Polish academic community, focused on researching and developing new forms of narrative in the context of the evolution of audiovisual digital culture and media under the influence of modern technologies.
The Visual Narratives Laboratory 2019-2024
The project received funding under the pilot program of the Ministry of Education and Science called the Regional Excellence Initiative (RID), which is addressed to selected universities conducting scientific research and development work with particularly high potential in the fields of science, natural sciences, and social sciences. Therefore, the inclusion of an art university such as the Film School in Łódź among the mere 30 universities nationwide that received this funding can be considered a unique distinction.
In the first phase of its activity, vnLab established six specialized research studios focusing on VR, AR, XR, and S3D technologies, the production of film essays, live events, interactive narratives, audience and viewer research, and the development of national and international cooperation. Each studio explored different aspects of visual narration and carried out interdisciplinary artistic and research projects. vnLab’s activities also included organizing workshops, conferences, and events to disseminate the results of its work, supporting the integration of the academic community with the creative sector and promoting Polish audiovisual art on the national and international stage.
In total, during its first five years of operation, vnLab produced over 70 artistic and research works, including 13 VR films, 17 film essays, 1 animated film made using S3D technology, and several innovative transmedia projects and interactive documentaries. These works have been presented at dozens of domestic and international festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival (USA), IDFA (Netherlands), DOK Leipzig (Germany), Open City Documentary Festival (UK), One World, Ji.hlava IDFF, and AniFilm (Czech Republic), and in Poland at the Krakow Film Festival, the Polish Feature Film Festival in Gdynia, Millenium Docs Against Gravity and Digital Cultures in Warsaw, the New Horizons Festival, and the WRO Media Art Biennale in Wrocław.
The first stage of vnLab’s activity was summarized by the “Ground Control” exhibition, which took place in September 2023 during the Venice Biennale Cinema International Film Festival. It presented the Laboratory’s portfolio, including selected VR works, film essays, and interactive projects.
Currently, the vnLab Visual Narrative Laboratory focuses on strengthening the Film School’s position as a leader of change in the field of media and creative industries in Poland and maintaining its status as a leading international center of innovation in the field of audiovisual research and artistic activity. The laboratory’s work currently focuses on five program paths:
- Artificial intelligence – analysis of the use of AI tools in the creative process and reflection on their impact.
- Film essay – developing this method as a practice of visual thinking and supporting the creation of video essays.
- Digital storytelling – exploration of contemporary forms of visual narration combining various digital media.
- Narrative structures – study of narrative constructions in various artistic and research forms.
- Digital technologies in culture – analyzing the impact of technology on the sphere of culture and the concerns associated with it.
In addition to implementing artistic projects within the framework of the program paths, an important aspect of the vnLab team’s activities is conducting research on creators, institutions, cultural participants, and the market environment in the context of new technologies. Based on the scientific and research projects carried out at vnLab, the team has published over 25 scientific texts in peer-reviewed journals and scientific publications and prepared a monographic issue of the scientific journal devoted to visual culture studies, “Widok. Teorie i Praktyki Kultury Wizualnej” (View. Theories and Practices of Visual Culture). Team members have also developed a number of popularization texts and participated in many festivals, conferences, and other events, presenting research results and in-depth analyses of new forms of visual narrative developed in the laboratory.
Another important area of vnLab’s activity is improving the skills of people involved in the laboratory’s operations, as well as lecturers, doctoral students, and associates of the Łódź Film School. To date, approximately 500 people have participated in workshops, training courses, and other forms of education organized by the team, and over 2,000 people have taken part in other various forms of national and international cooperation. As part of vnLab, two editions of the international scientific conference “New Visual Narratives” were also held, attracting a total of nearly 1,000 participants.
In addition, vnLab’s activities also focus on, among other things, improving the quality of education at the Film School, supporting other artistic and research projects carried out by doctoral students and staff at the university, developing innovative artistic and technological solutions and their commercialization, promoting artistic activities and research results, as well as strengthening cooperation with the business sector and international partners.
Thanks to the vnLab Visual Narrative Laboratory, an important platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences for creators, researchers, and theorists in the audiovisual industry has been created. This project has a lasting impact on the artistic and scientific community and the media industry, inspiring further exploration in the field of new forms of narration and shaping the development of modern digital culture.
