18.5.21
|
Anneli Xie

Meet the Speakers: Markku Lorentz and Pengu Studios

What kind of hero would you like to become? In Natural Pengu, Markku Lorentz explores the concept of cooperative storytelling of real-life, albeit virtual, humans, crossing the borders between life online and life offline. But how? Let's see..

What kind of hero would you like to become?

I'm Markku Lorentz, and I love stories. Most of all I love dreaming about being the hero of the story.  Luke, Frodo, Heisenberg and Tyrion have all given me hope when dealing with bullies at school, power tripping bosses at work, and heart wrenching crushes that were just out of reach.

Kenneth Burke once said: "Story equips us to life." Story has gotten me through life. 


Yet, what if… 


I know I can read books and imagine. Or I can watch Mark, Elijah, Bryan and Peter act as my proxy, and overcome unbeatable odds on the other side of the screen. And so I find the strength to believe that just maybe I’ve got a chance on this side of the screen as well. 

The feared Bjarn, that hides from his past in the frozen forests of Frisvieg. Photo: Markku Lorentz / Pengu Studios.


But what if story could become even more personal? What if I could skip the proxy? What if I could actually BE the hero? 

This is the goal of my company Pengu Studios. Through some really cool recent technological leaps, we can now build truly amazing digital humans. A face can be scanned in incredible detail with a mobile phone.

If I can’t go to Middle Earth, or Tatooine, my digital avatar can. I can watch my exact likeness being the hero… Or? 

Wait. No.

If my avatar goes to Middle Earth, or Tatooine, he might face some unbeatable IP odds. Even Tyrion would quake and shrink from those. 

Natural Pengu allows everyone to become a hero. Photo: Markku Lorentz / Pengu Studios.


We need new worlds. New heroes.

Natural Pengu brings talented storytellers together around a table. Using cooperative storytelling game rules, like Dungeons & Dragons, we improvise into existence exciting world's, as well as  heroes that face the limits of human experience. We stream these sessions live on Twitch.

Real time rendering software, such as Unity, make animated filmmaking lightning fast. Rendering  everyone a unique and personalized version of a movie is now a reality.

I might not be able to be Luke or Frodo, neither Heisenberg nor Tyrion. But in the worlds created by the cast of Natural Pengu I can be Peng Ooh, the very brave but very short kung fu monk, or the feared Bjarn, that hides from his past in the frozen forests of Frisvieg. Or Razah Divrin, Dani Felt, Ow Godnah the Half Elf, or...


So, what kind of hero WILL you become?


–––––––
Text for xPlot by Markku Lorentz.

Markku Lorentz will be joining us at Crossing Borders: The Future of the Cultural and Creative Industries TOMORROW at 5 pm CET. You can read more about Lorentz and Natural Pengu on his website.
Don't forget to secure your spot to our event by signing up on Hopin!
22.1.24
|
Lars Mattiasson

Framtidens Mode designer

Hur påverkas skapandet när modebranschen digitaliseras?

Read more
10.1.24
|
Lars Mattiasson

‍Skapa en hållbar textil-& modeindustri. Anmäl dig till NEST!

Textil- och modeindustrin står inför stora utmaningar och måste gå från överproduktion till en mer hållbar, on-demand baserad produktion och cirkulära affärsmodeller. För att möta dessa utmaningar och driva branschen mot en hållbar framtid, öppnar NEST (New Entrepreneurship for a Sustainable Textile industry) upp för ansökningar till 2024 års bootcamp. Programmet är öppet för entreprenörer som vill bidra till denna förändring i textil- och modebranschen.

Read more
1.3.23
|
Anneli Xie

Missa inte Smarts Stora Kunskapsdag – för kreatörer!

Den 15 mars kommer vara fullproppad med inspiration och information för dig som är kultur- och konstskapare. Här finns idéer kring att skapa projekt, hitta finansiering, europeiska samarbeten och digitalisering – missa inte Smarts Stora Kunskapsdag!

Read more
30.1.23
|

Livepodd 15/2: Fashion Transformation - Digitalt mode & gaming

Den 15 februari kl. 11:30–12:15 sänder vi live från xPlot i Lund för en paneldiskussion om de spännande och framväxande möjligheterna inom digitalt mode och gaming – och hur detta kan hjälpa modebranschen att ställa om. Anmäl dig här!

Read more
15.12.22
|

Slow vs. Fast: Framtidens textilproduktion

Förra veckan höll NEST ett spännande panelsamtal om framtidens textilproduktion. Slow vs. fast fashion: hur ser framtidens textilproduktion ut? Vad är egentligen hållbart? Se samtalet här!

Read more
29.11.22
|
Anneli Xie

Nu kan du söka till NEST 2023!

Den 7 december kickar vi igång NEST 2023 med ett event om Framtidens Textilproduktion och vad slow vs. fast fashion innebär. Samtidigt öppnar vi upp för anmälningar till NESTs bootcamp – för dig som vill utveckla din affärsidé tillsammans med oss.

Read more
15.6.22
|
Anneli Xie

"We want to understand the textile industry's challenges within research"

How do we make the fashion industry more sustainable? In the fashion industry, finding holistic solutions in collaborations across borders might be the missing key. We visit Selma Maric and Kim Nygård at MAX IV to hear more about textile research.

Read more
10.6.22
|

RecoMended vinnare av NEST-pitchtävling och TEKOs stipendium

Vinnare av NEST-pitchtävling och TEKOs stipendium på 75.000:- blev startupbolaget RecoMended som erbjuder automatiserade och skalbara textila reparationslösningar.

Read more
2.5.22
|
Anneli Xie

Time-traveling app Be Here Then wins Creative Business Cup Sweden 2022!

A time machine in your pocket, Be Here Then is the winner of the 2022 Creative Business Cup Sweden! Founder and CEO, Charlotte Rodenstedt, tells us about her creative journey and the future for her company.

Read more