XR DAY 2026: Immersion | Art | Performance
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and Akademie für Darstellende Kunst Baden-Württemberg explore digitally Extended Realities
Date: Friday, April 10, 9 am - 6 pm
Location: Campus of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW) and Akademie für Darstellende Kunst Baden-Württemberg (ADK)
On XR Day, Akademie für Darstellende Kunst and Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg will offer insights into the diverse applications of eXtended Reality (XR). Keynote speeches and hands-on experiences with Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) demonstrate the broad spectrum of what can be achieved with non-linear, user-controlled (XR) technologies in film, theatre, media, art, and industry—and where new fields of application are emerging.
The event is organized by Akademie für Darstellende Kunst and Carl Laemmle Institut for Research & Media Innovation with contributions from the Animationsinstitut.
Keynote Lectures
9.10 am - What the fox - VR Case study
Alex Herrmann & Alec Barth (jyotifilm)
In the VR experience “What the fox”, users step into the paws of a red fox and embark on an emotional, interactive journey through the city at night. Along the way, they encounter dangers and challenges that offer them a new perspective on urban life and wildlife in the city. The project is currently in the R&D phase and is using this time to explore the latest technologies in the field of Gaussian Splatting. The keynote talk provides an insight into the current state of research and the interdisciplinary collaboration within the team, which spans the fields of art, science and technology.
In the VR experience “What the fox”, users step into the paws of a red fox and embark on an emotional, interactive journey through the city at night. Along the way, they encounter dangers and challenges that offer them a new perspective on urban life and wildlife in the city. The project is currently in the R&D phase and is using this time to explore the latest technologies in the field of Gaussian Splatting. The keynote talk provides an insight into the current state of research and the interdisciplinary collaboration within the team, which spans the fields of art, science and technology.
9.30 am - MAIA in CyberLÄND. How AI avatars are rethinking storytelling, community and value creation
Frank Dürr, (Acameo,Cyberländ) und Max Schmierer (BREX)
MAIA, CyberLÄND’s 3D avatar, demonstrates how AI-powered characters combine immersive experiences, community interaction and digital business models. From intelligent avatars for community platforms to the Apple Vision Pro experience, it becomes clear how storytelling, content curation and web and XR applications merge in a practical way.
MAIA, CyberLÄND’s 3D avatar, demonstrates how AI-powered characters combine immersive experiences, community interaction and digital business models. From intelligent avatars for community platforms to the Apple Vision Pro experience, it becomes clear how storytelling, content curation and web and XR applications merge in a practical way.
9.50 am - Reverse Turing Test: AIs try to figure out who is the human in the group, can you fool them?
Frank Dürr, (Acameo,Cyberländ) und Max Schmierer (BREX)
What happens when the machines get to judge you? The "Reverse Turing Test" is a VR experience where you must go undercover and convince a panel of AI historical figures that you are an AI like them. Join me to explore the prompt engineering and psychological thrills of trying to trick the algorithms.
What happens when the machines get to judge you? The "Reverse Turing Test" is a VR experience where you must go undercover and convince a panel of AI historical figures that you are an AI like them. Join me to explore the prompt engineering and psychological thrills of trying to trick the algorithms.
10.10 am - Cinematography for Virtual Production
Matthias Bolliger (Director of Photography, Lecturer, Coach)
Thinking of the real and the virtual as one – Cinematography for Virtual Production. How camera, lighting and space are merging in new ways within digital production environments.
Virtual production is not merely a technical toolkit, but an advanced form of cinematic thinking: visual composition, lighting, set design, performance and real-time visualisation merge to create a new, malleable space.
Thinking of the real and the virtual as one – Cinematography for Virtual Production. How camera, lighting and space are merging in new ways within digital production environments.
Virtual production is not merely a technical toolkit, but an advanced form of cinematic thinking: visual composition, lighting, set design, performance and real-time visualisation merge to create a new, malleable space.
10.30 am - Breakfall: Capturing the spontaneous impulse
Frederik Stapf & Raphael Tonn (Animationsinstitut students)
Transforming improvised movement into an animated dance film.
Transforming improvised movement into an animated dance film.
11.00 am - EGON SCHIELE. A personal encounter
Gerda Leopold
A journey into the life of an artist in Vienna around 1900. Gerda Leopold’s realistic VR experience is a journey through time to key moments that influenced Egon Schiele’s art. The artist looks back on his life, talks to the participants and asks questions.
A journey into the life of an artist in Vienna around 1900. Gerda Leopold’s realistic VR experience is a journey through time to key moments that influenced Egon Schiele’s art. The artist looks back on his life, talks to the participants and asks questions.
11.20 am - How images feel: : Images don’t end at the retina.
Eric Joris (CREW)
Built from data, it gains weight when you move; it couples to balance, muscle tone, breath. Immersion is not just intensity at the eye but a choreography of senses.
Built from data, it gains weight when you move; it couples to balance, muscle tone, breath. Immersion is not just intensity at the eye but a choreography of senses.
11.40 am - AniTrailer / AniPlay: Teamwork, technology and immersive media
Diana Arellano (Sr. Lectuer TD), Clara Deitmar (Trailer/Play)
Sam Matsa, Lennart Haak
Anitrailer / AniPlay is a project-based semester-long course in which students work in teams to create an animated trailer or an interactive experience over a four-month period. The keynote talk provides an insight into collaborative workflows, XR technologies and virtual production approaches, using current projects as examples.
Anitrailer / AniPlay is a project-based semester-long course in which students work in teams to create an animated trailer or an interactive experience over a four-month period. The keynote talk provides an insight into collaborative workflows, XR technologies and virtual production approaches, using current projects as examples.
12.00 pm - XR in Baden-Württemberg - the Carl Laemmle Institute as a bridge between the creative and business worlds
Volker Helzle
The newly established Carl Laemmle Institute (CLI) at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg presents itself and its current research projects. With two funded projects (VISTA and IMRL), the CLI is making an energetic start to its inaugural phase. Both projects explore eXtended Reality at the interface between traditional creative industries and other sectors. What relevance do such innovative media technologies have for the region and beyond – and what role does the institute play in this context in collaboration with its partners? (VISTA and IMRL are funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism)
The newly established Carl Laemmle Institute (CLI) at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg presents itself and its current research projects. With two funded projects (VISTA and IMRL), the CLI is making an energetic start to its inaugural phase. Both projects explore eXtended Reality at the interface between traditional creative industries and other sectors. What relevance do such innovative media technologies have for the region and beyond – and what role does the institute play in this context in collaboration with its partners? (VISTA and IMRL are funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism)
XR Experiences on Site
Come and experience these XR experiences live on site starting at 2 pm. Registration links for the individual experiences will follow shortly.
EGON SCHIELE. A Personal Encounter
a journey into the life of an artist in Vienna around 1900
Gerda Leopold’s realistic VR experience is a time travel to key moments that influenced Egon Schiele's art. In his final hours, the artist looks back on his life, talks to users, and asks questions. The answers influence the course of the story.
TREMENS
Integrating Live Performance and Virtual Reality on stage in a Shakespearian play
Inspired by Shakespeare's “Timon of Athens”, Munich's Residenztheater has developed the XR experience TREMENS. At XR Day, the Belgian media art collective CREW will present an excerpt: the audience can immerse themselves in flowing, aesthetically fascinating architectures and encounter interactive avatars.
REVERSE TURING TEST
How AI-systems can identify humans
Five people in a train compartment travel with a group ticket for AIs – but it turns out one of them must be human. Berlin-based developer Tore Knabe has flipped the script on the test the computer science pioneer Alan Turing's proposed in 1950: It is not humans who identify AI, but AI systems that identify humans.
MAIA in CyberLÄND
How AI-avatars rethink Storytelling, Community and Value Creation
Frank Dürr presents MAIA, the 3D avatar from CyberLÄND. She demonstrates how AI-powered characters combine immersive experiences, community interaction, and digital business models.
FATE OF THE MINOTAUR
Location-based VR Experience developed at the Filmakademie’s Animationsinstitut
The players embody the role of human sacrifices from Athens who are sent into the labyrinth of the Minotaur by Minos, King of Crete. Should they kill the Minotaur or spare the troubled creature’s life? The content can be experienced in various immersive stages, depending on the technical and physical conditions on site.