THE NEW DESIGN CONGRESS & RECLAIMFUTURES present The Para-Real: Finding the Future in Unexpected Places, a free livestream series about subcultures building livelihoods in spite of platform exploitation and fractured societies.

EPISODE ONE STREAMING TODAY
1PM PDT // 4PM EDT // 9PM BST // 10PM CEST

Join the Stream

Join the Live Chat on Discord

Episode 1
"It's Weird, Okay!? I Get It's Weird!":
Finding the Self in the Para-Real with VR Documentarian Joe Hunting

What exactly is The Para-Real, and what effect does it have on us? One answer can be found in how the Para-Real affects identity and intimacy. A Wider Screen (2019) is a remarkable short film that follows VRChat players as their experiences within the platform changes their internal and external lives. The documentary provides an intimate window into new, surreal interactions that immerses users way beyond a 2D screen. After streaming the film, director Joe Hunting reflects on the film, its themes of identity and self-discovery, and the affect of the Para-Real.

STREAMING TODAY
1PM PDT // 4PM EDT // 9PM BST // 10PM CEST

Join the Stream

We are a research group developing a nuanced understanding of technology's role as a social, political and environmental accelerant. Established 01 Jan 2020, we are a fiscally sponsored project of Simply Secure, a US 501(c)3 nonprofit.

You can support our work via OpenCollective at any amount. We will never place our work behind a paywall, but subscribers are acknowledged in our work, and gain early access to essays, recordings, live-streams and our planned software tools.

ecordings, live-streams and our planned software tools.

SUPPORT OUR WORK

WORK WITH US

The New Design Congress

REMINDER: The Para-Real Livestream Series…