12
00
An epistolary masterpiece built from a month-long email correspondence. This slippery and unexpectedly direct film captures a portrait of the legendary NieR creator in real-time.
Modern Audience Conference 20th May 2026
What to Expect?
A keynote from one of the most influential franchise architects working today. A rare conversation with the creator of BioShock. A special film portrait of the mind behind NieR:Automata. Theatre staged inside GTA Online. AI characters with genuine subtext. Mass-participation gaming at stadium scale. And a sharp academic dissection of why we feel things for machines that feel nothing back.
It’s a lot of ground to cover in seven hours. That’s the point.
Seven sessions. Seven practitioners who’ve built things that actually landed with audiences. One afternoon where the conversation is about what works, how it was made, and what that means for the next thing you build.
No filler. No panels about panels. No “future of storytelling” hand-waving without a concrete example to back it up.
Online only – join from anywhere in the world.
Ticket: £14.95 Includes livestream access, Q&A with all speakers, and lifetime access to recordings.
MAC 2026 Livestream Schedule
12
30
The story of staging a full Shakespearean production inside the chaos of GTA Online. A look at performing for a live, unpredictable, and often hostile multiplayer audience.
13
40
How to move beyond "prompt and pray" workflows and use the "bully pipeline" to create AI characters with genuine subtext and soulful storytelling.
14
20
Exploring the emotional gap between human empathy and machine code - from grieving software updates to the paradox of machine - written poetry.
15
00
A special interview with the creator of BioShock on balancing linear logic with living systems - plus some behind-the-curtain discussion about his latest project, Judas.
16
00
The CEO of Piing discusses mass-participation gaming. Gareth explores how his Manchester-based studio turns thousands of audience members into players, using their phones to drive big-screen action in stadiums and live events.
16
50
Renowned Franchise Architect Jeff Gomez (Avatar, Halo, Pirates of the Caribbean) explains why traditional "hero" narratives are no longer enough. He explores how storytelling must evolve to match the systemic complexity of our modern era.
18
20
Wrap-up and Closing Sessions
Final thanks followed by a repeat screening of the Yoko Taro film and a "Best Of" edit.
19
00
All sessions are subtitled and there is the opportunity for Q&A with all speakers and contributors.
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The Modern Audience Conference happens on Wednesday May 20th 2026, save the date!