People can say that they are in a digital age. Digital cameras, laptop computers and flash disk you all use. Digital art can not only be a way to express your mind, but also a way to define your life. The coming Beijing Summer Digital Entertainment Jam will take you on a tour where you can witness the amazement of digital art.

If you love video game and you are interested in digital art, the Beijing Summer Digital Entertainment Jam can be a gourmet meal for you. Lasting from July 5 to August 10, you will have the chance to enjoy a series of lectures, workshops on digital arts, and a whole bunch of new games will be waiting for you to experience.

Ding Zhaochen is a university teacher. He thinks the pervasive game is the spotlight of the digital entertainment festival. "The pervasive game interests me the most. It's a game played via a cellphone. The most exciting part is that you will be playing the game with many strangers in the real scene, not the traditional video game. For example, to proceed to the next level, you should find the place in a picture given by the game planners and take a picture of it, send the picture to the terminal, then get some award."

Jin Xin, a senior student who just graduated from the Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology shows me his works, he thinks that digital media is a platform which can show his understanding of life. "Our four years of university life is like a manufacturing process. After graduation, we are products. I recorded a piece of short video clip for each of my 40 classmates, showing them their 'true self.' I also made a barcode for each one of them. Inserting their card, people can see them, and pick their favorite video clip. Isn't this like choosing product in the supermarket?"

Kenneth Fields teaches digital music at the Central Conservatory of Music. He says that such exchange events can be good incentives for the students to better their academic learning. "If they know what they are doing is for good purpose, it's for the real world, not just homework, then they are going to get a more professional perspective on what they do. If it's just within the school, they just do it for a grade, and what they put in for that piece - that composition is not so deep."

Zeng Beiwei is the publisher of a professional digital magazine. He emphasizes that protecting intellectual property rights is of great importance in boosting the industry. "Many Chinese students are talented, but pirating can seriously affect their enthusiasm. So, in our magazine, we will offer a direct link to the designer's works. I don't think any designer can make a living if nobody pays attention to the protection of intellectual property rights."

Official poster for the inaugural "Beijing's Your Playground - 2007 Beijing Summer Digital Entertainment Jam."

What's happening

One Minute and Two Seconds Workshop (July 5 - 7)
You may be familiar with the idea behind the one-minute video. However, in this workshop, Rex Yih, founder of the Beijing-based advertising and consulting company Flamingo Communication, wants you to stretch your imagination beyond just one minute.
 
Lecture Series of Aesthetics of Digital Media (July 5 - 7)
Zhang Ga, associate professor from the New York Institute of Technology, will introduce the development and background history of digital media.
 
Symposium for the Jam (July 13 - 14)
Subjects include entertainment theory, pervasive game theory, hybrid entertainment design, entertainment product design, and entertainment new media. 

Wiimote Interactive Workshop (July 9 - 12)
Two veteran artists, who are fluent in digital technology, will explain what physical computing is, by creating a demo interactive physical system using tools such as Wii Remote and Adobe Flash. 

Theater of Light and Shadow Workshop (July 9 - 12)
Taiwan artist Shieh Ta-Lih will guide you in creating a fantasy world using light and shadow. 

Mystery Reality Game Workshop (July 16 - 20)
Ryan Holsopple, creator of the Canal Street Station subway murder mystery game, will design a new mystery reality game with you. Ryan Holsopple is also the founder and director of 31 Down Radio Theater in New York. 

Pervasive Game Workshop (July 16 - August 5)
By attending the workshop, participants will be able to understand the designing process of pervasive games, and develop a game prototype of their own.
 
Digital Dynamic Image and Communication Design Workshop (July 23 - August 3)
Francesco Galli, a professor from the Polytechnic University of Milan, will show you how to create a dynamic image project. 

Group Exhibition (August 4 - 10)
The exhibition will provide a platform for fresh digital artists to showcase their work.

Sign up for attending the Jam: play@dealchina.org

(CRI.cn July 4, 2007)