The American Film Institute (AFI) Digital Content Lab--an organization that, for the past decade, has fostered interactive TV in the US by bringing together content providers and technologists to collaborate on prototype interactive multiplatform services for television and other media--has issued a call for entries for the AFI DigiFest 2008, which will take place in Hollywood, November 6th and 7th, alongside the annual AFI Fest. The organization is seeking projects for the second day of the DigiFest, which will consist of a curated showcase of "the best new digital media to emerge during the past year, as presented by the creators." According to the Digital Content Lab, entries should be "ground-breaking" and "effective," and should advance the art of interactive storytelling; they can include digital media projects related to TV, film, games, mobile, broadband or live events, and will be selected on the basis of "innovation, excellence, and potential for being game-changers." Parties interested in submitting entries should email the Digital Content Lab's director, Suzanne Stefanac, at digitalcontent@afi.com. The first day of the DigiFest, meanwhile, will showcase five interactive projects that are currently being developed in the Digital Content Lab: a live viewing party for the ABC primetime show, "Grey's Anatomy"; an election-related fact-checking service for "PBS Newshour"; a cross-platform alternate reality game for HBOlab; a live audience-engagement project with EarthEcho International; and a social network environment tailored for the Von Dutch Artist-in-Residency program.
