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Navid Khonsari is an artist by his own definition, pioneering live-action cinematics for iconic video games like Grand Theft Auto.
The Iranian-Canadian founder of Brooklyn-based studio iNK Stories, Navid Khonsari, is known for creating wildly immersive, connective experiences across multiple disciplines. Regardless of the medium (he seamlessly jumps from directing iconic video games like Grand Theft Auto III, to penning graphic novels, to developing full-on interactive exhibitions), his creations bring a rare sense of humanity into the digital realm.
Everything iNK produces is grounded in research and lived experience, aiming to bring the real to the virtual and substantiating it through context. For the BAFTA-nominated game, 1979 Revolution, for example, Navid’s team extensively interviewed over 50 people from different socioeconomic, religious, and political backgrounds—all in the pursuit of factual worldbuilding and telling an authentic, grounded story.
NAVID: Creator and Immersive Artist.
NAVID: The medium may be different, but the connection to your audience is the same no matter what. It needs to be meaningful, and you have to be confident enough as a storyteller to arrive at the emotional impact within the discipline’s confines. Stories are what drive everything else, and the rest is window dressing. So no matter the medium, I ask, "how do we immerse someone into the experience, so they get the most out of the story?"
NAVID: Pretty much all of the work that I’m doing requires collaboration because a lot of it is so new. There are so many moving parts and essential areas of expertise. To me, anyone who is really good at their craft, whatever it may be, is an artist. Programmers, set designers, coders: all artists. Because anything on the digital front requires so many skill sets, I am always collaborating with other artists to create the best story.
I also find community in my audience and in artists outside of my work. They are a support system just as much as they are people who enjoy your projects.
NAVID: I’ve experienced multiple failures but, honestly, they’re my greatest achievements. They are what has led me to where I am. For example, so many people told me that 1979 Revolution was a horrible idea, but I kept pursuing it. I even launched a Kickstarter campaign that failed, but kept going despite people beating it down and telling me it was not a commercial project. And sure, it wasn’t a financial success out of the gate, but it planted so many seeds for the studio. Based on that creative risk, we’ve been able to grow and take even more risks.
NAVID: I’m just always kind of in the zone. I don’t get out of it—that’s part of my problem. I am fortunate to really love what I do and am a continual, eager student of the craft. I wake up ready to learn and interact and get an understanding of how to push the boundaries of what I do. It’s my biggest motivation—to push myself in that way. I don’t mind sharing knowledge and being a teacher sometimes, but the second you stop learning, you stop moving forward. There’s always more to learn.
NAVID: The animated French film I Lost My Body. I watch it and listen to the soundtrack over and over, so that’s my go-to if I need a little bit of inspiration. It’s wondrous work that was done by a great team out of France. It’s amazing.
NAVID: Slow down and take it in a bit more. You learn so much from watching others go through the experiences that you’ve made. When you jump the gun and move onto the next project, you don’t take the time to see how people are connecting and engaging with what you’ve created—take that emotional feedback and learn from it.
NAVID: I think it’s an extremely limited, economically-driven, male-dominated industry, and there are not enough voices—and not enough different voices—represented. The few that are holding the purse strings are trying to recreate the same thing over and over again. Gaming is the world’s most powerful medium in terms of having the ability to immerse people and change peoples’ minds. But for an industry on the cusp of doing something new, there’s a pretty prehistoric approach of emulating Hollywood blockbusters rather than pushing the boundaries and realizing how immersive and impactful these experiences can be. I want to see greater risks taken and more interesting stories told.
American filmmaker, creative technologist and Founder/CEO of LIGHTSHED, a studio focusing on emerging technologies.
American filmmaker, creative technologist and Founder/CEO of LIGHTSHED, a studio focusing on emerging technologies.
New York based Iranian multi-disciplinary artist working mostly in cinema, graphic art and shadow theatre.
New York based Iranian multi-disciplinary artist working mostly in cinema, graphic art and shadow theatre.
Brazilian born composer and electronic artist Ricardo Romaneiro synthesizes classical and electronic music.
Brazilian born composer and electronic artist Ricardo Romaneiro synthesizes classical and electronic music.
Producer and director across multiple screens, including film, games, installations, and virtual reality. She is co-founder of the New York based studio iNK Stories.
Producer and director across multiple screens, including film, games, installations, and virtual reality. She is co-founder of the New York based studio iNK Stories.