Fraunhofer MEVIS, ifs internationale filmschule köln, and the Foundation for STEM-Entertainment-Education-Excellence (MINTEEE) organize a two-day event in Cologne, dedicated to the topic “Artificial Intelligence in Fiction and Reality.”

ifs students will first receive an introduction to the topic of “Science in Fiction” by the US screenwriter Kath Lingenfelter, internationally known from the series “Westworld”, “House M.D.”, and others, followed by a half-day hands-on workshop on “How to Train an AI” by Fraunhofer MEVIS scientists. The workshop concludes with a joint discussion on the dramaturgical potential and socially relevant implications of AI in medicine. Based on this, the in-depth ideation Workshop “Finding Stories that Matter” will take place on Monday morning with Joachim Friedmann, professor of serial storytelling at ifs with the participation of Kath Lingenfelter, Prof. Ruth Olshan, Prof. Mika Kallwass and the MEVIS scientists.

The two-day event is complemented by a half-day public symposium under the motto “Science Meets Fiction – AI in Fiction and Reality” on October 14 at the ifs within the industry program of the Film Festival Cologne. The program of the symposium organized by ifs, MINTEEE, and Fraunhofer MEVIS includes contributions by Dr. Marion Esch (MINTEEE) and Kath Lingenfelter. In addition, MEVIS scientists Dr. Hans Meine and Prof. Dr. Tobias Preusser will give the attending film and media professionals a “Reality Check” in the two talks “From Tricorder to Med-Bay – Curing Diseases without Touching the Patient” and “Who wants to be Treated by AI?”

Within a panel discussion with media representatives, Prof. Dr. Joachim Friedmann and Prof. Dr. Matthias Günther from Fraunhofer MEVIS will discuss the approach by means of hands-on workshops to sensitize scientists for the requirements of fictional substances and to give young filmmakers access to STEM topics and new technologies, to stimulate innovative socio-critical scientifically relevant series ideas using the example of AI in medicine.

Registration for the symposium by e-mail (screenwriting@filmschule.de) until October 7.