Inventor Dan Zen is a futurist who works with creative technology and storytelling to advance invention. He uses philosophy as a creativity framework and gives talks, presentations and classes concerning creativity and advanced interface technologies. Here is a summary of his presentations from 2010-2015.Making Games with HTML 5 Canvas (2015) ▲ a three hour workshop for programming a game with no prior knowledge using the ZIMjs framework for interactive media that Dan Zen created. ZIM in turn uses the CreateJS Libraries which gives functionality like Flash. If you have ever coded in HTML and JavaScript or made games in any language, you will know that having a beginner make a game in three hours is quite an accomplishment. If you would like to try please visit ZIM LEARNCreateInTO Presents (2015) ▲ Dan Zen on ZIMjs Interactive Media Modules. This video shows Zen in action talking to the CITO user group of creative technologists in Toronto. The venue is a long bar with the talk at the back. Not everyone in the bar is there to see the talk so it can get a little noisy. Zen's PC laptop did not have an HDMI hookup so he is using a Mac from the audience. This caused some suspense later on when he tried to demonstrate a vertical mobile orientation on a browser that would not squeeze enough - or would it? VISIT ZIM
How Can We Teach Creativity? (2015) ▲ Workshop for the Sheridan Spring and Summer Series 2015. Explore elements that form a creativity framework and learn how to teach creativity with this framework. This workshop is based on over ten years of focused introspection seeking to understand the magic of creativity. TRY FRAMEWORKHalf Century Celebration (2014) ▲ The Dan Zen Museum launch at the Staircase Theatre in Hamilton 2014. Zen takes you through his physical inventions and summarizes his digital inventions. The video starts of in a surreal manner taking us through the crowd and then moves into a solid chronicling of Zen's work. Well worth the watch to catch some stories and witness the easy-going relationship amongst friends.
Commercial Creative Technology (2014) ▲ CreateInTO Keynote. "It is time that we combine advanced interfaces with commercial assets" says Zen. So take the exciting new inputs and outputs and have them operate on company logos, movie characters, and traditional advertising and marketing assets.
DemoCamp Hamilton (2011-2015) ▲ DemoCamps are run throughout the world where software developers are given five minutes to demonstrate their app - followed by five minutes of questions. Software Hamilton is the group that organizes Hamilton's events. Dan Zen has a lot of fun at these events and has presented at more events than any other presenter. Here is a list of demos:
At the end of the ZIM demo an audience member asked "So... ZIM is better than what?" Zen thought and said that nothing offered the same features so concluded that "ZIM was better than nothing!"
At Zen's alma mater, McMaster, Zen played the Drone and had the audience use the live multiuser app, Droner, to control him. The commands came out loud on the presentation screen and speakers to make Zen jump all over, twerk, make rude noises and craw through the audience.
For Tilty, Zen gave out Tilty cards and quarters and played the audience in a huge game of Tilty to balance the coin on the card while others shook them. The audience laughed and laughed and a winner was declared. Of course, the real game is played with mobile apps.
Kitty Tartan amused the large audience at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. You drop pictures of your cat on the app and it makes tartan plaid using the colors of your cat. People today, still think this is Dan Zen's real job.
Zen had a jammed Mohawk College auditorium play Touchy - the mobile app where you try a target on the other player's screen. Rather than have people download the app, Zen distributed his business cards and had the players try to touch the card of their neighbour.
Zen presented Opartica - an online op art making tool at the first Hamilton DemoCamp. Before the talk, Zen got people at the Slainte Pub to meet their neighbour and then moved amongst the audience and engaged them with psychedelic wonder.
"Dan is probably the most creative person I've met and he has a special ability to articulate the creative process. If you're looking to inspire an audience to break new ground in their pursuits, I can't think of anyone better than Dan Zen." Kevin Brown, Software Hamilton
Creativity and New Forms of Mobile Games ▲ 2011 DemoCamp Keynote was the basis of the upcoming Creativity Framework. Zen had the audience break into two long lines each with a single rope. Zen then had the audience play games based on altering properties of their arrangement. Hand-drawn slides were used for the presentation as was Zen's new app called Pace! used to time the presentation slides.
"Dan Zen blows my mind! I am always intrigued and delighted by the expansion I feel when I engage in Dan's ideas. His talk "Creativity and New Forms of Mobile Games" was brilliant. I learned things about creativity that I had never considered before and that is saying a lot since I have devoted my life work to creative expression! When I first decided to attend Dan's talk I worried that it would be too technical for me. I was relieved when he included interactive exercises to express his ideas in a way that made sense. I would highly recommend a dose of Dan Zen to anyone who wants to expand their mind and open up to their creative potential." Laura Hollick, CEO Soul Art
Mediated Reality ~ Past, Present and Future ▲ 2013 Function Keys Conference. Nice Web Review. Two-time Canadian New Media Awards Winner, Dan Zen, defines Mediated Reality (commonly known as Augmented Reality) and discusses new forms of expression with wearable computing, gesture technology, brain control and more as glimpsed through the mind of Hamilton's own psychedelic philosophical inventor. SPEAKER NOTES
Cyberspace meets Social Change ▲ 2010 TalkMedia interview with Denise Dickie at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Funded by Canada Council for the arts, TalkMedia is a series of live talks on Arts & Creativity designed to inspire people to live creative lives. "Don't Go to the Grave with Your Great Ideas!" - Tony Viera. Be Inspired, Be Creative. Dan Zen gave a summary of his online and mobile creations. You can view the presentation "slides" here (Flash) press the signature at bottom right to toggle presentation mode. VIEW SLIDES
"Dan Zen is unquestionably a gifted thinker. It is a pleasure to tell you that Dan Zen is also an extremely engaging speaker. He explains his complex, intriguing explorations with such clarity and unbridled enthusiasm that the audience can not help but be captivated; and it is obvious his listeners are of paramount importance to him. To that end, his talks are inclusive, making each audience member feel that they are a participant in the entertaining experience regardless of their level of knowledge about the given area. Equally enjoyable is witnessing his delight in sharing his thoughts with others and encouraging them to think, to be creative. If there is an opportunity to have the incredibly inventive Dan Zen speak, or present, my recommendation is to seize it. As the host of "In Conversation: TALK MEDIA" presented by The Factory: Hamilton Media Arts held November 19, 2010 at The Art Gallery of Hamilton, the above reference is written from personal experience." Denise Dickie, Former Manager and Producer CHCH TV
Dan Zen ▲ has given dozens of lectures on creativity, creative technology, interactive media and the future in general. Zen loves speaking please contact him via door at danzen dot com if you know of an opportunity. Here are some earlier examples of talks:
Developing iPhone Apps – mDot Mobile Technology Group – 2010
Creating in WordPress – Toronto WordCamp Presenter – 2009
Inventing for the Web – EntMent Entrepreneur Group – 2009
Talks
At the end of the ZIM demo an audience member asked "So... ZIM is better than what?" Zen thought and said that nothing offered the same features so concluded that "ZIM was better than nothing!"
At Zen's alma mater, McMaster, Zen played the Drone and had the audience use the live multiuser app, Droner, to control him. The commands came out loud on the presentation screen and speakers to make Zen jump all over, twerk, make rude noises and craw through the audience.
For Tilty, Zen gave out Tilty cards and quarters and played the audience in a huge game of Tilty to balance the coin on the card while others shook them. The audience laughed and laughed and a winner was declared. Of course, the real game is played with mobile apps.
Kitty Tartan amused the large audience at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. You drop pictures of your cat on the app and it makes tartan plaid using the colors of your cat. People today, still think this is Dan Zen's real job.
Zen had a jammed Mohawk College auditorium play Touchy - the mobile app where you try a target on the other player's screen. Rather than have people download the app, Zen distributed his business cards and had the players try to touch the card of their neighbour.
Zen presented Opartica - an online op art making tool at the first Hamilton DemoCamp. Before the talk, Zen got people at the Slainte Pub to meet their neighbour and then moved amongst the audience and engaged them with psychedelic wonder.
