Future of StoryTelling (FoST)

Opera is often thought of as one of the most traditional art forms. Rooted in centuries-old conventions and grand theaters, it’s not usually the first place people look for experimentation or technological innovation. But in today's conversation with Paola Prestini — co-founder and artistic director of National Sawdust and VisionIntoArt and one of the top composers in the world — we challenge that very assumption. Paola speaks to how opera can be a space to explore new technologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and even artificial intelligence. 
To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.
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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Paola Prestini, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

With the launch of Interstellar Arc, the groundbreaking free-roaming VR experience at AREA15 in Las Vegas, we’re revisiting this conversation with the creators and immersive storytelling pioneers Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël, co-founders of Felix & Paul Studios. 
In this conversation, Félix and Paul talk about the evolution of virtual reality, from their early VR experiments and the acclaimed Traveling While Black to filming an Emmy-award winning production on the International Space Station. At the forefront of this medium, Félix and Paul talk about their challenges and learnings from VR work: what it means to develop a new language of storytelling, the importance of establishing “presence” for immersion, and how VR can situate us inside experiences to connect with distant worlds.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.
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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Rafaël, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Today, we’re re-releasing an episode with Norwegian chemist, artist, linguist, and smell researcher, Sissel Tolaas, whose work explores scent as a powerful medium for storytelling. In this conversation, Sissel shares how she analyzes smell molecules in everything from garments in museum archives, to the ancient ruins of Pompeii. Through collaborations with institutions such as the Cooper Hewitt, the Tate Modern, Venice Biennale, and Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sissel reveals how the invisible world of scent can uncover forgotten histories and deepen human connection. 

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Sissel Tolaas, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Matthew DuPlessie, Founder & CEO of Level99 and 5 Wits, joins Charlie Melcher to explore a different approach to immersive experience design.
Level99 is built as an open world of short, high-intensity challenges. Guests move through it in small teams, choosing where to go, repeating rooms, and improving over time. Progress carries across visits, so the experience evolves the more you engage with it.
Matt shares why they moved away from traditional narrative, and what changes when storytelling takes a step back and participation takes the lead.
To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.
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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Matt DuPlessie, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Jay Rinsky, Founder and Chief Creative Director of Little Cinema, is reimagining what it means to go to the movies.
What began as an experiment, mixing film, live performance, and audience interaction, has grown into an industry-leading experiential studio transforming screenings into shared events. From a 24-hour David Bowie tribute at House of Yes to large-scale productions with Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Company, and Cosm, Little Cinema is pushing storytelling beyond the screen.
Jay shares how his approach to storytelling evolved, why cinema shouldn’t be a solitary experience, and how projects like The Matrix, Willy Wonka, and Harry Potter are being reimagined as immersive, shared experiences.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.
--
© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Jay Rinsky, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.