Mission Statement
To present fully participatory, unique, affordable, highly stimulating and thought provoking interactive experiences.
To support emerging artists and provide opportunities to those seeking to 'have a go'; to value ability over experience.
To include people from all backgrounds and to uphold a strict anti discrimination policy.
History (2003 - today)
IMMIs were conceived in late 2003, and began with Vanessa B Baylen's interest in creating a murder mystery picture book. A volume which would primarily portray clues pictorially. The constraints of the 2D medium soon became apparent, and urged on by classmates (and an inspirational teacher) the clues quickly found their way into the 3D realms. The first IMMI was Evidence -- a gallery-like space where clues stood on pedestals, or hung on walls, awaiting avid detectives. It soon turned out that this format was too intimidating, and so back to the drawing board.
Over summer the conceptualisation and presentation of IMMIs was revisited. How can more people be lured in? How can it be made more interactive? How can more lies and red herrings be incorporated into the mystery? The answer was simple - actors. A cast of 9 (none of whom had ever performed anything quite like this before) was assembled. Chosen for their strength in improvisation, the cast spent weeks learning - not a script - but the intricacies of their character. The resulting show, Ambition, was excellently received, and the newly emerged creative goals of wanting to create something active (unlike passive filmwatching), stimulating, and above all enjoyable, were being achieved instantaneously.
Following quickly after Ambition was House, an attempt to seamlessly combine the art elements of Evidence with the theatre elements of Ambition, in addition to the hitherto unexplored avenues of video and basic computer gaming. As well as this, House utilised collaboration more strongly than ever before, and was the first IMMI to be shown in a public space. The show met with mixed results. Was this art? Was it intending to be? How was someone, unfamiliar with previous IMMIs or even the concept of IMMIs, how were they meant to deal with this new genre? How could someone be expected to walk off the street into a white box gallery and start manipulating the artwork?
Things quietened down at IMMI HQ after that, but nothing stopped. New questions kept arising - could IMMIs have a commercial future? What opportunities could future collaboration hold? Could games (either board games, or those online) factor into the IMMI equation? What about experiential IMMIs -- chocolate tastings, spa weekends, or long distance train rides?
In 2007, IMMI HQ relaunched itself into the world with it's first version of Death By Chocolate, an IMMI with chocolate tasting. Held at the decadent Koko Black, it was a roaring success, quickly selling out and also winning the 2007 Best Special Event at the Melbourne Fringe Festival awards night. Plans to take IMMIs to New Zealand were put on the back burner, as frantic organisation for the Adelaide Fringe commensed at once. The show was totally rewritten -- new suspects, new crime, new everything. Version Two premiered Valentines Day, 2008, and the sold out season was extended due to popular demand to a total of ten performances over four weeks. The Tin Cat Cafe ensured a feast of chocolate with over 5 courses served each night.
With these successes under our belt, and much encouragement, IMMI HQ is turning to face the largest Fringe Festival in the world: Edinburgh. With two and half thousand shows expected in 2008, this is the mother of all arts events. Death By Chocolate (version two) will be presented at Zoo Southside from August 1, 2008. In addition, IMMI HQ has been commissioned to write a new show for an International Student UN Conference in Adelaide for July, and, fingers crossed, we'll also squeeze in a short season of DBC in Brisbane in conjunction with Imagination Workshop in May.
And after that? Perhaps other international destinations. Perhaps further corporate and event IMMIs. Perhaps (finally) a board game, or the long awaited IMMI Club. Once again, IMMI HQ finds itself on the cusp of a new era. So whether your next stop will be at the newest show, or playing an IMMI online, or joining us in Edinburgh -- watch this space. Exciting changes are always afoot.
About Vanessa B Baylen
Vanessa is the founder and creative director of IMMI HQ. She invented the genre of interactive murder mystery installations, has written all of the shows, done all casting/directing, all producing/fundraising/PR/marketing/advertising/accounting, made or commissioned all artworks/pieces, organised all box office/documentation... essentially has done everything for every show (except being a suspect). She attends every show as the 'External Examiner' or 'Approved Media' (taking photos/video), simultaneously acting as a stage manager.
Canadian-born dual citizen, Vanessa has called Australia home since 1998. She has a broad arts background including: Bachelor of Creative Arts (University of Melbourne, formerly Victorian College of the Arts), director in The Arts Centre's inaugural Short and Sweet Festival, acting-scholarship recipient (St Martins Youth Arts Centre), film maker, exhibited visual artist, and novelist. Vanessa works in the arts, and has strong administrative, customer service, and box office experience at a managerial-level. She has also taught yoga to four year olds, and enjoys spending her rare spare time with her cat and dog.
