At the Highland Campus Creative Digital Media Center, the Story Innovation Lab is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary program collection of classes and projects exploring the possibilities of new and evolving forms of digital storytelling. Student-centered classes within this ecosystem have a particular innovation focus, whether it’s a general education or projects class, which can range from interactive filmmaking to industry leadership training (sometimes with collaborators, like on-site Austin PBS) with an eye towards the future, to include creating media which supports community impact and developing meaningful connections.

Nested under the Creative Collaborator Labs (Creative Co-Labs) program along with other Arts & Digital Media Division lab/project-based classes to leverage the power of co-creative projects and wide-ranging perspectives, students in such classes strive to develop their own authentic voices in relationship with one another, utilizing emerging technologies and applied storytelling approaches to prepare for the accelerating complexities of industry and beyond. 

Example Class/Project Profiles:

Through the Interactive Filmmaking class, students create “choose your own adventure” style projects, like Kippercool (the first Doodle), an exploration of the creative process itself.

Through a specialized Introduction to Cinema class, students explore social issues, applying cinematic techniques learned to the develop “Protopian” (instead of “dystopian”) film pitch decks, imagining pathways from their perspectives towards better futures.

Upcoming Spring 2026 Class Profile:

The Screenwriting For Features, Shorts & Documentaries class is collaborating with Austin Water’s Wildland Conservation Division, engaging with restoration work as part of project research at a local nature preserve. Along with developing “micro-documentaries” students will write wildlife short film scripts which will be shared through the Creative Co-Labs with an advanced animation class for potential thesis film development.