Category: Media Design

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the last day of Pixel Vienna, but I watched the recorded session on YouTube. Based on that, I wanted to share my thoughts and insights in this blog post.

A Look Back at the Event
Watching the video, I could feel the enthusiasm and energy from both the panelists and the audience, even thought it was right after the party . The discussions were insightful, and the topics explored—especially diversity and representation in animation—felt incredibly relevant to today’s creative industries.

The Panel & Key Discussions
The panel shows experienced professionals from the worlds of video game design, animation, and production, each bringing their unique perspectives on character design and storytelling. One of the most impactful moments was the discussion about how animated characters influence us from a young age, shaping our views on identity, diversity, and representation.

Hearng the panelists reflect on characters that inspired them while growing up reminded me how much media influences our perception of the world. They also highlighted the importance of avoiding stereotypes in character design, ensuring representation is authentic and meaningful rather than just symbolic.

The Role of Storytelling in Diversity
A key takeaway from the discussion was that diversity in animation shouldn’t just focus on end results but on real, multi-dimensional characters. We need to do more research and actually talk with people who has more experience or even lived the life of the character. A well-developed character is not just defined by their background but by their experiences, relationships, and growth. The conversation also touched on how studios like Pixar have teams dedicated to accurate and respectful representation, something that should become an industry standard.

The Future of Representation in Animation
One of the most exciting aspects of the discussion was looking at the next generation of artists and storytellers. The panelists were optimistic that upcoming creators are pushing for greater inclusivity in animation and gaming, breaking traditional molds, and telling stories that better reflect today’s world.

Final Thoughts
Even though I wasn’t there in person, watching the final day of Pixel Vienna online still left a lasting impression on me. It showed how animation is not just about entertainment, but a powerful tool for storytelling and change. The discussions made me think about he animations i have watched and how relevant and accurate they are. and how we, as designers, can contribute to more inclusive and meaningful narratives.

If you missed it, no worries I highly recommend watching the recordings on YouTube — Enjoy!

Hualong Yang and Dan Li, the authors of the paper „Understanding the dark side of gamification health management: A stress perspective“, investigate the behaviour and stress responses to participants in a person-environment fit, using the Chinese health management app „WеcChat Sports“. The findings of the paper are that, while utilization of gamification in healthcare contexts, does provide positive results, they are either not universal or they are not long-lasting. There are also privacy concern risks involved.

Concerning the non-universal appeal, a challenges and rewards system appears to be daunting to a certain group of people, in some cases those in need of the health support, are the ones who are revolted away from the whole system, whereas those who continue on using it for longer, are the goal-oriented, striving after achievement types, for whom the app is not designed.

„For example, with a health management app, some gamification characteristics may lead many users with health management needs to stop using the app, with only users who want to win game achievements and rewards continuing to us the app. This means that the role of the app cannot be fully played, which eventually leads to some users’ failure in health management.
Thus, gamification design may be a double-edged sword, and designers must consider the negative consequences as well as positive consequences of gamification design.“

The authors cite gamification-, or tech- rather, exhaustion as another reason for why participants would tire of the gamified health system. Constatly keeping up with rules and striving after achievements can be exhausting, especially in a technology-dominated world. The last thing you would want to do after a hard day at work on the computer and scrolling social media would be to spend more time at a device using social media elements for your health.

„An increasing number of users are abandoning gamification health management programs or becoming less involved in them. One possible reason is that gamification health management causes stress for users, which then exhausts them. Previous studies have noted that stress can lead to technological exhaustion (Cao et al., 2018b; Maier, Laumer, Weinert & Weitzel, 2015), which is an aversive, unconscious psychological response to stress that reflects the level of tiredness users feel when using technology (Lee, Son & Kim, 2016; Xiao & Mou, 2019). In gamification health management, technological exhaustion refers to users’ weariness and aversion to the gamification design, which leads to a decrease in users’ health management performance and perhaps makes them stop using their health management app. The integration of the game design and social media functions in health management apps may also lead to potential stressors (e.g., social overload and privacy invasion), which can lead to users’ technological exhaustion.“

The gamified aspect also provides a stress-factor, as the motivation for partaking in the rules of the game is to keep yourself under a constant state of suspense.

„That is, although applying gamification design and social media functions may enhance interaction and competition between users, the social media element of the app can make the gamification design become a strain for users, tiring users and leading to gamification exhaustion. In addition, the gamification design can increase the frequency of interaction and information sharing between users. This mutual circulation of information and data among users may lead to feelings of personal privacy invasion and social overload, which leads to the gamification design becoming a source of stress for users.“

There is also the element of privacy issues: in order to integrate a competitive aspect to the health app, one has to integrate a social leaderboard, which then inevitably has to share private user data regarding their activity history and current and past health status.

„In the field of health management, sharing of health-related information and data is an important privacy issue and the achievement mechanism of a gamification health management app may reveal information about the user’s health and personal behavior. The social media functions may also reveal the user’s health information in the app, thus possibly leading to invasion of the user’s privacy and personal life. Moreover, the competition and interaction mechanisms of gamification design strengthen the information flow and mutual attention between users. Friends and family members in the same social network pay special attention to the health of users, which will increase the frequency of communication on health issues. This may lead to the stressor of social overload of users. Thus, the social media element of gamification may increase the stressors that can be associated with gamification design, among which social overload and privacy invasion are the most likely negative effects in gamification health management.“

When I was in the process of finding my research topic and narrowing down what I wanted to write about, I was talking to my mom at some point about the idea of covering sustainable travel and wanting to document the issue. During this call I mentioned how I would love to help showcase a solution to overtourism, but that I did not see myself as capable enough to be the one to actually come up with a solution by myself. That was when my mom said “Why don’t you ask Christoph?”. Now, you have to know, Christoph is the dad of one of my former classmates. Their family lives in the same small and quiet Upper Austrian town I am from, where everyone knows everyone. So, naturally my mom also knows Christoph and what he does for a living. But what is it that he does? Well, he happens to be the founder and leader of a travel agency called “Weltanschauen”.
“Weltanschauen” is focused on sustainable as well as socially and culturally responsible travel, so actually the perfect fit for the topic I was exploring. I’ll be honest, when my mom mentioned Christoph I was kind of embarrassed that I didn’t immediately think of his company myself.
But I guess that, even at 24, moms do still save the day from time to time.

The Setting

But let’s go back to the beginning. What exactly does “Weltanschauen” do and how did it come to be that among all places in Austria, “Gallneukirchen” was the one to start a movement towards a more responsible tourism. I first have to brag just a little bit and mention that unlike other small, rural Austrian towns, my hometown has been quite open minded, inclusive and environmentally conscious ever since I can remember. This also means that there is quite a substantial target group for sustainable tourism in the travel agency’s immediate vicinity.

The Founder

Christoph Mülleder was working at Caritas when they started offering group travels to areas which they support in the form of different social projects. During these travels the main focus was on visiting projects and getting to know the people they helped, but there was of course also always time for a bit of sightseeing an being tourists in the classical sense. These journeys were organized by Christoph, who with his acquired knowledge and his background in economics as well as humanitarian aid, took the leap in 2012 of founding his own company, “Weltanschauen”.

The Company’s Spirit

“Weltanschauen” aims to create opportunities for interaction and exchange with people in social and economical hotspots. This provides insights reaching the core of a society and culture which go beyond the usually highly polished tourist experiences. Challenges and struggles of the respective society provide visitors with a better understanding of the country they are traveling to. Additionally, journeys planned by “Weltanschauen” also include visits to social aid projects and a heavy focus on sustainability and environmental issues in the host country. The agency aims to show visitors the clear connection between environmental and socio-economical justice.
Every journey organized by “Weltanschauen” is joined by one Austrian guide with extensive knowledge on the host country and one local guide, leading the tour.
The company states its is to show travelers a multi-facetted version of the country they travel to, showcasing all of its beauty without having to hide the unpolished, imperfect parts or looking away from social hardships. It aims to educate travelers by showing them, raw and unfiltered, how others live their lives and also how our actions and choices can influence social as well as ecological issues. The hope is that through raising awareness while traveling, people also start to see their responsibility to live sustainably in their daily lives.

The Team

“Weltanschauen” works with multiple Austrian as well as international travel guides and tourism experts as well as various different agencies and NGOs focused on sustainable travel. The travel agency also still works together with Caritas, organizing journeys to their partners and social aid projects once or twice a year.

The Outlook for my Project

I have already talked to Christoph about a possible cooperation for my master project and he seemed almost as enthusiastic as myself. We talked about the possibility to create a short documentary movie about sustainable and responsible travel, visualized on the example of one of his travel agency’s journeys. As the execution of the master project is still in the far future, there is still a lot that can change or come up, but in general I would be really excited about the idea of getting to document the process of planning and executing a sustainable journey to places one might not get to see as a standard tourist. I am hoping that documenting and sharing this with a larger audience can lead to some of the documentary’s viewers to reflect on their travel behavior and maybe implement some of the learnings I might have into their future holiday planning.
(Weltanschauen, 2025)

Literature

• Weltanschauen Website –
  https://www.weltanschauen.at/weltanschauen-shop/shop/content/philosophie/geschichte

In the area of external science communication, online media and social media have seen a rise in relevance. The following blog post will explore the foundations and forms of this type of science communication in more detail.

Overall, it can be said that scientists and scientific institutions are hesitant in making use of science communication in online and social media for the public, while societal stakeholders like NGOs are more active in that field. Scientific topics are discussed very diversely in online media and are thus faced with the challenge of controversial topics being talked about by non-scientific actors. 

The usage of science communication has increased. As explained previously, science communication includes all communication focussed on scientific knowledge or scientific work, both within the institutionalized science and outside of it. It also includes the communication on different channels, one of which is online-communication. The relevance of this field has risen significantly throughout past years, so much that one cannot even call it a „new“ medium for science communication or „its future“, but must rather seen as an integral part of it. 

Online communication includes, on the one hand, „classic“ internet-communication such as science journalism or the display of scientific topics on websites. On the other hand, there is social media with the most prominent forms being the following:

• So called „collaborative projects“ such as Wikipedia, where a large number of users works on one project
• Blogs and Microblogs such as Twitter (now „X“)
• Content communities such as YouTube, where users share visual, audio, or audio-visual content
• Social Media Platforms like Facebook 

Source: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-658-12898-2_15

Science and Social Media 

As people are using social media more, it also means that they receive news via social media. A 2017 poll shows that 68% of adults in the U.S. see news on social media either incidentally or purposefully. News sources online are especially relevant when it comes to information on science-related topics. While many do not actively seek out information on scientific topics, the visibility thereof is still indicated with 55% of all U.S. adults reporting that they see posts on social media that are related to science. 18% of U.S. adults actively follow accounts or pages that are focusing on science-related topics. 

Social media is increasingly important as a source of information, especially when it comes to scientific topics. There are a few factors that should be considered in the entirety of this topic’s consideration.

It is yet to be explored how the available information is being translated into actual knowledge and attitudes toward science topics. Much of how humans gain knowledge is influenced by the demand, need, and acceptance of the acquirable information within an individual’s own worldview and their cultural background. For example, someone’s perceived need to learn or their motivation to acquire knowledge about a certain scientific topic correlates with the ability of gaining said knowledge. 

Furthermore, people with a higher socio-economic status (SES) or higher levels of education seem to have an advantage in their ability to retain and learn from information exposure over people with a lower socio-economic status. Certain media have the potential to shrink knowledge gaps (for instance television, as it has the potential to make information accessible to people with a lower SES). Media such as printed newspapers on the other hand often increase knowledge gaps. Information that is available online, which also includes science-related topics, is indicated to have positive effects, with the potential to decrease gaps.

Overall, research is showing that social media / online media in general is neither to be labeled as entirely bad or entirely good when it comes to accessing correct knowledge. 

Source: https://jcom.sissa.it/article/pubid/JCOM_2004_2021_A01

Therefore, it is to be assumed that making use of social media and online media tools to communicate scientific knowledge should not be underestimated and, in this author’s opinion, can be a very valuable tool if used consciously and responsibly both when it comes to creating, publishing and consuming content. 

The global field of fashion that for a long time has been accredited for its talented and innovative designers is now in the hot seat concerning environmental problems. Within the current phase of global supply chain integration, high rates of consumption and waste, the sector is looking for ways to help sustain the environment. Of all the spectacular innovations that are expected to advance sustainable living, augmented reality (AR) proves to be a versatile force in the pursuit of sustainability. AR solves many of the current problems related to fashion such as hesitation of physical samples and returns, optimization of the design process, and helping a consumer make a sustainable decision.

AR and Sustainable Fashion: Reducing Physical Samples and Returns

One of the major ways through which AR is helping to fast fashion and sustainability is by designing and eliminating the need for samples and returns. This practice poses a great challenge to conventional fashion design and manufacturing activities where numerous sample garments are made in the design process. These samples, usually made from precious metals, are sometimes thrown away after use, thus becoming a waste (Pal & Gander, 2018). However, AR offers potential for designers and manufacturers to develop samples that could be tested, visualized and redesigned from the digital world. It also means that physical prototypes are no longer required during the first phases of development and the number of resources needed is cut down considerably. Besides the savings on physical samples, AR is also beginning to speak to the increasing issue of product returns. The major issue facing it is the high rate of returned products due to size and fitting problems in an e-commerce niche. This is especially the case since most consumers buy different sizes of the same type of clothes with the aim of returning the ill-fitting ones. This results in a high rate of shipping emission, a high rate in packaging wastes and in most instances customers return the products. AR technologies, including virtual try-on assistance enable a consumer to evaluate how clothes will look on them and check if they fit before purchasing them reducing chances of returning the item (Kim & Forsythe, 2008). Gucci and ASOS among other companies are already applying the use of AR to let buyers do the dressing virtually thus encouraging responsible consumption (Schneider, 2020).

Virtual Prototyping and Minimizing Waste in Design

It is very important to note that virtual prototyping, which is a core concept in the use of augmented reality, reduces wastage greatly in the design and manufacturing cycle. Formerly, fashion designers had to make a sample of a garment and make changes, if necessary, with the help of physical models; this process was called sample making and mostly resulted in wasted material, and if there were changes needed even a mere A4 piece of paper was used – scraps were thrown away after that. AR enables fashion designers to build virtual models that enable them to practice various designs, material, and texture before having to make actual materials (Song & Ashdown, 2015). When applied to design, it allows for precise imaginative genuinely of how certain design will drape, fit and look like without physically making it. This goes a long way in decreasing the trial and error that is usually time wastage. Moreover, such prototypes can be presented to a number of teams and other stakeholders for evaluation, or put for approval, all this without having to physically build any artifact. It also helps to cut time wastage while also saving the environment through the following explanations: Furthermore, there is an advantage for the brands, as they are able to minimize overproduction through use of virtual prototyping services. The problem that we find severely affecting the fashion industry is overproduction, which leads to leftover products that are worthlessly disposed of or burned. There is nothing like testing market receptiveness toward digital garments through AR before investing a lot of production and resources. It reduces the chances of having excess inventory which is addition to creating a burden on the environment through dispose of (Choi & Kim, 2021). 

Educating Consumers about Sustainable Fashion Choices

Apart from its application in the design and manufacturing processes, AR offers possibilities in informing consumers about environmentally friendly fashion. One greatest challenge that faces the fashion industry is that it has no fashion transparency which does not enable a consumer to know the extent of the fashion item they are buying was environmentally friendly. AR can fill this gap as it offers immediate information on the sustainability of the garments. For instance, the application of augmented reality in consumer products enables individuals to point the camera of their phone at a piece of clothing and get further details on fabrics used in the product, the environmental impact of the product, and the production standard of the manufacturers (Jung & Lee, 2020). Despite this, this increased transparency can help the consumer make more conscious decisions to shift towards better brands and that include environmentally friendly products. It can also lead to increased understanding of the life cycle of the clothes from production to when it is discarded and effective practices such as up cycling, recycling, and buying from sustainable fashion production lines. Some brands are using AR to help consumers learn more about products and services and there are already many popular brands that use this technology. For example, Stella McCartney has added AR technology in its stores where people are given information about the company’s policies on sustainability and how each product helps the environment. Likewise, there is an AR app called Good on You that offers consumers augmented reality-based assessment of fashion brands depending on the sustainable measures they take (Niinimäki et al., 2020).

Challenges and the Future of AR in Sustainable Fashion

However, the study aims to show that even though AR is a great tool of marketing sustainability in fashion it is not without complications. The integration of AR technology obviously involves a considerable investment in both infrastructure and knowledge. Newer brands can be a little slow in adapting to the use of AR tools because of the costs that are usually incurred. Also, the ability of providers to convey AR to the broad consumer base will also depend on the readiness of accessible, user-friendly, and equipment-free platforms. Nevertheless, getting to that point and giving AR the opportunity to change the fashion industry for good is possible. In the future, with the advancement in technological devices, it is expected that AR will reduce in cost by making more brands to incorporate it in sustainable strategies. AR could even help to design more circular fashion systems in the future where the buyer gets to know how much the products opposite them will contribute to the environment from production to extinction. 

Conclusion

Therefore, augmented reality becomes the key finding as a strategy towards sustainability within the fashion sector in this research. From elimination of need of a physical sample, minimizing return of the product they have no use for, helping developers design products without having to manufacture a large number of prototypes, and enlightening the consumer on the correct option to pick in a bid to save the environment, AR has made the following ways of cutting out waste and conserving resources possible. Shifts in AR technology is also expected to grow in support of sustainable fashioning for brands and consumers will experience enhanced ways of making sustainable choices. The fashion industry, which is so far noted for most of the environmental issues, is standing on the brink of a technological revolution that has the potential of wedding fashion and creativity with sustainability.

References

Choi, T.M. and Kim, H.M., 2021. Environmental sustainability of the fashion supply chain: A circular economy approach. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 168, p.105291.

Jung, J. and Lee, J., 2020. Customer engagement in augmented reality shopping: The mediating role of immersion, shopping enjoyment, and perceived value. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, p.101987.

Kim, J. and Forsythe, S., 2008. Adoption of virtual try-on technology for online apparel shopping. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 22(2), pp.45-59.

Niinimäki, K., Peters, G., Dahlbo, H., Perry, P., Rissanen, T. and Gwilt, A., 2020. The environmental price of fast fashion. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1(4), pp.189-200.

Pal, R. and Gander, J., 2018. Modelling environmental value: An examination of sustainable business models within the fashion industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 184, pp.251-263.

Schneider, J., 2020. Virtual fashion: How brands are embracing digital clothing in a sustainable future. Vogue Business.

Song, H.K. and Ashdown, S.P., 2015. Development of automated custom sizing of apparel using scanned body measurements. Textile Research Journal, 85(12), pp.1269-1280.

With the changing environment in the retail industry, more physical store space is utilizing AR to deliver the common client’s engaging buying experiences. When most sales occur through the internet thanks to its accessibility, physical stores are using AR as the means to combine physical and virtual spaces in the most innovative ways seen before. Products such as AR mirrors, interactive displays, and virtual personal stylists represent the new generation in shopping technologies and are shifting the role of shopping into an interactive, engaging and dynamic experience.

Rise of AR in the Brick and Mortar stores.

Growth of e-commerce has proved very challenging to traditional retail stores or shops. As a result, most traditional retailers have gone further and adopted AR as a way of attracting people to come shop at their physical stores. AR aids these stores to provide experiences that cannot be attained online, which will make customers seek physical experience.

One of the ways that AR is boosting in-store actual substance shopping is through developing interactivity that is directing. AR which embeds digital content into the physical world makes it possible for consumers to read more about a product and how it will appear when brought home or even enable shoppers to buy clothes without having to use the trial rooms. Not only do these features add entertainment as well as functionality to the shopping process but they also address the recent and continuous trend for more bespoke marketing.

Further, through the help of AR technology, store is capable on giving recommendations based on the customer’s preferences in real time. Now whether through mobile applications or in-store layouts customers get prompt recommendations regarding their preferences increasing chances of a sale and enhancing total satisfaction. And I think that combination of digital with the physical touch point is crucial for the reactivation of the physical retail store environments (Clark and Johnson, 2023).

AR Mirrors: A Game Changer in Fashion Retail

Another interesting use of AR in physical stores is the concept of the AR mirror in a store. Often referred to as ‘smart mirrors’ or the ‘virtual dressing rooms’, such gadgets help the clients understand how particular forms of clothing would fit them without having to put them on. With the help of the mirror interface users choose different garments, accessories and sometimes even makeup to see how such outfits will look in real life.

For instance, Zara and Neiman Marcus stores have incorporated the AR mirrors in their business Premise. Some of these mirrors come with cameras and sensors that display clothing that the customer can see in the mirrors and quickly go through the entire assortment. It quickens the shopping experience and keeps the inconvenience of going physically naked while dressing to dress and at the same time enabling customers to try different outfits on (Doe and Garcia, 2024). Moreover, regular AR mirrors are frequently accompanied by social sharing options to let the customers share their outfits with friends or post them on social media, all of which increases interaction.

They also have a critical role in enhancing diversity of body types. For instance, AR mirrors are convenient to use when selecting clothes since those with mobility problems will not have to battle with fitting rooms. Also, with the help of providing customers with real-time sizing, clients can make a better choice regarding purchasing garments as the likelihood of returning clothes will be considerably lower, and, therefore, customer satisfaction will increase.

Interactive Displays and Virtual Styling Assistants

Besides AR mirrors, another essential element of the AR shops is making a turnaround to becoming an interactive territory. These types of displays become large touch panels or projection types that enable customers to select products in a manner that was not feasible before. For example, a client can use the touchpad to select a product in order to get information on its performance, comments by other users, and stock status. They can also use the interactive technologies to make their own cloths combination, selecting colors or even getting ideas of how the furniture will look at their homes.

A well-known specimen of this kind of technology is IKEA’s application that lets users visualize home furnishings with the help of smartphone cameras. However, IKEA has also moved to incorporate some of these features physically in its stores with clients being able to employ touch screen kiosks to select from a variety of options and then make a visualization of how certain furniture items on display will look when placed together. This makes the process easier and is a more engaging approach to shopping and can also reduce decision-making (Smith and Adams, 2023).

Furthermore, with the development of advanced technologies, service companions, such as virtual styling assistants, form a part of a powerful means of personalization. These digital stylists typically rely on artificial intelligence to understand the customer’s buying history and further shopping behavior when compiling the suggestions list. AR taken to the next level where the customer can see not only the individual piece but an entirely coordinated look. For instance, Levi’s provides its customers with an AI-based AR stylist who recommends clothes and how they could look wearing it and shows the result on a screen. Such instant feedback empowers customers for surety in final purchase, and seamless integration of physical and digital aspects of shopping.

Blending Physical and Digital Retail: The Phygital Experience

In the light of the existing AR technology, the division between the tangible and virtual purchasing process is gradually fading out to create the so-called phygital experience. It is a term used to describe the proper combination of both physical and digital aspects of the store to provide the client with a smooth shopping experience based on the need and appetites of both worlds.

AR fits seamlessly into the customers’ lifestyle where they can switch from physical to digital interface. For example, a customer is in a store, and they use the smartphone to scan a given product’s bar code to get more information about the product; information such as customer reviews and other products which are related to this particular product. Instead, they can use the store’s AR app to see it in a home or on their body making advantage of e-commerce in physical store.

Even more stores are performing this one step further through the integration of mobile apps with augmented reality that not only drives customer engagement but also offer the consumers some form of incentive or reward for their in-store shopping activities. For instance, some stores let a consumer accrue points every time they scan a product with their smartphone, which they can later be exchanged for such things as a discount of some sort or an exclusive offer. This encourages the customer to interact more freely with the brand, so they become more loyal to it, (Harris and Lee, 2023).

The same way, the phygital approach has profound implications in elevating sustainability in the retail business. Consequently, by allowing consumers to ‘virtually’ put on a garment or try other products, AR can help retailers reduce how much stock is kept on the shelves and, thus, reel in unnecessary waste. In addition, its sizing and fit advice give consumers exact measurements, which help in limited returns, one of the biggest indicators of environmental waste in the fashion sector according to Jackson and White, 2023.

Conclusion

Consumer usage of physical stores is evolving quickly toward the use of augmented reality that helps enhance convenience and sales experience. Other current applications of this technology include use in assisted selling through retailers’ AR mirrors, using interactive displays, and virtual styling assistants. With AR being still in development, integrating a physical store with an online store will become seamless thus paving the way for the new “phygital” shopping experience.

References

Clark, A. and Johnson, M., 2023. Revolutionizing Retail: The Role of AR in Enhancing Brick-and-Mortar Experiences. Journal of Retail Technology, 10(2), pp.30-42.

Doe, L. and Garcia, R., 2024. Virtual Dressing Rooms: How AR Mirrors Are Changing the Fashion Landscape. International Journal of Fashion Technology, 8(1), pp.45-59.

Harris, P. and Lee, S., 2023. Phygital Retail: Bridging the Gap Between Physical and Digital Shopping. Retail Innovation Quarterly, 6(3), pp.22-33.

Jackson, T. and White, J., 2023. Sustainable Fashion with AR: Reducing Waste through Virtual Try-Ons. Sustainability in Retail Review, 9(4), pp.12-23.

Smith, K. and Adams, N., 2023. IKEA’s AR Journey: How Interactive Displays are Revolutionizing the Home Goods Market. Journal of Retail Innovations, 11(2), pp.37-49.

Wenn man an Historienfilme oder klassische mittelalterliche Heldenepen denkt, so ist das Langschwert oft die Waffe der Wahl für den Protagonisten. Es gilt als Symbol für Ritterlichkeit, Ehre und Stärke, doch wie realistisch werden die Kampftechniken mit dieser Waffe tatsächlich dargestellt? Während Langschwertkämpfe in Filmen häufig stilisiert oder historisch ungenau inszeniert werden, zeigen sich bei anderen Waffengattungen oft überraschend präzise Choreografien. Besonders Rapiere und Säbel, die im Vergleich zum Langschwert „modernere“ einhändige Waffen sind, ermöglichen einen schnelleren und wendigeren Kampfstil – und werden entsprechend anders in Szene gesetzt.

Der Grund für diese Unterschiede liegt unter anderem in den überlieferten Quellen. Während für Rapiere und Säbel zahlreiche detaillierte Fechtbücher existieren, die ihre Anwendung präzise beschreiben, sind die ältesten Manuskripte zum Langschwert, wie die Merkverse von Johannes Liechtenauer, oft kryptisch verfasst und lassen Raum für Interpretation. Doch wie wirkt sich das auf die Darstellung in Filmen und Spielen aus? Und welche Produktionen schaffen es, historische Fechttechniken authentisch auf die Leinwand zu bringen? In diesem Blog werfen wir einen genaueren Blick auf die Umsetzung verschiedener Waffengattungen und analysieren, wo Film und Realität sich überschneiden – und in welchem Film sie in Perfektion eingefangen wurde.

Langschwert: Schwierige Rekonstruktion, stilisierte Darstellung

Das Langschwert war eine der wichtigsten Waffen des Mittelalters und der Renaissance. Seine Technik ist in Fechtbüchern wie denen von Johannes Liechtenauer (15. Jahrhundert) oder Fiore dei Liberi (14. Jahrhundert) überliefert. Doch diese Werke sind oft in metaphorischer Sprache verfasst oder Fechtstücke sind nur grob anhand eines Bildes und einem erklärenden Satz grob zusammengefasst, was eine direkte Anwendung erschwert und viel Interpretationspielraum lässt.

far nach zwayen dingen
sind aller kunst ain ursprung
din schwöch und din sterck
din arbait darby eben merck
So machstu lern
Mit fechten dich erwern
wer also erschricket gern²

Das europäische Langschwert war über Jahrhunderte eine der wichtigsten Waffen im Zweikampf und auf dem Schlachtfeld. Doch wenn es um die filmische Darstellung geht, geraten die Kämpfe oft ins Reich der Fantasie. Während das Langschwert in historischen Fechtbüchern wie denen von Johannes Liechtenauer (15. Jahrhundert) oder Fiore dei Liberi (14. Jahrhundert) ausführlich beschrieben wird, sind diese Texte oft metaphorisch und schwer verständlich. Die Anweisungen sind nicht immer eindeutig, sodass heutige Fechtmeister und Choreografen auf Interpretationen angewiesen sind.

Filmbeispiele: Langschwertkämpfe zwischen Realismus und Übertreibung

• The King (2019) – Roh, ungeschönt und authentisch
  The King präsentiert eine der realistischsten Darstellungen mittelalterlicher Kampfkunst mit dem Langen Schwert. Die im Film gezeigte Duellszene zeigt hierbei eindrucksvoll, wie Harnischgefechte dazumal höchst wahrscheinlich aussahen. Im Film angewendete Techniken können durch das Dresdner Fechtbuch von Paulus Hector Mair, das Gladiatoria ³Fechtbuch sowie den Illustrationen des Wiener Fechtbuches (Cod.11093)⁴ belegt werden.
• Braveheart (1995) – Breite Schwünge für die Kamera
  Mel Gibsons Braveheart inszeniert die Schwertkämpfe mit riesigen überstilisierten Ausholbewegungen und lässt die Charakteren dabei nicht auf Distanz und Schutz achten – hier wird eindeutig für den dramatischen Effekt als für historische Genauigkeit gekämpft.
• Ironclad (2011) – Wenn Chaos zur Inszenierung wird
  Der Belagerungsfilm Ironclad setzt auf kompromisslose Härte und schmutzige, brutale Kämpfe. Doch während der gesamten Gewalt, fehlt in den Ausführungen der Angriffe oft eine klare Struktur in den Bewegungen, wodurch diese in einigen Szenen eher an instinktives Schlagen als an echte Fechtkunst erinnert. Insbesondere das gegen Ende des Films beidhändig geführte Falchion, welches der Grifflänge zufolge klar einhändig geführt werden sollte, unterstreicht den Level an Realismus, der dargestellt wird.

Rapier und Degen: Die Kunst der schnellen Stiche

Mit dem Aufkommen der Feuerwaffen im 16. und 17. Jahrhundert wurden schwerere Klingen zunehmend durch leichtere, schnellere Waffen ersetzt. Die Fechtkunst dieser Zeit wurde in zahlreichen präzisen Fechtbüchern festgehalten, darunter Werke von Ridolfo Capo Ferro (1610) oder Salvator Fabris (1606). Diese Quellen bieten exakte Beschreibungen und Illustrationen, wodurch Fechtchoreografen auf umfangreiches Material zurückgreifen können.

Filmbeispiele für Rapiergefechte

• The Duellists (1977) – in der Kürze (der Duelle) liegt die Würze
  Ridley Scotts The Duellists bietet einige der historisch akkuratesten Rapier- und Säbelgefechte in der Filmgeschichte. Die Duelle sind nicht nur präzise, sondern auch taktisch und scheuen dabei auch nicht davor zurück zu zeigen, dass ein solches Duell nur wenige Sekunden dauern kann.
• Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) – Fechten als Charakterzeichnung
  Gérard Depardieus Cyrano setzt das Rapier nicht nur für den Kampf, sondern auch für theatrale Gesten ein. Die Fechtszenen zeigen eine Mischung aus historischer Genauigkeit und theatralischer Überhöhung, was die Verspieltheit des Charakters unterstreicht.
• The Three Musketeers (1973) – Präzise, aber stilisierte Fechtkunst
  • Die klassischen Mantel-und-Degen-Filme der 70er Jahre setzen zwar oft auf reale Fechttechniken, übertreiben aber ihre Eleganz.
  • Dennoch sind die Musketeers-Filme deutlich näher an historischer Fechtkunst als viele mittelalterliche Filme.

Säbel: Präzision in Bewegung

Eine der am besten dokumentierten Waffen ist der Säbel. Besonders im 18. und 19. Jahrhundert wurden detaillierte Fechtbücher erstellt, darunter „The Broad Sword and Single Stick“ von Roworth (1798) oder „Cold Steel“ von Alfred Hutton (1889). Diese präzisen Quellen ermöglichen es, Säbelkämpfe in Filmen mit hoher technischer Qualität umzusetzen.

Fechterische Perfektion im Film: Born for the Saber (2019)

Der polnische Film “Born for the Saber” (Zrodzeni do Szabli) ist ein außergewöhnliches Beispiel für die korrekte Darstellung historischer Säbeltechniken. Er zeigt die Kunst der polnischen Husarenfechter, die im 17. Jahrhundert für ihre Schnelligkeit und Effizienz berühmt waren.

Analyse der Fechtchoreografie

• Technische Präzision:
  Die gezeigten Säbeltechniken basieren direkt auf historischen Quellen und werden mit extremer Detailgenauigkeit umgesetzt. Schnelle, präzise Hiebe und Paraden bestimmen die Kämpfe – ein klarer Kontrast zu vielen Hollywood-Filmen.
• Körperbewegung & Fußarbeit:
  Born for the Saber stellt die feine Fußarbeit und das taktische Distanzspiel des polnischen Fechtstils korrekt dar. Die Kämpfer nutzen weite Ausweichbewegungen und schnelles Umschalten zwischen Angriff und Verteidigung.
• Vergleich mit anderen Filmen:
  Im Gegensatz zu Fluch der Karibik, wo der Säbelkampf oft spielerisch und überzogen wirkt, oder The Patriot, wo Hollywood-typische Übertreibungen dominieren, bleibt Born for the Saber vollständig der historischen Realität verpflichtet.

Fazit: Warum spätere Waffen realistischer dargestellt werden

Je neuer die Waffe, desto präziser sind die überlieferten Quellen – und desto realistischer können Filmszenen gestaltet werden. Während Langschwertkämpfe oft stilisiert oder falsch interpretiert werden, profitieren Rapier- und Säbelgefechte von exakten historischen Beschreibungen.

Born for the Saber zeigt eindrucksvoll, wie detailgetreu und spektakulär eine korrekte Darstellung von Fechttechniken sein kann, ohne dabei die Dramatik zu verlieren. Dies beweist, dass historisch akkurate Kampfszenen nicht nur realistisch, sondern auch atemberaubend sein können – wenn sie mit Sorgfalt und ausreichend Fachwissen seitens des Choreografen und auch der Schauspieler inszeniert werden.

1. INDES, Fachbereich Forschung ↩︎
2. Merkvers von Talhofer, Transkribiert von Dieter Bachmann ↩︎
3. https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Gladiatoria_group
   ↩︎
4. https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Wiener_Fechtbuch_(Cod.11093) ↩︎

When contacting the founder of a travel agency in my small, Upper-Austrian hometown that specialises in sustainable and responsible tourism, I did not only get some valuable insight from him, but he also referred me to multiple different NGOs in Austria and Europe specialising on the topic of sustainable tourism. I want to use this blog post to take a closer look at a few of them and at the work they do.

Naturfreunde / Amis de la Nature / Naturefriends

On their page Naturfreunde cites the definition of sustainable development, created in the course of the UN Earth Summit of 1992, as “a development which satisfies the current needs without risking future generations not being able to satisfy their needs anymore”. This definition has been adapted into developments in travel and tourism since then and has lead to the emergence of sustainable tourism.
In comparison to ecotourism, which is mostly associated with nature-focused travel and also sustainability approaches, sustainable tourism is a wider idea and concept about how travel should be approached. Thus, sustainable tourism can also be applied to mass tourism as well as different other forms of tourism.
Sustainable tourism must meet social, cultural, environmental, and economic compatibility criteria. It should be ethically and socially responsible, culturally appropriate, environmentally sustainable, and economically viable, both for present and future generations.
The Naturfreunde page also highlights the importance of the social aspects of sustainable travel next to environmental factors and how, if done right, tourism can also help improve the lives of travellers and locals alike (Naturfreunde, 2025).
All in all the page offers some interesting insights and information on the topic as well as links to further resources.
Natrufreunde have also founded a project called “RESPECT” specifically focusing on sustainable tourism. Respect also offers events and talks on the topics as well as on specific countries and destinations and how one could plan sustainable journeys there.

Tourism_Log

Also run by RESPECT, the tourism log is a place for exchange on the topic of tourism in general, trying to offer some specific insights into the environmental impact it can have and also offering information on how we could design travel to be more sustainable in the long run (RESPECT, 2025).
On the page one can find various different travel journal entries about travels to many different destinations and about travellers experiences with the countries, cultures and locals there. Furthermore, there are entries on different topics and issues connected to tourism, aiming to raise awareness for the problems that might often go unnoticed. The page’s goal seems to be to sensitise readers to the world around them and to the consequences and effects travelling can have on the host countries in order to make travel a more conscious effort.

Roundtable – Human Right in Tourism

The Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism, as the name already suggests is a NGO focusing on the issue of human rights in tourism. Funded by member fees and donations, the organisation provides training and expertise to travel operators in order to help them recognise their impact on human rights issues in their travel destinations. Their aim is to help organisers and travel providers implement the human rights due diligence in planning their travels. Next to knowledge exchanges, the roundtable also offers networking opportunities as well as teaching materials and funding for pilot projects (Roundtable, 2025).

Conscious Tourism Group

The Conscious Tourism Group also offers workshops and information events on the topic of sustainable tourism and sustainability in general. They provide expertise and direction to companies trying to become more sustainable, those trying to figure out what the term sustainability means for them and also those trying to market sustainable products to the right consumers. The three pillars of the organisation are “Consulting, Education and Community”, highlighting their conviction that education and knowledge are some of the most important tools in sustainability. They also stated on their page that they believe the classical three dimensions of sustainability – economical, ecological and socio-cultural – should be expanded by adding consciousness and community (Conscious Tourism Group, 2025).

While there are still more organisations to explore and more in depth information to collect for the ones I presented here very briefly, one can already tell that the overall consensus between them is that sustainable tourism is not just en ecological issue but also encompasses social and cultural issues as well as questions of human rights, and that spreading information and knowledge on the topic will be the best way to promote positive developments.

Literature

• Naturfreunde –
  https://www.nf-int.org/themen/nachhaltiger-tourismus
• Respect Tourism_Log –
  https://tourismlog.respect.at/about/
• Roundtable – Human Rights in Tourism –
  https://www.humanrights-in-tourism.net/association

Architektur ist mehr als nur der Bau von Strukturen – sie prägt, wie wir Räume wahrnehmen, erleben und fühlen. Besonders sakrale Gebäude wie Kirchen bieten durch ihre hohe Decke, ihre Akustik und ihre symbolische Bedeutung eine Bühne für außergewöhnliche audiovisuelle Installationen. Solche Projekte erweitern die Grenzen der Architektur und erlauben eine neue Interpretation des Raumes. Mit Licht, Klang und Bewegung können architektonische Details hervorgehoben, Räume transformiert und die Wahrnehmung der Besucher verändert werden.

Audiovisuelle Installationen laden dazu ein, Räume nicht nur als physische Orte, sondern als emotionale und kulturelle Erlebnisse wahrzunehmen. Kirchen eignen sich besonders gut, da sie durch ihre akustischen und visuellen Eigenschaften eine Atmosphäre schaffen, die Immersion und Inspiration fördert.

Warum ein mobiler Projektor mein kreatives Potenzial entfalten könnte

Die Möglichkeit, mit einem mobilen Projektor-Setup zu arbeiten, eröffnet neue kreative Freiheiten. Statt an feste Locations gebunden zu sein, bietet ein tragbares System die Flexibilität, spontan an inspirierenden Orten zu arbeiten – sei es in einer kleinen Kapelle, einem verlassenen Gebäude oder mitten in der Natur.

Mein geplantes Setup umfasst den kompakten LED-Projektor Optoma ML1080, die portable Batterie SmallRig V-Mount VB50 sowie ein Tablet zur Steuerung. Mit dieser Kombination ist es möglich, unabhängig vom Stromnetz kreative Inhalte zu projizieren und anzupassen. Allerdings birgt ein mobiles Setup auch Herausforderungen, etwa die begrenzte Helligkeit von tragbaren Projektoren oder die Notwendigkeit, Inhalte vor Ort präzise zu kalibrieren.

Die Inspiration für dieses Projekt stammt von Künstlern wie Phillip Frank, der mit seinen mobilen Installationen zeigt, wie flexibel und wirkungsvoll solche Setups sein können. Auch Künstler wie Cory Arcangel motivieren mich, Technologie auf spielerische Weise neu zu nutzen und innovative künstlerische Projekte zu entwickeln.

Mit einem mobilen Projektor-Setup kann ich einzigartige Orte neu interpretieren, Architektur in einem anderen Licht zeigen und ortsspezifische Kunstwerke schaffen, die nicht nur den Raum, sondern auch die Wahrnehmung der Zuschauer verändern.