IM4 brings an Indigenous worldview to immersive technologies while creating a critical mass of Indigenous people working in XR.

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The IM4 Lab was created by Indigenous filmmaker, Loretta Todd, alongside media matriarchs Doreen Manuel, Cease Wyss, and Tracey Kim Bonneau. IM4 is dedicated to offer workshops training Indigenous peoples in XR. IM4 is dedicated to Indigenizing VR/ AR/ 360 by enabling Indigenous communities to find effective ways to incorporate these technologies into educational, cultural, language, artistic and commercial applications.

We support Indigenous artists and media professionals by providing immersive learning and production opportunities and building an Indigenized tech eco-system. Our governance structure is based upon respect and reciprocity, which also honours Indigenous diversity of expression. At the core of the IM4 Lab is the guidance of media matriarchs, who bring experience and commitment to serving the community.

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IM4 brings an Indigenous worldview to immersive technologies while creating a critical mass of Indigenous people working in XR.

Turtle Island’s First
Indigenous-Led Virtual Production
Micro-Credential

Na wa shéw̓ay̓ ta sp'en̓ém - The Celebration:

August 26, 2023 at the Reliance Theatre of Emily Carr University for Arts and Design

The IM4 in partnership with Emily Carr University for Art and Design is offering a Virtual Production Micro-Credential for Indigenous media emerging and professional artists within Canada.

Join us for a day of Screening, Networking and Art Exhibitions to celebrate the graduation of our IM4 VP Cohort at 520 East 1st Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5T 0H2.

Sharing the wisdom of Indigenous digital creatives working with immersive technologies

The Immersive Knowledge Transfer Podcast is a creation of the IM4 Media Lab with the aim to amplify the voices of Indigenous creatives working with immersive technologies. Through long-form interviews, community highlights and musical guests, the series shares the experiences, insights and stories of Indigenous digital leaders and artists from around the world.

Stream NEW Episodes »

In many Indigenous communities, matriarchs are the knowledge holders and cultural leaders.

IM4's media matriarchs bring experience, professionalism, creativity and leadership, demonstrated through their life's work building an Indigenous media industry and cultural initiatives.

IM4 Lab Creative Director

Loretta Todd
IM4 Lab Matriarch

Doreen Manuel
IM4 Lab Matriarchs

Cease Wyss
IM4 Lab Matriarch

Tracey Kim Bonneau
IM4 Lab Creative Director

Loretta Todd

The IM4 Lab was created by Loretta Todd, the IM4 Lab Creative Director. She first acknowledges the IM4 Lab is on the lands and territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations. 

Ms. Todd envisioned the values of her people, the Nehiyaw, guiding the IM4 Lab, including Pimatisiwin – living a life fully and completely and Wahkohtowin – everything is related. And she envisioned the IM4 Lab’s based on respect, reciprocity and redistribution of wealth. 

In this envisioning, she also knew it was important to respect the values and traditions, protocols and philosophies and knowledge that flow from all Indigenous Nations of these lands, especially those of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations. For Ms. Todd this means the governance of the IM4 Labshould reflect Indigenous governance systems, which acknowledge the strengths of Indigenous women. This is the basis of the role of matriarchs in the guiding of the IM4 Lab. 

“We are inheritors of great cultural wealth, and with that wealth, great responsibilities. As storytellers we are part of a continuum of thousands of generations of storytellers. As such, we are called upon to serve our Indigenous Nations by contributing to healthy, productive societies….

I created the IM4 Lab as a means to serve the stories and knowledge of our ancestors and to affirm our cultural ways in these emerging technologies and industries. I wanted to create an environment that encourages the development of Indigenous media that acknowledges ancestral obligations while upholding cultural expression that reflects the diversity of Indigenous experience, art practice, freedom of expression and social relationships to community and one another. And for the first time in contemporary media history, we can shape these systems to reflect who we are in our beautiful complexity and experiences and knowledge. I am also committed to critical mass – the more of us with these skills and tools, the more influence and transformation of these technologies we will have.”

She is thankful for the support of Emily Carr University of Art and Design for providing support the IM4 Lab and all the funding sources. And, first and foremost we are all grateful to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers.

IM4 Lab Matriarch

Doreen Manuel

Doreen Manuel is the sixth child of Grand Chief Dr. George Manuel and Marceline Manuel. Doreen is a graduate of the Aboriginal Film and Television Diploma Program (AFTP) at Capilano University and now the Director of the Indigenous Independent Digital Filmmaking Program at Capilano University. She has an extensive background working in First Nations education and community development in both rural and urban centers. Doreen comes from a long line of oral historians and factual storytellers from her First Nations traditional background. She is the recipient of the Governor General of Canada Medal Award for academic excellence for her studies in AFTP; and Women in Film & Television, Leadership in Education Award. She holds a MFA from the Film Department at UBC. 

IM4 Lab Matriarchs

Cease Wyss

Cease Wyss is a Skwxwu7mesh/Sto:Lo/ Hawaiian/Swiss media artist with close to 25 years experience in this field. She has produced various formats of media art, as well as being a mentor in her field for close to 15 years. She recently co-authored Journey to Kaho’olawe, covering more than two centuries of the Kanaka family’s migration to the Pacific Northwest coast, and was also a recipient of the City of Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award for film and new media in 2010. She is also an ethno-botanist, traditionally trained in this field by Indigenous Elders. Her work involves site-specific and culturally focused teaching with storytelling as her means to sharing knowledge. 

IM4 Lab Matriarch

Tracey Kim Bonneau

Tracey Kim Bonneau is a Matriarch with the IM4 Lab. Her advisory role is to build capacity in the world or VR and assist with building capacity in communities. Tracey is a multiple award winning veteran documentary Director/Writer/Producer with extensive experience in project management. Her expertise is building highly effective teams and creating multi-platform projects. Tracey is member of the Syilx Nation/Okanagan, born and raised on the Penticton Indian Reserve in British Columbia, Canada. Tracey’s work is known to be future-oriented with innovation. Her documentaries are known to be hard hitting and are currently being utilized by University of British Columbia (UBCO). Her company Of the Land Productions Inc. specializes in quality productions featuring Indigenous stories. Her most recent accomplishment is 26 episodes which currently air on APTN (Quest OutWest – Wild Food.) Tracey has in-depth experience as a journalist in print, radio and television.

The IM4 Team

Technical Director

Davis Heslep
IM4 Lab Creative Director

Loretta Todd
Social Media Manager

Savanna Todd
Research Finance Analyst

Leanne Rooney
Software Engineer Buffalo Tongue Inc.

Michael Runningwolf
VR Instructor

Nancy Lee
Technical Director

Davis Heslep

Davis Heslep a mixed-race arts administrator, educator, producer, and media artist from Somba Ké (Yellowknife), NT Canada. From 2010 – 2022, Davis worked as programming and outreach director for the non-profit media arts organization Western Arctic Moving Pictures (WAMP). In 2014, Davis developed the traveling workshop Hackspace NT which aimed to develop the digital skills of young northerners through hands-on workshops on VR/360 video, game design, modular synth building, 3d modeling/printing, and other forms of digital fabrication. Davis was the representative for WAMP’s partnerships with The Initiative for Indigenous Futures (Concordia, Quebec), Inuit Futures (Concordia, Quebec), and Dechı̨ta Nàowo (Yellowknives Dene First Nation, NT/University of the Fraser Valley). In 2021, Davis was instrumental in hosting the 4th Symposium of the Future Imaginary for the Initiative for Indigenous Futures and the exhibition Rooted and Ascending

As a media artist, Davis incorporates the use of both discarded and contemporary technologies as a way to create experimental work. Davis has been a part of solo and collaborative exhibitions at the Vector Festival (Toronto, Canada) ArtArctica Festival (Helsinki, Finland), Imaginative Film Festival (Toronto, Canada) Fantasia Film Festival (Montreal, Canada), VIVO (Vancouver, Canada), and more.

IM4 Lab Creative Director

Loretta Todd

The IM4 Lab was created by Loretta Todd, the IM4 Lab Creative Director. She first acknowledges the IM4 Lab is on the lands and territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations. 

Ms. Todd envisioned the values of her people, the Nehiyaw, guiding the IM4 Lab, including Pimatisiwin – living a life fully and completely and Wahkohtowin – everything is related. And she envisioned the IM4 Lab’s based on respect, reciprocity and redistribution of wealth. 

In this envisioning, she also knew it was important to respect the values and traditions, protocols and philosophies and knowledge that flow from all Indigenous Nations of these lands, especially those of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations. For Ms. Todd this means the governance of the IM4 Labshould reflect Indigenous governance systems, which acknowledge the strengths of Indigenous women. This is the basis of the role of matriarchs in the guiding of the IM4 Lab. 

“We are inheritors of great cultural wealth, and with that wealth, great responsibilities. As storytellers we are part of a continuum of thousands of generations of storytellers. As such, we are called upon to serve our Indigenous Nations by contributing to healthy, productive societies….

I created the IM4 Lab as a means to serve the stories and knowledge of our ancestors and to affirm our cultural ways in these emerging technologies and industries. I wanted to create an environment that encourages the development of Indigenous media that acknowledges ancestral obligations while upholding cultural expression that reflects the diversity of Indigenous experience, art practice, freedom of expression and social relationships to community and one another. And for the first time in contemporary media history, we can shape these systems to reflect who we are in our beautiful complexity and experiences and knowledge. I am also committed to critical mass – the more of us with these skills and tools, the more influence and transformation of these technologies we will have.”

She is thankful for the support of Emily Carr University of Art and Design for providing support the IM4 Lab and all the funding sources. And, first and foremost we are all grateful to the Grandmothers and Grandfathers.

Social Media Manager

Savanna Todd

Savanna Todd is the new social media manager for the IM4 Lab. Savanna is of Métis heritage, with relationships to the St. Paul de Métis Settlement, White Fish Lake First Nation, Red River Métis Settlement and Turtle Mountain Chippewa. Savanna grew up in Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh territories AKA Vancouver B.C. She was fortunate enough to be immersed in many Indigenous cultural teachings by her family and friends.

Savanna is a graduate of ECUAD, focusing on illustration and fine art. Her work has been namely shown at the Purple Thistle Centre, the yearly Aboriginal show at ECUAD, and the Roundhouse. Savanna was honoured with the opportunity to create work for the B.C Cancer Agency in partnership with the First Nations Health Authority, the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centers, and Métis nation BC. Savanna also co-runs a clothing pop-up store called Velveteen Vintage with her mom. Savanna cares deeply about the rights and sovereignty of oppressed peoples and is grateful for the opportunity to support other Indigenous people at the IM4 Lab and to work with the IM4 Lab Matriarchs.

Research Finance Analyst

Leanne Rooney

Leanne Rooney is the Research Financial Analyst in the Research and Industry Department at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. In this role she provides financial management and compliance oversight of all grants and contracts with government agencies, industry partners, and other stakeholders. 

She has over 30 years of experience working as a financial controller, senior accountant, and general manager in diverse sectors such as post secondary education, manufacturing, hospitality, and law. She is entering her twelfth year at Emily Carr University after eighteen years of experience owning and managing a large-scale digital sign manufacturing business. 

Leanne takes satisfaction in helping artist, designers, media producers and researchers to successfully administer and complete their projects.

Software Engineer Buffalo Tongue Inc.

Michael Runningwolf

Michael Runningwolf has a Masters of Science in Computer Science, and is a software engineer for non-profit organization Buffalo Tongue Inc. He has been working on a project with Caroline Running Wolf on endangered Indigenous language revitalization using Virtual and Augmented Reality.

VR Instructor

Nancy Lee

Nancy Lee is a Taiwanese-born interdisciplinary media artist, curator, filmmaker and cultural producer. Nancy is a co-producer and co-founder of CURRENT: Feminist Electronic Art Symposium, an intersectional and multidisciplinary initiative featuring artistic and educational programming for and by women, nonbinary artists and artists of colour. She co-created “Telepresence”, a VR 8-channel surround-sound live performance with Western Front, and “Tidal Traces”, an VR 360 dance film with the National Film Board of Canada. Currently, Nancy is collaborating with Kiran Bhumber on a speculative-sci fi exhibition exploring 3D scanning/printing, XR, and live performance, scheduled for 2021 at the Richmond Art Gallery.

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