How do 3D models, satellite imagery, and forensic graphics turn war propaganda into international headlines?
Join us at Cross Street Chapel, Manchester on 21st September for an eye-opening investigative talk with Jake Charles Rees, co-founder of the research collective Viewfinder.
In 2024, Viewfinder—a collective of journalists, artists, and researchers—initiated an extensive investigation into propaganda videos produced by the Israeli military and broadcast globally across mainstream media networks.
Analysing a series of state-produced digital visualisations (ranging from 3D interior renders to satellite visual overlays depicting attacks across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran), Viewfinder uncovered a disturbing trend: state military actors are actively repurposing journalistic methods—such as visual forensics and spatial mapping—to legitimise military attacks and spatial destruction.
Published in landmark reports alongside +972 Magazine, The Ferret, and Swiss public broadcaster SRF, Viewfinder revealed how spatial inaccuracies, prefabricated digital assets, and speculative models are wrapped in technical aesthetics to obscure realities on the ground.
What You Will Learn:
- The Anatomy of Visual Manipulation: How wireframe graphics and 3D models create an illusion of “seamless factual continuity” for mainstream media.
- Co-opting Journalism: How military PR teams adopt forensic investigative techniques to preemptively control narrative outcomes.
- Deconstructing the Haze: Practical insights into how researchers and activists can critically read visual warfare in real time.
- Q&A Session: An interactive discussion with Jake Charles Rees on media accountability, digital research, and investigative activism.
Speaker Profile
Jake Charles Rees is an independent journalist, researcher, and co-founder of the Viewfinder collective. His work focuses on visual investigations, military media strategies, and narrative architecture, with investigations featured in +972 Magazine, The Ferret, and international broadcast media.
Event Schedule & Details
- Date: Sunday, 21st September
- Venue: Cross Street Chapel, 29 Cross St, Manchester M2 1NL
- Doors Open: 6:15 PM (Arrive early to secure your seat)
- Presentation & Discussion: 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM
- Event Concludes: 8:30 PM
Admission is free / donation on the night
Booking: bit.ly/ViewfinderManc
