Voices of VR #1703: “Reality Looks Back” Uses Quantum Possibility Metaphors & Gaussian Splats to Challenge Notions of Reality
Dec 7, 2025
Omid Zarei, an immersive producer and director, and Anne Jeppesen, a sound designer focused on audio-driven XR, delve into their collaborative project, Reality Looks Back. They explore the emotional core of their work, sharing a poignant hamster moment that reshaped their narrative. The duo translates lofty quantum concepts into immersive visuals and sound, discussing how personal experiences influence storytelling. Their insights on reality perception and the potential of immersive media spark intriguing conversations about disclosure and societal paradigm shifts.
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Gaussian Splats As Quantum Metaphor
- Gaussian splats visually map to quantum concepts like clouds of possibility and superposition.
- Omid used that visual-probabilistic language to make the theme feel inherent in the medium itself.
Begin With Emotion And Stay Open
- Start creative work from an emotion and keep the process open to let reality bleed into the piece.
- Capture unexpected moments and be ready to fold them into the narrative rather than forcing structure prematurely.
Hamster Death Became The Story Pivot
- Anne recorded an unscripted conversation where their hamster Oliver died on tape, and they kept recording through it.
- That moment reshaped the narrative and became the emotional center of Reality Looks Back.
