Voices of VR

Charlotte Mikkelborg is the series director of the Adventure series on Apple TV, which is shot on Apple Immersive Video and co-produced by Atlantic Studios (formerly Atlantic Productions) and Apple. I think it has the strongest storytelling released by Apple so far, and it also has some of the most innovative and cutting edge shots that really show the power of the 180-degree format of Apple Immersive Video. In this conversation, we cover Mikkelborg's 10-year journey into working with immersive formats starting with 360-degree video, multi-sensory VR, and most recently 180-degree video. We also talk about the emerging grammar of 180-degree filmmaking, and the introduction of close ups, which I feel like work sometimes and other times feels almost too close or can feel a bit uncanny or jarring when changing scales or results in warping or other distortions. We also talk about some of the behind-the-scenes insights about the Adventure series. One concerning thing that I noticed after watching all of the Apple Immersive Videos released so far is that many of these videos do not contain any credits for who worked on these projects. I did an audit of all 22 of the published Apple Immersive Videos, and I found that 14 of the 22 don't have any credits at all,. Most of these are by Apple Sentity LLC productions, which is presumably Apple's in-house production team. I found that 5 out of the 22 have partial credits, including the four episodes of the Adventure series as well as Man vs. Beast, which features DGA director Ryan Booth. And there are 3 out of the 22 Apple Immersive Videos that have full and complete credits including Submerged that features DGA director Edward Berger, and the Prehistoric Planet Immersive series, which is a co-production with Fairview Portals. See the table below for more information: It is deeply concerning to me that only 3 out of the 22 Apple Immersive Videos seemingly have full and complete credits. Apple did not provide any comment about why this is or why some of these pieces have no credits, why some have partial credits, and why some have full credits. It is nice to see at least some credits on the Adventure series, which is a co-production between Apple and Atlantic Studios (formerly Atlantic Productions), but they're only listing the director, executive producer, and key talent while all of the other key creative talent are not being credited. Atlantic Productions did not provide any official comment about why there are only partial credits, while a few other productions have full credits and many other productions have no credits. You can see find a partial a list of some of the Adventure series creative talent on IMDB, and episode 3 protagonist Ant Williams posted a partial list of credits on his Instagram announcement post. I was able to get some additional context from Mikkelborg about the credits situation, and it does sounds like the co-productions likely have a bit more leeway in dictating what types of credits are shown. While the Prehistoric Planet Immersive series co-produced by Fairview Portals series has full and complete credits, and the Adventure series by Atlantic Studios only has partial credits. The two Apple Sentity LLC productions that do have credits also happen to be directed by directors who are a part of the Director's Guild of America (DGA). The DGA has specific credits requirements, "For feature films, the Director’s screen credit must be accorded on a separate card, which shall be the last title card appearing prior to principal photography. This credit shall be no less than 50% of the size of the displayed title of the motion picture, or of the largest size in which credit is accorded to any other person, whichever is greater." The rules may be different for immersive productions or emerging media projects, but the director credits for Submerged and Man vs Beast seem to both meet DGA's credits requirements for film.

Ant Williams, a freediving athlete and sports psychologist, shares his thrilling journey in the Apple Adventure Series, including the intense experience of attempting a world record ice dive. He discusses how positive risk-taking helps him manage anxiety and self-doubt. The conversation also dives into the innovations behind Apple’s immersive video technology, showcasing emotional storytelling and the impact of VR. Williams reflects on the mental preparations required for extreme challenges and the transformative power of technology in sharing personal achievements.

Jake Oleson, a director and composer from the realm of advertising and music videos, discusses his groundbreaking VR film, 'CURRENTS.' He unveils innovative 180-degree filmmaking techniques that capture the transition of a woman from rural Vietnam to urban life, using spatial storytelling and a dynamic electronic soundtrack he composed. The detailed pre-production process allowed him to avoid common motion sickness triggers while creating powerful emotional narratives. Oleson also reflects on the future of immersive storytelling and the potential of new technologies like Apple Vision Pro.

Gwenael Francois, director of the award-winning interactive narrative 'Oto's Planet', shares insights on merging tabletop animation with virtual reality. He discusses the unique mechanic of rotating a tiny planet to follow a story that addresses themes of coexistence and colonialism. Francois reveals how the experience varies between platforms, noting the superior quality on Apple Vision Pro compared to Meta's Quest. He also touches on character design challenges and the creative use of untranslatable dialogue that enriches emotional depth in storytelling.

Aditi Rajagopal, Head of Experience Design at Atlantic Studios, shares insights on creating immersive educational experiences. She discusses the groundbreaking 'Cosmos in Focus,' which contextualizes stunning James Webb telescope images in a planetarium setting. The project combines advanced zoom technology with 3D models to deepen understanding of the universe. Aditi also reflects on her transition from AR storytelling at Meta to immersive storytelling, highlighting the power of collaboration between creators and scientists for effective science communication.

Paolo Loeffler, Managing Director at Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig, shares insights into transforming a former power plant into a vibrant digital arts hub. He discusses the evolution of the immersive experience 'Origins – Life's Epic Journey,' highlighting its journey from a complex installation to a captivating three-channel video format showcased at SXSW. The conversation delves into the collaborative artistry behind the project, the innovative use of technology, and the role of immersive storytelling in engaging audiences. A true exploration of art meeting technology!

FLY TO YOU tells the story of Kang Songjeol who was separated from her childhood friends in the aftermath of the 1950 split between North and South Korea. Oral history interviews were captured in 360 video, and her childhood memories were recreated with point scans derived from Leici BLK360 LiDAR scans combined with Azure Kinect volumetric captures. The experience manages to virtually fly over the restricted demilitarized zone into North Korea, which is something that is illegal from them to do physically but serves as a symbolic gesture towards reunification. There are still thousands of families hoping for an opportunity to be reunited, and there's a beautiful spatial memorial that brings home that point at the end of this piece. I had a chance to unpack it all with co-directors Sngmoon Lee and Youngyun Song This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

Ingram Mao, the game director for Symphoni and co-founder of Tech Toys Studio, brings a unique perspective from his background in interior design and architecture to the world of VR gaming. He shares insights about the innovative mechanics that blend conducting a symphony with hand-tracked rhythm gaming. The discussion highlights the challenges and creative processes involved in developing immersive gameplay, the inspiration drawn from orchestral music, and the evolution of the game from mixed reality to fully immersive VR, promising an engaging player experience.

Jiabao Li, a multi-disciplinary artist and assistant professor at UT Austin, discusses her innovative work 'ECHOVISION.' She reveals how mixed reality and LiDAR technology simulate bat echolocation in an immersive experience. Listeners learn about the artistic exploration of bat communication through AI and haptics, including an interactive haptic couch. Li also shares insights from a field trip to witness a bat colony, emphasizing the significance of understanding human and non-human intelligence and the ecological impact of her projects.

Johan King, a visual artist and filmmaker, explores the intersection of fungi and queer ecology in their groundbreaking VR piece, Honey Fungus. They discuss how this immersive experience cultivates intimacy with nature through embodied interactions. King delves into the symbolism behind their work, emphasizing personal interpretation over universal narratives. The conversation touches on the innovative use of storytelling in VR, the interconnectedness of ecological themes, and the importance of community-building through art, ultimately redefining our relationship with the natural world.