My VR experience

For this week, we were assigned the task of finding and watching 3 different VR stories.

I watched my first VR story, called "Fresh Out," on the WITHIN app. This one was actually animated and put you in the scenario of a carrot in the ground, and could be classified as an immersive short story. The carrots are afraid of a monster with a big mouth that could come snatch them, and in the end we find out that the monster is a human who comes and picks the carrots to eat them. This was a super cute experience, though definitely strange. There were some awkward lulls in this video but overall it was engaging and interesting.

My second VR story, "Step to the Line," came from the WITHIN app as well. This video introduces viewers to a group of incarcerated men who have gone through a betterment program during their time in prison. It immerses viewers into a ceremony honoring the individuals who finished the program that focuses on an activity these men do with their instructors and the visitors there that displays the differences between the two groups. It allows viewers to experience these conversations and stories as if we are part of the group. It is beautiful, touching, and heartbreaking all at once, and is an incredible statement piece about humanity and how unique and important every person is.

I watched my third VR story, "Artist of Skid Row," on the VeeR app. This video introduces us to an artist who works in and near an area called Skid Row that is infamous for the prevalence of homelessness that exists there. It follows a bit of his work and his process as well as immerses viewers in Skid Row itself a bit. We see the people living on the streets before we see his work and how he creates his work. One really neat element of this VR story is that in one cut it shows him painting in the air, with his brushstrokes leaving marks by means of animation. It then shows him working on his actual paintings which live on transparent material. I thought this was an exciting and effective juxtaposition and connection between his energy and his creative process. This video was very much about highlighting Skid Row's environment without fluffing anything up.

Thanks for stopping by!

{Today's mind/heart/soul-healthy challenge: Take a minute to sit back and observe your own reality. Assess your mind and your heart and where you're at today.}

*MAKE TODAY STORY-WORTHY.*