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VR Theater

The VR Theater celebrates the rise of storytelling in a new and emerging medium by showcasing the best virtual reality in short-form narratives.

Below is a listing of the work presented at the SIGGRAPH 2020 VR Theater. To explore the content in detail, please review the program’s listing on the ACM Digital Library.

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A New Age of Discoveries

VR is a natural and powerful extension of our current world and the instrument to pursue new horizons. From the deepest surfaces of the ocean floor to the majestic emptiness of space, VR embraces change and encourages innovation.

To Live in the Moment

VR embraces the relationships developed between the human experience and emerging technology. It is an immersive media that conceptualizes ideas that uplift and enrich us. We rejoice in the moment when our curiosity becomes a reality.

To Fan the Flames of Inspiration

VR aspires to develop a global visual language that inspires the world with innovate technologies and experiences. It enriches people’s lives and contributes to social prosperity by creating new and visceral futures. We grow as a global community as we shape a hopeful future.

Monica Cappiello Cogswell Polytechnical College
VR Theater Director


Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater: VR Theater
Event TypeComputer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
1st Step - From Earth to the Moon
Project Title 1st Step - From Earth to the Moon
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator Joerg Courtial
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Faber Courtial
Synopsis “1st Step” is at once a VR documentary and fairy tale, telling the magical story of a dream come true: the Apollo missions. For the first time, viewers experience this fascinating adventure in a completely new way in VR. They get the chance to perceive the extreme dimensions of the missions in an unprecedented spatial quality through the eyes of the astronauts, like the unbelievable narrowness of the command capsule and the surprising topography of the lunar landscape. It is told from a narrator's perspective who can hardly believe herself the miraculous nature of this incredible venture.
Country(s) of Origin Germany
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
Maria Courtial
Joerg Courtial
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
Description“1st Step” is at once both a VR documentary and fairy tale, telling the magical story of a dream come true: the Apollo missions. A gripping experience, from the missions' impressive launch all the way through to the astronauts' fortunate return on earth.
Contributors
Maria Courtial
Producer, 2nd Director
Faber Courtial
Joerg Courtial
Director
Faber Courtial
The Abandoned Deity
Project Title The Abandoned Deity
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator KAO Yi-Chun
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Kaohsiung Film Archive, Hibrain Image, Movect Studio
Synopsis The social impact of gambling greatly affected the Taiwanese during the '80s in Taiwan. The concept of this film is to have the audience experience and observe the social values of religious beliefs from a deity statue’s viewpoint.
Country(s) of Origin Taiwan
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
YI-CHUN KAO
Amos Hsiao
Leo Liao
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
DescriptionThe social impact of gambling affected Taiwanese the greatest during the '80s in Taiwan. The concept of this film is to have the audience experience and observe the social values of religion beliefs from a deity statue’s viewpoint.
Contributors
YI-CHUN KAO
Director
Hibrain Image
Kaohsiung Film Archive
Amos Hsiao
Producer
Hibrain Image
Leo Liao
Animation Supervisor
Movect Studio
Battlescar - Punk was invented by girls
Project Title Battlescar
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator Nico Casavecchia and Martin Allais
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Atlas V
Synopsis Battlescar follows a year in the life of Lupe, a Puerto Rican-American living in the late 1970s in New York City. She meets Debbie, a runaway kid who introduces her to the punk scene. Explore with them the secret worlds of the Lower East Side in the '70s.
Country(s) of Origin France, Argentina
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
Corentin Lambot
Martin Allais
Nico Casavecchia
Arnaud Colinart
Marianne Levy-Leblond
Jake Sally
Andrew Geller
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
Description1978, New York City. Lupe, a young Puerto Rican American teenager, meets Debbie in a juvenile detention centre. Debbie will introduce Lupe to the Punk scene of the Bowery and expose her to the secret worlds co-existing in Alphabet City.
Contributors
Corentin Lambot
co-Producer
Atlas V
Martin Allais
Director
Independent
Nico Casavecchia
Director and scriptwriter
Independent
Arnaud Colinart
Co-Producer
Atlas V
Marianne Levy-Leblond
Co-producer
Arte
Jake Sally
Co-producer
Ryot
Andrew Geller
Co-producer
1st Avenue Machine
Feather
Project Title Feather
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator Keisuke Itoh
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) KEISUKE ITOH 3DCG&VR CREATION
Synopsis This is a story about a small girl doll whose goal is to be a ballet dancer. Viewers do not just watch over the story but also pass a feather to her interactively. As she receives feathers, she grows up to pursue her goal to be a ballet dancer.
Country(s) of Origin Japan
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
Keisuke Itoh
Katsutoshi Machiba
Tetsuya Ohashi
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
DescriptionThis is a story about a small girl doll whose goal is to be a ballet dancer. Viewers do not just watch over the story but also pass a feather to her interactively. As she receives feathers, she grows up to pursue her goal to be a ballet dancer.
Contributors
Keisuke Itoh
Director
Independent
Katsutoshi Machiba
Producer
Supership Inc.
Tetsuya Ohashi
Assistant Producer
CinemaLeap Inc.
Hi-Speed Eagle
Project Title Hi-Speed Eagle
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator Max Salomon
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Black Dot Films
Synopsis Captured at over 1000 frames per second, this 360 film takes you into the world of an apex aerial predator in a way that's never been possible before. Explore a time scale beyond human perception as you dive through the air with one of the world's largest Eagles.
Country(s) of Origin France, US
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
Max Salomon
Malvina Martin
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
DescriptionCaptured at over 1000 frames per second, this 360 film takes you into the world of an apex aerial predator in a way that's never been possible before. Explore a time scale beyond human perception as you dive through the air with one of the world's largest Eagles.
Contributors
Max Salomon
Director
Black Dot Films VR
Malvina Martin
Executive Producer
Black Dot Films VR
The Last Light
Project Title The Last Light
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator Jeremy Vanhoozer
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Magic Leap
Synopsis A beautiful spatial story dealing with loss and recovery.
Country(s) of Origin United States
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
Jeremy Vanhoozer
Joe Olson
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
DescriptionIn this storytelling experience a young woman travels home after learning of a loss in the family, reliving childhood memories she deals with her grief. With a beloved scrapbook she is able to work through her feelings and embrace life once again.
Contributors
Jeremy Vanhoozer
Writer/Director
Magic Leap
Magic Leap
Joe Olson
Art Director
Magic Leap
Magic Leap
Long Road Home VR
Project Title Long Road Home VR
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator Max Salomon
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Black Dot Films VR for National Geographic Partners
Synopsis National Geographic’s cinematic VR series takes viewers inside the shattered, PTSD-laced memories of real-life soldiers and the actual events which unleashed the insurgency of the Iraq War. Intimate, gripping, deeply personal, as each soldier shares his story, we step back in time into moments that changed their lives forever.
Country(s) of Origin United States
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
Max Salomon
Malvina Martin
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
DescriptionNational Geographic’s cinematic VR series takes viewers inside the shattered, PTSD-laced memories of real-life soldiers and the actual events which unleashed the insurgency of the Iraq War. Intimate, gripping, deeply personal, as each soldier shares his story, we step back in time into moments that changed their lives forever.
Contributors
Max Salomon
Director
Black Dot Films VR
Malvina Martin
Executive Producer
Black Dot Films VR
The Remedy
Project Title The Remedy
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator Daniel Martin Peixe
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Oculus
Synopsis When a single mother is confronted with the reality that the only cure for her fatally sick child is too expensive, she takes fate into her own hands. The instinct to save her son takes her on a treacherous journey in search of an enigmatic plant with mystical healing properties.
Country(s) of Origin United States
SessionVR Theater
Contributor
Daniel Martin Peixe
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
DescriptionWhen a single mother is confronted with the reality that the only cure for her fatally sick child is too expensive, she takes fate into her own hands. The instinct to save her son takes her on a treacherous journey in search of an enigmatic plant with mystical healing properties.
Contributor
Daniel Martin Peixe
Director
Independent
Tahul: SIGGRAPH 2020 VR Theater Lobby Experience
Project Title Tahul: SIGGRAPH 2020 VR Theater Lobby Experience
CURATED SELECTION
Lead Creator Aram Cookson
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Savannah College of Art and Design
Synopsis Led by students, this VR interactive environment was created for the SIGGRAPH 2020 VR Theater headset "lobby" as a way to showcase trailers and/or posters of selected works.
Country(s) of Origin United States
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
SuAnne Fu
Aram Cookson
Manuel Prada
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
DescriptionTahul is a virtual reality explorative experience created for the Siggraph VR Theater 2020 virtual lobby. This custom, tailored lobby environment serves as an entry point to the traditionally seated program. Currently, Tahul has been adapted to host the trailers and informational videos of the selected works.
Contributors
SuAnne Fu
Chair
Savannah College of Art and Design
Aram Cookson
Professor
Savannah College of Art and Design
Manuel Prada
Professor
Savannah College of Art and Design
VR Free
Project Title VR Free
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Lead Creator Milad Tangshir
Studio/Organization Affiliation(s) Associazione museo nazionale del cinema
Synopsis "VR Free" explores the nature of incarceration spaces by portraying some fractions of life inside the Turin prison. Moreover, the film captures the reactions of a few inmates during their encounter with virtual reality and immersive videos of life outside of prison.
Country(s) of Origin Italy
SessionVR Theater
Contributors
Milad Tangshir
Valentina Noya
Event Type
Computer Animation Festival - VR Theater
Interest Areas
Gaming & Interactive
Production & Animation
Keywords
VR
Time
Location
Description"VR Free" explores the nature of incarceration spaces by portraying some fractions of life inside the Turin prison. Moreover, the film captures the reactions of a few inmates during their encounter with virtual reality and immersive videos of life outside of prison.
Contributors
Milad Tangshir
Director
Associazione Museo Nazionale del Cinema
Valentina Noya
Producer
Associazione Museo Nazionale del Cinema