Everything Immersive > No Proscenium > Trailheads (8/31/22)
Trailheads (8/31/22)
by Chris Wollman
A weekly feature pointing you towards the current experiences that have people talking.
For people who know nothing is scarier than dinner with the in-laws…
The Willows [LOS ANGELES]
JFI Productions serves another helping of what may now be the last great immersive institution of Los Angeles. You are cordially invited to a fully interactive dinner party hosted by The Willows, an enigmatic family teetering on the edge after a terrible loss. As the night spins out of control and the Willows’ eccentricities devolve into madness, you and your fellow guests will explore the house and grounds of the estate attempting to piece together the mystery of what purpose your presence may actually serve. With a heaping helping of gallows humor, an intoxicating cast of charismatic oddballs, and genuinely terrifying moments that threaten to put you off your appetite entirely, this five star immersive banquet will have you immediately craving seconds and thirds to experience everything that The Willows has to offer.
Why we know you’ll love it: JFI’s spectacular repertory company is at the peak of their powers in this seminal experience returning for the first time since 2018 that puts you in the center of an impish psychological thriller. Revered for their atmospheric, narrative driven horror tradition CREEP LA and increasingly in demand by powerful companies that don’t put people like me on their guest lists, the time is now to savor every morsel Just Fix It Productions cooks up while we still can.
For people who want to avoid using their private jet this weekend due to public sentiment…
Venice Immersive World 2022 [REMOTE]**
While the 79th Venice International Film Festival and its newly expanded Extended Reality section kick off in person, immersive cinephiles experiencing fomo can sample a small curated exhibition of free VR experiences you can take in from the comfort of your own Oculus rig. Utilizing the platform VRChat (account creation required), the festival has created a virtual Venice Immersive Island as a social hub where your avatars can mix and mingle in The Piazza or catch a rotating offering of explorable environments throughout the week as well as a couple of special one time only live events. The World’s Gallery presents thirty unique virtual worlds accessible on a set schedule every day of the festival, with each separately scheduled WorldHop showcasing roughly three worlds every seventy-five minutes; “Magic Heist,” “Shadow Factory,” “Night Church,” and “Organism,” are just a handful of the enticingly-named environments on display, as well as repeating musical experiences by LLLL, Silent Dawn, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Oxymore.
Why we think you’ll love it: If that isn’t enough, this platform will also host two one time only concert events, also free but requiring separate registration, including Cyber Summer- An Afrotech Affair: a 360 degree VR stream of a live concert broadcast from Johannesburg, South Africa featuring "a sensory visual light show, artistic set and stage design, and live performances ranging from traditional instrumentalists and linguistics specialist rappers, to future facing Afrotech DJs and top musicians from the thriving Johannesburg nightlife scene."
For people who always wanted to go to Burning Man if it wasn’t for the (gestures vaguely at everything)...
Live Feed from Black Rock City [REMOTE]**
If you're reading this right now, chances are you are not currently experiencing the Burning Man festival in person, but fear not! Live event platform AltSpaceVR is providing a live feed to the desert happening along with a more structured showcase of some of the breathtaking, innovative art the festival has become a beacon for. There will be six separately curated worlds accessible to VR Burners, each with their own collection of model renderings of art physically on display at the festival; once you’ve fully explored and appreciated one area, simply utilize any/all of the five remaining portals to transport yourself to another virtual gallery. Exploring the art in this virtual space with the live feed playing in the background is as close as you’re going to get to the real thing without driving hours into the desert. Remember to stay hydrated.
Why we think you’ll love it: The feed will be going all week, right through to the famous Burn Night ceremony. Enjoy some truly unique art from a long list of exciting creators, catch the festival from a voyeur’s point of view, and immerse yourself all week until the Man Burns.
**These listings were suggested by community members Kathryn Yu and Patrick McLean, respectively. Thanks, pals! Have an upcoming/ongoing immersive experience that has you buzzing? Point it out to us through pitches@noproscenium.com with the subject line "I Found A Trailhead" and we might include it in the next issue!